I 
118TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 9734 
To amend title 38, United States Code, to extend to former members of 
the Armed Forces, discharged on the basis of sexual orientation or 
gender identity, certain benefits furnished by the Secretary of Veterans 
Affairs, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
SEPTEMBER 20, 2024 
Mr. PAPPAS (for himself, Mr. LEVIN, Ms. JACOBS, Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia, 
Mr. TORRES of New York, Ms. WILLIAMS of Georgia, Mr. COSTA, Mr. 
MCGOVERN, Ms. BROWNLEY, Mr. CARTER of Louisiana, Ms. UNDER-
WOOD, Mr. ROBERT GARCIA of California, and Mr. POCAN) introduced 
the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Veterans’ Af-
fairs 
A BILL 
To amend title 38, United States Code, to extend to former 
members of the Armed Forces, discharged on the basis 
of sexual orientation or gender identity, certain benefits 
furnished by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, 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 ‘‘Securing the Rights 
our Veterans Earned Act’’ or the ‘‘SERVE Act’’. 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
00:59 Oct 04, 2024
Jkt 059200
PO 00000
Frm 00001
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H9734.IH
H9734
kjohnson on DSK7ZCZBW3PROD with $$_JOB
SEC. 2. EXTENSION TO FORMER MEMBERS OF THE ARMED 
FORCES, DISCHARGED ON THE BASIS OF SEX-
UAL ORIENTATION OR GENDER IDENTITY, OF 
CERTAIN BENEFITS FURNISHED BY THE SEC-
RETARY OF VETERANS AFFAIRS. 
(a) HOSPITAL CARE AND MEDICAL SERVICES.—Sec-
tion 1710(a)(2) of title 38, United States Code, is amend-
ed— 
(1) in the matter preceding subparagraph (A), 
by striking ‘‘any veteran’’; 
(2) in subparagraph (A), by inserting ‘‘any vet-
eran’’ before ‘‘who has’’; 
(3) in subparagraph (B), by inserting ‘‘any vet-
eran’’ before ‘‘whose’’; 
(4) in subparagraphs (C), (D), and (E), by in-
serting ‘‘any veteran’’ before ‘‘who is’’; 
(5) in subparagraph (F)— 
(A) by inserting ‘‘any veteran’’ before 
‘‘who is’’; and 
(B) by striking ‘‘; or’’ and inserting a 
semicolon; 
(6) in subparagraph (G)— 
(A) by inserting ‘‘any veteran’’ before 
‘‘who is’’; and 
(B) by striking the period at the end and 
inserting ‘‘; and’’; and 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
00:59 Oct 04, 2024
Jkt 059200
PO 00000
Frm 00002
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H9734.IH
H9734
kjohnson on DSK7ZCZBW3PROD with $$_JOB
(7) by adding at the end the following new sub-
paragraph: 
‘‘(H) a former member of the Armed Forces 
who, by reason of sexual orientation or gender iden-
tity (including a diagnosis of gender dysphoria), re-
ceived— 
‘‘(i) an entry-level separation; 
‘‘(ii) a discharge under honorable condi-
tions; or 
‘‘(iii) a discharge under conditions other 
than honorable.’’. 
(b) VET CENTER READJUSTMENT COUNSELING AND 
RELATED MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES.—Section 1712A 
of such title is amended— 
(1) by striking ‘‘clauses (i) through (vii)’’ both 
places it appears and inserting ‘‘clauses (i) through 
(ix)’’; 
(2) by striking ‘‘in clause (viii)’’ both places it 
appears and inserting ‘‘in clause (ix)’’; and 
(3) in subsection (a)(1)(C)— 
(A) by redesignating clause (viii) as clause 
(ix); and 
(B) by inserting after clause (vii) the fol-
lowing new clause (viii): 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
00:59 Oct 04, 2024
Jkt 059200
PO 00000
Frm 00003
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H9734.IH
H9734
kjohnson on DSK7ZCZBW3PROD with $$_JOB
(g) REPORT.—Not later than 15 months after the 
date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall sub-
mit to the Committees on Veterans’ Affairs of the Senate 
and House of Representatives a report on benefits pro-
vided individuals pursuant to amendments made by this 
Act during the year after such date. Such report shall in-
clude the number of such individuals who received such 
benefits, disaggregated by demographic categories. 
Æ 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
00:59 Oct 04, 2024
Jkt 059200
PO 00000
Frm 00005
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6301
E:\BILLS\H9734.IH
H9734
kjohnson on DSK7ZCZBW3PROD with $$_JOB