I 
116TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 6990 
To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to conduct a study on the 
effect of financial and credit counseling for housing unstable veterans. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MAY 22, 2020 
Mr. PALLONE (for himself and Mr. ROSE of New York) introduced the 
following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs 
A BILL 
To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to conduct a 
study on the effect of financial and credit counseling 
for housing unstable veterans. 
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— 
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(1) the use of and variation of financial and 
credit counseling services available for housing un-
stable veterans; 
(2) barriers to accessing financial and credit 
counseling for housing unstable veterans; and 
(3) the ability to evaluate and assess the poten-
tial effects of financial and credit counseling for 
housing unstable veterans with respect to housing, 
employment, income, and other outcomes the Sec-
retary determines appropriate. 
(b) METHODOLOGY.—In conducting the study under 
subsection (a), the Secretary shall— 
(1) survey— 
(A) housing unstable veterans who are en-
rolled in the Supportive Services for Veterans 
Families program; 
(B) housing unstable veterans who do not 
seek or receive 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-
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seling services that the Secretary determines 
appropriate; and 
(2) administer the survey to a representative 
sample of housing unstable veterans and veterans 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 housing unstable veterans and such use and vari-
ation 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 
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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. 
(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 
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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: 
(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. 
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(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— 
(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 ‘‘housing unstable veteran’’ means 
a veteran that is without a permanent place to live 
that is fit for human habitation. 
(2) The term ‘‘Supportive Services for Veterans 
Families program’’ means the program established 
pursuant to section 2044 of title 38, United States 
Code. 
Æ 
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