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[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 6713 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
119th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 6713
To amend the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act to ensure that certain
education and workforce development benefits administered by the
Secretary of Veterans Affairs are treated as income by landlords
evaluating the ability of a servicemember, veteran, or a spouse or
child of a servicemember or veteran, to pay rent, and for other
purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
December 15, 2025
Mr. Espaillat introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on Veterans' Affairs
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act to ensure that certain
education and workforce development benefits administered by the
Secretary of Veterans Affairs are treated as income by landlords
evaluating the ability of a servicemember, veteran, or a spouse or
child of a servicemember or veteran, to pay rent, 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 ``Protect Veteran Students, Job
Seekers, and Entrepreneurs Housing Act''.
SEC. 2. TREATMENT OF CERTAIN DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS BENEFITS IN
DETERMINING INCOME FOR PURPOSES OF ENTERING INTO
RESIDENTIAL LEASES.
(a) In General.--Title III of the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act
(50 U.S.C. 3951 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following
new section (and conforming the table of contents at the beginning of
such Act accordingly):
``SEC. 309. TREATMENT OF CERTAIN DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS
BENEFITS IN DETERMINING INCOME FOR PURPOSES OF ENTERING
INTO RESIDENTIAL LEASES.
``(a) Protection.--In determining whether a covered individual has
an income sufficient to enter into a lease of premises for a
residential purpose, the landlord (or other person with paramount
title) of the premises shall treat any educational assistance received
by the covered individual under any of chapter 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35,
or 36 of title 38, United States Code, or chapter 1606 or 1607 of title
10, United States Code, as income.
``(b) Lease Period.--When entering into a lease of premises for a
residential purpose with a covered individual pursuant to subsection
(a), the landlord (or other person with paramount title) shall
guarantee that the period of the lease does not exceed the number of
months of entitlement the individual has for the educational assistance
described in such subsection.
``(c) Penalties.--(1) A landlord (or other person with paramount
title) who knowingly takes an action contrary to this section, or
attempts to do so, may not participate in a covered Federally assisted
rental housing program.
``(2) A person who knowingly takes an action contrary to this
section, or attempts to do so, shall be fined as provided in title 18,
United States Code, or imprisoned for not more than one year, or both.
``(d) Definitions.--In this section:
``(1) The term `covered individual' means a servicemember,
veteran, or a spouse or child of a servicemember or veteran,
who is entitled to educational assistance under chapter 30, 31,
32, 33, 34, 35, or 36 of title 38, United States Code, or
chapter 1606 or 1607 of title 10, United States Code.
``(2) The term `covered Federally assisted rental housing'
means a residential dwelling unit that is made available for
rental and for which assistance is provided, or that is part of
a housing project for which assistance is provided, under any
program administered by the Secretary of Housing and Urban
Development, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs (other than
stipends made in connection with educational assistance), the
Secretary of Agriculture, or the Secretary of the Treasury,
including--
``(A) the public housing program under the United
States Housing Act of 1937 (42 U.S.C. 1437 et seq.);
``(B) the program for rental assistance under
section 8 of the United States Housing Act of 1937 (42
U.S.C. 1437f);
``(C) the HOME Investment Partnerships program
under title II of the Cranton-Gonzalez National
Affordable Housing Act (42 U.S.C. 12721 et seq.);
``(D) title IV of the McKinney-Vento Homeless
Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 11360 et seq.);
``(E) housing assistance for homeless veterans
under section 2041 of title 38, United States Code;
``(F) the Housing Trust Fund program under section
1338 of the Housing and Community Development Act of
1992 (12 U.S.C. 4568);
``(G) the program for supportive housing for the
elderly under section 202 of the Housing Act of 1959
(12 U.S.C. 1701q);
``(H) the program for supportive housing for
persons with disabilities under section 811 of the
Cranston-Gonzalez National Affordable Housing Act (42
U.S.C. 8013);
``(I) the AIDS Housing Opportunities program under
subtitle D of title VIII of the Cranston-Gonzalez
National Affordable Housing Act (42 U.S.C. 12901 et
seq.);
``(J) the program for Native American housing under
the Native American Housing Assistance and Self-
Determination Act of 1996 (25 U.S.C. 4101 et seq.);
``(K) the program for housing assistance for Native
Hawaiians under title VIII of the Native American
Housing Assistance and Self-Determination Act of 1996
(25 U.S.C. 4221 et seq.);
``(L) the programs for assistance for rural rental
housing under title V of the Housing Act of 1949 (42
U.S.C. 1471 et seq.); and
``(M) the low-income housing tax credit program
under section 42 of the Internal Revenue Code.''.
(b) Extended Grace Period To Maintain Benefits.--Chapter 36 of
title 38, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the
following new section (and conforming the table of sections at the
beginning of such chapter accordingly):
``Sec. 3699C. Grace period for individuals to maintain benefits
``(a) Requirement.--If the Secretary determines that a covered
individual is not eligible for educational assistance described in
subsection (b)(1) by reason of the covered individual failing to
fulfill a single program requirement, the Secretary may not terminate
the individual from using such assistance until--
``(1) the Secretary notifies the individual of such
failure; and
``(2) a period of 60 days has elapsed following such
notification.
``(b) Definitions.--In this section:
``(1) The term `covered individual' means an individual who
is entitled to educational assistance under chapter 30, 31, 32,
33, 34, 35, or 36 of this title or chapter 1606 or 1607 of
title 10.
``(2) The term `program requirement' means a requirement to
participate in educational assistance described in paragraph
(1) relating to any of the following:
``(A) Missing a recertification appointment.
``(B) Withdrawing from a class.
``(C) With respect to a dependent, the death of the
veteran.
``(D) Loss of employment.
``(E) Any other requirement the Secretary
determines appropriate.''.
<all>
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Referred to the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity.
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