Department of VA and HUD Appropriations, FY2003 bill

Departments of Veterans Affairs and Housing and Urban Development, and Independent Agencies Appropriations Act, 2003 - Makes appropriations for FY 2003 for the Departments of Veterans Affairs and Housing and Urban Development and for sundry independent agencies.

Title I: Department of Veterans Affairs - Makes appropriations for the Department of Veterans Affairs for: (1) the Veterans Benefits Administration for veterans' compensation and pensions, readjustment benefits, veterans' insurance and indemnities, and veterans' housing, education, and vocational rehabilitation loan accounts; (2) the Veterans Health Administration for veterans' medical care, the Medical Care Collections Fund, medical and prosthetic research, and medical administration; and (3) departmental administration, including for the National Cemetery Administration, the Office of Inspector General, construction, the parking revolving fund, and grants to States for construction of extended care facilities and cemeteries.

Sets forth authorized uses of, and limitations on, funds made available under this title.

(Sec. 107) Directs the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to reimburse the "General operating expenses" account from the National Service Life Insurance Fund, the Veterans' Special Life Insurance Fund, and the United States Government Life Insurance Fund for the cost of administration of the insurance programs financed through those accounts.

(Sec. 108) Directs the Department to continue until October 1, 2003, the Franchise Fund pilot program for providing administrative support services to designated Federal agencies. Extends funding for such program.

(Sec. 110) Allows funds available in any Department appropriation for FY 2003 or funds for salaries and other administrative expenses to be available to reimburse the Offices of Resolution Management and Employment Discrimination Complaint Adjudication for all services provided at rates which will recover actual costs (with limits for each Office).

(Sec. 111) Repeals Federal law establishing the Department of Veterans Affairs Health Services Improvement Fund. Transfers the remaining balance in such Fund to the Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Care Collections Fund.

Title II: Department of Housing and Urban Development - Makes FY 2003 appropriations for the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) for: (1) public and Indian housing; (2) the Public Housing Capital and Operating Funds; (3) revitalization of severely distressed public housing (HOPE VI); (4) Native American housing block grants; (5) Indian and Native Hawaiian housing loan guarantees; (6) housing opportunities for persons with AIDS; (7) Office of Rural Housing and Economic Development; (8) empowerment zones and enterprise communities; (9) community development block grants and loan guarantees; (10) brownfields redevelopment; (11) the HOME investment partnerships program; (12) homeless assistance grants; (13) housing for special populations; (14) flexible subsidy fund; (15) rental housing assistance; (16) manufactured housing fees trust fund; (17) the Federal Housing Administration; (18) the Government National Mortgage Association; (19) housing policy development and research; (20) fair housing activities; (21) the Office of Lead Hazard Control; (22) management and administration; (23) the Office of Inspector General; (24) Working Capital Fund and (25) the Office of Federal Housing Enterprise Oversight.

Rescinds a specified amount from the consolidated fee fund.

(Sec. 202) Prohibits funds under this Act from being used during FY 2003 to investigate or prosecute under the Fair Housing Act any otherwise lawful activities aimed at achieving or preventing government or court action.

(Sec.203) Directs the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development (Secretary) to make housing for persons with AIDS grants to any State that qualified in FY 2002 but does not qualify in FY 2003 due to decreased AIDS cases in non-metropolitan areas of the State.

(Sec. 204) Amends the Departments of Veterans Affairs and Housing and Urban Development, and Independent Agencies Appropriations Act, 2000 to extend through FY 2003 certain housing for persons with AIDS grant allocation provisions between Philadelphia and New Jersey.

Directs: (1) the Secretary to allocate to Wake County, North Carolina, certain FY 2003 housing for persons with AIDS funds that would otherwise be allocated to Raleigh, North Carolina, on behalf of the Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill, North Carolina, Metropolitan Statistical Area; and (2) that the allocation be used in such Area.

(Sec. 205) Authorizes FY 2003 assisted living facility section 8 rental payments in excess of 40 percent of adjusted gross income in Oakland, Macomb, Wayne, and Washtenaw Counties, Michigan.

(Sec. 206) Requires HUD to grant awards on a competitive basis.

(Sec. 207) Amends the Housing and Community Development Act of 1992 to include in the definition of "federally assisted housing" supportive housing for disabled persons under the Cranston-Gonzalez National Affordable Housing Act.

(Sec. 208) Amends the United States Housing Act of 1937 to authorize public housing agencies to enter into loans or other financial arrangements for public housing rehabilitation or off-site development of public housing in mixed-income developments. Sets forth operating provisions. Authorizes the Secretary to: (1) use Public Housing Fund amounts to establish a related loan loss reserve account; and (2) make principal and interest payments for agencies experiencing extreme hardship.

(Sec. 209) Prohibits assistance for "covered locally developed public housing units" under the United States Housing Act of 1937. Directs: (1) New York and Massachusetts to reimburse HUD for any funds made available for such units; and (2) the Secretary to recapture such amounts from certain housing assistance if reimbursement has not been made within 12 months.

(Sec. 210) Makes HUD funds subject to the Government Corporation Control Act or other restrictions available for legal services and services and facilities of the Federal National Mortgage Association, Government National Mortgage Association, Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation, Federal Financing Bank, Federal Reserve banks, Federal Home Loan Banks, and other insured banks within the meaning of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation.

(Sec. 211) Limits HUD spending to amounts set forth in budget estimates submitted to Congress.

(Sec. 212) Authorizes HUD corporations and agencies subject to the Government Corporation Control Act to make necessary FY 2003 expenditures without regard to fiscal year limitations, except for specified mortgage-related commitments.

(Sec. 213) Amends the United States Housing Act of 1937 to repeal the provision considering certain city and State housing in New York and Massachusetts as Federal public housing.

(Sec. 214) Directs the Secretary to continue section 8 rental assistance (or other rental assistance) on multifamily properties occupied primarily by elderly or disabled families in FY 2003.

(Sec. 215) Amends the United States Housing Act of 1937 to include within section 8 assistance a welfare-to-work housing voucher program. Sets forth grantee and family eligibility provisions.

(Sec. 216) Amends the National Housing Act to extend down payment calculation provisions to mortgages closed on or before December 31, 2004.

(Sec. 217) Exempts public housing agencies in Alaska, Iowa, and Mississippi from the requirement of having a public housing resident or section 8 recipient on the board of directors for FY 2003. Requires such public housing agencies to establish advisory boards that include public housing tenants and section 8 recipients.

(Sec. 218) Directs the Secretary and the Director of the Office of Management and Budget to include a separate line in each account for housing contract renewal costs as of FY 2004.

(Sec. 219) Amends the United States Housing Act of 1937 to extend, and authorize appropriations for, the HOPE VI program through FY 2003.

(Sec. 220) Prohibits HUD from waiving income eligibility on section 8 housing unless explicitly authorized by law.

Title III: Independent Agencies - Makes appropriations for FY 2003 for the: (1) American Battle Monuments Commission; (2) Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board (also addresses issues concerning the Board's Inspector General); (3) Department of the Treasury, Community Development Financial Institutions Fund Program Account; (4) Interagency Council on the Homeless; (5) Consumer Product Safety Commission; (6) Corporation for National and Community Service, including transfer of funds; (7) U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims; (8) Department of Defense-Civil; (9) Department of Health and Human Services, National Institutes of Health; (10) Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry; (11) Environmental Protection Agency, including the Hazardous Substance Superfund, and including transfers of funds; (12) Executive Office of the President; (13) Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation; (14) Federal Emergency Management Agency; (15) General Services Administration; (16) National Aeronautics and Space Administration; (17) National Credit Union Administration; (18) National Science Foundation; (19) Neighborhood Reinvestment Corporation; and (20) Selective Service System.

Title IV: General Provisions - Sets forth conditions and limitations on the obligation and expenditure of funds appropriated or made available under this Act.