‘‘(d)(1) The Secretary shall, on a biennial basis, carry 
out a review to identify any disparities among groups of 
veterans in the receipt of benefits under the laws adminis-
tered by the Secretary. In carrying out any such review, 
the Secretary shall consider relevant recommendations 
from the Committee and data analysis conducted by the 
Department. 
‘‘(2) Not later than 120 days after the date on which 
Secretary completes any such review, the Secretary shall 
submit to the Committees on Veterans’ Affairs of the 
House of Representatives and the Senate a report that 
includes, if applicable, recommendations with respect to 
extending services of Center for Minority and Historically 
Underserved Veterans under section 517 of this title to 
groups of veterans the Secretary determines to be histori-
cally underserved pursuant to such review.’’; and 
(7) in subsection (e) (as so redesignated)— 
(A) by striking ‘‘section,’’ and all that fol-
lows through ‘‘who is—’’ and inserting ‘‘sec-
tion:’’; 
(B) 
by 
redesignating 
paragraphs 
(1) 
through (5) as subparagraphs (A) through (E), 
respectively (and adjusting the margins accord-
ingly); 
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(C) by inserting before subparagraph (A) 
(as so redesignated) the following new para-
graphs: 
‘‘(1) The term ‘covered veterans’ means vet-
erans who are minority group members and veterans 
who are historically underserved. 
‘‘(2) The term ‘minority group member’ means 
an individual who is—’’; 
(D) in paragraph (2) (as added by sub-
paragraph (C))— 
(i) in subparagraph (D) (as so redes-
ignated), by striking ‘‘or’’; 
(ii) in subparagraph (E) (as so redes-
ignated), by striking the period at the end 
and inserting a semicolon; and 
(iii) by adding at the end of the fol-
lowing new subparagraphs: 
‘‘(F) Middle Eastern or North African 
American; or 
‘‘(G) identified with more than one race or 
ethnicity 
described 
in 
subparagraphs 
(A) 
through (F).’’; and 
(E) by adding after paragraph (2) (as 
added by subparagraph (D)) the following new 
paragraph: 
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‘‘(3) The term ‘veterans who are historically 
underserved’ means veterans the Committee deter-
mines have experienced difficulty in receiving bene-
fits under the laws administered by the Secretary to 
which such veterans are entitled on the basis of one 
or more of the following: 
‘‘(A) Sexual orientation. 
‘‘(B) Gender identity. 
‘‘(C) English language proficiency. 
‘‘(D) United States citizenship. 
‘‘(E) Religion. 
‘‘(F) Low socioeconomic status. 
‘‘(G) Residing in a rural community (as 
defined in regulations promulgated by the Sec-
retary of Agriculture). 
‘‘(H) Membership in a group of veterans 
the Secretary determines appropriate pursuant 
to the biennial review required under subsection 
(d).’’. 
SEC. 3. REINSTATEMENT OF DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS 
AFFAIRS OFFICE OF EQUITY ASSURANCE; BI-
ANNUAL BRIEFING. 
(a) REINSTATEMENT.—Not later than 30 days after 
the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of 
Veterans Affairs shall— 
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(1) permanently reinstate the authority, func-
tions, responsibilities, and research activities of the 
Office of Equity Assurance of the Veterans Benefits 
Administration; 
(2) reinstate the employment of each employee 
of the Office of Equity Assurance, if such employee 
was terminated after January 20, 2025; 
(3) ensure that a position in the Office of Eq-
uity Assurance may not be eliminated pursuant to a 
reduction in force; and 
(4) provide to the Committees on Veterans’ Af-
fairs of the House of Representatives and the Senate 
a briefing with respect to the status of the imple-
mentation of recommendations included in the re-
port of the Comptroller General of the United States 
titled ‘‘VA Disability Benefits: Action Needed to 
Further Examine Racial and Ethnic Disparities in 
Compensation’’ (GAO–23–106097; published July 
26, 2023). 
(b) BIANNUAL BRIEFING.—Not later than 30 days 
after the date on which the Secretary reinstates the Office 
of Equity Assurance pursuant to subsection (a), and on 
a biannual basis thereafter, the Under Secretary of Vet-
erans Affairs for Benefits shall provide to the Committees 
on Veterans’ Affairs of the House of Representatives and 
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the Senate a briefing on the data, research, and analysis 
developed by the Office of Equity Assurance during the 
period covered by the briefing. 
Æ 
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