[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 1257 Referred in Senate (RFS)]
<DOC>
117th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 1257
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
June 16, 2021
Received; read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs
_______________________________________________________________________
AN ACT
To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to conduct a study on the
effect of financial and credit counseling for homeless veterans and
veterans experiencing housing instability, 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 ``Homeless Veterans Credit Repair,
Enhancement, and Debt Improvement for Tomorrow Act'' or the ``Homeless
Veterans CREDIT Act''.
SEC. 2. STUDY ON FINANCIAL AND CREDIT COUNSELING.
(a) Study Required.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall
conduct a comprehensive study on--
(1) the use of and variation of financial and credit
counseling services available for homeless veterans and
veterans experiencing housing instability;
(2) barriers to accessing financial and credit counseling
for such veterans; and
(3) the ability to evaluate and assess the potential
effects of financial and credit counseling for such veterans
with respect to housing, employment, income, and other outcomes
the Secretary determines appropriate.
(b) Methodology.--In conducting the study under subsection (a), the
Secretary shall--
(1) survey--
(A) homeless veterans and veterans experiencing
housing instability who are enrolled in the Supportive
Services for Veterans Families program;
(B) such veterans who do not seek or receive the
care or services under such program or a similar
program;
(C) grantees of the Supportive Services for
Veterans Families program;
(D) financial and credit counselors; and
(E) persons who are subject matter experts
regarding the use of financial and credit counseling
services that the Secretary determines appropriate; and
(2) administer the survey to a representative sample of
homeless veterans and veterans experiencing housing instability
in areas with high veteran homelessness.
(c) Use and Variation of Services.--In conducting the study under
subsection (a)(1), the Secretary shall--
(1) use data from the Supportive Services for Veterans
Families program and other data collected by the Department of
Veterans Affairs, data collected by other departments or
agencies of the Federal Government, and data collected by
nongovernmental entities to compare the use of and variation of
financial and credit counseling services available for homeless
veterans and veterans experiencing housing instability and such
use and variation for other individuals; and
(2) assess such services made available through the
Supportive Services for Veterans Families program, including
with respect to the types, modes of delivery, duration,
consistency, and quality, of such services.
(d) Barriers to Counseling.--In conducting the study under
subsection (a)(2), the Secretary shall conduct research on the effects
of the following perceived barriers to financial and credit counseling
for homeless veterans and veterans experiencing housing instability
surveyed in the study:
(1) The cost of financial and credit counseling services.
(2) The perceived stigma associated with seeking financial
and credit counseling assistance.
(3) The effect of driving distance or availability of other
forms of transportation to the nearest facility that received a
grant under the Supportive Services for Veterans Families
program.
(4) The availability of child care.
(5) The comprehension of eligibility requirements for, and
the scope of services available under, the Supportive Services
for Veterans Families program.
(6) The effectiveness of outreach for the services
available to such veterans under the Supportive Services for
Veterans Families program.
(7) The location and operating hours of facilities that
provide services to such veterans under the Supportive Services
for Veterans Families program.
(8) The COVID-19 pandemic and other health related issues.
(9) Such other significant barriers as the Secretary
considers appropriate.
(e) Evaluation and Assessment of Effects of Counseling.--
(1) Effects.--In conducting the study under subsection
(a)(3), the Secretary shall conduct research on the ability to
evaluate and assess the potential effects of financial and
credit counseling services on homeless veterans and veterans
experiencing housing instability with respect to the following:
(A) The effects of such services on employment by
comparing the veterans who received such services and
the veterans who did not receive such services.
(B) The effects of such services on housing status
by comparing the veterans who received such services
and the veterans who did not receive such services.
(C) The effects of such services on income by
comparing the veterans who received such services and
the veterans who did not receive such services.
(D) The effects of such services on credit score by
comparing the veterans who received such services and
the veterans who did not receive such services.
(E) The effects of such services on other outcomes
the Secretary determines appropriate.
(2) Data and recommendations.--In carrying out paragraph
(1), the Secretary shall--
(A) determine the relevant data that is available
to the Secretary and determine the confidence of the
Secretary with respect to accessing any additional data
the Secretary may require; and
(B) provide recommendations regarding the optimal
research or evaluation design that would generate the
greatest insights and value.
(f) Discharge by Contract.--The Secretary may seek to enter into a
contract with a qualified independent entity or organization to carry
out the study and research required under this section, including such
an entity or organization that is able to access credit scores, data
maintained by the Internal Revenue Service, and other date beneficial
to studying income.
(g) Mandatory Review of Data by Certain Elements of Department.--
(1) In general.--The Secretary shall ensure that the head
of each element of the Department of Veterans Affairs specified
in paragraph (2) reviews the results of the study conducted
under subsection (a). The head of each such element shall
submit to the Deputy Under Secretary for Health for Operations
and Management the findings of the head with respect to the
study, including recommendations regarding what data the
Secretary should collect from grantees under the Supportive
Services for Veterans Families program.
(2) Specified elements.--The elements of the Department of
Veterans Affairs specified in this paragraph are the following:
(A) The Advisory Committee on Homeless Veterans
established under section 2066 of title 38, United
States Code.
(B) The Advisory Committee on Women Veterans
established under section 542 of title 38, United
States Code.
(C) The Advisory Committee on Minority Veterans
established under section 544 of title 38, United
States Code.
(D) The Homeless Programs Office of the Veterans
Health Administration.
(E) The Office of Tribal Government Relations of
the Department.
(h) Reports.--
(1) Interim report.--Not later than one year after the date
of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to
Congress an interim report on the study under subsection (a).
(2) Final report.--Not later than 30 months after the date
of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to
Congress a report on the study under subsection (a). The report
shall include--
(A) the findings of the head of each element of the
Department specified under subsection (g)(2); and
(B) recommendations for such administrative and
legislative action as the Secretary considers
appropriate.
(i) Definition.--In this section:
(1) The term ``homeless veterans and veterans experiencing
housing instability'' means veterans who are homeless (as that
term is defined in subsection (a) or (b) of section 103 of the
McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 11302)).
(2) The term ``Supportive Services for Veterans Families
program'' means the program established pursuant to section
2044 of title 38, United States Code.
SEC. 3. TECHNICAL CORRECTIONS.
(a) Title 38, United States Code.--Title 38, United States Code, is
amended as follows:
(1) In section 1786(d), as added by section 3006 of the
Johnny Isakson and David P. Roe, M.D. Veterans Health Care and
Benefits Improvement Act of 2020 (Public Law 116-315), by
striking paragraph (3).
(2) In section 3673(f), as added by section 1023 of such
Act, by striking paragraph (3).
(b) Johnny Isakson and David P. Roe, M.D. Veterans Health Care and
Benefits Improvement Act of 2020.--The Johnny Isakson and David P. Roe,
M.D. Veterans Health Care and Benefits Improvement Act of 2020 (Public
Law 116-315) is amended as follows:
(1) In section 3010--
(A) in subsection (a), by striking ``The
Secretary'' and inserting ``Subject to the availability
of appropriations for such purpose, the Secretary'';
and
(B) by striking subsection (h).
(2) In section 4201(a), by adding at the end the following
new paragraph:
``(3) Use of authority.--The Secretary shall ensure that
paragraph (1) is carried out in accordance with established
procedures for reprogrammings or transfers, including with
respect
to presenting a request for a reprogramming of funds.''.
Passed the House of Representatives June 15, 2021.
Attest:
CHERYL L. JOHNSON,
Clerk.