SERVE Act of 2019

Bill: 116-hr-2931
Sponsor: full_name: Rep. Pappas, Chris [D-NH-1]
Introduced: 2019-05-22
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security
Subjects: Health care coverage and access

Health facilities and institutions

Long-term, rehabilitative, and terminal care

Sex, gender, sexual orientation discrimination

Veterans' medical care
Latest action: action_date: 2019-06-12
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.

Summaries:
action_date: 2019-05-22
action_desc: Introduced in House
text: <p><b>Securing the Rights our Veterans have Earned Act of 2019 or the SERVE Act of 2019</b></p> <p>The bill expands eligibility for Department of Veterans Affairs hospital care, medical services, and nursing home care to former members of the Armed Forces who were discharged from service under conditions other than honorable or with an entry-level separation by reason of sexual orientation or gender identity (including by reason of a gender dysphoria diagnosis).</p>

tv_txt: I 116th CONGRESS 1st Session H. R. 2931 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES May 22, 2019 Mr. Pappas (for himself, Mr. Kennedy , Mr. Brown of Maryland , Miss Rice of New York , Ms. Speier , Mr. Cisneros , and Mr. Levin of California ) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs A BILL To amend title 38, United States Code, to direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to provide hospital care, medical services, and nursing home care for certain individuals discharged from service in the Armed Forces by reason of sexual orientation or gender identity, and for other purposes.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Securing the Rights our Veterans have Earned Act of 2019 or the SERVE Act of 2019 . 2. Department of Veterans Affairs provision of hospital care, medical services, and nursing home care for certain individuals discharged from service in the Armed Forces by reason of sexual orientation or gender identity (a) In general Section 1710(a)(2) of title 38, United States Code, is amended— (1) in the matter preceding subparagraph (A), by striking any veteran— and inserting any individual who is— ; (2) in each of subparagraphs (A) through (G), by inserting a veteran before who ; (3) in subparagraph (F), by striking or at the end; (4) in subparagraph (G), by striking the period and inserting ; or ; and (5) by adding at the end the following new subparagraph: (H) a former member of the Armed Forces who was discharged from service therein under conditions other than honorable or with an entry-level separation by reason of sexual orientation or gender identity, including by reason of a diagnosis of gender dysphoria. . (b) Effective date The amendment made by subsection (a) shall take effect on the date of the enactment of this Act and apply— (1) to hospital care, medical services, and nursing home care furnished on or after such date; and (2) to an individual who is discharged from service in the Armed Forces before, on, or after such date.