I 

116TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 8889 

To amend title 38, United States Code, to extend to Black veterans of 

World War II, and surviving spouses and certain direct descendants 

of such veterans, eligibility for certain housing loans and educational 

assistance administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, and for 

other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

DECEMBER 7, 2020 

Mr. MOULTON (for himself and Mr. CLYBURN) introduced the following bill; 

which was referred to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs 

A BILL 

To amend title 38, United States Code, to extend to Black 

veterans of World War II, and surviving spouses and 

certain direct descendants of such veterans, eligibility 

for certain housing loans and educational assistance administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, and 

for other purposes. 

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 ‘‘Sgt. Isaac Woodard, 

5 Jr. and Sgt. Joseph H. Maddox GI Bill Repair Act of 

6 2020’’. 


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1 SEC. 2. HOUSING LOANS GUARANTEED BY THE SECRETARY 

2 OF VETERANS AFFAIRS FOR BLACK VET3 ERANS OF WORLD WAR II AND SURVIVORS 

4 AND CERTAIN DIRECT DESCENDANTS OF 

5 SUCH VETERANS. 

6 (a) ESTABLISHMENT.—Chapter 37 of title 38, 

7 United States Code, is amended as follows: 

8 (1) DEFINITION.—Section 3701(b) of such title 

9 is amended by adding at the end the following new 

10 paragraphs: 

11 ‘‘(7) The term ‘veteran’ also includes, for pur12 poses of housing loans, a former member of the 

13 Armed Forces who— 

14 ‘‘(A) is Black; and 

15 ‘‘(B) served on active duty at any time 

16 during World War II. 

17 ‘‘(8) The term ‘veteran’ also includes, for pur18 poses of housing loans, an individual who— 

19 ‘‘(A) is the surviving spouse, child, grand20 child, or other direct descendant of a veteran 

21 described in paragraph (7); and 

22 ‘‘(B) is living on the date of the enactment 

23 of the Sgt. Isaac Woodard, Jr. and Sgt. Joseph 

24 H. Maddox GI Bill Repair Act of 2020.’’. 

25 (2) BASIC ENTITLEMENT.—Section 

26 3702(a)(2)(E) of such title is amended by striking 


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1 ‘‘section 3701(b)(5)’’ and inserting ‘‘paragraph (5), 

2 (7), or (8) of section 3701(b)’’. 

3 (b) DEADLINE.—The Secretary shall carry out the 

4 amendment made by this section not later than 90 days 

5 after the date of the enactment of this Act. 

6 (c) REGULATIONS.—The Secretary of Veterans Af7 fairs shall prescribe regulations to carry out the amend8 ment made by this section. 

9 (d) GAO REPORT.—Not later than one year after the 

10 deadline under subsection (b), the Comptroller General of 

11 the United States shall submit to Congress a report re12 garding— 

13 (1) the number of individuals who received 

14 housing loan benefits pursuant to the amendment 

15 made by this section; and 

16 (2) the total value of housing loan benefits ad17 ministered by the Secretary pursuant to the amend18 ment made by this section. 

19 SEC. 3. EDUCATIONAL ASSISTANCE FOR SURVIVORS AND 

20 CERTAIN DIRECT DESCENDANTS OF BLACK 

21 VETERANS OF WORLD WAR II. 

22 (a) ESTABLISHMENT.—Subsection (b) of section 

23 3311 of title 38, United States Code, is amended by add24 ing at the end the following new paragraph: 


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1 ‘‘(11) An individual described in section 

2 3701(b)(8) of this title.’’. 

3 (b) DEADLINE.—The Secretary shall carry out the 

4 amendment made by this section not later than 90 days 

5 after the date of the enactment of this Act. 

6 (c) REGULATIONS.—The Secretary of Veterans Af7 fairs shall prescribe regulations to carry out the amend8 ment made by this section. 

9 (d) GAO REPORT.—Not later than one year after the 

10 deadline under subsection (b), the Comptroller General of 

11 the United States shall submit to Congress a report re12 garding— 

13 (1) the number of individuals who received edu14 cational assistance pursuant to the amendment 

15 made by this section; and 

16 (2) the total amount of educational assistance 

17 paid by the Secretary pursuant to the amendment 

18 made by this section. 

19 SEC. 4. BLUE RIBBON PANEL ON BENEFITS AND ASSIST20 ANCE FOR FEMALE AND MINORITY VET21 ERANS. 

22 (a) ESTABLISHMENT.—Not later than 30 days after 

23 the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of 

24 Veterans Affairs shall establish a panel of independent ex25 perts on— 


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1 (1) inequities in the distribution of benefits and 

2 assistance administered by the Secretary; and 

3 (2) military service by female and minority 

4 members of the Armed Forces. 

5 (b) DUTIES.—The panel shall develop recommenda6 tions regarding additional benefits and assistance for indi7 viduals described in subsection (a)(2), and related legisla8 tion. 

9 (c) REPORT.—Not later than one year after the date 

10 of the enactment of this Act, the panel shall submit to 

11 Congress and the President a report containing the rec12 ommendations developed under this section. 

Æ 


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