H.R. 8354House116th Congress (2019-2021)Enacted

Servicemembers and Veterans Initiative Act of 2020

AI-Generated Summary

Updated April 14, 2026 at 3:09 PM UTC

The Servicemembers and Veterans Initiative Act of 2020 creates a new office inside the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division. The office will focus on legal and policy issues that affect active‑duty service members, veterans, and their families, and will coordinate DOJ efforts with the military and other agencies. Its work is intended to improve enforcement of federal laws that protect these groups and to ensure DOJ programs consider their needs.

Key Provisions

Establishes the Servicemembers and Veterans Initiative within the DOJ Civil Rights Division.
Makes the Initiative a legal and policy advisor to the Attorney General on matters affecting service members, veterans, and families.
Requires the Initiative to develop policy recommendations to improve DOJ enforcement of federal laws that protect these groups.
Designates the Initiative as the primary liaison between the DOJ and military departments, as well as with the DOJ’s Consumer Protection Branch on fraud cases targeting service members.
Tasks the Initiative with advising the Office of Justice Programs on funding decisions to reflect the needs of service members, veterans, and families.
Calls for the Initiative to promote civil legal aid for service members, veterans, and families and to coordinate with other DOJ components as needed.

Legislative Activity

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19 earlier actions

Became Law Latest Action

Became Public Law No: 116-288.

January 5, 2021

View full timeline

HouseIntro Referral

Introduced in House

September 23, 2020

HouseIntro Referral

Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.

Judiciary Committee

September 23, 2020

HouseCommittee

Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.

Judiciary Committee

September 29, 2020

HouseCommittee

Ordered to be Reported by Voice Vote.

Judiciary Committee

September 29, 2020

HouseCommittee

Reported by the Committee on Judiciary. H. Rept. 116-618.

Judiciary Committee

December 7, 2020

HouseCalendars

Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 507.

December 7, 2020

HouseFloor

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

December 8, 2020 • 5:06 PM

HouseFloor

Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H7014-7015)

December 8, 2020 • 5:06 PM

HouseFloor

DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 8354.

December 8, 2020 • 5:06 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.

December 8, 2020 • 5:16 PM

HouseFloor

Considered as unfinished business. (consideration: CR H7021-7022)

December 8, 2020 • 6:28 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): 400 - 1 (Roll no. 239).

View vote Passed

December 8, 2020 • 7:05 PM

HouseFloor

On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 400 - 1 (Roll no. 239). (text: CR H7014)

View vote Passed

December 8, 2020 • 7:05 PM

HouseFloor

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

December 8, 2020 • 7:05 PM

SenateIntro Referral

Received in the Senate, read twice.

December 9, 2020

SenateFloor

Passed Senate without amendment by Unanimous Consent. (consideration: CR S7507)

December 15, 2020

SenateFloor

Message on Senate action sent to the House.

December 16, 2020

President

Presented to President.

December 24, 2020

Became Law

Signed by President.

January 5, 2021

Became Law

Became Public Law No: 116-288.

January 5, 2021

Voting History

1 vote recorded • Roll call available

HOUSE

Roll Call Available

December 8, 2020 at 7:03 PM

On Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass, as Amended

Majority required: 2/3 (66.7%)

Passed

400 - 1

Bill Text

6 versions available

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Enrolled BillPublication date not provided

One Hundred Sixteenth Congress of the United States of America

At the Second Session

Begun and held at the City of Washington on Friday, the third day of January, two thousand and twenty

H. R. 8354

AN ACT

To establish the Servicemembers and Veterans Initiative within the Civil Rights Division of the Department of Justice, and for other purposes.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Servicemembers and Veterans Initiative Act of 2020.

Servicemembers and veterans initiative

(a)

Establishment

There is established the Servicemembers and Veterans Initiative within the Civil Rights Division of the Department of Justice.

(b)

Duties

The Servicemembers and Veterans Initiative shall—

(1)

serve as legal and policy advisor to the Attorney General on the Department of Justice’s efforts to enforce criminal and civil laws that impact servicemembers, veterans, and their families;

(2)

develop policy recommendations for the Attorney General on how the Department of Justice may improve enforcement of Federal law to support servicemembers, veterans, and their families;

(3)

serve as the liaison and point of contact between the Department of Justice and the military departments;

(4)

provide counsel to the Assistant Attorney General for the Office of Justice Programs to ensure funding decisions take into account servicemembers, veterans, and their families;

(5)

consult with components of the Department of Justice to promote the provision of civil legal aid to servicemembers, veterans, and their families;

(6)

serve as a liaison and point of contact with the Consumer Protection Branch of the Civil Division of the Department of Justice, with respect to the prosecution of Federal crimes involving fraud that target servicemembers; and

(7)

serve as a liaison and point of contact with other components of the Department of Justice as needed to support the enforcement of other Federal laws that protect servicemembers and veterans, as the Attorney General determines appropriate.

Speaker of the House of Representatives.

Vice President of the United States and President of the Senate.