Serving Our LGBTQ Veterans Act
This bill establishes a Center for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer (LGBTQ) Veterans within the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). Among other functions, the center must serve as principal adviser to the VA on the adoption and implementation of policies and programs affecting veterans who are LGBTQ.
[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 5776 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
117th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 5776
To amend title 38, United States Code, to establish in the Department
of Veterans Affairs a Center for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender,
and Queer Veterans.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
October 28, 2021
Mr. Kahele (for himself, Ms. Mace, Mr. Ryan, Ms. Dean, Ms. Titus, Ms.
Jacobs of California, Ms. Norton, Ms. Davids of Kansas, Mr. Vargas, Mr.
Kildee, Mr. Auchincloss, Mr. Moulton, Mr. Case, Mrs. Luria, and Mrs.
Hayes) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on Veterans' Affairs
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend title 38, United States Code, to establish in the Department
of Veterans Affairs a Center for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender,
and Queer Veterans.
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 ``Serving Our LGBTQ Veterans Act''.
SEC. 2. ESTABLISHMENT OF CENTER FOR LESBIAN, GAY, BISEXUAL,
TRANSGENDER, AND QUEER VETERANS.
Chapter 3 of title 38, United States Code, is amended by adding at
the end the following new section (and conforming the table of sections
for such chapter accordingly):
``Sec. 324. Center for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer
Veterans
``(a) Establishment.--There is in the Department a Center for
Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer Veterans. There is at
the head of the Center a Director.
``(b) Director.--The Director shall be a career or noncareer
appointee in the Senior Executive Service. The Director shall be
appointed for a term of six years.
``(c) Reporting.--The Director reports directly to the Secretary or
the Deputy Secretary concerning the activities of the Center.
``(d) Duties.--The Director shall perform the following functions
with respect to veterans who are LGBTQ:
``(1) Serve as principal adviser to the Secretary on the
adoption and implementation of policies and programs affecting
veterans who are LGBTQ.
``(2) Make recommendations to the Secretary, the Under
Secretary for Health, the Under Secretary for Benefits, and
other Department officials for the establishment or improvement
of programs in the Department for which veterans who are LGBTQ
are eligible.
``(3) Promote the use of benefits authorized by this title
by veterans who are LGBTQ and the conduct of outreach
activities to veterans who are LGBTQ, in conjunction with
outreach activities carried out under chapter 77 of this title.
``(4) Disseminate information and serve as a resource
center for the exchange of information regarding innovative and
successful programs which improve the services available to
veterans who are LGBTQ.
``(5) Conduct and sponsor appropriate social and
demographic research on the needs of veterans who are LGBTQ and
the extent to which programs authorized under this title meet
the needs of those veterans, without regard to any law
concerning the collection of information from the public.
``(6) Analyze and evaluate complaints made by or on behalf
of veterans who are LGBTQ about the adequacy and timeliness of
services provided by the Department and advise the appropriate
official of the Department of the results of such analysis or
evaluation.
``(7) Consult with, and provide assistance and information
to, officials responsible for administering Federal, State,
local, and private programs that assist veterans, to encourage
those officials to adopt policies which promote the use of
those programs by veterans who are LGBTQ.
``(8) Advise the Secretary when laws or policies have the
effect of discouraging the use of benefits by veterans who are
LGBTQ.
``(9) Publicize the results of medical research which are
of particular significance to veterans who are LGBTQ.
``(10) Provide support and administrative services to
advisory committees established under subchapter III of chapter
5 of this title.
``(11) Perform such other duties consistent with this
section as the Secretary shall prescribe.
``(e) Resources.--The Secretary shall ensure that the Director is
furnished sufficient resources to enable the Director to carry out the
functions of the Center in a timely manner.
``(f) Information.--The Secretary shall include in documents
submitted to Congress by the Secretary in support of the President's
budget for each fiscal year--
``(1) detailed information on the budget for the Center;
``(2) the Secretary's opinion as to whether the resources
(including the number of employees) proposed in the budget for
that fiscal year are adequate to enable the Center to comply
with its statutory and regulatory duties; and
``(3) a report on the activities and significant
accomplishments of the Center during the preceding fiscal year.
``(g) LGBTQ Defined.--In this section, the term `LGBTQ' means
lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer.''.
<all>
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Referred to the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations.
Subcommittee Hearings Held.
Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations Discharged.
Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
Ordered to be Reported by the Yeas and Nays: 19 - 11.
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