I 

116TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 716 

To amend title 38, United States Code, to authorize the Secretary of Veterans 

Affairs to enter into partnerships with public and private entities to 

provide legal services to homeless veterans and veterans at risk of homelessness. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

JANUARY 23, 2019 

Mrs. BEATTY (for herself, Mr. STIVERS, Mr. TED LIEU of California, and Mr. 

TURNER) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs 

A BILL 

To amend title 38, United States Code, to authorize the 

Secretary of Veterans Affairs to enter into partnerships 

with public and private entities to provide legal services 

to homeless veterans and veterans at risk of homelessness. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Homeless Veterans 

5 Legal Services Act’’. 


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1 SEC. 2. PARTNERSHIPS WITH PUBLIC AND PRIVATE ENTI2 TIES TO PROVIDE LEGAL SERVICES TO 

3 HOMELESS VETERANS AND VETERANS AT 

4 RISK OF HOMELESSNESS. 

5 (a) IN GENERAL.—Chapter 20 of title 38, United 

6 States Code, is amended by inserting after section 2022 

7 the following new section: 

8 ‘‘§ 2022A. Partnerships with public and private enti9 ties to provide legal services to homeless 

10 veterans and veterans at risk of home11 lessness 

12 ‘‘(a) PARTNERSHIPS AUTHORIZED.—Subject to the 

13 availability of funds for such purpose, the Secretary shall 

14 enter into partnerships with public or private entities to 

15 fund a portion of the general legal services specified in 

16 subsection (c) that are provided by such entities to home17 less veterans and veterans at risk of homelessness. 

18 ‘‘(b) LOCATIONS.—The Secretary shall ensure that, 

19 to the extent practicable, partnerships under this section 

20 are made with entities equitably distributed across the ge21 ographic regions of the United States, including rural 

22 communities and tribal lands. 

23 ‘‘(c) LEGAL SERVICES.—Legal services specified in 

24 this subsection include legal services provided by public 

25 or private entities that address the needs of homeless vet26 erans and veterans at risk of homelessness as follows: 


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1 ‘‘(1) Legal services related to housing, including 

2 eviction defense, representation in landlord-tenant 

3 cases, and representation in foreclosure cases. 

4 ‘‘(2) Legal services related to family law, in5 cluding assistance in court proceedings for child sup6 port, divorce, estate planning, and family reconcili7 ation. 

8 ‘‘(3) Legal services related to income support, 

9 including assistance in obtaining public benefits. 

10 ‘‘(4) Legal services related to criminal defense, 

11 including defense in matters symptomatic of home12 lessness, such as outstanding warrants, fines, and 

13 driver’s license revocation, to reduce recidivism and 

14 facilitate the overcoming of reentry obstacles in em15 ployment or housing. 

16 ‘‘(5) Such other legal services as the Secretary 

17 determines appropriate. 

18 ‘‘(d) CONSULTATION.—In developing and carrying 

19 out partnerships under this section, the Secretary shall, 

20 to the extent practicable— 

21 ‘‘(1) consult with veterans service organizations 

22 and other appropriate organizations; and 

23 ‘‘(2) coordinate appropriate outreach relation24 ships with such organizations. 


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1 ‘‘(e) REPORTS.—The Secretary may require entities 

2 that have entered into partnerships under this section to 

3 submit to the Secretary periodic reports on legal services 

4 provided to homeless veterans and veterans who are at risk 

5 of homelessness pursuant to such partnerships.’’. 

6 (b) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sections 

7 at the beginning of chapter 20 of such title is amended 

8 by adding after the item relating to section 2022 the fol9 lowing new item: 

‘‘2022A. Partnerships with public and private entities to provide legal services 

to homeless veterans and veterans at risk of homelessness.’’. 

Æ 


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