117TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 1257 
AN ACT 
To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to conduct a 
study on the effect of financial and credit counseling 
for homeless veterans and veterans experiencing housing 
instability, 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 ‘‘Homeless Veterans 
Credit Repair, Enhancement, and Debt Improvement for 
Tomorrow Act’’ or the ‘‘Homeless Veterans CREDIT 
Act’’. 
SEC. 2. STUDY ON FINANCIAL AND CREDIT COUNSELING. 
(a) STUDY REQUIRED.—The Secretary of Veterans 
Affairs shall conduct a comprehensive study on— 
(1) the use of and variation of financial and 
credit counseling services available for homeless vet-
erans and veterans experiencing housing instability; 
(2) barriers to accessing financial and credit 
counseling for such veterans; and 
(3) the ability to evaluate and assess the poten-
tial effects of financial and credit counseling for 
such veterans with respect to housing, employment, 
income, and other outcomes the Secretary deter-
mines appropriate. 
(b) METHODOLOGY.—In conducting the study under 
subsection (a), the Secretary shall— 
(1) survey— 
(A) homeless veterans and veterans experi-
encing housing instability who are enrolled in 
the Supportive Services for Veterans Families 
program;
(B) such veterans who do not seek or re-
ceive the care or services under such program 
or a similar program; 
(C) grantees of the Supportive Services for 
Veterans Families program; 
(D) financial and credit counselors; and 
(E) persons who are subject matter experts 
regarding the use of financial and credit coun-
seling services that the Secretary determines 
appropriate; and 
(2) administer the survey to a representative 
sample of homeless veterans and veterans experi-
encing housing instability in areas with high veteran 
homelessness. 
(c) USE
AND VARIATION
OF SERVICES.—In con-
ducting the study under subsection (a)(1), the Secretary 
shall— 
(1) use data from the Supportive Services for 
Veterans Families program and other data collected 
by the Department of Veterans Affairs, data col-
lected by other departments or agencies of the Fed-
eral Government, and data collected by nongovern-
mental entities to compare the use of and variation 
of financial and credit counseling services available 
for homeless veterans and veterans experiencing
housing instability and such use and variation for 
other individuals; and 
(2) assess such services made available through 
the Supportive Services for Veterans Families pro-
gram, including with respect to the types, modes of 
delivery, duration, consistency, and quality, of such 
services. 
(d) BARRIERS TO COUNSELING.—In conducting the 
study under subsection (a)(2), the Secretary shall conduct 
research on the effects of the following perceived barriers 
to financial and credit counseling for homeless veterans 
and veterans experiencing housing instability surveyed in 
the study: 
(1) The cost of financial and credit counseling 
services. 
(2) The perceived stigma associated with seek-
ing financial and credit counseling assistance. 
(3) The effect of driving distance or availability 
of other forms of transportation to the nearest facil-
ity that received a grant under the Supportive Serv-
ices for Veterans Families program. 
(4) The availability of child care. 
(5) The comprehension of eligibility require-
ments for, and the scope of services available under,