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VA Expiring Authorities Extension Act of 2013

Public Law 113-59 · H.R. 1402 · 113th Congress · began in the House

Signed by Barack Obama (D) on Dec 20, 2013 · Armed Forces and National Security

Sponsor: Rep. Mike Coffman (R-CO-6)

Cosponsors (2): Rep. Mark Takano,

Passage votesYeaNay

  • HouseRecorded vote: 353 yea, 0 nay353–0
  • SenateUnanimous consent
Data notes

The final version of the law, as each chamber passed it. A chamber that passed it by voice vote or unanimous consent has no count. “Method not stated” means the record does not say how the chamber voted. Where the record has a member-by-member vote, the “Who voted for it” section shows who voted yea.

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Summary

The Congressional Research Service’s plain-language summary of what the law does.

VA Expiring Authorities Extension Act of 2013 - (Sec. 4) Extends through FY2015 the authorization of appropriations to the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) for: (1) payment by the VA Secretary of a monthly assistance allowance to disabled veterans (veterans) and members of the Armed Forces (members) training or competing for the U.S. Paralympic Team, and (2) a program for establishing and carrying out related programs and events.

(Sec. 5) Allows any entity with significant experience in managing large-scale adaptive sports programs (under current law, only the United States Olympic Committee) to receive VA grants for planning, developing, managing, and implementing programs to provide adaptive sports opportunities for veterans and members. Extends funding assistance to include any such opportunities occurring during FY2010-FY2016. Requires a report from the Comptroller General on the use of such funds during the first program year after the date of enactment of this Act.

(Sec. 6) Extends through 2014: (1) VA authority to transport individuals to and from VA facilities in connection with vocational rehabilitation, counseling, examination, treatment, or care; (2) VA authority to operate a regional office in the Republic of the Philippines; (3) the VA requirement to provide nursing home care to any veteran with a service-connected disability rated at 70% or more and in need of such care; (4) VA authority to provide treatment, rehabilitation, and related services for seriously mentally ill and homeless veterans; (5) VA authority to provide expanded services and housing assistance to homeless veterans; (6) the Advisory Committee on Homeless Veterans; (7) the Veterans' Advisory Commission on Education; and (8) the temporary authority for the performance of VA medical disability examinations by contract physicians.

(Sec. 13) Extends through FY2014 VA requirements resulting from default on VA-guaranteed loans.

Who voted for it

Every House member of the 113th Congress on the ideology compass. Highlighted: the 353 who voted yea on final passage. Faded: everyone else, including those who voted nay, did not vote, or had not yet taken office.

353 yea0 nay78 present or did not vote

ProEstablishmentAnti
Economic left–right
More liberalMore conservative

Democrats who voted yea(157)

Republicans who voted yea(196)

Data notes

The House’s recorded vote on the final version of the law (roll call 630 in Voteview), matched to the vote the record cites and checked against its totals. Positions are each member’s DW-NOMINATE score for that Congress, as on the Ideology page; left to right is more liberal to more conservative. Paired and announced yea votes count as yea. Lists follow the compass, most liberal first. A name links to a profile only for members of the current Congress. A law passed by voice vote or unanimous consent has no member list, and neither does a vote Voteview has not yet recorded.

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Committees

The committees the bill was sent to, and what each did with it.

Data notes

A committee links to its page only where it exists in the current Congress; older and renamed committees are named without a link.

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Related bills

1 bill the Library of Congress relates to this one.

  • S. 695Identical bill

    Veterans Paralympic Act of 2013

Data notes

Related bills are identified by the Congressional Research Service, the House and the Senate: companion and identical bills, bills with similar text, bills that were folded into this law, and rules that brought it to the floor. A bill that is itself a public law in this site’s data links here; the others link to Congress.gov.

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Timeline

From introduction to signing, newest first: the committees, the floor and the president. 20 actions.

  1. Dec 20, 2013Became lawBecame law · Became Public Law No: 113-59.
  2. Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
  3. Dec 19, 2013FloorFloor · Presented to President.
  4. FloorFloor · Message on Senate action sent to the House.
  5. Dec 18, 2013FloorFloor · Passed Senate without amendment by Unanimous Consent.
  6. Dec 11, 2013CommitteeCommittee · Received in the Senate, read twice.
  7. Dec 10, 2013FloorFloor · The title of the measure was amended. Agreed to without objection.
  8. FloorFloor · On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 353 - 0 (Roll no. 631).House roll call 631
  9. FloorFloor · Considered as unfinished business.
  10. FloorFloor · At the conclusion of debate, the Yeas and Nays were demanded and ordered. Pursuant to the provisions of clause 8, rule XX, the Chair announced that further proceedings on the motion would be postponed.
  11. FloorFloor · DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 1402.
  12. FloorFloor · Considered under suspension of the rules.
  13. FloorFloor · Mr. Miller (FL) moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.
  14. Apr 25, 2013CommitteeCommittee · Forwarded by Subcommittee to Full Committee by Voice Vote .
  15. CommitteeCommittee · Subcommittee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
  16. Apr 10, 2013CommitteeCommittee · Subcommittee Hearings Held.
  17. CommitteeCommittee · Hearings by Economic Opportunity Subcommittee of the House Veterans' Affairs Committee
  18. Apr 2, 2013CommitteeCommittee · Referred to the Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity.
  19. Mar 25, 2013CommitteeCommittee · Referred to the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
  20. IntroducedIntroduced · Introduced in House
Data notes

Every action the Library of Congress lists for the bill, from introduction to signing, plus the dated committee hearings. The source lists many steps twice (the chamber’s own entry and the Library of Congress copy, or a presidential and a became-law entry with the same words); those are shown once. Amendments are listed in their own section.

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Amendments

No amendments to this bill are on record.

Data notes

Amendments offered to this bill in either chamber, as the Library of Congress records them: each with a status read from its last recorded step: agreed to, rejected, withdrawn, ruled out of order, fell with another amendment, or offered with no vote recorded (most Senate amendments are only ever offered). The wording of each amendment is the source’s. Amendments to amendments and amendments to other bills are not listed.

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Official record

The bill’s full text is on Congress.gov. Data through Oct 7, 2026.