Native American Veteran Home Loan Act

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the Senate bill (S. 1235) to amend title 38, United States Code, to extend the availability of $400,000 in life insurance coverage to servicemembers and veterans, to make a stillborn child an insurable dependent for purposes of the Servicemembers' Group Life Insurance program, to make technical corrections to the Veterans Benefits Improvement Act of 2004, to make permanent a pilot program for direct housing loans for Native American veterans, and to require an annual plan on outreach activities of the Department of Veterans Affairs, as amended.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

(Mr. MILLER of Florida asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of S. 1235, as amended, the Veterans' Housing Opportunity and Benefits Improvement Act of 2006.

S. 1235, as amended, the Veterans' Housing Opportunity and Benefits Improvement Act of 2006, reflects a compromise agreement that has been reached by the Senate and House Committees on Veterans' Affairs on the following bills:

S. 1235, as amended, which passed the Senate on September 28, 2005; H.R. 1220, as amended, which passed the House on July 13, 2005; H.R. 2046, as amended, which passed the House on May 23, 2005; and H.R. 3665, as amended, which passed the House on November 10, 2005.

Mr. Speaker, I will insert at this point in the Record for the benefit of my colleagues a joint explanatory statement describing the compromise agreement we have reached with the other body.

Explanatory Statement on Amendment to Senate Bill, S. 1235, as Amended

S. 1235, as amended, the Veterans' Housing Opportunity and

Benefits Improvement Act of 2006, reflects a Compromise

Agreement reached by the Senate and House Committees on

Veterans' Affairs (the Committees) on the following bills

reported during the 109th Congress: S. 1235, as amended

(Senate Bill), H.R. 1220, as amended, H.R. 2046, as amended,

and H.R. 3665, as amended (House Bills). S. 1235, as amended,

passed the Senate on September 28, 2005; H.R. 2046, as

amended, passed the House on May 23, 2005; H.R. 3665, as

amended, passed the House on November 10, 2005.

The Committees have prepared the following explanation of

S. 1235, as further amended to reflect a compromise agreement

between the Committees (Compromise Agreement). Differences

between the provisions contained in the Compromise Agreement

and the related provision of the Senate Bill and the House

Bills are noted in this document, except for clerical

corrections, conforming changes made necessary by the

Compromise Agreement, and minor drafting, technical, and

clarifying changes.

title i--housing matters

Adapted Housing Assistance for Disabled Veterans Residing in

Housing Owned by Family Member

Current Law.--Chapter 21 of title 38, United States Code,

authorizes the Secretary to provide grants to adapt or

acquire suitable housing for certain severely disabled

veterans. The grant amounts are limited to $50,000 for

severely disabled veterans with impairments of locomotion or

loss of function of both arms described in section 2101(a) of

title 38, United States Code, and $10,000 to severely

disabled veterans with loss of vision or loss of function of

both hands as described in section 2101(b) of title 38,

United States Code. Currently a veteran may receive a grant

for specially adapted housing only once. However, a veteran

who has qualified for the smaller grant may nonetheless

receive a higher grant if disabilities under that provision

later develop.

Senate Bill.--The Senate Bill contains no comparable

provision.

House Bills.--Section 101 (a) through (e) of H.R. 3665, as

amended, would amend chapter 21 of title 38, United States

Code, by inserting a new section 2102A. Subparagraph (a)

would authorize the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to conduct

a program providing a partial adapted housing grant to

severely injured veterans residing temporarily in housing

owned by a family member. Subparagraph (b) would authorize

the Secretary to provide up to a $10,000 grant for such

veterans with disabilities involving impairments of

locomotion and up to a $2,000 grant for such veterans with

visual impairments or loss of function of both hands.

Subparagraph (c) would limit the assistance to one family

residence. Subparagraph (d) would require the Secretary

to issue relevant regulations. Finally, subparagraph (e)

would limit the program to 5 years after enactment.

Section 101(b) of H.R. 3665, as amended, would amend

section 2102 of title 38, United States Code, to allow a

veteran to receive no more than three grants of assistance

under chapter 21 of title 8, United States Code. The total

value of all grants would not exceed $50,000 for the most

severely disabled veterans and $10,000 for less severely

disabled veterans. However, a veteran who receives a grant

under section 2102(b) of title 38, United States Code, would

still be allowed to receive grants under section 2102(a) of

title 38, United States Code, if he or she becomes eligible.

Section 101(c) would amend chapter 21 of title 38, United

States Code, by adding at the end a new section 2107 to

provide that the Secretary shall coordinate the

administration of programs to provide specially adapted

housing that are administered by both the Under Secretary for

Health and the Under Secretary for Benefits under chapters

17, 21, and 31 of title 38, United States Code.

Compromise Agreement.--Section 101 of the Compromise

Agreement generally follows the House language except in the

case of veterans residing temporarily in housing owned by a

family member, veterans with disabilities involving

impairments of locomotion may receive up to $14,000. Section

101 would also increase the funding fee for a subsequent use

of the VA home loan guaranty with no money down by 5 basis

points for the period October 1, 2006 through September 30,

2007.

Adjustable Rate Mortgages

Current Law.--Section 3707A(c)(4) of title 38, United

States Code, limits the maximum increase or decrease of any

single annual interest rate adjustment after the initial

contract interest rate adjustment to 1 percentage point.

Senate Bill.--Section 201 of the Senate Bill would give VA

the flexibility to prescribe an appropriate annual rate

adjustment cap for VA hybrid Adjustable Rate Mortgage loans

with an initial rate of interest fixed for 5 or more years.

House Bills.--The House Bills contain no comparable

provision.

Compromise Agreement.--Section 102 of the Compromise

Agreement follows the Senate language.

Permanent Authority To Make Direct Housing Loans to Native

American Veterans

Current Law.--Section 3761 of title 38, United States Code,

establishes a pilot program to make direct housing loans to

Native American veterans for homes on tribal lands. The

authorization expires on December 31, 2008. Section 3762 of

title 38, United States Code, describes the administration

of the program and limits the maximum loan amount to

$80,000, unless the Secretary allows a larger amount due

to higher housing costs in a particular geographic area.

Senate Bill.--Section 203 of the Senate Bill contains a

similar provision.

House Bills.--Section 102 of H.R. 3665, as amended, would

make permanent the Native American Veteran Housing Loan

Program. It would also limit the Secretary's discretion in

approving a loan large than $80,000 to the loan limitation

amount provided by the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation

Act for a single-family residence.

Compromise Agreement.--Section 103 of the Compromise

Agreement follows the House language.

Extension of Eligibility for Direct Loans for Native American

Veterans to a Veteran Who Is The Spouse of a Native

American

Current Law.--Section 3761 of title 38, United States Code,

limits loans under the

Native American Home Loan Program to veterans who are Native

Americans. Under current law, a veteran residing on tribal

lands with a Native American spouse is not eligible to

receive a home loan under this program.

Senate Bill.--The Senate Bill contains no comparable

provision.

House Bills.--Section 103 of H.R. 3665, as amended, would

extend eligibility for the Native American Veteran Housing

Loan Program to non-Native American veterans who are spouses

of Native American eligible to be housed on tribal land. The

non-Native American veteran must be able to acquire a

meaningful interest in the property under tribal law.

Compromise Agreement.--Section 104 of the Compromise

Agreement follows the House language.

Technical Corrections to Veterans' Benefit Improvement Act of

2004

Current Law.--Section 2101 of title 38, United States Code,

provides for grants to adapt or acquire suitable housing for

certain severely disabled veterans. Section 401 of Public Law

108-183 amended section 2101 to authorize the Secretary of

Veterans Affairs to provide adapted housing assistance to

certain disabled servicemembers who have not yet been

processed for discharge from military service, but who will

qualify for the benefit upon discharge due to the severity

of their disabilities. However, this provision was

inadvertently omitted from section 2101 of title 38,

United States Code when changes to that section were made

by P.L. 108-454.

Senate Bill.--Section 202 of S. 1235 would amend section

2101 of title 38, United States Code, to reinstate the

authority of the Secretary to provide adapted housing

assistance to certain members of the armed services and make

other conforming amendments. The amendments made by this

provision would take effect on December 10, 2004, immediately

after the enactment of Public Law 108-454.

House Bill.--Section 4 of H.R. 2046, as amended, contains a

similar provision.

Compromise Agreement.--Section 105 of the Compromise

Agreement contains this provision.

title ii--employment matters

Additional Duty for the Assistant Secretary of Labor for

Veterans' Employment and Training To Raise Awareness of

Skills of Veterans and of the Benefits of Hiring Veterans

Current Law.--Subsection (b) of section 4102A of title 38,

United States Code, describes the duties to be carried out by

the Assistant Secretary of Labor for Veterans' Employment and

Training.

Senate Bill.--The Senate Bill contains no comparable

provision.

House Bills.--Section 202(a) of H.R. 3665, as amended,

would add a new duty for the Assistant Secretary of Labor for

Veterans' Employment and Training (ASVET) under section 4102A

of title 38, United States Code, to furnish information to

employers (through meetings with hiring executive of

corporations and otherwise) concerning the training and

skills of veterans and disabled veterans, and the advantages

of hiring veterans. The ASVET would also be required to

facilitate employment of veterans and disabled veterans

through participation in labor exchanges (Internet-based and

otherwise), and by other means.

Section 202(b) of H.R. 3665, as amended, would require the

Secretary of Labor, acting through the ASVET, to develop a

transition plan for the ASVET to assume certain duties and

functions of the President's National Hire Veterans Committee

and transmit the plan to the House and Senate Veterans'

Affairs Committees not later than July 1, 2006.

Compromise Agreement.--Section 201 of the Compromise

Agreement generally follows the House language, but does not

include the requirement that the Secretary of Labor develop

and transmit a transition plan.

Modifications to the Advisory Committee on Veterans

Employment and Training

Current Law.--Section 4110 of title 38, United States Code,

establishes the Advisory Committee on Veterans employment and

Training, its membership, and its duties. The Advisory

Committee advises the ASVET on the employment and training

needs of veterans and how the Department of Labor is meeting

those needs. No outreach efforts are required of the Advisory

Committee in current law.

Senate Bill.--The Senate Bill contains no comparable

provision.

House Bills.--Section 203(a) of H.R. 3665, as amended,

would amend section 4110 of title 38, United States Code, by

renaming the ``Advisory Committee on Veterans Employment and

Training'' to ``Advisory Committee on Veterans Employment,

Training, and Employer Outreach''.

Section 203(b) would modify the duties of the Advisory

Committee to include assisting and advising the Assistant

Secretary of Labor for Veterans' Employment and Training

(ASVET) in carrying out outreach to employers.

Section 203(c) would modify the membership of the Advisory

Committee to include representatives from the National

Society of Human Resource Managers, The Business Roundtable,

the National Association of State Workforce Agencies, the

United States Chamber of Commerce, the National Federation of

Independent Business, a nationally recognized labor union or

organization, veterans service organizations that have a

national employment program, and recognized authorities in

the fields of business, employment, training, rehabilitation,

or labor. Section 203(c) would also retain six nonvoting ex

officio members of the Advisory Committee: Secretary of

Veterans Affairs, Secretary of Defense, Director of the

Office of Personnel Management, Assistant Secretary of Labor

for Veterans' Employment and Training, Assistant Secretary of

Labor for Employment and Training, and the Administrator of

the Small Business Administration.

Setion 203(d) of H.R. 3665, as amended, would require the

Advisory Committee to submit a report to the Secretary of

Labor on the employment and training needs of veterans for

the previous fiscal year. The report would include a

description of the activities of the Advisory Committee

during that fiscal year as well as suggested outreach

activities to be carried out by the Secretary of Labor to

employers with respect to the training and skills of veterans

and the advantage afforded employers by hiring veterans.

Compromise Agreement.--Section 202 of the Compromise

Agreement follows the House language.

Reauthorization of Appropriations for Homeless Veterans

Reintegration Programs

Current Law.--Section 2021 of title 38, United States Code,

authorizes appropriations for the Homeless Veterans

Reintegration Programs (HVRP) through fiscal year 2006.

Senate Bill.--The Senate Bill contains no comparable

provision.

House Bills.--Section 301 of H.R. 3665, as amended, would

reauthorize HVRP for fiscal years 2007 through 2009, and

retain the maximum authorization of $50 million per year.

Compromise Agreement.--Section 203 of the Compromise

Agreement follows the House language.

The provisions in this bill will directly or indirectly impact the lives of servicemembers, veterans, and their survivors. Several of them fall within the jurisdiction of the Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs, which I chair.

The other provisions fall within the jurisdiction of the Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity, which is chaired by Mr. Boozman. Mr. Boozman is currently conducting a roundtable on employment in Michigan, so I will describe his subcommittee's provisions as well.

In title I of the bill, we provide additional flexibility to the Adapted Housing Grant program and the Native American Home Loan program. These provisions were originally in H.R. 3665, introduced by Mr. Boozman, and H.R. 1773, introduced by Ms. Herseth.

Mr. Speaker, some of those wounded in Iraq and Afghanistan return home with significant disabilities. Many severely disabled servicemembers spend much of their convalescence at a family home before moving on to a home of their own. Under current rules, VA cannot help adapt family homes to the veteran's disability unless the veteran has an ownership interest in that property.

Section 101 would eliminate the ownership requirement and would also provide a partial Adaptive Housing Assistance grant, ranging from $2,000 to $13,000 depending on the level of disability to veterans temporarily in housing owned by a family member.

It would also authorize up to three separate specially adaptive housing grants within the current maximum amounts.

Section 102 of this bill would give the Secretary of Veterans Affairs the authority to prescribe an appropriate annual rate adjustment cap for the VA Hybrid Adjustable Rate Mortgage Loan program. This provision brings VA ARMs in line with the mortgage industry and improves their value on the secondary market.

Mr. Speaker, this bill would also make permanent the Pilot Program for Housing Loans to Native American Veterans; extend the eligibility for Native American loans to certain non-Native American veterans who have a meaningful interest in the property under tribal law and are the spouses of a Native American; and, finally, adjust the maximum loan to conform to the Freddie Mac limits, similar to other VA loans currently at $359,650.

Title II of the bill would transition some of the President's National Hire Veterans Committee's duties to the Assistant Secretary of Labor for Veterans' Employment and Training, and modifies the title of the Assistant Secretary's advisory committee to the Advisory Committee on Veterans Employment, Training, and Employer Outreach, its membership and its duties to improve employer outreach activities.

Taxpayers made a significant investment in the work of the President's National Hire Veterans Committee, and we feel strongly that some of the duties and products of the committee should be adopted by the Veterans Employment and Training Service at the Department of Labor.

Section 203 would reauthorize the Homeless Veterans Reintegration Programs for fiscal years 2007 through 2009, and retain the maximum authorization of $50 million per year. Mr. Speaker, we recognize that homelessness among veterans continues to be a problem. While there are varying estimates about the total number of homeless veterans and the causes for homelessness, there is no disagreement that a job is one of the keys to breaking the cycle of homelessness and that the Homeless Veterans Reintegration Programs remain a valuable tool to assist homeless veterans in finding gainful employment.

I do want to emphasize that this is an employment program managed by the Veterans Employment and Training Service at the Department of Labor, and it is not a housing program.

Title III of the bill would amend the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act and the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act to provide additional protections to servicemembers. Section 302 and 303 originated in H.R. 2046, introduced by Chairman Buyer.

Under current law, when a member is rated totally disabled at the time of separation, Servicemembers' Group Life Insurance coverage is provided for 1 year free of charge. Section 301 of the bill would extend this coverage to 2 years through September 30, 2011, and 18 months as of October 1, 2011.

Members then may convert to Veterans' Group Life Insurance or a commercial policy. Section 302 would prohibit any increase in premiums for health insurance after reinstatement except for any general increase in the premiums being charged by the carrier for persons similarly covered.

Currently, a servicemember who is ordered to active duty and terminated their health insurance, employer-sponsored insurance coverage upon release from active duty is entitled to reinstatement of their previous health insurance coverage.

Section 303 closes a current gap in health insurance coverage for those Reservists who elect TRICARE coverage in advance of activation and allows them to retain reinstatement rights under their employer- sponsored health plan, even if they do not eventually report to active duty.

Since members of the Reserve component play such an important role in today's military, these important changes to the law will protect the members and their families from loss of coverage and unwarranted cost increases.

Section 401 of the bill would codify a June 2005 Department of Veterans Affairs regulation to add heart disease and ensuing complications and stroke to the list of diseases presumed service- connected for former prisoners of war that were interned for at least 30 days.

Section 402 would revise and consolidate VA outreach activities into a new chapter of title 38, United States Code, to ensure that servicemembers, veterans, and their survivors are aware of the benefits and services to which they may be entitled.

This section would further require VA to prepare a biennial outreach plan, as well as report to Congress every 2 years on the execution of that plan. I held a committee hearing on March 16 of this year, and I was disappointed to learn that VA was no longer filing an annual outreach report as mandated by law.

It is our interpretation that by creating this chapter, VA will put more of an emphasis on its outreach activities.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank Chairman Buyer, Ranking Member Evans, Chairman Boozman, Ranking Member Berkley and Ranking Member Herseth for their leadership on crafting this bill. I also want to recognize Chairman Craig and Ranking Member Akaka of the Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee and the staff on both sides of the aisle for their hard work.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support Senate bill 1235, as amended.

Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 3665) to amend title 38, United States Code, to authorize the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to provide adaptive housing assistance to disabled veterans residing temporarily in housing owned by a family member and to make direct housing loans to Native American veterans, and for other purposes, as amended.

Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Madam Speaker, I am pleased to commend H.R. 3665, as amended, to the House for passage. This bill has several goals. First, we want to provide some flexibility in several VA programs, including the Adapted Housing Grant program and the Native American Loan program. Second, we want to protect and institutionalize the taxpayers' investment in the President's National Hiring Veterans Committee. Third, we want to reauthorize the Homeless Veterans Reintegration program for 3 years.

Madam Speaker, it is no secret that many of those wounded in Iraq and Afghanistan return home with significant disabilities. Many of those severely disabled servicemembers spend their convalescence at a family home before moving to their own home when they are well enough to do so. Under the current rules, VA cannot help adapt those family homes for their specific disabilities unless the veteran has an ownership interest in the property. This bill would eliminate the ownership requirement for a partial grant. Therefore, title I would provide a partial adaptive housing assistance grant up to $10,000 or $2,000, depending on the level of disability to veterans residing temporarily in housing owned by a family member. It would also authorize up to three specially adaptive housing grants within the allotted maximum amount.

Madam Speaker, this measure contains several provisions from H.R. 1773, originally introduced by the Economic Opportunity Subcommittee ranking member, Ms. Herseth. I want to compliment her and her staff for their hard work on this issue. These provisions would make permanent the pilot program for housing loans to Native American veterans; extend the eligibility for Native American loans to certain non-Native American veterans who have a meaningful interest in the property under tribal law and are the spouses of a Native American. And finally, this would adjust the maximum loan to conform with the Freddie Mac limits similar to other VA loans, currently $59,650.

Madam Speaker, the taxpayers have made a significant investment in the work of the President's National Hire Veterans Committee, and we feel strongly that a 1-year extension will allow a proper transition of the duties and products of the committee to the Veterans Employment and Training Service of the Department of Labor. Therefore, title II would extend the committee's work until not later than December 31, 2006. Transition of its duties to the Assistant Secretary of Labor for Veterans Employment and Training require the Assistant Secretary of Labor for Veterans Employment and Training to develop a transition plan for those duties and modify the membership and duties of the advisory committee on veterans employment and training to include outreach activities.

Madam Speaker, we all know that homelessness among the veterans continues to be a problem. While there is some disagreement about the total number of homeless veterans needing a job to break the cycle of homelessness, there is no disagreement that the Homeless Veterans Reintegration program remains a valuable tool to put homeless veterans back to work. I want to emphasize that this is an employment program managed by the Veterans Employment and Training Service of the Department of Labor, not a housing program. Therefore, title III would reauthorize the Homeless Veterans Reintegration program for fiscal years 2007 through 2009 and retain the maximum authorization of $50 million per year.

Finally, title IV makes technical amendments to the servicemembers group life insurance legislation as well as clerical and technical amendments to a number of other sections of title 38.

Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from South Carolina (Mr. Brown), chairman of the Health Subcommittee.

Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Idaho (Mr. Simpson), the sponsor of the original bill to extend the operation of the President's National Hire Veterans Committee, and former chairman of the Veterans' Benefits Subcommittee.

Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from New Hampshire (Mr. Bradley), the vice chairman of the Veterans Disability and Memorial Affairs Subcommittee, a gentleman who, since coming to Congress, has been a tireless advocate for veterans.

Madam Speaker, first, I would like to thank the chairman of the Committee on Veterans' Affairs, the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Buyer), and the committee's ranking member, the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Evans), for their leadership and support in bringing this bill to the floor. I would also like to thank the ranking member of the Economic Opportunity Subcommittee, the gentlewoman from South Dakota (Ms. Herseth), as well as her staff and my staff for their hard work and cooperation on this bipartisan legislation.

Special thanks to the gentlewoman from Nevada (Ms. Berkley), who is the ranking member for Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs.

This bill is an example of how we can work together to achieve good things for veterans, and I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 3665, the Veterans Housing and Employment Improvement Act of 2005.

I do not think we can close today before noting that this coming Friday is Veterans Day, a day that originally marked the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month in the war to end all wars. Unfortunately, that idealistic prediction failed, and several generations of Americans have since served in wartime. So today, instead of honoring the end of World War I, Veterans Day now honors all of those who have worn the uniform in defense of the Nation. Whether a veteran served in war or peacetime, we owe them our gratitude, and this bill is just one small token of our appreciation.

Madam Speaker, on behalf of the House, I want to say thank you to all who have served.

Madam Speaker, having no further requests for time, I yield back the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mr. Speaker, I offer this statement in support of S. 1235, as amended, the Veterans' Housing Opportunity and Benefits Improvement Act of 2006.

Working together with the Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs, we have reached a compromise that will provide significant improvements in veterans' benefits, for those who have served this country and for those who will follow in their footsteps.

Under title one, this bill will increase the flexibility enjoyed by the Adapted Housing Grant Program and the Native American Home Loan Program. I commend Mr. Boozman and Ms. Herseth for their leadership in originally introducing these provisions, in H.R. 3665 and H.R. 1773, respectively.

As they return home to convalesce from medical care, many injured or wounded servicemembers spend time in a family member's home before returning to their own home. This legislation authorizes the Department of Veterans Affairs to equip a family member's home with necessary adaptive equipment. Further, it provides a partial adaptive housing allowance grant of between $2,000 and $14,000 to accomplish that adaptation.

This bill also helps Native American veterans and their families by making it easier for them to own their own home. We do that by making permanent a housing loan pilot program for Native American veterans and extend eligibility for Native American loans to non-native American veterans who are spouses of a Native American and who have a meaningful interest in the property under tribal law. We also increase the maximum loan amount available on tribal lands from $80,000 to the maximum limit used for Freddie Mac loans, now over $417,00.

Finally, under title one, we authorize the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to prescribe annual rate adjustment caps for VA's hybrid adjustable rate mortgage loans, thus bringing these ARMs into line with the mortgage industry and enhancing their value on the secondary market.

Mr. Speaker, title two of the bill would migrate some of the sunsetted President's National Hire Veterans Committee duties to the Veterans' Employment and Training Service of the Assistant Secretary of Labor. Further, to improve employer outreach, the bill modifies membership and duties to the Department of Labor's newly named Advisory Committee on Veterans Employment, Training and Outreach.

Title two also reauthorizes the Homeless Veterans Reintegration Program for fiscal years 2007 through 2009, retaining the maximum authorization of $50 million per year. Winning the fight against homelessness means finding homeless veterans good jobs, and that is what this program, managed by the Department of Labor, is intended to do. It is therefore a critical component of our program to end chronic homelessness among veterans.

Members of the Reserve and National Guard today play roles of unprecedented importance in our national security and must be accorded commensurate protections.

In provisions originally introduced by H.R. 2046, which I sponsored, title three of the bill increases job security among veterans by improving the Servicemembers' Civil Relief Act, SCRA, and the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act, USERRA. Servicemembers who are activated and drop their commercial health insurance are now entitled to reinstatement of that policy upon their return from active duty. This bill prohibits premium increases after reinstatement other than such increases charged by that insurer for other policy holders similarly covered.

Some reservists choose to enroll in TRICARE before they are activated, for example in anticipation of activation; and S. 1235 as amended preserves their reinstatement rights under the provision detailed in the preceding paragraph, even if they ultimately do not serve on active duty.

Section 301 of the bill would, until September 30, 2011, double to 2 years the provision of Servicemembers' Group Life Insurance coverage free of charge when a member is rated totally disabled at separation. From October 2001 forward, the limit will be 18 months of free SGLI coverage.

Former prisoners of war experience great hardships that often manifest themselves in ailments years after interment. Section 401 of the bill would codify the VA's June 2005 regulation that added heart disease and ensuing complications, as well as stroke, to those diseases presumptively service-connected for former prisoners of war who were captive for at least 30 days.

Outreach to veterans is a perennial criticism leveled at VA by the Congress. Veterans cannot access benefits they don't know about. This bill will increase accountability by causing outreach activities to be collected into a discrete chapter of title 38, facilitating management and oversight of outreach and require VA to prepare a biennial outreach plan and report to Congress on its performance of that plan every two years.

Mr. Speaker, I commend and thank Ranking Member Lane Evans, Chairman Boozman, Chairman Miller, Ranking Member Berkley, and Ranking Member Herseth for their work bringing in this legislation to the Congress an ultimately to the cause of service to our veterans. I also recognize my counterpart, Senator Larry Craig, chairman of the Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs, and Ranking Member Akaka, for their leadership on this important legislation.

Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

I want to thank Chairman Buyer, Ranking Member Evans, Subcommittee Chairman Boozman, and Ranking Member Herseth for bringing this bill to the floor. Ms. Herseth has been detained at a legislative hearing before the Resources Committee concerning the bill she has introduced. I hope that she will be able to join us before the debate on the bill is completed, but I want to particularly thank her for her input into this important piece of legislation.

Madam Speaker, I am pleased to be an original cosponsor of H.R. 3665. As amended, the bill before us would provide greater flexibility to the VA's Adaptive Housing Grant program. It also includes measures to extend the Department of Labor's Veterans Employment and Training Service. The bill also includes language from H.R. 1773, which Ms. Herseth introduced to make the Native American Veteran Home Loan program permanent.

Section 102 of the bill would make permanent the Native American Housing Loan program, currently a pilot program administered by the Veterans Administration since 1993. The Native American Housing Loan program has provided more than 443 direct loans nationwide since its inception. By all accounts, the pilot program has been a great success and, in fact, currently does not require any government subsidy.

The Congressional Budget Office estimates that enactment of the provision would generate savings of $1 million over the next 5 years. Section 103 of the bill would authorize non-Native American veterans married to a Native American spouse and living on trust or tribal land to fully participate in this direct loan program. Because certain tribal sovereignty rules prohibit ownership interest by nonnative persons, they have been unable to qualify for this home loan program. The language in section 103 would make it possible for a nonnative military member or for a nonnative military member or veteran to qualify for a VA loan if he or she shares a meaningful interest rather than an ownership interest with their respective spouse in their home.

Madam Speaker, on this Friday we will celebrate and honor the service of our Nation's veterans. Hopefully, we will all be in our home districts attending Veterans Day parades and other activities that we share with our veterans. As I do so, I am mindful that over 3,000 veterans in Nevada are homeless. Most of them are living on the streets in Las Vegas. The number of homeless veterans in America is, I am sorry to say, a national disgrace and simply must be addressed. According to the National Coalition for Homeless Veterans, there are already 400 veterans who have served in Iraq and Afghanistan who have sought shelter through homeless programs.

I strongly support the provision in H.R. 3665 which would reauthorize appropriations for the Homeless Veterans Reintegration Program to help veterans get off the street and working again.

With increased efforts to deny VA benefits and, thereby, health care to veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder, I fear that our efforts to reduce the number of homeless veterans, many who are suffering from PTSD, may be at risk.

One homeless veteran who recently contacted the VA Committee had a VA claim pending for PTSD. We learned that because of a perceived pressure to deny claims, regional office adjudicators were afraid to accept the veteran's testimony of his Iraq combat experience, an article naming him and describing the attack, and a statement of his soldier passenger, who was wounded in the attack, as sufficient credible evidence of a stressor.

VA officials later acknowledged that the evidence provided by the veteran met the legal requirements and the claim was approved, finally.

This veteran's story is an example of how severely mentally disabled veterans are at risk of becoming homeless due to VA policies.

Congress must stop the administration's assault on veterans with severe PTSD. We must also provide opportunities to those veterans who are homeless due to their disabilities. H.R. 3665 will do just this.

I appreciate the cooperation of the gentleman from Arkansas (Mr. Boozman) in including language I had suggested to eliminate the obsolete term ``helpless'' from title 38. Although severely disabled veterans may require significant help with activities of daily life, characterizing them as helpless is demeaning and, quite frankly, inaccurate.

The bill under consideration today will benefit our Nation's veterans and deserves the support of all Members of the House.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman from Guam (Ms. Bordallo).

Madam Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the gentleman from the great State of Hawaii (Mr. Case).

Madam Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of Senate bill 1235, as amended, the Veterans' Housing Opportunity and Benefits Improvement Act of 2006. This bipartisan and bicameral benefit package incorporates a number of important measures aimed at improving the quality of life for our servicemembers, veterans, and military families.

I would like to thank Chairman Buyer and Ranking Member Lane Evans for their leadership on the full committee and for their assistance in moving this bill to the floor today.

I also want to express my appreciation to the chairman and ranking member of the Economic Opportunity Subcommittee, John Boozman and Stephanie Herseth, respectively, for their hard work and bipartisan leadership in this legislative package.

Additionally, I would like to thank the chairman and ranking member of the Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs Subcommittee, Jeff Miller and Shelley Berkley, for their diligence and hard work on this bill.

Our Nation's servicemembers and veterans have earned and their families deserve all of the benefits and opportunities provided under Senate bill 1235. In fact, they deserve much more. I am pleased, however, that this legislative package takes a strong step in the right direction, and I am sure the veterans and military families in my home State of Colorado will appreciate their efforts.

Mr. Speaker, Senate bill 1235, as amended, will enable severely disabled veterans to make necessary adaptations to homes in which they are temporarily residing, and it will give totally disabled veteran servicemembers who are leaving military service an additional year of Servicemembers' Group Life Insurance coverage and limit unjustified health premium increases on activated National Guard members and Reservists. It will extend the Homeless Veterans Reintegration Program which provides employment opportunities for homeless veterans and improve the Department of Labor's Veterans Employment and Training Service.

In addition, the bill includes language from H.R. 1773, the Native American Veterans Home Loan Act, a measure introduced by Representative Stephanie Herseth of South Dakota. This bill will make permanent the Native American Housing Loan Program so that veterans residing on tribal land can obtain an appropriate home loan.

It will also provide housing opportunities for veterans who are residing on tribal land with Native American spouses.

By all accounts, the pilot program has been a great success and, in fact, has a negative subsidy; that is, it actually pays for itself. That is something that is rarely done here at the Federal level. Making this program permanent is the right thing to do for Native American veterans and their families.

Mr. Speaker, we also know that veterans who are former prisoners of war have been found to have disproportionate rates of heart disease and stroke. This bill will assure that they will be compensated for these conditions by codifying a current regulation.

Finally, this bill will improve the Department of Veterans Affairs' outreach to veterans and their families in an organized fashion.

Mr. Speaker, the servicemembers, veterans and military families of this Nation have earned and deserve our best efforts here in Congress. As we approach Memorial Day today, I am very proud to support this long overdue legislation, and I am confident that it will benefit the veterans of my home State of Colorado as well as other veterans around this country.

I fully support Senate bill 1235, as amended, and urge my colleagues to do the same. But before I reserve the balance of my time, I would like to bring attention to a matter of deep concern. We learned today of the theft of 26.5 million veterans' records from the home of a career VA employee. I am very concerned about this theft because the records include the name, Social Security number and date of birth of every veteran in this country.

I would like to encourage veterans to visit www.firstgov.gov or call 1-800-FED-INFO, 333-4636.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from California (Mr. Filner).

Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from American Samoa, Eni Faleomavaega.

(Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. Speaker, I would like today to let folks know that this is a great step in the right direction in making sure that we keep our promise to our veterans.

Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I yield back the balance of my time.