To amend title 38, United States Code, to improve programs for homeless veterans, and for other purposes.

April 6, 2001

Mr. WELLSTONE (for himself, Mrs. MURRAY, Mr. DAYTON, Ms. STABENOW, Mr. DORGAN, Mr. KENNEDY, Mr. DURBIN, Ms. LANDRIEU, Mr. DASCHLE, Mr. REID, and Mr. JOHNSON) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterarns' Affairs

To amend title 38, United States Code, to improve programs for homeless veterans, 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; TABLE OF CONTENTS.

(a) SHORT TITLE- This Act may be cited as the `Heather French Henry Homeless Veterans Assistance Act'.

(b) TABLE OF CONTENTS- The table of contents for this Act is as follows:

Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents.

Sec. 2. Findings; definitions.

Sec. 3. National goal to end homelessness among veterans.

Sec. 4. Advisory Committee on Homeless Veterans.

Sec. 5. Annual meeting requirement for Interagency Council on the Homeless.

Sec. 6. Evaluation of homeless programs.

Sec. 7. Changes in veterans equitable resource allocation methodology.

Sec. 8. Per diem payments for furnishing services to homeless veterans.

Sec. 9. Grant program for homeless veterans with special needs.

Sec. 10. Coordination of outreach services for veterans at risk of homelessness.

Sec. 11. Treatment trials in integrated mental health services delivery.

Sec. 12. Dental care.

Sec. 13. Programmatic expansions.

Sec. 14. Various authorities.

Sec. 15. Life safety code for grant and per diem providers.

Sec. 16. Transitional assistance grants pilot program.

Sec. 17. Assistance for grant applications.

Sec. 18. Home loan program for manufactured housing.

Sec. 19. Extension of homeless veterans reintegration program.

Sec. 20. Use of real property.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS; DEFINITIONS.

(a) FINDINGS- Congress makes the following findings:

(1) On the field of battle, the members of the Armed Forces who defend the Nation are honor-bound to leave no one behind and, likewise, the Nation is honor-bound to leave no veteran behind.

(2) The Department of Veterans Affairs report known as the Community Homeless Assessment, Local Education, and Networking Groups for Veterans (CHALENG) assessment, issued in May 2000, reports that during 1999 there were an estimated 344,983 homeless veterans, an increase of 34 percent above the 1998 estimate of 256,872 homeless veterans.

(3) Male veterans are more likely to be homeless than their nonveteran peers. Although veterans constitute only 13 percent of the general male population, 23 percent of the homeless male population are veterans.

(4) Homelessness among veterans is persistent despite unprecedented economic growth and job creation and general prosperity.

(5) While there are many effective programs that assist homeless veterans to again become productive and self-sufficient members of society, current resources provided to such programs and other activities that assist homeless veterans are inadequate to provide all needed essential services, assistance, and support to homeless veterans.

(6) If current programs to assist homeless veterans are fully maintained but not expanded, veterans will experience as many as a billion nights of homelessness during the next decade.

(7) The CHALENG assessment referred to in paragraph (2) reports--

(A) that Department of Veterans Affairs and community providers were responsible for establishing almost 500 beds for homeless veterans during 2000, including emergency, transitional, and permanent beds; and

(B) that there is a need for about 45,724 additional beds to meet current needs of homeless veterans.

(8) As of February 28, 2001, the Congressional Budget Office forecasts a Federal budget surplus of $313,000,000,000 for fiscal year 2002 and budget surpluses totaling more than $5,610,000,000,000 over the next 10 years.

(9) At least $750,000,000 will be required to establish the 45,724 additional new beds now needed by homeless veterans, according to an informal Department of Veterans Affairs cost estimate.

(10) Even if the Department of Veterans Affairs and its partners created 2,000 additional beds per year for homeless veterans (roughly quadrupling the number of such beds they currently plan to open annually), it would still take more than two decades to provide the necessary additional beds to meet the current needs of homeless veterans.

(11) Nearly four decades ago, the Nation established a goal of sending a man to the moon and returning him safely to earth within a decade and accomplished that goal, and the Nation can do no less to end homelessness among the Nation's veterans.

(b) DEFINITIONS- For purposes of this Act:

(1) The term `homeless veteran' means a veteran who--

(A) lacks a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence; or

(B) has a primary nighttime residence that is--

(i) a supervised publicly or privately operated shelter designed to provide temporary living accommodations (including welfare hotels, congregate shelters, grant per diem shelters and transitional housing for the mentally ill);

(ii) an institution that provides a temporary residence for individuals intended to be institutionalized; or

(iii) a public or private place not designed for, or ordinarily used as, a regular sleeping accommodation for human beings.

(2) The term `grant and per diem provider' means an entity in receipt of a grant under section 3 or 4 of the Homeless Veterans Comprehensive Service Programs Act of 1992 (38 U.S.C. 7721 note).

SEC. 3. NATIONAL GOAL TO END HOMELESSNESS AMONG VETERANS.

(a) NATIONAL GOAL- Congress hereby declares it to be a national goal to end homelessness among veterans within a decade.

(b) COOPERATIVE EFFORTS ENCOURAGED- Congress hereby encourages all departments and agencies of Federal, State, and local governments, quasi-governmental organizations, private and public sector entities, including community-based organizations, and individuals to work cooperatively to end homelessness among veterans within a decade.

SEC. 4. ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON HOMELESS VETERANS.

(a) IN GENERAL- Chapter 5 of title 38, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new section:

`Sec. 546. Advisory Committee on Homeless Veterans

`(a)(1) There is established in the Department the Advisory Committee on Homeless Veterans (hereinafter in this section referred to as the `Committee').

`(2) The Committee shall consist of not more than 15 members appointed by the Secretary from among the following:

`(A) Veterans service organizations.

`(B) Advocates of homeless veterans and other homeless individuals.

`(C) Community-based providers of services to homeless individuals.

`(D) Previously homeless veterans.

`(E) State veterans affairs officials.

`(F) Experts in the treatment of individuals with mental illness.

`(G) Experts in the treatment of substance use disorders.

`(H) Experts in the development of permanent housing alternatives for lower income populations.

`(I) Experts in vocational rehabilitation.

`(J) Such other organizations or groups as the Secretary considers appropriate.

`(3) The Committee shall include, as ex officio members--

`(A) the Secretary of Labor (or a representative of the Secretary selected after consultation with the Assistant Secretary of Labor for Veterans' Employment and Training);

`(B) the Secretary of Defense (or a representative of the Secretary);

`(C) the Secretary of Health and Human Services (or a representative of the Secretary); and

`(D) the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development (or a representative of the Secretary).

`(4) The Secretary shall determine the terms of service and pay and allowances of the members of the Committee, except that a term of service may not exceed three years. The Secretary may reappoint any member for additional terms of service.

`(b)(1) The Secretary shall, on a regular basis, consult with and seek the advice of the Committee with respect to the provision by the Department of benefits and services to homeless veterans.

`(2)(A) In providing advice to the Secretary under this subsection, the Committee shall--

`(i) assemble and review information relating to the needs of homeless veterans;

`(ii) provide an on-going assessment of the effectiveness of the policies, organizational structures, and services of the Department in assisting homeless veterans; and

`(iii) provide on-going advice on the most appropriate means of providing assistance to homeless veterans.

`(3) The Committee shall--

`(A) review the continuum of services provided by the Department directly or by contract in order to define cross-cutting issues and to improve coordination of all services in the Department that address the special needs of homeless veterans;

`(B) identify (through the annual assessments under section 1774 of this title and other available resources) gaps in programs of the Department in serving homeless veterans, including identification of geographic areas with unmet needs, and provide recommendations to address those program gaps;

`(C) identify gaps in existing information systems on homeless veterans, both within and outside the Department, and provide recommendations about redressing problems in data collection;

`(D) identify barriers under existing laws and policies to effective coordination by the Department with other Federal agencies and with State and local agencies addressing homeless populations;

`(E) identify opportunities for enhanced liaison by the Department with nongovernmental organizations and individual groups addressing homeless populations;

`(F) with appropriate officials of the Department designated by the Secretary, participate with the Interagency Council on the Homeless under title II of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 11311 et seq.);

`(G) recommend appropriate funding levels for specialized programs for homeless veterans provided or funded by the Department;

`(H) recommend appropriate placement options for veterans who, because of advanced age, frailty, or severe mental illness, may not be appropriate candidates for vocational rehabilitation or independent living; and

`(I) perform such other functions as the Secretary may direct.

`(c)(1) Not later than March 31 of each year, the Committee shall submit to the Secretary a report on the programs and activities of the Department that relate to homeless veterans. Each such report shall include--

`(A) an assessment of the needs of homeless veterans;

`(B) a review of the programs and activities of the Department designed to meet such needs;

`(C) a review of the activities of the Committee; and

`(D) such recommendations (including recommendations for administrative and legislative action) as the Committee considers appropriate.

`(2) Not later than 90 days after the receipt of a report under paragraph (1), the Secretary shall transmit

to the Committees on Veterans' Affairs of the Senate and House of Representatives a copy of the report, together with any comments and recommendations concerning the report that the Secretary considers appropriate.

`(3) The Committee may also submit to the Secretary such other reports and recommendations as the Committee considers appropriate.

`(4) The Secretary shall submit with each annual report submitted to Congress pursuant to section 529 of this title a summary of all reports and recommendations of the Committee submitted to the Secretary since the previous annual report of the Secretary submitted pursuant to that section.

`(d)(1) Except as provided in paragraph (2), the provisions of the Federal Advisory Committee Act (5 U.S.C. App.) shall apply to the activities of the Committee under this section.

`(2) Section 14 of such Act shall not apply to the Committee.'.

(b) CLERICAL AMENDMENT- The table of sections at the beginning of such chapter is amended by adding at the end the following new item:

`546. Advisory Committee on Homeless Veterans.'.

SEC. 5. MEETINGS OF INTERAGENCY COUNCIL ON THE HOMELESS.

Section 202(c) of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 11312(c)) is amended to read as follows:

`(c) MEETINGS- The Council shall meet at the call of its Chairperson or a majority of its members, but not less often than annually.'.

SEC. 6. EVALUATION OF HOMELESS PROGRAMS.

(a) EVALUATION CENTERS- The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall support the continuation within the Department of Veterans Affairs of at least one center for evaluation to monitor the structure, process, and outcome of programs of the Department of Veterans Affairs that address homeless veterans.

(b) ANNUAL REPORT ON HEALTH CARE- The Secretary shall submit to Congress on an annual basis a report on programs of the Department of Veterans Affairs addressing health care needs of homeless veterans. The Secretary shall include in each such report the following:

(1) Information about expenditures, costs, and workload under the Department of Veterans Affairs program known as the Health Care for Homeless Veterans program (HCHV).

(2) Information about the veterans contacted through that program.

(3) Information about processes under that program.

(4) Information about program treatment outcomes under that program.

(5) Information about supported housing programs.

(6) Information about the Department's grant and per diem provider program.

(7) Other information the Secretary considers relevant in assessing the program.

(c) ANNUAL PROGRAM ASSESSMENT- Section 1774(b) of title 38, United States Code, is amended--

(1) in paragraph (1), by inserting `annual' after `to make an'; and

(2) by adding at the end the following new paragraph:

`(6) The Secretary shall review each annual assessment under this subsection, and shall consolidate the findings and conclusions of those assessments into an annual report which the Secretary shall submit to Congress.'.

SEC. 7. CHANGES IN VETERANS EQUITABLE RESOURCE ALLOCATION METHODOLOGY.

(a) ALLOCATION CATEGORIES- The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall assign veterans receiving the following services to the resource allocation category designated as `complex care' within the Veterans Equitable Resource Allocation system:

(1) Care provided to veterans enrolled in the Department of Veterans Affairs program for Mental Health Intensive Community Case Management.

(2) Continuous care in homeless chronically mentally ill veterans programs.

(3) Continuous care within specialized programs provided to veterans who have been diagnosed with both serious chronic mental illness and substance use disorders.

(4) Continuous therapy combined with sheltered housing provided to veterans in specialized treatment for substance use disorders.

(5) Specialized therapies provided to veterans with post-traumatic stress disorders (PTSD), including therapies provided by or under the following:

(A) Specialized outpatient PTSD programs.

(B) PTSD clinical teams.

(C) Women veterans stress disorder treatment teams.

(D) Substance abuse disorder PTSD teams.

(b) TREATMENT OF FUNDS FOR NEW PROGRAMS FOR HOMELESS VETERANS- The Secretary shall ensure that funds for any new program for homeless veterans carried out through a Department health care facility are designated for the first three years of operation of that program as a special purpose program for which funds are not allocated through the Veterans Equitable Resource Allocation system.

SEC. 8. PER DIEM PAYMENTS FOR FURNISHING SERVICES TO HOMELESS VETERANS.

(a) INCREASE IN RATE OF PER DIEM PAYMENTS- Section 4(a) of the Homeless Veterans Comprehensive Service Programs Act of 1992 (38 U.S.C. 7721 note) is amended by striking `at such rates' and all that follows through `homeless veteran--' and inserting the following: `at the same rates as the rates authorized for State homes for domiciliary care provided under section 1741 of title 38, United States Code, for services furnished to homeless veterans--'.

(b) EFFECTIVE DATE- The amendment made by subsection (a) shall take effect on the first day of the first fiscal year beginning after the date of the enactment of this Act.

SEC. 9. GRANT PROGRAM FOR HOMELESS VETERANS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS.

(a) ESTABLISHMENT- The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall carry out a program to make grants to health care facilities of the Department of Veterans Affairs and to grant and per diem providers in order to encourage development by those facilities and providers of programs targeted at meeting special needs within the population of homeless veterans.

(b) HOMELESS VETERANS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS- For purposes of this section, homeless veterans with special needs include homeless veterans who--

(1) are women;

(2) are 50 years of age or older;

(3) are substance abusers;

(4) are persons with post-traumatic stress disorder;

(5) are terminally ill;

(6) are chronically mentally ill; or

(7) have care of minor dependents or other family members.

(c) STUDY OF OUTCOME EFFECTIVENESS- The Secretary shall conduct a study of the effectiveness of the grant program in meeting the needs of homeless veterans. As part of the study, the Secretary shall compare the results of programs carried out in the grant program under this section in terms of veterans' satisfaction, health status, reduction in addiction severity, housing, and encouragement of productive activity with results for similar veterans in programs of the Department or of grant and per diem providers that are designed to meet the general needs of homeless veterans.

(d) FUNDING- From amounts appropriated to the Department of Veterans Affairs for `Medical Care' for each of fiscal years 2003, 2004, and 2005, $5,000,000 shall be available for purposes of the program under this section. Grants under this section to a health care facility of the Department or a grant and per diem provider shall be treated in the manner provided in section 7(b).

SEC. 10. COORDINATION OF OUTREACH SERVICES FOR VETERANS AT RISK OF HOMELESSNESS.

(a) OUTREACH PLAN- The Secretary of Veterans Affairs, acting through the Under Secretary for Health, shall provide for appropriate officials of the Mental Health Service and the Readjustment Counseling Service of the Veterans Health Administration to initiate a coordinated plan for joint outreach to veterans at risk of homelessness, including particularly veterans who are being discharged from institutions (including discharges from inpatient psychiatric care, substance abuse treatment programs, and penal institutions).

(b) MATTERS TO BE INCLUDED- The plan under subsection (a) shall include the following:

(1) Strategies to identify and collaborate with external entities used by veterans who have not traditionally used Department of Veterans Affairs services to further outreach efforts.

(2) Strategies to ensure that mentoring programs, recovery support groups, and other appropriate support networks are optimally available to veterans.

(3) Appropriate programs or referrals to family support programs.

(4) Means to increase access to case management services.

(5) Plans for making additional employment services accessible to veterans.

(6) Appropriate referral sources for mental health and substance abuse services.

(c) COOPERATIVE RELATIONSHIPS- The plan under subsection (a) shall identify strategies for the Department to enter into formal cooperative relationships with entities outside the Department of Veterans Affairs to facilitate making services and resources optimally available to veterans.

(d) REVIEW OF PLAN- The Secretary shall submit the plan under subsection (a) to the Advisory Committee on Homeless Veterans for its review and consultation.

(e) SUBMISSION OF REPORT- Not later than two years after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to the Committees on Veterans' Affairs of the Senate and House of Representatives a report on the Secretary's plan under subsection (a), including goals and timelines for implementation of the plan for particular facilities and service networks.

(f) OUTREACH PROGRAM- (1) The Secretary shall carry out an outreach program to provide information to homeless veterans and veterans at risk of homelessness. The program shall include at a minimum--

(A) provision of information about benefits available to eligible veterans from the Department; and

(B) contact information for local Department facilities, including medical facilities, regional offices, and veterans centers.

(2) In developing and carrying out the program under paragraph (1), the Secretary shall, to the extent practicable, consult with appropriate public and private organizations, including the Bureau of Prisons, State social service agencies, the Department of Defense, and mental health, veterans, and homeless advocates--

(A) for assistance in identifying and contacting veterans who are homeless or at risk of homelessness;

(B) to coordinate appropriate outreach activities with those organizations; and

(C) to coordinate services provided to veterans with services provided by those organizations.

SEC. 11. TREATMENT TRIALS IN INTEGRATED MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES DELIVERY.

(a) ESTABLISHMENT- The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall carry out two treatment trials in integrated mental health services delivery. Each such trial shall be carried out at a Department of Veterans Affairs medical center selected by the Secretary for such purpose. The trials shall each be carried out over the same one-year period.

(b) DEFINITION- For purposes of this section, the term `integrated mental health services delivery' means a coordinated and standardized approach to evaluation between mental health and primary health care professionals for enrollment, treatment, and followup of patients who have both mental health disorders (including substance use disorders) and medical conditions.

(c) SITE SELECTION CRITERIA- In reviewing applications from Department medical centers for selection as a site for a treatment trial under this section, the Secretary shall consider models that use the following:

(1) Standardized criteria for admission and enrollment as participant or control.

(2) Focus on prevention and symptom reduction.

(3) Development of a comprehensive, integrated treatment plan.

(4) Patient assignment to a team or teams.

(5) Management of polypharmacy.

(6) Use of evidence-based treatment protocols.

(7) Case management between visits.

(8) Referral and coordination of appropriate Department or community-based services (including housing if necessary).

(9) Ability to maintain and provide outcomes for comparison purposes on veterans with similar diagnoses and characteristics who are not included in the trial, but who are receiving traditional consultative services in the same facility.

(d) TREATMENT MODELS TO BE TESTED- The two treatment trials shall each use one of the following models:

(1) Mental health primary care teams.

(2) Patient assignment to a mental health primary care team that is linked with the patient's medical primary care team.

(e) STUDY OF EFFECTIVENESS- The Secretary shall compare treatment outcomes (including such outcomes as veterans' satisfaction, health status, treatment compliance, patient functionality, reduction in addiction severity as well as service utilization and treatment costs) of the different treatment trials for chronically mentally ill veterans who are provided treatment through integrated mental health programs with treatment outcomes for similar chronically mentally ill veterans provided treatment through traditionally consultative relationships.

(f) RESULTS- Not later than 30 months after selection of the two centers under this section, each selected center shall complete measures of treatment outcomes under subsection (e), as well as measures for matched controls.

(g) MANDATORY AUDIT OF RESULTS- The Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Inspector General shall review medical records of participants and controls for both trials to ensure that results are accurate.

(h) REPORT AND DISSEMINATION OF RESULTS- Not later than two years after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to Congress a report setting forth the results of the comparison under subsection (e) and such recommendations as the Secretary may have. Based upon the Secretary's conclusions, the Secretary shall disseminate the best practices for treatment of mentally ill veterans in such manner as the Secretary determines appropriate on a nationwide basis.

(i) COSTS- The Secretary may use up to $2,000,000 from funds available to the Secretary for Medical Care for costs for each of the treatment trials. Funds identified by the Secretary for the trials shall remain available until expended.

SEC. 12. DENTAL CARE.

(a) IN GENERAL- For purposes of section 1712(a)(1)(H) of title 38, United States Code, outpatient dental services and treatment of a dental condition or disability of a veteran described in subsection (b) shall be considered to be medically necessary if--

(1) the dental services and treatment are necessary for the veteran to successfully gain or regain employment;

(2) the dental services and treatment are necessary to alleviate pain; or

(3) the dental services and treatment are necessary for treatment of moderate, severe, or severe and complicated gingival and periodontal pathology.

(b) ELIGIBLE VETERANS- Subsection (a) applies to a veteran who is--

(1) enrolled for care under section 1705(a) of title 38, United States Code; and

(2) receiving care (directly or by contract) in any of the following settings:

(A) A domiciliary under section 1710 of such title.

(B) A therapeutic residence under section 1772 of such title.

(C) Community residential care coordinated by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs under section 1730 of such title.

(D) A setting for which the Secretary provides funds for a grant and per diem provider.

(E) Any program described in section 7 of this Act.

SEC. 13. PROGRAMMATIC EXPANSIONS.

(a) ACCESS TO MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES- The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall develop standards to ensure that mental health services are available to veterans in a manner similar to the manner in which primary care is available to veterans who require services by ensuring that each primary care health care facility of the Department has a mental health treatment capacity.

(b) TRANSITIONAL HOUSING- Effective October 1, 2001, section 12 of the Homeless Veterans Comprehensive Service Programs Act of 1992 (38 U.S.C. 7721 note) is amended to read as follows:

`SEC. 12. FUNDING.

`(a) AMOUNTS FOR GRANT AND PER DIEM PROGRAMS- From amounts appropriated for `Medical Care' for any fiscal year, the Secretary shall expend not less than $55,000,000 (as adjusted from time to time under subsection (b)) to carry out the transitional housing grant and per diem provider programs under sections 3 and 4 of this Act.

`(b) PERIODIC INCREASES- The amount in effect under subsection (a) shall be increased for any fiscal year by the overall percentage increase in the Medical Care account for that fiscal year from the preceding fiscal year.'.

(c) COMPREHENSIVE HOMELESS SERVICES PROGRAM- (1) The Secretary shall provide for the establishment of centers for the provision of comprehensive services to homeless veterans under section 1773(b) of title 38, United States Code, in at least each of the 20 largest metropolitan statistical areas.

(2) Section 1773(b) of title 38, United States Code, is amended by striking `not fewer than eight'.

(d) OPIOID SUBSTITUTION THERAPY- The Secretary shall ensure that opioid substitution therapy is available at each Department of Veterans Affairs medical center.

(e) PROGRAM EXPIRATION EXTENSION- Sections 1771(b) and 1773(d) of title 38, United States Code, are amended by striking `December 31, 2001' and inserting `December 31, 2006'.

SEC. 14. VARIOUS AUTHORITIES.

(a) EMPLOYMENT PROGRAMS- The Secretary of Veterans Affairs may authorize homeless veterans receiving care through vocational rehabilitation programs to participate in the compensated work therapy program.

(b) SUPPORTED HOUSING FOR VETERANS PARTICIPATING IN COMPENSATED WORK THERAPIES- The Secretary may authorize homeless veterans in the compensated work therapy program to be provided housing through the therapeutic residence program under section 1772 of title 38, United States Code, or through grant and per diem providers.

(c) STAFFING REQUIREMENT- The Secretary shall ensure that there is assigned at each Veterans Benefits Administration regional office at least one employee assigned specifically to oversee and coordinate homeless veterans programs in that region, including the housing program for veterans supported by the Department of Housing and Urban Development, housing programs supported by the Department of Veterans Affairs, the homeless veterans reintegration program of the Department of Labor, the assessments required by section 1774 of title 38, United States Code, Comprehensive Homeless Centers, and such other duties relating to homeless veterans as may be assigned. In any such regional office with at least 140 employees, there shall be at least one full-time employee assigned to such functions.

(d) COORDINATION OF EMPLOYMENT SERVICES- (1) Section 4103A(c) of title 38, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new paragraph:

`(11) Coordination of services provided to veterans with training assistance provided to veterans by entities receiving financial assistance under section 738 of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 11448).'.

(2) Section 4104(b) of such title is amended--

(A) by striking `and' at the end of paragraph (11);

(B) by striking the period at the end of paragraph (12) and inserting `; and'; and

(C) by adding at the end the following new paragraph:

`(13) coordinate services provided to veterans with training assistance for veterans provided by entities receiving financial assistance under section 738 of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 11448).'.

SEC. 15. LIFE SAFETY CODE FOR GRANT AND PER DIEM PROVIDERS.

(a) NEW GRANTS- Section 3(b)(5) of the Homeless Veterans Comprehensive Service Programs Act of 1992 (38 U.S.C. 7721 note) is amended by striking `, but fire and safety' and all that follows through `in carrying out the grant' and inserting `and the fire and safety requirements applicable under the Life Safety Code of the National Fire Protection Association'.

(b) PREVIOUS GRANTEES- Section 4 of such Act is amended by adding at the end the following new subsection:

`(e) LIFE SAFETY CODE- (1) Except as provided in paragraph (2), a per diem payment (or in-kind assistance in lieu of per diem payments) may not be provided under this section to a grant recipient unless the facilities of the grant recipient meet the fire and safety requirements applicable under the Life Safety Code of the National Fire Protection Association.

`(2) During the five-year period beginning on the date of the enactment of the Heather French Henry Homeless Veterans Assistance Act, paragraph (1) shall not apply to an entity that received a grant under section 3 before that date if the entity meets fire and safety requirements established by the Secretary.

`(3) From amounts available for purposes of this section pursuant to section 12, not less than $5,000,000 shall be used only for grants to assist entities covered by paragraph (2) in meeting the Life Safety Code of the National Fire Protection Association.'.

SEC. 16. TRANSITIONAL ASSISTANCE GRANTS PILOT PROGRAM.

(a) ESTABLISHMENT OF PROGRAM- The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall carry out a three-year pilot program of transitional assistance grants to eligible homeless veterans. The pilot program shall be established at not less than three nor more than six regional offices of the Department of Veterans Affairs and shall include at least one regional office located in a large urban area and at least one regional office serving primarily rural veterans. The maximum number of veterans who may participate in the pilot program is 600.

(b) ELIGIBLE VETERANS- A veteran is eligible for a transitional assistance grant under this section if the veteran is physically present in the geographic area of a regional office which is participating in the pilot program and the veteran--

(1) is a veteran of a period of war or, if not a veteran of a period of war, meets the minimum service requirements specified in section 5303A of title 38, United States Code;

(2) is being released, or within the preceding 60 days was released, from an institution, including a hospital, a penal institution, a homeless shelter, or a facility of a grant and per diem provider;

(3) is a homeless veteran or was a homeless veteran before institutionalization; and

(4) had less than marginal income for the preceding three months.

(c) DURATION OF GRANT ASSISTANCE- An eligible veteran may be provided a transitional assistance grant under this section for no more than three months.

(d) EXCEPTION TO LIMITATION ON GRANT ASSISTANCE- (1) A veteran who receives transitional assistance under this section and who while in receipt of such assistance has a claim pending with the Secretary for service-connected disability compensation or nonservice-connected

pension shall, notwithstanding subsection (c), continue to be provided transitional assistance under this section after the period prescribed in subsection (c) until the earlier of (A) the date on which a decision on the claim is made by the regional office, or (B) the end of the six-month period beginning on the date of expiration of eligibility under subsection (c).

(2) An extension of transitional assistance under paragraph (1) shall be terminated if, as determined by the Secretary, the veteran, without good cause, fails to cooperate in establishing the pending claim or if the gross monthly income of the veteran for a month exceeds twice the amount of transitional assistance benefits payable to the veteran for that month. The effective date of such a termination shall be the last day of the month following the month in which the extension under paragraph (1) is terminated under the preceding sentence.

(3) Claims of veterans receiving benefits under this subsection shall receive expedited consideration by the regional office.

(e) AMOUNT OF GRANT- (1) The monthly amount of a grant provided under this section to an eligible veteran shall be the amount of monthly pension that would be payable to that veteran under chapter 15 of title 38, United States Code, if the veteran had a permanent and total nonservice-connected disability.

(2) Once eligibility for a grant under this section has been established, the amount of the grant shall be determined without regard to the veteran's income, other than as provided in subsection (d)(2).

(f) COORDINATION WITH OTHER BENEFITS- If retroactive benefits from the Department of Veterans Affairs are payable to a veteran with respect to a month for which the veteran received a transitional assistance grant under this section, the amount of such retroactive benefit payable for such month shall be reduced (but not below zero) by the amount of the grant under this section paid for that month. No reduction may be made by the Secretary from an amount otherwise due a veteran for any other month to offset an amount paid under this section for a previous month.

(g) DEFINITIONS- For purposes of this section:

(1) The term `veteran' means a person who served in the active military, naval, or air service (as defined in section 101 of title 38, United States Code) and who was discharged or released from any such period of service under conditions other than dishonorable.

(2) The term `marginal income', with respect to a veteran, means income below the poverty standard (as determined by the Bureau of the Census) for a family of the size of the veteran's family.

SEC. 17. ASSISTANCE FOR GRANT APPLICATIONS.

(a) GRANT PROGRAM- The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall carry out a program to make technical assistance grants to nonprofit community-based groups with experience in providing assistance to homeless veterans in order to assist such groups in applying for grants relating to addressing problems of homeless veterans.

(b) FUNDING- There is authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary of Veterans Affairs for each of fiscal years 2002 through 2006, $750,000 to carry out the program under this section.

SEC. 18. HOME LOAN PROGRAM FOR MANUFACTURED HOUSING.

Section 3712(a)(1) of title 38, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following:

`With respect to a veteran who, as determined by the Secretary, is homeless, the Secretary may waive any otherwise applicable requirement under this chapter that a purchase of a manufactured home include ownership or purchase of a lot by the veteran to which the home is to be permanently affixed.'.

SEC. 19. EXTENSION OF HOMELESS VETERANS REINTEGRATION PROGRAM.

Section 4111(d)(1) of title 38, United States Code, is amended by striking subparagraphs (C) and (D) and inserting the following:

`(C) $50,000,000 for fiscal year 2002.

`(D) $50,000,000 for fiscal year 2003.

`(E) $50,000,000 for fiscal year 2004.

`(F) $50,000,000 for fiscal year 2005.

`(G) $50,000,000 for fiscal year 2006.'.

SEC. 20. USE OF REAL PROPERTY.

Section 8122(d) of title 38, United States Code, is amended by inserting before the period at the end the following: `and is not suitable for use for the provision of services to homeless veterans by the Department or by another entity under an enhanced-use lease of such property under section 8162 of this title'.

END