House Approves Boozman Veterans Bill

Press Release

Legislation introduced by U.S. Representative John Boozman that establishes a pilot grant program through the Specially Adapted Housing grants passed the U.S. House of Representatives by voice vote today.

H.R. 1170 amends chapter 21 of title 38, United States Code, to establish a grant program to encourage the development of new assistive technologies for specially adapted housing that will help meet the needs of disabled veterans.

"This program allows our nation's heroes the tools and resources to make daily living easier," Boozman said. "I am pleased that my colleagues see the benefits this program will offer our disabled veterans. I am committed to working to find ways to improve the lives our service members who made great sacrifices defending our country."

H.R. 1170, as amended authorizes the VA to use up to $2 million per year to provide grants of up to $200,000 to expand research and development in the areas of adaptive technologies that can be used in VA's Specially Adapted Housing program.

Typical adaptations are structural modifications such as ramps, wider halls and doors, grab rails, and lower counters, but new emerging technologies allow for even greater modifications to homes. Houses can be adapted with modifications of voice-recognition and voice-commanded operations, integrated computer-managed functions, alternative human-computer interfaces, living environment controls, adaptive feeding equipment, fall prevention devices and recreation assistance equipment.

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