IIB 
117TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 1257 
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 
JUNE 16, 2021 
Received; read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs 
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, 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
01:19 Jun 17, 2021
Jkt 019200
PO 00000
Frm 00001
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H1257.RFS
H1257
pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with BILLS
HR 1257 RFS
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; 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
01:19 Jun 17, 2021
Jkt 019200
PO 00000
Frm 00002
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H1257.RFS
H1257
pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with BILLS
HR 1257 RFS
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, 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
01:19 Jun 17, 2021
Jkt 019200
PO 00000
Frm 00004
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H1257.RFS
H1257
pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with BILLS
HR 1257 RFS
the Supportive Services for Veterans Families pro-
gram. 
(6) The effectiveness of outreach for the serv-
ices available to such veterans under the Supportive 
Services for Veterans Families program. 
(7) The location and operating hours of facili-
ties that provide services to such veterans under the 
Supportive Services for Veterans Families program. 
(8) The COVID–19 pandemic and other health 
related issues. 
(9) Such other significant barriers as the Sec-
retary considers appropriate. 
(e) EVALUATION AND ASSESSMENT OF EFFECTS OF 
COUNSELING.— 
(1) EFFECTS.—In conducting the study under 
subsection (a)(3), the Secretary shall conduct re-
search on the ability to evaluate and assess the po-
tential effects of financial and credit counseling serv-
ices on homeless veterans and veterans experiencing 
housing instability with respect to the following: 
(A) The effects of such services on employ-
ment by comparing the veterans who received 
such services and the veterans who did not re-
ceive such services. 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
01:19 Jun 17, 2021
Jkt 019200
PO 00000
Frm 00005
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H1257.RFS
H1257
pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with BILLS
HR 1257 RFS
(B) The effects of such services on housing 
status by comparing the veterans who received 
such services and the veterans who did not re-
ceive such services. 
(C) The effects of such services on income 
by comparing the veterans who received such 
services and the veterans who did not receive 
such services. 
(D) The effects of such services on credit 
score by comparing the veterans who received 
such services and the veterans who did not re-
ceive such services. 
(E) The effects of such services on other 
outcomes the Secretary determines appropriate. 
(2) DATA
AND
RECOMMENDATIONS.—In car-
rying out paragraph (1), the Secretary shall— 
(A) determine the relevant data that is 
available to the Secretary and determine the 
confidence of the Secretary with respect to ac-
cessing any additional data the Secretary may 
require; and 
(B) provide recommendations regarding 
the optimal research or evaluation design that 
would generate the greatest insights and value. 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
01:19 Jun 17, 2021
Jkt 019200
PO 00000
Frm 00006
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H1257.RFS
H1257
pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with BILLS
HR 1257 RFS
(f) DISCHARGE BY CONTRACT.—The Secretary may 
seek to enter into a contract with a qualified independent 
entity or organization to carry out the study and research 
required under this section, including such an entity or 
organization that is able to access credit scores, data 
maintained by the Internal Revenue Service, and other 
date beneficial to studying income. 
(g) MANDATORY REVIEW
OF DATA
BY CERTAIN 
ELEMENTS OF DEPARTMENT.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall ensure 
that the head of each element of the Department of 
Veterans Affairs specified in paragraph (2) reviews 
the results of the study conducted under subsection 
(a). The head of each such element shall submit to 
the Deputy Under Secretary for Health for Oper-
ations and Management the findings of the head 
with respect to the study, including recommenda-
tions regarding what data the Secretary should col-
lect from grantees under the Supportive Services for 
Veterans Families program. 
(2) SPECIFIED
ELEMENTS.—The elements of 
the Department of Veterans Affairs specified in this 
paragraph are the following: 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
01:19 Jun 17, 2021
Jkt 019200
PO 00000
Frm 00007
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H1257.RFS
H1257
pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with BILLS
HR 1257 RFS
(A) The Advisory Committee on Homeless 
Veterans established under section 2066 of title 
38, United States Code. 
(B) The Advisory Committee on Women 
Veterans established under section 542 of title 
38, United States Code. 
(C) The Advisory Committee on Minority 
Veterans established under section 544 of title 
38, United States Code. 
(D) The Homeless Programs Office of the 
Veterans Health Administration. 
(E) The Office of Tribal Government Rela-
tions of the Department. 
(h) REPORTS.— 
(1) INTERIM REPORT.—Not later than one year 
after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Sec-
retary shall submit to Congress an interim report on 
the study under subsection (a). 
(2) FINAL REPORT.—Not later than 30 months 
after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Sec-
retary shall submit to Congress a report on the 
study under subsection (a). The report shall in-
clude— 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
01:19 Jun 17, 2021
Jkt 019200
PO 00000
Frm 00008
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H1257.RFS
H1257
pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with BILLS
HR 1257 RFS
(A) the findings of the head of each ele-
ment of the Department specified under sub-
section (g)(2); and 
(B) recommendations for such administra-
tive and legislative action as the Secretary con-
siders appropriate. 
(i) DEFINITION.—In this section: 
(1) The term ‘‘homeless veterans and veterans 
experiencing housing instability’’ means veterans 
who are homeless (as that term is defined in sub-
section (a) or (b) of section 103 of the McKinney– 
Vento Homeless Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 11302)). 
(2) The term ‘‘Supportive Services for Veterans 
Families program’’ means the program established 
pursuant to section 2044 of title 38, United States 
Code. 
SEC. 3. TECHNICAL CORRECTIONS. 
(a) TITLE 38, UNITED STATES CODE.—Title 38, 
United States Code, is amended as follows: 
(1) In section 1786(d), as added by section 
3006 of the Johnny Isakson and David P. Roe, 
M.D. Veterans Health Care and Benefits Improve-
ment Act of 2020 (Public Law 116–315), by strik-
ing paragraph (3). 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
01:19 Jun 17, 2021
Jkt 019200
PO 00000
Frm 00009
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H1257.RFS
H1257
pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with BILLS