I 
119TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 7009 
To amend title 38, United States Code, to expand eligibility for housing 
loans guaranteed by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to members of 
the reserve components and the National Guard who perform certain 
duties, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JANUARY 12, 2026 
Mr. BARRETT introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
Committee on Veterans’ Affairs 
A BILL 
To amend title 38, United States Code, to expand eligibility 
for housing loans guaranteed by the Secretary of Vet-
erans Affairs to members of the reserve components and 
the National Guard who perform certain duties, 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 ‘‘Home Affordability 
for Guard and Reserve Act’’. 
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SEC. 2. ELIGIBILITY OF CERTAIN MEMBERS OF THE RE-
SERVE COMPONENTS AND THE NATIONAL 
GUARD FOR GUARANTEED HOUSING LOANS. 
(a) EXPANDED DEFINITION OF ‘‘ACTIVE DUTY’’ FOR 
PURPOSES OF HOUSING LOANS.—Section 3701(b) of title 
38, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end 
the following new paragraph: 
‘‘(9) The term ‘active duty’ has the meanings 
as follows: 
‘‘(A) In the case of members of the regular 
components of the Armed Forces, the meaning 
given such term in section 101(21)(A). 
‘‘(B) In the case of members of the reserve 
components of the Armed Forces— 
‘‘(i) service on active duty (as defined 
in section 101(d) of title 10), inactive-duty 
training (as defined in section 101(d) of 
title 10), or annual training duty; or 
‘‘(ii) service on active duty under a 
call or order to active duty under section 
688, 
12301(a), 
12301(d), 
12301(g), 
12301(h), 12302, 12304, 12304a, or 
12304b of title 10 or section 713 of title 
14, but not including inactive duty training 
(as defined in section 101(d) of title 10) or 
annual training duty. 
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‘‘(C) In the case of a member of the Army 
National Guard of the United States or Air Na-
tional Guard of the United States, in addition 
to service described in subparagraph (B), full- 
time service— 
‘‘(i) in the National Guard of a State 
for the purpose of organizing, admin-
istering, recruiting, instructing, or training 
the National Guard; 
‘‘(ii) in the National Guard when per-
forming full-time National Guard duty (as 
defined in section 101 of title 32); or 
‘‘(iii) in the National Guard when per-
forming active duty (as defined in section 
101 of title 32).’’. 
(b) RETROACTIVE APPLICABILITY TO SERVICE PER-
FORMED.—The amendments made by this section shall 
apply with respect to any service performed on or after 
September 11, 2001. 
SEC. 3. EXPANSION OF ELIGIBILITY FOR GUARANTEED 
HOUSING LOANS TO CERTAIN ADDITIONAL 
PERSONNEL UPON PAYMENT OF ADDITIONAL 
LOAN FEE. 
(a) EXPANSION TO INDIVIDUALS WITH AT LEAST 14 
DAYS OF SERVICE.—Section 3701(b) of title 38, United 
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States Code, is amended by inserting after paragraph (7) 
the following new paragraph: 
‘‘(8) The term ‘veteran’ also includes, for pur-
poses of home loans (subject to the additional loan 
fee in section 3729(b)(4)(J) of this title), an indi-
vidual who— 
‘‘(A) is not otherwise eligible for the bene-
fits of this chapter; 
‘‘(B) has completed a total service of at 
least 14 days on active duty under paragraph 
(B) or (C) of paragraph (9); and 
‘‘(C) following completion of such service, 
continued to serve until the completion of entry 
level and skill training (as defined in section 
3301(3) of this title).’’. 
(b) BASIC ENTITLEMENT.—Section 3702(a)(2) of 
title 38, United States Code, is amended by adding at the 
end the following: 
‘‘(H) Each individual described in section 
3701(b)(8) of this title.’’. 
(c) ADDITIONAL LOAN FEE
FOR SUCH INDIVID-
UALS.—Section 3729(b)(4) of title 38, United States 
Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new 
subparagraph: 
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‘‘(J) In the case of a housing loan in which the 
veteran has eligibility under section 3701(b)(8) of 
this title and does not otherwise have eligibility, the 
loan fee table in paragraph (2) shall be applied to 
the veteran or other obligor (as applicable) by add-
ing 1.00 to the percentage in the table.’’. 
(d) NOTIFICATION TO PERSONNEL.—The Secretary 
of Veterans Affairs shall ensure that each member of a 
reserve component or a member of the Army National 
Guard of the United States or Air National Guard of the 
United States who completes entry level and skill training 
(as defined in section 3301(3) of title 38, United States 
Code) after the date of the enactment of this Act is noti-
fied of their eligibility for housing loan benefits under 
chapter 37 of such title, including eligibility (subject to 
the additional loan fee) under section 3701(b)(8) of such 
title. 
Æ 
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