S3137-119

2. Low-income veteran rental assistance program Section 8(o) of the United States Housing Act of 1937 (42 U.S.C. 1437f(o)) is amended by adding at the end the following: In this paragraph: The term qualified veteran family means— for fiscal year 2026, a veteran family having an income no higher than 50 percent of the applicable income limitation for extremely low-income families; for fiscal year 2027, a veteran family having an income no higher than 75 percent of the applicable income limitation for extremely low-income families; for fiscal year 2028, an extremely low-income veteran family; for fiscal year 2029, a very low-income veteran family; and for fiscal year 2030 and thereafter, a low-income veteran family. The term qualified veteran family includes a veteran family that was initially assisted under this paragraph but no longer satisfies the requirements under subclause (I), provided that the income of the veteran family does not exceed 100 percent of the area median income. The term tribally designated housing entity has the meaning given the term in section 4 of the Native American Housing Assistance and Self-Determination Act of 1996 (25 U.S.C. 4103). The term veteran— means a person who, regardless of length of service, was a member of the Armed Forces (as that term is defined in section 101 of title 10, United States Code); and does not include a person who— received a dishonorable discharge from the Armed Forces; or was discharged or dismissed from the Armed Forces by reason of the sentence of a general court-martial. The term veteran family means— a veteran who is a single person; a family (including families with children) whose head of household (or whose spouse) is a veteran; and 1 or more veterans living together with 1 or more persons. A qualified veteran family shall be entitled to rental assistance under this paragraph. Each public housing agency administering assistance under this subsection shall ensure that— any veteran family desiring to submit an application for assistance under this paragraph shall have the opportunity to do so; and assistance under this paragraph shall be furnished with reasonable promptness to all qualified veteran families. The Secretary, in consultation with the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, shall provide public housing agencies assisting veteran families under this paragraph with information regarding services available to veterans in the area, and those public housing agencies shall provide that information to all veteran families assisted under this paragraph. An owner of 5 or more rental dwelling units may not refuse to lease any available unit to a holder of a voucher the funds for which are appropriated pursuant to this paragraph because of the status of the prospective tenant as a holder of such voucher. This subparagraph may not be construed to preempt any law of any State or political subdivision thereof that provides more protection than this subparagraph. The Secretary, in consultation with the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, shall maintain an electronic process through which a public housing agency may verify the veteran status of any veteran family that applies for or receives rental assistance under this paragraph. The Secretary, in consultation with the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, may waive the exclusion described in subparagraph (A)(iii)(II) for purposes of eligibility for rental assistance under this paragraph for particular areas served by a public housing agency. Sums appropriated pursuant to this paragraph may not be used for or pursuant to the Moving to Work demonstration program authorized under section 204 of the Departments of Veterans Affairs and Housing and Urban Development, and Independent Agencies Appropriations Act, 1996 (42 U.S.C. 1437f note; Public Law 104–134). Rental assistance provided under this paragraph shall not be considered for the purpose of determining compliance with the requirements of section 16(b). Disability benefits administered by the Department of Veterans Affairs shall not be counted as income for the purpose of determining whether a veteran family meets the requirements to be a qualified veteran family under subparagraph (A)(i). The Secretary shall designate a public housing agency to administer assistance under this paragraph in any area where no existing public housing agency has jurisdiction or where no public housing agency is adequately administering such assistance, subject to public comment and after consultation with States, public housing agencies, local governments, Indian tribes, and tribally designated housing entities. No veteran receiving rental assistance under this subsection on the date of enactment of this paragraph shall be subject to any redetermination of eligibility as a result of the enactment of this paragraph. Notwithstanding this paragraph, all vouchers made available by law for the supported housing program administered by the Secretary in conjunction with the Department of Veterans Affairs under paragraph (19) shall continue to be included in that supported housing program. Public housing agencies shall refer veterans assisted under this paragraph to the supported housing program under paragraph (19) if the public housing agency determines that assistance through that program would be appropriate for the veteran. Public housing agencies administering assistance under this paragraph shall be eligible to receive service fees to cover costs of assisting qualified veteran families to successfully lease units with assistance under this paragraph, as determined by the Secretary. The amount of service fees under this subparagraph shall not exceed $4,000 for each applicant household determined to be eligible for assistance under this paragraph, except that such amount shall be adjusted for inflation annually by the Secretary in accordance with an inflationary index selected by the Secretary. For fiscal year 2026 and each succeeding fiscal year, there is appropriated, out of any money in the Treasury not otherwise appropriated, for the Secretary to carry out this paragraph, such sums as may be necessary to provide rental assistance for all qualified veteran families entitled to assistance under this paragraph, administrative fees under subsection (q) associated with such rental assistance, and service fees under subparagraph (L) of this paragraph. Amounts appropriated under subparagraph (M) shall supplement, and not supplant, amounts otherwise made available for rental assistance under this subsection, including amounts made available under paragraph (19). Nothing in this paragraph shall be construed to affect the number of vouchers for rental assistance otherwise provided under this subsection, including under paragraph (19). The amendment made by this section shall take effect on the first day of the fiscal year beginning after the fiscal year during which this section was enacted. (23) Low-income veteran rental assistance program (A) Definitions In this paragraph: (i) Qualified veteran family (I) In general The term qualified veteran family means— (aa) for fiscal year 2026, a veteran family having an income no higher than 50 percent of the applicable income limitation for extremely low-income families; (bb) for fiscal year 2027, a veteran family having an income no higher than 75 percent of the applicable income limitation for extremely low-income families; (cc) for fiscal year 2028, an extremely low-income veteran family; (dd) for fiscal year 2029, a very low-income veteran family; and (ee) for fiscal year 2030 and thereafter, a low-income veteran family. (II) Continuing eligibility The term qualified veteran family includes a veteran family that was initially assisted under this paragraph but no longer satisfies the requirements under subclause (I), provided that the income of the veteran family does not exceed 100 percent of the area median income. (ii) Tribally designated housing entity The term tribally designated housing entity has the meaning given the term in section 4 of the Native American Housing Assistance and Self-Determination Act of 1996 (25 U.S.C. 4103). (iii) Veteran The term veteran— (I) means a person who, regardless of length of service, was a member of the Armed Forces (as that term is defined in section 101 of title 10, United States Code); and (II) does not include a person who— (aa) received a dishonorable discharge from the Armed Forces; or (bb) was discharged or dismissed from the Armed Forces by reason of the sentence of a general court-martial. (iv) Veteran family The term veteran family means— (I) a veteran who is a single person; (II) a family (including families with children) whose head of household (or whose spouse) is a veteran; and (III) 1 or more veterans living together with 1 or more persons. (B) Entitlement to rental assistance (i) Entitlement A qualified veteran family shall be entitled to rental assistance under this paragraph. (ii) Access to assistance Each public housing agency administering assistance under this subsection shall ensure that— (I) any veteran family desiring to submit an application for assistance under this paragraph shall have the opportunity to do so; and (II) assistance under this paragraph shall be furnished with reasonable promptness to all qualified veteran families. (C) Information regarding services The Secretary, in consultation with the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, shall provide public housing agencies assisting veteran families under this paragraph with information regarding services available to veterans in the area, and those public housing agencies shall provide that information to all veteran families assisted under this paragraph. (D) Prohibition on discrimination (i) In general An owner of 5 or more rental dwelling units may not refuse to lease any available unit to a holder of a voucher the funds for which are appropriated pursuant to this paragraph because of the status of the prospective tenant as a holder of such voucher. (ii) Rule of construction This subparagraph may not be construed to preempt any law of any State or political subdivision thereof that provides more protection than this subparagraph. (E) Verification of veteran status (i) In general The Secretary, in consultation with the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, shall maintain an electronic process through which a public housing agency may verify the veteran status of any veteran family that applies for or receives rental assistance under this paragraph. (ii) Waiver status The Secretary, in consultation with the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, may waive the exclusion described in subparagraph (A)(iii)(II) for purposes of eligibility for rental assistance under this paragraph for particular areas served by a public housing agency. (F) Moving to work Sums appropriated pursuant to this paragraph may not be used for or pursuant to the Moving to Work demonstration program authorized under section 204 of the Departments of Veterans Affairs and Housing and Urban Development, and Independent Agencies Appropriations Act, 1996 (42 U.S.C. 1437f note; Public Law 104–134). (G) Compliance with income targeting requirements Rental assistance provided under this paragraph shall not be considered for the purpose of determining compliance with the requirements of section 16(b). (H) Exclusion of veteran disability benefits Disability benefits administered by the Department of Veterans Affairs shall not be counted as income for the purpose of determining whether a veteran family meets the requirements to be a qualified veteran family under subparagraph (A)(i). (I) Administering agencies The Secretary shall designate a public housing agency to administer assistance under this paragraph in any area where no existing public housing agency has jurisdiction or where no public housing agency is adequately administering such assistance, subject to public comment and after consultation with States, public housing agencies, local governments, Indian tribes, and tribally designated housing entities. (J) Transition No veteran receiving rental assistance under this subsection on the date of enactment of this paragraph shall be subject to any redetermination of eligibility as a result of the enactment of this paragraph. (K) Supported housing (i) In general Notwithstanding this paragraph, all vouchers made available by law for the supported housing program administered by the Secretary in conjunction with the Department of Veterans Affairs under paragraph (19) shall continue to be included in that supported housing program. (ii) Referrals Public housing agencies shall refer veterans assisted under this paragraph to the supported housing program under paragraph (19) if the public housing agency determines that assistance through that program would be appropriate for the veteran. (L) Service fees (i) In general Public housing agencies administering assistance under this paragraph shall be eligible to receive service fees to cover costs of assisting qualified veteran families to successfully lease units with assistance under this paragraph, as determined by the Secretary. (ii) Amount The amount of service fees under this subparagraph shall not exceed $4,000 for each applicant household determined to be eligible for assistance under this paragraph, except that such amount shall be adjusted for inflation annually by the Secretary in accordance with an inflationary index selected by the Secretary. (M) Authorization and permanent appropriation For fiscal year 2026 and each succeeding fiscal year, there is appropriated, out of any money in the Treasury not otherwise appropriated, for the Secretary to carry out this paragraph, such sums as may be necessary to provide rental assistance for all qualified veteran families entitled to assistance under this paragraph, administrative fees under subsection (q) associated with such rental assistance, and service fees under subparagraph (L) of this paragraph. (N) Relation to existing voucher programs (i) Supplement, not supplant Amounts appropriated under subparagraph (M) shall supplement, and not supplant, amounts otherwise made available for rental assistance under this subsection, including amounts made available under paragraph (19). (ii) Rule of construction Nothing in this paragraph shall be construed to affect the number of vouchers for rental assistance otherwise provided under this subsection, including under paragraph (19). .