Title: Sgt. Isaac Woodard, Jr. and Sgt. Joseph H. Maddox GI Bill Repair Act of 2020
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security

Summary:
Sgt. Isaac Woodard, Jr. and Sgt. Joseph H. Maddox GI Bill Repair Act of 2020
This bill provides eligibility for the Department of Veterans Affairs home loan guaranty program and the Post-9/11 GI Bill to Black veterans who served on active duty during World War II and the surviving spouse, child, grandchild, or other direct descendant of such a veteran who is living on the date of the enactment of this bill.

[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 8889 Introduced in House (IH)]

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116th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 8889

 To amend title 38, United States Code, to extend to Black veterans of 
 World War II, and surviving spouses and certain direct descendants of 
 such veterans, eligibility for certain housing loans and educational 
 assistance administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, and for 
                            other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            December 7, 2020

  Mr. Moulton (for himself and Mr. Clyburn) introduced the following 
     bill; which was referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To amend title 38, United States Code, to extend to Black veterans of 
 World War II, and surviving spouses and certain direct descendants of 
 such veterans, eligibility for certain housing loans and educational 
 assistance administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, and for 
                            other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Sgt. Isaac Woodard, Jr. and Sgt. 
Joseph H. Maddox GI Bill Repair Act of 2020''.

SEC. 2. HOUSING LOANS GUARANTEED BY THE SECRETARY OF VETERANS AFFAIRS 
              FOR BLACK VETERANS OF WORLD WAR II AND SURVIVORS AND 
              CERTAIN DIRECT DESCENDANTS OF SUCH VETERANS.

    (a) Establishment.--Chapter 37 of title 38, United States Code, is 
amended as follows:
            (1) Definition.--Section 3701(b) of such title is amended 
        by adding at the end the following new paragraphs:
            ``(7) The term `veteran' also includes, for purposes of 
        housing loans, a former member of the Armed Forces who--
                    ``(A) is Black; and
                    ``(B) served on active duty at any time during 
                World War II.
            ``(8) The term `veteran' also includes, for purposes of 
        housing loans, an individual who--
                    ``(A) is the surviving spouse, child, grandchild, 
                or other direct descendant of a veteran described in 
                paragraph (7); and
                    ``(B) is living on the date of the enactment of the 
                Sgt. Isaac Woodard, Jr. and Sgt. Joseph H. Maddox GI 
                Bill Repair Act of 2020.''.
            (2) Basic entitlement.--Section 3702(a)(2)(E) of such title 
        is amended by striking ``section 3701(b)(5)'' and inserting 
        ``paragraph (5), (7), or (8) of section 3701(b)''.
    (b) Deadline.--The Secretary shall carry out the amendment made by 
this section not later than 90 days after the date of the enactment of 
this Act.
    (c) Regulations.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall prescribe 
regulations to carry out the amendment made by this section.
    (d) GAO Report.--Not later than one year after the deadline under 
subsection (b), the Comptroller General of the United States shall 
submit to Congress a report regarding--
            (1) the number of individuals who received housing loan 
        benefits pursuant to the amendment made by this section; and
            (2) the total value of housing loan benefits administered 
        by the Secretary pursuant to the amendment made by this 
        section.

SEC. 3. EDUCATIONAL ASSISTANCE FOR SURVIVORS AND CERTAIN DIRECT 
              DESCENDANTS OF BLACK VETERANS OF WORLD WAR II.

    (a) Establishment.--Subsection (b) of section 3311 of title 38, 
United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new 
paragraph:
            ``(11) An individual described in section 3701(b)(8) of 
        this title.''.
    (b) Deadline.--The Secretary shall carry out the amendment made by 
this section not later than 90 days after the date of the enactment of 
this Act.
    (c) Regulations.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall prescribe 
regulations to carry out the amendment made by this section.
    (d) GAO Report.--Not later than one year after the deadline under 
subsection (b), the Comptroller General of the United States shall 
submit to Congress a report regarding--
            (1) the number of individuals who received educational 
        assistance pursuant to the amendment made by this section; and
            (2) the total amount of educational assistance paid by the 
        Secretary pursuant to the amendment made by this section.

SEC. 4. BLUE RIBBON PANEL ON BENEFITS AND ASSISTANCE FOR FEMALE AND 
              MINORITY VETERANS.

    (a) Establishment.--Not later than 30 days after the date of the 
enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall 
establish a panel of independent experts on--
            (1) inequities in the distribution of benefits and 
        assistance administered by the Secretary; and
            (2) military service by female and minority members of the 
        Armed Forces.
    (b) Duties.--The panel shall develop recommendations regarding 
additional benefits and assistance for individuals described in 
subsection (a)(2), and related legislation.
    (c) Report.--Not later than one year after the date of the 
enactment of this Act, the panel shall submit to Congress and the 
President a report containing the recommendations developed under this 
section.
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