I 
116TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 3749 
To amend title 38, United States Code, to direct the Secretary of Veterans 
Affairs to make grants to entities that provide legal services for homeless 
veterans and veterans at risk for homelessness. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JULY 12, 2019 
Mr. PANETTA (for himself, Mr. CISNEROS, Mr. STEUBE, Mr. MAST, Mr. 
WALTZ, and Mr. BACON) introduced the following bill; which was referred 
to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs 
A BILL 
To amend title 38, United States Code, to direct the Sec-
retary of Veterans Affairs to make grants to entities 
that provide legal services for homeless veterans and 
veterans at risk for homelessness. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Legal Services for 
Homeless Veterans Act’’. 
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SEC. 2. LEGAL SERVICES FOR HOMELESS VETERANS AND 
VETERANS AT RISK FOR HOMELESSNESS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Chapter 20 of title 38, United 
States Code, is amended by inserting after section 2022 
the following new section: 
‘‘§ 2022A. Legal services for homeless veterans and 
veterans at risk for homelessness 
‘‘(a) GRANTS AND COOPERATIVE AGREEMENTS.— 
Subject to the availability of appropriations provided for 
such purpose, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall make 
grants or enter into cooperative agreements to eligible en-
tities that provide legal services to homeless veterans and 
veterans at risk for homelessness. 
‘‘(b) CRITERIA
FOR GRANTS
AND COOPERATIVE 
AGREEMENTS.—(1) The Secretary shall establish criteria 
and requirements for grants and cooperative agreements 
under this section, including criteria for entities eligible 
to receive such grants or cooperative agreements, and shall 
publish such criteria and requirements in the Federal Reg-
ister. 
‘‘(2) In establishing criteria and requirements under 
paragraph (1), the Secretary shall consult with organiza-
tions that have experience in providing services to home-
less veterans. 
‘‘(c) ELIGIBLE ENTITIES.—The Secretary may make 
a grant or enter into a cooperative agreement under this 
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section to an entity applying for such a grant or coopera-
tive agreement only if the applicant for the grant or coop-
erative agreement— 
‘‘(1) is a public or nonprofit private entity with 
the capacity (as determined by the Secretary) to ef-
fectively administer a grant or cooperative agree-
ment under this section; 
‘‘(2) demonstrates that adequate financial sup-
port will be available to carry out the services for 
which the grant or cooperative agreement is sought 
consistent with application; and 
‘‘(3) agrees to meet the applicable criteria and 
requirements established under subsection (b) and 
has, as determined by the Secretary, demonstrated 
the capacity to meet such criteria and requirements. 
‘‘(d) USE OF FUNDS.—Funds provided under grants 
or cooperative agreements under this section shall be used 
to provide legal services to homeless veterans and veterans 
at risk for homelessness to address legal matters that con-
tribute to the risk of becoming and remaining homeless. 
‘‘(e) REPORTS.—On a biennial basis, the Secretary 
shall submit to the Committees on Veterans’ Affairs of 
the House of Representatives and the Senate a report on 
grants and cooperative agreements under this section. To 
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the extent feasible, each such report shall include the fol-
lowing with respect to the year covered by the report: 
‘‘(1) The number of homeless veterans assisted. 
‘‘(2) A description of the legal services pro-
vided. 
‘‘(3) A description of the legal matters ad-
dressed. 
‘‘(4) An analysis by the Secretary with respect 
to the operational effectiveness and cost-effectiveness 
of the services provided.’’. 
(b) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sections 
at the beginning of such chapter is amended by inserting 
after the item relating to section 2022 the following new 
item: 
‘‘2022A. Legal services for homeless veterans and veterans at risk for homeless-
ness.’’. 
(c) CRITERIA.—Not later than 90 days after the date 
of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans 
Affairs shall establish the criteria and requirements in the 
Federal Register pursuant to subsection (b)(1) of section 
2022A of title 38, United States Code, as added by sub-
section (a). 
Æ 
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