Department of Veterans Affairs Expiring Authorities Act of 2017
Public Law 115-62 · H.R. 3819 · 115th Congress · began in the House
Signed by Donald Trump (R) on Sep 29, 2017 · Armed Forces and National Security
Sponsor: Rep. Brian Mast (R-FL-18)
Cosponsors (2): Rep. Phil Roe, Rep. Timothy Walz
Passage votes
- HouseVoice vote
- 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.
Summary
The Congressional Research Service’s plain-language summary of what the law does.
Department of Veterans Affairs Expiring Authorities Act of 2017
This bill reauthorizes specific Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) programs and services, including those related to health care, benefits, and homeless veteran reintegration.
TITLE I--EXTENSIONS OF AUTHORITY RELATING TO HEALTH CARE
(Sec. 101) This title extends through FY2019 VA authority to: (1) collect copayments for veterans' hospital and nursing home care, (2) provide nursing home care to veterans with service-connected disabilities, (3) collect the cost of treating non-service-connected disabilities from third parties, and (4) provide and fund child care for certain veterans receiving health care.
(Sec. 103) This section reauthorizes through FY2019 funding for assistance and support services for caregivers.
(Sec. 106) This section extends through FY2019 grants to veterans service organizations to transport highly rural veterans.
(Sec. 107) This section extends through January 6, 2018, the pilot program providing community-based assisted living services for veterans with traumatic brain injury. The final program report must be submitted by December 6, 2017.
(Sec. 108) This section extends through FY2019 the pilot program providing counseling in retreat settings for women veterans recently separated from service. The final program report must be submitted by March 31, 2018.
(Sec. 109) This section extends the authority to temporarily extend payments and allowances for beneficiary travel in connection with veterans receiving care from VA centers. The reporting date for such program is extended to March 31, 2018.
TITLE II--EXTENSIONS OF AUTHORITY RELATING TO BENEFITS
(Sec. 201) This title extends authority of the VA to (1) calculate the net value of real property at the time of foreclosure during default procedures, (2) manage property and vendee loans after default, and (3) provide rehabilitation and vocational benefits to service members with severe injuries or illnesses.
TITLE III--EXTENSIONS OF AUTHORITY RELATING TO HOMELESS VETERANS
(Sec. 301) This title reauthorizes
• homeless veteran reintegration programs, including programs for homeless women veterans and homeless veterans with children;
• referral and counseling services for veterans at risk of homelessness transitioning from certain institutions;
• the provision of financial assistance for supportive services for very low-income veteran families in permanent housing;
• the grant program that benefits homeless veterans with special needs, including those who are terminally ill and chronically mentally ill;
• the Advisory Committee on Homeless Veterans; and
• the provision of care and services for veterans suffering from serious mental illness and homelessness.
TITLE IV--OTHER EXTENSIONS AND MODIFICATIONS OF AUTHORITY AND OTHER MATTERS
(Sec. 401) This title extends VA authority to
• transport individuals to and from VA facilities in connection with vocational rehabilitation, counseling, examination, treatment, or care;
• operate the VA regional office in the Philippines; and
• provide monthly assistance allowances under the Office of National Veterans Sports Programs and Special Events.
(Sec. 404) This section extends the requirement for VA reports to Congress regarding equitable relief for errors in providing benefits administered by the VA.
(Sec. 405) This section extends the authorization of appropriations for the adaptive sports program for disabled veterans and service members.
(Sec. 406) The title extends VA authorities for
• the Advisory Committee on Minority Veterans,
• the program to assist certain veterans with disabilities in acquiring suitable housing,
• grants to encourage the development of new assistive technologies for specially adapted housing,
• guarantees of payments of principal and interest on loans in connection with the sale of certain properties,
• review and evaluation by the National Academy of Sciences of the evidence of association between diseases and exposure to dioxin and herbicides, and
• payment of a reporting fee to educational institutions.
TITLE V--TECHNICAL CORRECTIONS
(Sec. 501) The bill makes technical amendments to the Harry W. Colmery Veterans Educational Assistance Act of 2017, also known as the Forever GI Bill.
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.
Related bills
The record lists no related bills.
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.
Timeline
From introduction to signing, newest first: the committees, the floor and the president. 12 actions.
- Sep 29, 2017Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
- Sep 28, 2017FloorFloor · Presented to President.
- Sep 27, 2017FloorFloor · Message on Senate action sent to the House.
- FloorFloor · Passed Senate without amendment by Unanimous Consent.
- Sep 26, 2017CommitteeCommittee · Received in the Senate, read twice.
- Sep 25, 2017FloorFloor · Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
- FloorFloor · On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by voice vote.
- FloorFloor · DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 3819.
- FloorFloor · Considered under suspension of the rules.
- FloorFloor · Mr. Bilirakis moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill.
- CommitteeCommittee · Referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs, and in addition to the Committees on the Budget, and Armed Services, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee conc…
- 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.
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.
Official record
The bill’s full text is on Congress.gov. Data through Oct 7, 2026.