H.R. 2398House116th Congress (2019-2021)Passed House

Veteran HOUSE Act of 2020

AI-Generated Summary

Updated April 14, 2026 at 4:42 AM UTC

The Veteran HOUSE Act of 2020 expands who can receive HUD‑VASH housing assistance by officially defining “veteran” under the law, and it creates a new requirement for the VA to report each year to Congress on its homelessness services, including detailed numbers of veterans helped, broken down by gender. The bill targets homeless veterans and the agencies that serve them.

Key Provisions

Adds a definition of “veteran” (as defined in Title 38) to the HUD‑VASH eligibility rules, allowing more veterans to qualify for HUD‑VASH housing vouchers.
Requires the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to submit an annual report to the Senate and House Veterans’ Affairs Committees on the homelessness services the VA provides, including HUD‑VASH, with counts of men and women served and other relevant data.

Legislative Activity

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13 earlier actions

SenateIntro Referral Latest Action

Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs.

Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee

January 14, 2020

View full timeline

HouseIntro Referral

Introduced in House

April 30, 2019

HouseIntro Referral

Referred to the Committee on Financial Services, and in addition to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.

Financial Services Committee

April 30, 2019

HouseCommittee

Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.

Financial Services Committee

November 13, 2019

HouseCommittee

Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.

Financial Services Committee

November 14, 2019

HouseCommittee

Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by the Yeas and Nays: 54 - 0.

Financial Services Committee

November 14, 2019

HouseFloor

Ms. Waters moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.

January 13, 2020 • 5:35 PM

HouseFloor

Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H194-195)

January 13, 2020 • 5:36 PM

HouseFloor

DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 2398.

January 13, 2020 • 5:36 PM

HouseFloor

At the conclusion of debate, the Yeas and Nays were demanded and ordered. Pursuant to the provisions of clause 8, rule XX, the Chair announced that further proceedings on the motion would be postponed.

January 13, 2020 • 5:49 PM

HouseFloor

Considered as unfinished business. (consideration: CR H202-203)

January 13, 2020 • 7:02 PM

HouseFloor

Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 362 - 31 (Roll no. 15).(text: CR H194)

View vote Passed

January 13, 2020 • 7:13 PM

HouseFloor

On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 362 - 31 (Roll no. 15). (text: CR H194)

View vote Passed

January 13, 2020 • 7:13 PM

HouseFloor

Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.

January 13, 2020 • 7:13 PM

SenateIntro Referral

Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs.

Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee

January 14, 2020

Voting History

1 vote recorded • Roll call available

HOUSE

Roll Call Available

January 13, 2020 at 7:11 PM

On Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass, as Amended

Majority required: 2/3 (66.7%)

Passed

362 - 31

Bill Text

3 versions available

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Referred in SenateIssued January 14, 2020

IIB

116th CONGRESS

2d Session

H. R. 2398

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

January 14, 2020

Received; read twice and referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs

AN ACT

To amend the United States Housing Act of 1937 and title 38, United States Code, to expand eligibility for the HUD–VASH program, to direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to submit annual reports to the Committees on Veterans’ Affairs of the Senate and House of Representatives regarding homeless veterans, and for other purposes.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Veteran Housing Opportunities and Unemployment Support Extension Act of 2020 or the Veteran HOUSE Act of 2020.

Expansion of eligibility for HUD–VASH

(a)

HUD provisions

Section 8(o)(19) of the United States Housing Act of 1937 (42 U.S.C. 1437f(o)(19)) is amended by adding at the end the following new subparagraph:

(D)

Veteran defined

In this paragraph, the term veteran has the meaning given that term in section 2002(b) of title 38, United States Code.

(b)

VHA case managers

Subsection (b) of section 2003 of title 38, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following: In the case of vouchers provided under the HUD–VASH program under section 8(o)(19) of such Act, for purposes of the preceding sentence, the term veteran shall have the meaning given such term in section 2002(b) of this title..

Annual reports

(a)

In general

Not less frequently than once each year, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall submit to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the Senate and the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the House of Representatives a report on the homelessness services provided under programs of the Department of Veterans Affairs, including services under HUD–VASH program under section 8(o)(1) of the United States Housing Act of 1937 (42 U.S.C. 1437f(o)(19)).

(b)

Included information

Each such annual report shall include, with respect to the year preceding the submittal of the report, a statement of the number of eligible individuals who were furnished such homelessness services and the number of individuals furnished such services under each such program, disaggregated by the number of men who received such services and the number of women who received such services, and such other information as the Secretary considers appropriate.

Passed the House of Representatives January 13, 2020.

Cheryl L. Johnson,

Clerk.