Housing our Military Veterans Effectively Act of 2023 or the HOME Act of 2023
This bill addresses the funding and administration of certain Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) programs related to homeless veterans.
Specifically, the bill increases the maximum rate of per diem payments provided by the VA to entities (i.e., grant recipients or authorized entities) that furnish services and transitional housing to homeless veterans. The bill also authorizes the VA to provide a maximum of 200% of the otherwise applicable maximum rate to a certain number of grant recipients and authorized entities in each fiscal year from FY2024 through FY2026. Under the bill, the VA may not provide more than 12,000 per diem payments in a fiscal year.
Through FY2024, the bill authorizes the VA to use certain available funds to provide specified assistance to homeless veterans who are participating in the Department of Housing and Urban Development-VA Supportive Housing (HUD-VASH) program. Such assistance may include food, shelter, clothing, transportation for specified purposes, and technology items such as smartphones.
The bill authorizes the VA to collaborate with organizations to manage the use of VA land for homeless veterans to live and sleep.
The bill also extends certain loan fee rates through May 18, 2032, under the VA's home loan program.
[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 3848 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
118th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 3848
To make certain improvements in the laws administered by the Secretary
of Veterans Affairs relating to homelessness, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
June 6, 2023
Mrs. Chavez-DeRemer (for herself and Mr. Bost) introduced the following
bill; which was referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To make certain improvements in the laws administered by the Secretary
of Veterans Affairs relating to homelessness, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Housing our Military Veterans
Effectively Act of 2023'' or the ``HOME Act of 2023''.
SEC. 2. PER DIEM PAYMENTS PROVIDED BY THE SECRETARY OF VETERANS AFFAIRS
FOR SERVICES FURNISHED TO HOMELESS VETERANS.
Section 2012 of title 38, United States Code, is amended--
(1) in subsection (a)--
(A) in paragraph (2)(B)--
(i) in clause (i)(II)(aa)(BB)--
(I) by striking ``115 percent'' and
inserting ``133 percent''; and
(II) by inserting ``, plus a
percentage increase to such rate equal
to the percentage determined under
section 3564(a) of this title'' after
``of that section'';
(ii) in clause (ii), by striking ``150''
and inserting ``140''; and
(iii) by adding at the end the following:
``(iii) Subject to clause (iv), the Secretary may waive the maximum
rate for per diem payments under clause (i)(II)(aa)(BB) or (ii) and
provide such payments at a rate that does not exceed 200 percent of the
rate authorized for State homes for domiciliary care under subsection
(a)(1)(A) of section 1741 of this title, as the Secretary may increase
from time to time under subsection (c) of that section, if the
Secretary--
``(I) determines that the grant recipient or eligible
entity furnishes services to homeless veterans in--
``(aa) a rural or highly rural area;
``(bb) an area with a high rate of suicide among
veterans; or
``(cc) an area with a high rate of homelessness
among veterans; and
``(II) notifies Congress of the need for such waiver.
``(iv) The Secretary may not, pursuant to clause (iii), waive the
maximum rate described in such clause for more than 10 percent of all
grant recipients and eligible entities in a fiscal year.''; and
(B) by adding at the end the following new
paragraph:
``(4) The Secretary may not provide more than 10,500 payments under
this section in a fiscal year.''; and
(2) by adding at the end the following new subsection:
``(f) Reports Required.--Not later than 90 days after the date of
the enactment of the HOME Act of 2023, and not less frequently than
twice each year thereafter, the Secretary shall submit to the Committee
on Veterans' Affairs of the Senate and the Committee on Veterans'
Affairs of the House of Representatives a report on the rate for per
diem payments under this section that includes, for each Veterans
Integrated Service Network of the Department, the following data:
``(1) The average rate for such a payment.
``(2) A list of locations where the rate for such a payment
is within 10 percent of the maximum rate for such a payment
authorized under this section.
``(3) The average length of stay by a veteran participating
in a program described in section 2011(a) of this title.''.
SEC. 3. MODIFICATION OF AUTHORITY TO ENTER INTO CERTAIN LEASES AT THE
DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS WEST LOS ANGELES CAMPUS.
Section 2 of West Los Angeles Leasing Act of 2016 (Public Law 114-
226) is amended--
(1) in subsection (h)(1)--
(A) by striking ``that is not in compliance with
such laws'' both places it appears;
(B) by striking ``certifies'' and inserting
``submits''; and
(C) by striking ``that all recommendations included
in the audit report or evaluation have been
implemented'' and inserting ``notice in writing of
whether the Secretary concurred or did not concur with
each recommendation included in the audit report or
evaluation and, in the case of any nonconcurrence, the
reasons for such nonconcurrence''; and
(2) by adding the following new subsection:
``(n) Consideration.--Notwithstanding section 1302 of title 40,
United States Code, section 8122 of title 38, United States Code, or
any other provision of law, consideration for a lease made pursuant to
this Act may include consideration other than money.''.
SEC. 4. TEMPORARY AUTHORIZATION FOR SECRETARY OF VETERANS AFFAIRS TO
USE OF CERTAIN FUNDS FOR IMPROVED FLEXIBILITY IN
ASSISTANCE TO HOMELESS VETERANS.
(a) Use of Funds.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs may use
amounts appropriated or otherwise made available to the Department of
Veterans Affairs to carry out section 2011, 2012, 2031, or 2061 of
title 38, United States Code, to provide to a covered veteran, as the
Secretary determines necessary--
(1) assistance required for the safety and survival of the
veteran (such as food, shelter, clothing, blankets, and hygiene
items);
(2) transportation required to support the stability and
health of the veteran (such as transportation for appointments
with service providers, the conduct of housing searches, and
the obtainment of food and supplies);
(3) communications equipment and services (such as tablets,
smartphones, disposable phones, and related service plans)
required to support the stability and health of the veteran
(such as through the maintenance of contact with service
providers, prospective landlords, and family members); and
(4) such other assistance as the Secretary determines
necessary.
(b) Homeless Veterans on Department of Veterans Affairs Land.--
(1) In general.--The Secretary may collaborate, to the
extent practicable, with one or more organizations to manage
the use of land of the Department of Veterans Affairs for
homeless veterans for living and sleeping.
(2) Forms of collaboration.--Collaboration under paragraph
(1) may include the provision by either the Secretary or the
head of the organization concerned of food services and
security for property, buildings, and other facilities owned or
controlled by the Department of Veterans Affairs.
(c) Report Required.--Not later than one year after the date of the
enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to Congress a report
that includes, with respect to the period covered by such report--
(1) a statement, disaggregated by each medical center of
the Department of Veterans Affairs, of the amount of funds
under this section--
(A) each such medical center requested from the
Secretary; and
(B) to which the Secretary provided each such
medical center;
(2) data, disaggregated by each such medical center,
relating to how each such medical center used amounts provided
by the Secretary under this section;
(3) the number of covered veterans to which the Secretary
provided assistance under this section;
(4) the total amount of assistance the Secretary provided
to covered veterans pursuant to subsection (a)(3) for
communications equipment, broken down by the type of equipment
provided;
(5) the total amount of assistance the Secretary provided
covered veterans pursuant to subsection (a)(2) for ridesharing;
(6) the number of covered veterans who received such
assistance; and
(7) a description, for each rideshare used by a covered
veteran with such assistance, of the reasons such covered
veteran used such rideshare.
(d) Sunset.--The authority under this section shall terminate on
September 30, 2024.
(e) Definitions.--In this section, the term ``covered veteran''
means--
(1) a homeless veteran; and
(2) a veteran participating in the program carried out
under section 8(o)(19) of the United States Housing Act of 1937
(42 U.S.C. 1437f(o)(19)).
<all>
Introduced in House
Referred to the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity.
Subcommittee Hearings Held
Subcommittee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held
Forwarded by Subcommittee to Full Committee (Amended) by Voice Vote.
Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
Ordered to be Reported in the Nature of a Substitute (Amended) by Voice Vote.
Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Veterans' Affairs. H. Rept. 118-189.
Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Veterans' Affairs. H. Rept. 118-189.
Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 152.
Mr. Van Orden moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.
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Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H6094-6097)
DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 3848.
At the conclusion of debate, the Yeas and Nays were demanded and ordered. Pursuant to the provisions of clause 8, rule XX, the Chair announced that further proceedings on the motion would be postponed.
Considered as unfinished business. (consideration: CR H6130)
Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 408 - 10 (Roll no. 695). (text: 12/04/2023 CR H6094-6095)
Roll Call #695 (House)On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 408 - 10 (Roll no. 695). (text: 12/04/2023 CR H6094-6095)
Roll Call #695 (House)Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.