ELIGIBILITY FOR SPECIALLY ADAPTED HOUSING BENEFITS AND ASSISTANCE FOR MEMBERS OF THE ARMED FORCES WITH SERVICE-CONNECTED DISABILITIES AND INDIVIDUALS RESIDING OUTSIDE THE UNITED STATES.

SEC. 2602. ELIGIBILITY FOR SPECIALLY ADAPTED HOUSING BENEFITS AND ASSISTANCE FOR MEMBERS OF THE ARMED FORCES WITH SERVICE-CONNECTED DISABILITIES AND INDIVIDUALS RESIDING OUTSIDE THE UNITED STATES.(a) Eligibility.—Chapter 21 of title 38, United States Code, is amended by inserting after section 2101 the following new section:“§ 2101A. Eligibility for benefits and assistance: members of the Armed Forces with service-connected disabilities; individuals residing outside the United States“(a) Members With Service-Connected Disabilities.—(1) The Secretary may provide assistance under this chapter to a member of the Armed Forces serving on active duty who is suffering from a disability that meets applicable criteria for benefits under this chapter if the disability is incurred or aggravated in line of duty in the active military, naval, or air service. Such assistance shall be provided to the same extent as assistance is provided under this chapter to veterans eligible for assistance under this chapter and subject to the same requirements as veterans under this chapter.“(2) For purposes of this chapter, any reference to a veteran or eligible individual shall be treated as a reference to a member of the Armed Forces described in subsection (a) who is similarly situated to the veteran or other eligible individual so referred to.“(b) Benefits and Assistance for Individuals Residing Outside the United States.—(1) Subject to paragraph (2), the Secretary may, at the Secretary’s discretion, provide benefits and assistance under this chapter (other than benefits under section 122 STAT. 2859 2106 of this title) to any individual otherwise eligible for such benefits and assistance who resides outside the United States.“(2) The Secretary may provide benefits and assistance to an individual under paragraph (1) only if—“(A) the country or political subdivision in which the housing or residence involved is or will be located permits the individual to have or acquire a beneficial property interest (as determined by the Secretary) in such housing or residence; and“(B) the individual has or will acquire a beneficial property interest (as so determined) in such housing or residence.“(c) Regulations.—Benefits and assistance under this chapter by reason of this section shall be provided in accordance with such regulations as the Secretary may prescribe.” .(b) Conforming Amendments.—(1) Repeal of superseded authority.—Section 2101 of title 38, United States Code, is amended—(A) by striking subsection (c); and(B) by redesignating subsection (d) as subsection (c).(2) Limitations on assistance.—Section 2102 of title 38, United States Code, is amended—(A) in subsection (a)—(i) by striking “veteran” each place it appears and inserting “individual”; and(ii) in paragraph (3), by striking “veteran’s” and inserting “individual’s”;(B) in subsection (b)(1), by striking “a veteran” and inserting “an individual”;(C) in subsection (c)—(i) by striking “a veteran” and inserting “an individual”; and(ii) by striking “the veteran” each place it appears and inserting “the individual”; and(D) in subsection (d), by striking “a veteran” each place it appears and inserting “an individual”.(3) Assistance for individuals temporarily residing in housing of family member.—Section 2102A of title 38, United States Code, is amended—(A) by striking “veteran” each place it appears (other than in subsection (b)) and inserting “individual”;(B) in subsection (a), by striking “veteran’s” each place it appears and inserting “individual’s”; and(C) in subsection (b), by striking “a veteran” each place it appears and inserting “an individual”.(4) Furnishing of plans and specifications.—Section 2103 of title 38, United States Code, is amended by striking “veterans” both places it appears and inserting “individuals”.(5) Construction of benefits.—Section 2104 of title 38, United States Code, is amended—(A) in subsection (a), by striking “veteran” each place it appears and inserting “individual”; and(B) in subsection (b)—(i) in the first sentence, by striking “A veteran” and inserting “An individual”;(ii) in the second sentence, by striking “a veteran” and inserting “an individual”; and122 STAT. 2860(iii) by striking “such veteran” each place it appears and inserting “such individual”.(6) Veterans’ mortgage life insurance.—Section 2106 of title 38, United States Code, is amended—(A) in subsection (a)—(i) by striking “any eligible veteran” and inserting “any eligible individual”; and(ii) by striking “the veterans’ ” and inserting “the individual’s”;(B) in subsection (b), by striking “an eligible veteran” and inserting “an eligible individual”;(C) in subsection (e), by striking “an eligible veteran” and inserting “an individual”;(D) in subsection (h), by striking “each veteran” and inserting “each individual”;(E) in subsection (i), by striking “the veteran’s” each place it appears and inserting “the individual’s”;(F) by striking “the veteran” each place it appears and inserting “the individual”; and(G) by striking “a veteran” each place it appears and inserting “an individual”.(7) Heading amendments.—(A) The heading of section 2101 of title 38, United States Code, is amended to read as follows:“§ 2101. Acquisition and adaptation of housing: eligible veterans” .(B) The heading of section 2102A of such title is amended to read as follows:“§ 2102A. Assistance for individuals residing temporarily in housing owned by a family member” .(8) Clerical amendments.—The table of sections at the beginning of chapter 21 of title 38, United States Code, is amended—(A) by striking the item relating to section 2101 and inserting the following new item: “2101. Acquisition and adaptation of housing: eligible veterans.”; (B) by inserting after the item relating to section 2101, as so amended, the following new item: “2101A. Eligibility for benefits and assistance: members of the Armed Forces with service-connected disabilities; individuals residing outside the United States.”; and(C) by striking the item relating to section 2102A and inserting the following new item: “2102A. Assistance for individuals residing temporarily in housing owned by a family member.”.