Historically Underserved Veterans Inclusion Act of 2025

Bill Number

H.R. 6564

Origin Chamber

House

Congress

119th Congress, Session 1

Policy Area

Armed Forces and National Security

Status

Introduced

Latest Action

2026-01-05: Referred to the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations.

Last Updated

2026-01-09T09:07:08Z

AI-Generated Summary

Purpose of the Legislation

The Historically Underserved Veterans Inclusion Act of 2025 aims to broaden support within the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) by expanding existing programs focused on minority veterans to also include "historically underserved" veterans. This expansion seeks to address barriers to benefits and services, promoting greater equity in VA programs related to health care, homelessness, suicide prevention, and other areas.

Key Provisions

• Expansion of the Center for Minority and Historically Underserved Veterans (Section 2(a)):
• Renames the Center (under 38 U.S.C. § 317) to include "Historically Underserved" and updates its leadership to an "Executive Director."
• Redefines its focus to "covered veterans," which includes both minority group members (e.g., Asian American, Black American, Native American, Native Hawaiian, Hispanic, or newly added Middle Eastern/North African American; also covers multi-racial individuals) and historically underserved veterans.
• "Historically underserved veterans" are defined as those facing difficulties accessing entitled benefits due to factors like sexual orientation, gender identity, limited English proficiency, U.S. citizenship status, religion, low income, rural residence (as defined by USDA regulations), or other groups identified in biennial reviews.

• Expansion of the Advisory Committee on Minority and Historically Underserved Veterans (Section 2(b)):
• Renames the Committee (under 38 U.S.C. § 544) and shifts its scope to "covered veterans."
• Adds new members: Representatives from the Departments of Housing and Urban Development, Education; the Attorney General; Small Business Administration Administrator; and Director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy.
• Outlines new duties, including advising the VA Secretary on improving representation in VA programs, expanding benefits (e.g., health care, suicide prevention, homelessness), incorporating outreach research, addressing state/local issues, issuing guidance to nonprofits, enhancing feedback mechanisms (e.g., via social media or virtual events), developing outreach, commemorating contributions, and using tools like "journey mapping" (a method to visualize life experiences) to understand veteran challenges.
• Requires the VA Secretary to conduct a biennial review of disparities in benefits access among veteran groups, considering Committee recommendations and VA data; submit a report to Congress within 120 days, including potential extensions of Center services to new underserved groups.

• Reinstatement of the Office of Equity Assurance (Section 3):
• Mandates the VA Secretary to reinstate the Office within the Veterans Benefits Administration within 30 days of enactment, restoring its authority, functions, responsibilities, and research on equity issues.
• Requires rehiring any employees terminated after January 20, 2025, and protects Office positions from "reduction in force" (a process for cutting federal jobs).
• Directs a briefing to congressional Veterans' Affairs Committees on implementing recommendations from a 2023 Government Accountability Office (GAO) report on racial/ethnic disparities in VA disability benefits (GAO-23-106097).
• Requires biannual briefings from the Under Secretary for Benefits on the Office's data, research, and analysis.

Significant Changes to Existing Law

• Broadened Definitions and Scope: Previously limited to "minority group members" (under 38 U.S.C. §§ 317 and 544), the law now includes "historically underserved" veterans, adding factors like gender identity and rural status; expands minority categories to include Middle Eastern/North African Americans and multi-racial individuals.
• Committee Enhancements: Adds five new federal representatives and detailed duties focused on equity and outreach; introduces a biennial disparities review and reporting requirement, replacing a prior narrower subsection.
• Office Reinstatement: Revives the Office of Equity Assurance, which was apparently dismantled post-January 20, 2025, with protections against future cuts and new briefing mandates tied to GAO findings.
• Structural Updates: Minor grammatical and referential tweaks (e.g., changing "a" to "an" in headings; updating cross-references to sections).

Potential Impacts

• On Government Agencies: Increases workload and coordination for the VA, particularly in reviews, reporting, and outreach; involves other agencies (e.g., HUD, Education) in advisory roles, potentially fostering inter-agency collaboration on veteran issues. The reinstated Office will enhance internal equity research within the Veterans Benefits Administration.
• On Citizens: Improves access to VA benefits and services for minority and historically underserved veterans (e.g., LGBTQ+ veterans, rural residents, low-income groups), addressing disparities in areas like disability compensation, health care, and housing. Nonprofits and faith-based organizations may receive better guidance for serving these veterans.
• On International Relations: No direct impacts, as the bill focuses on domestic U.S. veterans' affairs.

Main Stakeholders Affected

• Veterans: Primarily minority and historically underserved groups, who gain expanded eligibility for targeted services and advocacy.
• Department of Veterans Affairs: Bears primary implementation responsibilities, including the Center, Committee, and reinstated Office; congressional committees receive reports and briefings.
• Other Federal Entities: Departments of Housing and Urban Development, Education; Department of Justice (Attorney General); Small Business Administration; Office of National Drug Control Policy—now contribute to the Advisory Committee.
• Support Organizations: State/local groups, nonprofits, and faith-based entities serving veterans, who benefit from new guidance, outreach, and issue resolution.
• Congress: Veterans' Affairs Committees oversee implementation through required briefings and reports.

Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications

• Legal: Strengthens VA's statutory mandate for equity (under Title 38, U.S. Code) by codifying protections against office elimination and requiring data-driven reviews, potentially reducing litigation over disparities (e.g., aligning with GAO recommendations). Definitions of "historically underserved" provide clear, non-discriminatory criteria based on access barriers, avoiding vagueness challenges.
• Constitutional: Supports equal protection principles by addressing systemic inequities without favoring specific groups unduly; promotes First Amendment interests through enhanced feedback mechanisms (e.g., town halls).
• Political: Signals a push for inclusivity in veterans' policy, reinstating a prior equity office amid recent terminations, which could influence partisan debates on diversity initiatives. The biennial review mechanism ensures ongoing accountability, potentially shaping future VA budgets and legislation.

This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.

Sponsor

Rep. Cherfilus-McCormick, Sheila [D-FL-20]

Cosponsors (3)

Rep. Moulton, Seth [D-MA-6], Rep. Titus, Dina [D-NV-1], Rep. Carbajal, Salud O. [D-CA-24]

Recent Actions

• 2026-01-05: Referred to the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations.
• 2025-12-10: Referred to the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
• 2025-12-10: Introduced in House
• 2025-12-10: Introduced in House

Bill Versions

• Historically Underserved Veterans Inclusion Act of 2025 — issued 2025-12-10 — PDF (11 pages)