,i  #aafth ,,congress  #ast ,session    
,h4 ,r4 #cbca  ,,in ,,the ,,house ,,of  
,,representatives  ,june #ab1 #bjai,mr4 
,collins of ,new ,york 7for himself and 
,mr4 ,king of ,new ,york7 introduced the
 following bill2 which was referred to  
the ,committee on ,veterans' ,affairs   
,a ,,bill  ,to authorize the ,secretary 
of ,veterans ,affairs to carry out a    
pilot program to provide grants to      
veterans service organizations for      
upgrading local chapter facilities1     
including technology at such facilities1
 in rural areas1 and for other purposes4
  #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be    
cited as the ,renovate and ,enhance     
,veterans ,meeting ,halls and ,posts    
,act of #bjai or the ,,revamp ,act of   
#bjai4  #b4 ,grants to veterans service 
organizations for facility              
rehabilitation and technology in rural  
areas  7a7 ,pilot program ,the          
,secretary of ,veterans ,affairs shall  
carry out a pilot program to award      
grants to eligible veterans service     

organizations4  7b7 ,eligible activities
 and uses ,an eligible veterans service 
organization may use a grant made under 
this section only for-- 7#a7 repairs or 
rehabilitation of a facility in a rural 
area of an eligible veterans service    
organization2 and  7#b7 acquiring or    
upgrading computers and technology for  
such a facility4  7c7 ,applications ,an 
application for a grant under this      
section--  7#a7 shall be in such form   
and submitted in accordance with such   
procedures as the ,secretary shall      
establish2 and  7#b7 shall include a    
plan for the proposed repair1           
rehabilitation1 or technology upgrading 
and acquisition activities to be        
conducted using the grant amounts4  7d7 
,selection criteria ,the ,secretary     
shall select applications to receive    
grants under the pilot program pursuant 
to a competition and using criteria that
 include-- 7#a7 the extent of need for  
such grants2  7#b7 the quality of the   
plan proposed for repair or             

rehabilitation of the facility involved 
or for acquiring or upgrading computers 
and technology for such a facility2     
7#c7 the capacity or potential capacity 
of the applicant to successfully carry  
out the plan2 and  7#d7 other factors as
 the ,secretary determines appropriate4 
7e7 ,limitations  7#a7 ,amount ,an      
eligible veterans service organization  
may not receive a grant under this      
section during any fiscal year in an    
amount exceeding the lesser of--  7,a7  
the aggregate cost of the proposed      
activities and uses under subsection 7b7
 for which the grant amounts will be    
used2 or  7,b7 #ge1jjj4  7#b7 ,timing   
,an eligible veterans service           
organization that receives a grant under
 this section for a fiscal year shall be
 ineligible for any grant under this    
section for any of the succeeding five  
fiscal years4  7f7 ,prohibition of new  
construction or acquisition ,a grant    
under this section may not be used for  
the construction or acquisition of a new

 facility4  7g7 ,regulations ,the       
,secretary shall prescribe regulations  
necessary to carry out the pilot program
 not later than #ij days after the date 
of the enactment of this ,act4  7h7     
,authorization of appropriations ,there 
is authorized to be appropriated to the 
,secretary to carry out this section--  
7#a7 for fiscal year #bjbj1 #e1jjj1jjj2 
and  7#b7 for subsequent fiscal years1  
such sums as may be necessary to carry  
out the pilot program4  7i7 ,definition 
,for purposes of this section1 the term 
eligible veterans service organization  
means a local or area chapter1 post1 or 
other unit-- 7#a7 of any organization   
that is chartered under part ,b of      
subtitle ,,ii of title #cf1 ,united     
,states ,code1 and that has as among its
 primary purposes honoring1 promoting1  
advocating for1 providing services for1 
or providing assistance to veterans or  
any group of veterans1 as determined by 
the ,secretary2 and  7#b7 that is       
located in a rural area1 as determined  

by the ,secretary4