| 1 | 1 | | I |
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| 2 | 2 | | 119THCONGRESS |
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| 3 | 3 | | 1 |
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| 4 | 4 | | STSESSION H. R. 1957 |
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| 5 | 5 | | To amend title 38, United States Code, and the United States Housing |
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| 6 | 6 | | Act of 1937, to make certain improvements to the supported housing |
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| 7 | 7 | | program for veterans commonly known as ‘‘HUD-VASH’’. |
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| 8 | 8 | | IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES |
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| 9 | 9 | | MARCH6, 2025 |
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| 10 | 10 | | Mr. T |
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| 11 | 11 | | AKANO(for himself, Ms. WATERS, and Mr. LEVIN) introduced the fol- |
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| 12 | 12 | | lowing bill; which was referred to the Committee on Financial Services, |
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| 13 | 13 | | and in addition to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, for a period to |
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| 14 | 14 | | be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consider- |
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| 15 | 15 | | ation of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee |
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| 16 | 16 | | concerned |
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| 17 | 17 | | A BILL |
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| 18 | 18 | | To amend title 38, United States Code, and the United |
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| 19 | 19 | | States Housing Act of 1937, to make certain improve- |
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| 20 | 20 | | ments to the supported housing program for veterans |
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| 21 | 21 | | commonly known as ‘‘HUD-VASH’’. |
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| 22 | 22 | | Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-1 |
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| 23 | 23 | | tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 2 |
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| 24 | 24 | | SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 3 |
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| 25 | 25 | | This Act may be cited as the ‘‘End Veteran Home-4 |
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| 26 | 26 | | lessness Act of 2025’’. 5 |
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| 28 | 28 | | ssavage on LAPJG3WLY3PROD with BILLS 2 |
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| 29 | 29 | | •HR 1957 IH |
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| 30 | 30 | | SEC. 2. CLARIFICATION OF STAFFING NEEDS FOR CASE 1 |
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| 31 | 31 | | MANAGERS OF THE VETERANS HEALTH AD-2 |
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| 32 | 32 | | MINISTRATION WITH REGARDS TO HOME-3 |
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| 33 | 33 | | LESS VETERANS AND VETERANS AT RISK OF 4 |
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| 34 | 34 | | HOMELESSNESS. 5 |
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| 35 | 35 | | (a) I |
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| 36 | 36 | | NGENERAL.—Section 2003(b) of title 38, 6 |
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| 37 | 37 | | United States Code, is amended— 7 |
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| 38 | 38 | | (1) by inserting ‘‘(1)’’ before ‘‘The Secretary’’; 8 |
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| 39 | 39 | | (2) by inserting ‘‘, and who is determined to re-9 |
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| 40 | 40 | | quire case management,’’ before ‘‘is assigned’’; and 10 |
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| 41 | 41 | | (3) by adding at the end the following new 11 |
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| 42 | 42 | | paragraph: 12 |
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| 43 | 43 | | ‘‘(2) In assigning case managers and providing serv-13 |
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| 44 | 44 | | ices under this subsection, the Secretary shall prioritize 14 |
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| 45 | 45 | | vulnerable homeless veterans, including veterans who are 15 |
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| 46 | 46 | | homeless and who have disabilities (including chronic men-16 |
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| 47 | 47 | | tal illness, chronic substance abuse disorders, or chronic 17 |
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| 48 | 48 | | physical disabilities).’’. 18 |
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| 49 | 49 | | (b) A |
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| 50 | 50 | | NNUALREPORT.—The Secretary of Veterans 19 |
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| 51 | 51 | | Affairs, in coordination with the Secretary of Housing and 20 |
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| 52 | 52 | | Urban Development, shall submit to Congress an annual 21 |
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| 53 | 53 | | report on the program under section 8(o)(19) of the 22 |
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| 54 | 54 | | United States Housing Act of 1937 (42 U.S.C. 23 |
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| 55 | 55 | | 1437f(o)(19)), as amended by section 3 of this Act and 24 |
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| 56 | 56 | | commonly known as the ‘‘HUD-VASH program’’, which 25 |
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| 57 | 57 | | shall include, for the year covered by the report, each of 26 |
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| 59 | 59 | | ssavage on LAPJG3WLY3PROD with BILLS 3 |
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| 60 | 60 | | •HR 1957 IH |
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| 61 | 61 | | the following, disaggregated by locality and by demo-1 |
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| 62 | 62 | | graphics (if the Secretary of Veterans Affairs determines 2 |
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| 63 | 63 | | it appropriate): 3 |
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| 64 | 64 | | (1) An identification of the number and demo-4 |
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| 65 | 65 | | graphic characteristics of veterans served by the 5 |
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| 66 | 66 | | HUD-VASH program. 6 |
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| 67 | 67 | | (2) The number, qualifications, and demo-7 |
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| 68 | 68 | | graphics of case managers described in section 8 |
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| 69 | 69 | | 2003(b) of title 38, United States Code, as amended 9 |
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| 70 | 70 | | by subsection (a). 10 |
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| 71 | 71 | | (3) An assessment of the standard and scope of 11 |
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| 72 | 72 | | care provided by such case managers to such vet-12 |
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| 73 | 73 | | erans, including factors such as— 13 |
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| 74 | 74 | | (A) staffing ratios; 14 |
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| 75 | 75 | | (B) practices used in case management; 15 |
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| 76 | 76 | | (C) frequency with which a case manager 16 |
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| 77 | 77 | | contacts a veteran; 17 |
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| 78 | 78 | | (D) whether a case manager successfully 18 |
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| 79 | 79 | | connects a veteran to a requested resource or 19 |
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| 80 | 80 | | support; and 20 |
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| 81 | 81 | | (E) professional licenses or certifications 21 |
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| 82 | 82 | | possessed by case managers. 22 |
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| 83 | 83 | | (4) An assessment of the types of services pro-23 |
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| 84 | 84 | | vided by such case managers to such veterans. 24 |
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| 87 | 87 | | •HR 1957 IH |
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| 88 | 88 | | (5) With regard to vouchers made available 1 |
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| 89 | 89 | | under the HUD-VASH program— 2 |
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| 90 | 90 | | (A) the number requested; 3 |
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| 91 | 91 | | (B) the number allocated; 4 |
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| 92 | 92 | | (C) the number used; 5 |
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| 93 | 93 | | (D) the number assigned but unused; and 6 |
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| 94 | 94 | | (E) the average time between such assig-7 |
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| 95 | 95 | | nation and such use. 8 |
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| 96 | 96 | | (6) The percentage of such veterans who used 9 |
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| 97 | 97 | | such a voucher and received case management from 10 |
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| 98 | 98 | | such a case manager. 11 |
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| 99 | 99 | | (7) An identification of barriers that prevented 12 |
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| 100 | 100 | | the use of such vouchers by such veterans. 13 |
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| 101 | 101 | | SEC. 3. AMENDMENTS TO HUD-VASH PROGRAM. 14 |
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| 102 | 102 | | Section 8(o)(19) of the United States Housing Act 15 |
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| 103 | 103 | | of 1937 (42 U.S.C. 1437f(o)(19)) is amended— 16 |
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| 104 | 104 | | (1) in subparagraph (A)— 17 |
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| 105 | 105 | | (A) in the first sentence— 18 |
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| 106 | 106 | | (i) by striking ‘‘subparagraph (C)’’ 19 |
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| 107 | 107 | | and inserting ‘‘subparagraph (B)’’; and 20 |
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| 108 | 108 | | (ii) by striking ‘‘the amounts specified 21 |
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| 109 | 109 | | in subparagraph (B)’’ and inserting 22 |
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| 110 | 110 | | ‘‘amounts’’; 23 |
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| 113 | 113 | | •HR 1957 IH |
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| 114 | 114 | | (B) by striking the second sentence and in-1 |
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| 115 | 115 | | serting ‘‘In the course of administering such 2 |
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| 116 | 116 | | program—’’; and 3 |
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| 117 | 117 | | (C) by adding at the end the following new 4 |
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| 118 | 118 | | clauses: 5 |
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| 119 | 119 | | ‘‘(i) the Secretary shall provide rental 6 |
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| 120 | 120 | | assistance on behalf of a veteran who is— 7 |
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| 121 | 121 | | ‘‘(I) homeless; 8 |
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| 122 | 122 | | ‘‘(II) at risk of homelessness; or 9 |
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| 123 | 123 | | ‘‘(III) receiving assistance under 10 |
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| 124 | 124 | | another housing assistance program if 11 |
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| 125 | 125 | | the Secretary determines a voucher 12 |
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| 126 | 126 | | under this paragraph is a more appro-13 |
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| 127 | 127 | | priate form of assistance for such vet-14 |
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| 128 | 128 | | eran; 15 |
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| 129 | 129 | | ‘‘(ii) subject to subparagraph (D), the 16 |
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| 130 | 130 | | Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall furnish 17 |
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| 131 | 131 | | case management to a veteran described in 18 |
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| 132 | 132 | | clause (i) whom such Secretary (acting 19 |
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| 133 | 133 | | through an appropriately licensed or other-20 |
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| 134 | 134 | | wise qualified employee of the Department 21 |
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| 135 | 135 | | of Veterans Affairs or an entity that par-22 |
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| 136 | 136 | | ticipates in a centralized or coordinated 23 |
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| 137 | 137 | | entry system (as defined in section 578.3 24 |
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| 138 | 138 | | of title 24, Code of Federal Regulations, or 25 |
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| 141 | 141 | | •HR 1957 IH |
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| 142 | 142 | | successor regulation) of the Department of 1 |
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| 143 | 143 | | Housing and Urban Development) deter-2 |
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| 144 | 144 | | mines requires case management; 3 |
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| 145 | 145 | | ‘‘(iii) in the case of a veteran de-4 |
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| 146 | 146 | | scribed in clause (ii) who refuses case man-5 |
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| 147 | 147 | | agement— 6 |
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| 148 | 148 | | ‘‘(I) the Secretary of Veterans 7 |
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| 149 | 149 | | Affairs shall— 8 |
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| 150 | 150 | | ‘‘(aa) make recurring at-9 |
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| 151 | 151 | | tempts to engage and build a re-10 |
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| 152 | 152 | | lationship with the veteran, in 11 |
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| 153 | 153 | | order to provide such case man-12 |
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| 154 | 154 | | agement to the veteran, solicit 13 |
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| 155 | 155 | | feedback from the veteran, and 14 |
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| 156 | 156 | | promote the veteran’s housing 15 |
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| 157 | 157 | | stability and opportunities to ac-16 |
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| 158 | 158 | | cess health care and other bene-17 |
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| 159 | 159 | | fits under laws administered by 18 |
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| 160 | 160 | | the Secretary; and 19 |
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| 161 | 161 | | ‘‘(bb) provide case manage-20 |
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| 162 | 162 | | ment to such veteran if the vet-21 |
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| 163 | 163 | | eran subsequently requests case 22 |
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| 164 | 164 | | management; 23 |
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| 165 | 165 | | ‘‘(II) the Secretary of Housing 24 |
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| 166 | 166 | | and Urban Development may not re-25 |
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| 168 | 168 | | ssavage on LAPJG3WLY3PROD with BILLS 7 |
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| 169 | 169 | | •HR 1957 IH |
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| 170 | 170 | | voke such rental assistance on behalf 1 |
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| 171 | 171 | | of the veteran solely on the basis of 2 |
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| 172 | 172 | | such refusal; 3 |
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| 173 | 173 | | ‘‘(III) a public housing authority 4 |
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| 174 | 174 | | may not revoke rental assistance pro-5 |
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| 175 | 175 | | vided by such authority on behalf of 6 |
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| 176 | 176 | | the veteran solely on the basis of such 7 |
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| 177 | 177 | | refusal; and 8 |
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| 178 | 178 | | ‘‘(IV) the owner may not evict or 9 |
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| 179 | 179 | | otherwise penalize the veteran solely 10 |
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| 180 | 180 | | on the basis of such refusal; and 11 |
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| 181 | 181 | | ‘‘(iv) in the case of a veteran de-12 |
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| 182 | 182 | | scribed in clause (ii) whose case manage-13 |
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| 183 | 183 | | ment is suspended for the health and safe-14 |
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| 184 | 184 | | ty of the veteran or the case manager, the 15 |
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| 185 | 185 | | owner may not evict or otherwise penalize 16 |
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| 186 | 186 | | the veteran solely on the basis of such sus-17 |
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| 187 | 187 | | pension.’’; 18 |
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| 188 | 188 | | (2) by striking subparagraph (B); 19 |
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| 189 | 189 | | (3) by redesignating subparagraphs (C) and 20 |
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| 190 | 190 | | (D) as subparagraphs (B) and (E), respectively; and 21 |
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| 191 | 191 | | (4) by inserting after subparagraph (B), as re-22 |
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| 192 | 192 | | designated the following new subparagraphs: 23 |
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| 193 | 193 | | ‘‘(C) V |
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| 194 | 194 | | ETERANS WHO DO NOT REQUIRE 24 |
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| 195 | 195 | | CASE MANAGEMENT .—A voucher made available 25 |
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| 198 | 198 | | •HR 1957 IH |
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| 199 | 199 | | under this paragraph may be used for a home-1 |
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| 200 | 200 | | less veteran, or a veteran at risk of homeless-2 |
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| 201 | 201 | | ness, whom the Secretary of Veterans Affairs 3 |
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| 202 | 202 | | determines does not require case management if 4 |
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| 203 | 203 | | such use is included in the notice of operating 5 |
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| 204 | 204 | | requirements of such program. 6 |
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| 205 | 205 | | ‘‘(D) A |
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| 206 | 206 | | DMINISTRATIVE FEES .—There is 7 |
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| 207 | 207 | | authorized to be appropriated such sums as 8 |
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| 208 | 208 | | may be necessary for administrative fee pay-9 |
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| 209 | 209 | | ments to public housing agencies for costs of 10 |
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| 210 | 210 | | administering vouchers under this paragraph 11 |
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| 211 | 211 | | and other eligible expenses, as shall be defined 12 |
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| 212 | 212 | | by notice issued by the Secretary, to facilitate 13 |
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| 213 | 213 | | the leasing of the vouchers, such as security de-14 |
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| 214 | 214 | | posit assistance and other costs related to re-15 |
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| 215 | 215 | | tention and support of participating owners.’’. 16 |
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| 216 | 216 | | SEC. 4. GAO REPORT ON HOMELESS VETERANS. 17 |
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| 217 | 217 | | (a) R |
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| 218 | 218 | | EPORTREQUIRED.—Not later than one year 18 |
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| 219 | 219 | | after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Comp-19 |
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| 220 | 220 | | troller General of the United States shall submit to the 20 |
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| 221 | 221 | | appropriate congressional committees a report containing 21 |
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| 222 | 222 | | the following, disaggregated by demographics (if the 22 |
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| 223 | 223 | | Comptroller General determines it appropriate)— 23 |
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| 224 | 224 | | (1) a description of the demographic character-24 |
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| 225 | 225 | | istics of veterans served by the HUD-VASH pro-25 |
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| 227 | 227 | | ssavage on LAPJG3WLY3PROD with BILLS 9 |
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| 228 | 228 | | •HR 1957 IH |
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| 229 | 229 | | gram, disaggregated by whether the veteran is re-1 |
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| 230 | 230 | | ceiving services from a case manager described in 2 |
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| 231 | 231 | | section 2003(b) of title 38, United States Code, as 3 |
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| 232 | 232 | | amended by section 2 of this Act; 4 |
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| 233 | 233 | | (2) the number, qualifications, and demographic 5 |
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| 234 | 234 | | characteristics of such case managers; 6 |
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| 235 | 235 | | (3) an assessment of the types and quality of 7 |
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| 236 | 236 | | case management services provided to veterans by 8 |
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| 237 | 237 | | case managers described in section 2003(b) of title 9 |
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| 238 | 238 | | 38, United States Code, as amended by section 2, 10 |
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| 239 | 239 | | disaggregated by locality; 11 |
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| 240 | 240 | | (4) an assessment of recruitment and retention 12 |
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| 241 | 241 | | of such case managers, disaggregated by locality and 13 |
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| 242 | 242 | | demographic characteristics; and 14 |
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| 243 | 243 | | (5) metrics regarding housing stability and re-15 |
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| 244 | 244 | | tention for veterans participating in Federal housing 16 |
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| 245 | 245 | | assistance programs, including veterans who have 17 |
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| 246 | 246 | | participated in more than one such program and 18 |
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| 247 | 247 | | reasons why veterans ceased to so participate. 19 |
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| 248 | 248 | | (b) A |
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| 249 | 249 | | PPROPRIATE CONGRESSIONAL COMMITTEES 20 |
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| 250 | 250 | | D |
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| 251 | 251 | | EFINED.—In this section, the term ‘‘appropriate con-21 |
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| 252 | 252 | | gressional committees’’ means the following: 22 |
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| 253 | 253 | | (1) The Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the 23 |
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| 254 | 254 | | House of Representatives. 24 |
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| 257 | 257 | | •HR 1957 IH |
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| 258 | 258 | | (2) The Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the 1 |
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| 259 | 259 | | Senate. 2 |
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| 260 | 260 | | (3) The Committee on Financial Services of the 3 |
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| 261 | 261 | | House of Representatives. 4 |
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| 262 | 262 | | (4) The Committee on Banking, Housing, and 5 |
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| 263 | 263 | | Urban Affairs of the Senate. 6 |
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| 264 | 264 | | Æ |
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