S. 1148: Veterans Programs Improvement Act of 2011

112th Congress · introduced 2011-06-06 · Armed Forces and National Security · Latest: Committee on Veterans' Affairs. Hearings held. Hearings printed: S.Hrg. 112-116.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

Where it came from: introduced 2011-06-06 · official record
Who proposed it: Sen. Murray, Patty [D-WA] · what a sponsor is
What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
Where it stands now: Committee on Veterans' Affairs. Hearings held. Hearings printed: S.Hrg. 112-116. Not final yet: this can still change. We check for updates every day.
If it becomes law and spends money: follow the money to money laws, then agencies and contracts and grants.

What does this mean?

Official title

Veterans Programs Improvement Act of 2011

Plain summary

Veterans Programs Improvement Act of 2011 - Allows grants made by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs (VA) for homeless veterans' comprehensive services programs (outreach, rehabilitation, vocational counseling, and transitional housing assistance) to be used for the construction of new facilities. Prohibits the Secretary from denying applications for such grants solely on the basis that the grant entity proposes to use funding from other private or public sources, as long as such entity demonstrates that a private nonprofit organization will provide project oversight and site control. Revises eligibility: (1) under the grant program for entities serving homeless veterans with special needs, and (2) for treatment and rehabilitation of homeless veterans who are not seriously mentally ill. Requires, where it appears to the Secretary that the interest of the beneficiary would be served by payment of veterans' benefits to a fiduciary, that payment be made, subject to exceptions, to the person or entity caring for or having primary custody of the beneficiary or the beneficiary's estate, including a person or entity who has been named by the incompetent beneficiary under a durable power of attorney. Authorizes the Secretary to require any person, state, or local governmental entity appointed or recognized as a fiduciary for a VA beneficiary to provide authorization for the Secretary to obtain from any financial institution any financial record with respect to an account of the fiduciary or the beneficiary which contains an amount paid by the Secretary to the fiduciary for the benefit of the beneficiary when necessary: (1) for the administration of a VA program; or (2) in order to safeguard the beneficiary's benefits against neglect, misappropriation, misuse, embezzlement, or fraud. Modifies the definition of "fiduciary" to include state and local governmental entities and a person named as an agent under a durable power of attorney. Specifies the individuals authorized to sign veterans' benefits claims filed on behalf of a person who is under 18, mentally incompetent, or physically unable to sign. Amends provisions concerning: (1) a dependent child satisfying the occupancy requirements necessary for a veteran's housing loan when a veteran is in active duty status; (2) waiver of the loan fee for individuals with disability ratings issued during predischarge programs; (3) indexing levels of assistance for individuals residing temporarily in housing owned by family members; (4) presidential memorial certificate eligibility; and (5) initial review of claimants' new evidence by the Board of Veterans' Appeals or, upon request, the agency of original jurisdiction. Extends: (1) provisions concerning homeless veterans' health care, centers for provision of comprehensive services, and property transfers for housing assistance to December 31, 2014; (2) the Advisory Committee on Homeless Veterans to December 30, 2013; (3) assistance to individuals residing temporarily in housing owned by family members to December 31, 2021; (4) authority for the Secretary to obtain information from the Secretary of the Treasury and Commissioner of Social Security to September 30, 2016, and use data provided by Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to September 30, 2021; and (5) the VA regional office in the Republic of the Philippines to December 31, 2012.

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate), quoted unchanged (nonpartisan). Read the source.

What a vote does

A “Yea” vote

If it passes both chambers and is signed, it becomes law.

A “Nay” vote

If it is not passed, current law stays as it is.

PSI Sci description of the legislative step (not an opinion).

What does this mean? (plain words)

Official text

Veterans Programs Improvement Act of 2011

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate)

AI explanation – may be wrong, check the official text

No AI explanation yet. It takes up to a minute to write and is then saved for everyone.

Limited to a few requests an hour per person.

The strongest published arguments

Arguments for (supporters)

Needs sources: no published arguments on this side yet. We only show items backed by a published source. Suggest one.

Arguments against (opponents)

Needs sources: no published arguments on this side yet. We only show items backed by a published source. Suggest one.

Alternatives

Needs sources: no published alternatives yet (for example a different bill, a law instead of an amendment, or keeping current law). We only show items backed by a published source. Suggest one.

How did my representative vote? · This bill's floor votes

Officials and money

Sponsor: Sen. Murray, Patty [D-WA] · 1 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

Cosponsors on this site

Richard Blumenthal (D-CT)

Sponsor's campaign money: Sen. Murray, Patty [D-WA] reported raising $3.6 million (2025–2026). Details. Shown for context only; it does not mean any donor supported this bill.

No linked floor roll calls in our collected records yet. This does not mean the bill has never had a vote. Check the official bill history.

Words on this page, explained (3)

Authorization: A law that creates or continues a government program and says what it may do, often with a suggested spending ceiling. An authorization alone does not provide money; a separate appropriation does.
Jurisdiction: The area or the matters a government or court has authority over.
Securities: Financial investments that can be bought and sold, such as stocks and bonds.

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate)
Congress.gov
Data: GovInfo BILLSTATUS bulk data (Library of Congress), BILLSTATUS-112s1148.xml <https://www.govinfo.gov/bulkdata/BILLSTATUS/112/s>

Record fed-us-cong112-s1148 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong112 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong112