SERVE Act

Bill: 117-hr-5170
Sponsor: full_name: Rep. Pappas, Chris [D-NH-1]
Introduced: 2021-09-03
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security
Latest action: action_date: 2021-09-21
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations.

Summaries:
action_date: 2021-09-03
action_desc: Introduced in House
text: <p><b>Securing the Rights our Veterans Earned Act or the SERVE Act</b></p> <p>This bill provides eligibility for specified Department of Veterans Affairs benefits to former members of the Armed Forces who were separated or discharged (honorably or otherwise) by reason of sexual orientation or gender identity.</p>

tv_txt: I 117th CONGRESS 1st Session H. R. 5170 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES September 3, 2021 Mr. Pappas (for himself, Mr. Levin of California , Miss Rice of New York , Mr. Brown , Ms. Speier , Mr. Takano , Mr. Cicilline , Mr. Johnson of Georgia , Ms. Schakowsky , Ms. Pingree , Mr. Costa , Mrs. Carolyn B. Maloney of New York , Ms. Lois Frankel of Florida , Mr. García of Illinois , Mr. Horsford , Mr. Peters , Ms. Titus , Ms. Dean , Ms. Lofgren , Mr. Welch , Mr. Lowenthal , Ms. Lee of California , Ms. Jacobs of California , Ms. Underwood , Mr. Kilmer , Mrs. Hayes , Mr. Nadler , Ms. Porter , Mr. Jones , Mrs. Kirkpatrick , Ms. Brownley , Ms. Moore of Wisconsin , Mr. Auchincloss , Mr. Bowman , Ms. Scanlon , Mrs. Demings , Ms. Meng , Mr. Trone , Ms. Williams of Georgia , Mr. McGovern , Ms. Houlahan , Ms. Eshoo , Mr. Soto , Mr. Sean Patrick Maloney of New York , Mr. Green of Texas , Ms. Kuster , and Ms. Wexton ) 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 former members of the Armed Forces, discharged on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity, certain benefits furnished by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Securing the Rights our Veterans Earned Act or the SERVE Act . 2. Extension to former members of the Armed Forces, discharged on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity, of certain benefits furnished by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs (a) Hospital care and medical services Section 1710(a)(2) of title 38, United States Code, is amended— (1) in the matter preceding subparagraph (A), by striking any veteran ; (2) in subparagraph (A), by inserting any veteran before who has ; (3) in subparagraph (B), by inserting any veteran before whose ; (4) in subparagraphs (C), (D), and (E), by inserting any veteran before who is ; (5) in subparagraph (F)— (A) by inserting any veteran before who was ; and (B) by striking ; or and inserting a semicolon; (6) in subparagraph (G)— (A) by inserting any veteran before who is ; and (B) by striking the period at the end and inserting ; and ; and (7) by adding at the end the following new subparagraph: (H) a former member of the Armed Forces who, by reason of sexual orientation or gender identity (including a diagnosis of gender dysphoria), received— (i) an entry-level separation; (ii) a discharge under honorable conditions; or (iii) a discharge under conditions other than honorable. . (b) Vet Center readjustment counseling and related mental health services Section 1712A(a)(1)(C) of such title is amended by adding at the end the following new clause: (viii) An individual described in section 1710(a)(2)(H) of this title. . (c) Interment in national cemeteries Section 2402(a) of such title is amended by adding at the end the following new paragraph: (11) An individual described in section 1710(a)(2)(H) of this title. . (d) Post-9/11 educational assistance Section 3311(b) of such title is amended by adding at the end the following new paragraph: (12) An individual described in section 1710(a)(2)(H) of this title. . (e) Housing loans Section 3702(a)(2) of such title is amended by adding at the end the following new subparagraph: (H) Each individual described in section 1710(a)(2)(H) of this title. .