,,ii  #aaeth ,,congress  #ast ,session  
,s4 #baaa  ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of     
,,the ,,united ,,states  ,november #i1  
#bjag ,mr4 ,daines introduced the       
following bill2 which was read twice and
 referred to the ,committee on          
,veterans' ,affairs  ,a ,,bill  ,to     
amend title #ch1 ,united ,states ,code1 
to modify the treatment of applications 
for projects to construct new ,state    
homes1 and for other purposes4  #a4     
,short title  ,this ,act may be cited as
 the ,veteran ,state ,home ,grant       
,backlog ,reduction ,act of #bjag4  #b4 
,modification of treatment of           
applications for projects to construct  
new ,state homes  7a7 ,findings         
,congress makes the following findings3 
7#a7 ,the ,state home construction      
grants priority list group #a of the    
,department of ,veterans ,affairs for   
fiscal year #bjag contains #eg projects 
with a cumulative cost of #fci1hje1jha4 
7#b7 ,of those projects1 #ag are new    
construction projects1 with a cumulative

 cost of #dde1dcj1hig4  7#c7 ,the       
,secretary of ,veterans ,affairs has    
requested between #hj1jjj1jjj and       
#ij1jjj1jjj for construction grants for 
,state homes in each annual budget      
submission to ,congress for fiscal years
 #bjac through #bjah4  7#d7 ,recurring  
funding shortfalls have created a       
backlog of outstanding ,state home      
projects1 averaging six years from      
receipt of ,state funds to obligation of
 ,federal funds for new construction    
projects4  7b7 ,modification of priority
 of projects  7#a7 ,in general          
,paragraph 7#c7 of section #hace7;c7 of 
title #ch1 ,united ,states ,code1 is    
amended-- 7,a7 by redesignating         
subparagraphs 7,a7 and 7,b7 as clauses  
7i7 and 7ii71 respectively2  7,b7 by    
striking ,in according and inserting    
7,a7 ,in according2 and  7,c7 by adding 
at the end the following new            
subparagraph3  7,b7 ,in according       
priorities to projects under paragraph  
7#b7 of this subsection1 the ,secretary 

shall-- 7i7 prioritize grants for       
safety1 renovation1 and bed replacement 
using the criteria described in         
subparagraphs 7,a71 7,b71 7,c71 7,e71   
and 7,g7 of such paragraph2 and  7ii7   
separately prioritize grants for        
projects to construct new ,state homes  
using the criteria described in         
subparagraphs 7,a71 7,c71 7,d71 7,f71   
7,g71 and 7,h7 of such paragraph4  4    
7#b7 ,conforming amendments  7,a7 ,list 
of approved projects ,paragraph 7#d7 of 
such section is amended-- 7i7 by        
striking 1 in the order of their        
priority1 and inserting for safety1     
renovation1 and bed replacement1 in the 
order of their priority1 and a separate 
list of approved projects 7including    
projects that have been so conditionally
 approved7 to construct new ,state      
homes1 in the order of their priority12 
and  7ii7 by striking the list the first
 place in appears and inserting each    
such list4  7,b7 ,deferred applications 
,paragraph 7#e77;,b7 of such section is 

amended by adding before the period at  
the end the following3 on the priority  
list corresponding with the project type
 to which the deferred application      
relates4  7,c7 ,increase of grant amount
 ,paragraph 7#g77;,a7 of such section is
 amended by striking list and inserting 
lists4  7c7 ,modification of budget     
submission ,beginning in fiscal year    
#bjai1 the ,president shall include in  
the budget submitted to ,congress       
pursuant to section #aaje7;a7 of title  
#ca1 ,united ,states ,code1 requests for
 funding for projects to construct new  
,state homes that is separate and       
distinct from requests for funding for  
projects relating to safety1 renovation1
 and bed replacement at ,state homes4   
7d7 ,plan ,to clear backlog of new      
construction projects ,not later than   
#ahj days after the date of the         
enactment of this ,act1 the ,secretary  
of ,veterans ,affairs shall submit to   
,congress a plan to clear the backlog of
 projects to construct new ,state homes 

by ,september #cj1 #bjbc4  7e7 ,state   
home defined ,in this section1 the term 
,state home has the meaning given that  
term in section #aja of title #ch1      
,united ,states ,code4