IIB 
116TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 3749 
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 
FEBRUARY 27, 2020 
Received; read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs 
AN ACT 
To amend title 38, United States Code, to direct the Sec-
retary of Veterans Affairs to make grants to entities 
that provide legal services for homeless veterans and 
veterans at risk for homelessness, and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
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SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Legal Services for 
Homeless Veterans Act’’. 
SEC. 2. LEGAL SERVICES FOR HOMELESS VETERANS AND 
VETERANS AT RISK FOR HOMELESSNESS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Chapter 20 of title 38, United 
States Code, is amended by inserting after section 2022 
the following new section: 
‘‘§ 2022A. Legal services for homeless veterans and 
veterans at risk for homelessness 
‘‘(a) GRANTS.—Subject to the availability of appro-
priations provided for such purpose, the Secretary of Vet-
erans Affairs shall make grants to eligible entities that 
provide legal services to homeless veterans and veterans 
at risk for homelessness. 
‘‘(b) CRITERIA.—(1) The Secretary shall— 
‘‘(A) establish criteria and requirements for 
grants under this section, including criteria for enti-
ties eligible to receive such grants; and 
‘‘(B) publish such criteria and requirements in 
the Federal Register. 
‘‘(2) In establishing criteria and requirements under 
paragraph (1), the Secretary shall— 
‘‘(A) take into consideration any criteria and 
requirements needed with respect to carrying out 
this section in rural communities, Tribal lands, and 
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the territories and possessions of the United States; 
and 
‘‘(B) consult with organizations that have expe-
rience in providing services to homeless veterans, in-
cluding veterans service organizations, the Equal 
Justice Works AmeriCorps Veterans Legal Corps, 
and other organizations the Secretary determines 
appropriate. 
‘‘(c) ELIGIBLE ENTITIES.—The Secretary may make 
a grant under this section to an entity applying for such 
a grant only if the applicant for the grant— 
‘‘(1) is a public or nonprofit private entity with 
the capacity (as determined by the Secretary) to ef-
fectively administer a grant under this section; 
‘‘(2) demonstrates that adequate financial sup-
port will be available to carry out the services for 
which the grant is sought consistent with the appli-
cation; 
‘‘(3) agrees to meet the applicable criteria and 
requirements established under subsection (b)(1); 
and 
‘‘(4) has, as determined by the Secretary, dem-
onstrated the capacity to meet such criteria and re-
quirements. 
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‘‘(d) USE OF FUNDS.—Grants under this section 
shall be used to provide homeless veterans and veterans 
at risk for homelessness the following legal services: 
‘‘(1) Legal services related to housing, including 
eviction defense, representation in landlord-tenant 
cases, and representation in foreclosure cases. 
‘‘(2) Legal services related to family law, in-
cluding assistance in court proceedings for child sup-
port, divorce, estate planning, and family reconcili-
ation. 
‘‘(3) Legal services related to income support, 
including assistance in obtaining public benefits. 
‘‘(4) Legal services related to criminal defense, 
including defense in matters symptomatic of home-
lessness, such as outstanding warrants, fines, and 
driver’s license revocation, to reduce recidivism and 
facilitate the overcoming of reentry obstacles in em-
ployment or housing. 
‘‘(5) Legal services related to requests to up-
grade the characterization of a discharge or dis-
missal of a former member of the Armed Forces 
under section 1553 of title 10. 
‘‘(6) Such other legal services as the Secretary 
determines appropriate. 
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‘‘(e) FUNDS FOR WOMEN VETERANS.—For any fiscal 
year, not less than 10 percent of the amount authorized 
to be appropriated for grants under this section shall be 
used to provide legal services described in subsection (d) 
to women veterans. 
‘‘(f) REPORTS.—On a biennial basis, the Secretary 
shall submit to the Committees on Veterans’ Affairs of 
the House of Representatives and the Senate a report on 
grants under this section. To the extent feasible, each such 
report shall include the following with respect to the year 
covered by the report: 
‘‘(1) The number of homeless veterans and vet-
erans at risk for homelessness assisted. 
‘‘(2) A description of the legal services pro-
vided. 
‘‘(3) A description of the legal matters ad-
dressed. 
‘‘(4) An analysis by the Secretary with respect 
to the operational effectiveness and cost-effectiveness 
of the services provided.’’. 
(b) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sections 
at the beginning of such chapter is amended by inserting 
after the item relating to section 2022 the following new 
item: 
‘‘2022A. Legal services for homeless veterans and veterans at risk for homeless-
ness.’’. 
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(c) CRITERIA.—Not later than 180 days after the 
date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Vet-
erans Affairs shall establish the criteria and requirements 
in the Federal Register pursuant to subsection (b)(1) of 
section 2022A of title 38, United States Code, as added 
by subsection (a). 
SEC. 3. ADDITIONAL AMOUNT FOR SUPPORTIVE SERVICES 
FOR VETERAN FAMILIES GRANT PROGRAM 
TO SUPPORT ORGANIZATIONS THAT HAVE A 
FOCUS 
ON 
PROVIDING 
ASSISTANCE 
TO 
WOMEN VETERANS AND THEIR FAMILIES. 
Section 2044(e) of title 38, United States Code, is 
amended by adding at the end the following new para-
graph: 
‘‘(4) There is authorized to be appropriated 
$20,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2022 through 
2024 for the provision of financial assistance under 
subsection (a) to organizations that have a focus on 
providing assistance to women veterans and their 
families.’’. 
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SEC. 4. GAP ANALYSIS OF DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AF-
FAIRS PROGRAMS THAT PROVIDE ASSIST-
ANCE TO WOMEN VETERANS WHO ARE HOME-
LESS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Veterans Affairs 
shall complete an analysis of programs of the Department 
of Veterans Affairs that provide assistance to women vet-
erans who are homeless or precariously housed to identify 
the areas in which such programs are failing to meet the 
needs of such women. 
(b) REPORT.—Not later than 270 days after the date 
of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit 
to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the Senate and 
the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the House of Rep-
resentatives a report on the analysis completed under sub-
section (a). 
Passed the House of Representatives February 25, 
2020. 
Attest: 
CHERYL L. JOHNSON, 
Clerk. 
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