I 
114TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 6107 
To amend title 38, United States Code, to authorize the Secretary of Veterans 
Affairs to enter into agreements with public and private entities to 
provide pro bono legal services to homeless veterans and veterans at 
risk of homelessness, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
SEPTEMBER 21, 2016 
Mr. TED LIEU of California 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 agreements 
with public and private entities to provide pro bono legal 
services to homeless veterans and veterans at risk of 
homelessness, and for other purposes. 
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 of 2016’’. 
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SEC. 2. AGREEMENTS WITH PUBLIC AND PRIVATE ENTI-
TIES 
TO 
PROVIDE 
LEGAL 
SERVICES 
TO 
HOMELESS VETERANS AND VETERANS AT 
RISK OF HOMELESSNESS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Chapter 20 of title 38, United 
States Code, is amended by inserting after section 2022 
the following new section: 
‘‘§ 2022A. Agreements with public and private entities 
to provide pro bono legal services to 
homeless veterans and veterans at risk of 
homelessness 
‘‘(a) AGREEMENTS AUTHORIZED.—Subject to the 
availability of funds for that purpose, the Secretary may 
enter into an agreement with a public or private entity, 
through the award of a grant or the use of a contract, 
to fund a portion of legal services described in subsection 
(b). 
‘‘(b) PRO BONO LEGAL SERVICES.—Legal services 
described in this subsection are provided pro bono to a 
homeless veteran or veteran at risk of homelessness, in-
cluding the following: 
‘‘(1) Legal services related to housing, including 
eviction defense and representation in landlord-ten-
ant cases. 
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‘‘(2) Legal services related to family law, in-
cluding assistance in court proceedings for child sup-
port, divorce, and estate planning. 
‘‘(3) Legal services related to income support, 
including assistance in obtaining public benefits. 
‘‘(4) Legal services related to criminal defense, 
including defense in matters symptomatic of home-
lessness, such as outstanding warrants, fines, and 
driver’s license revocation, to reduce recidivism, and 
facilitate the overcoming of reentry obstacles in em-
ployment or housing. 
‘‘(c) CONSULTATION.—In developing and carrying 
out agreements under this section, the Secretary shall, to 
the extent practicable, consult with appropriate public and 
private entities— 
‘‘(1) for assistance in identifying and contacting 
organizations that offer legal services described in 
subsection (b); and 
‘‘(2) to coordinate appropriate outreach rela-
tionships with such organizations. 
‘‘(d) LOCATIONS.—(1) The Secretary shall ensure 
that, to the extent practicable, agreements under this sec-
tion are made with entities equitably distributed across the 
geographic regions of the United States, including rural 
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communities, tribal lands of the United States, Native 
Americans, and tribal organizations. 
‘‘(2) In this subsection, the terms ‘Native American’ 
and ‘tribal organization’ have the meanings given such 
terms in section 3765 of this title. 
‘‘(e) REPORTS.—The Secretary may require an entity 
that enters into an agreement under this section to submit 
to the Secretary periodic reports on legal services provided 
pursuant to the agreement.’’. 
(b) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sections 
at the beginning of chapter 20 of such title is amended 
by adding after the item relating to section 2022 the fol-
lowing new item: 
‘‘2022A. Agreements with public and private entities to provide pro bono legal 
services to homeless veterans and veterans at risk of homeless-
ness.’’. 
Æ 
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