H.R. 8985

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 8985 Introduced in House (IH)]

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119th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 8985

To establish a rental assistance program for low-income veteran 
families, and for other purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

May 21, 2026

Ms. Morrison (for herself and Mr. Lawler) introduced the following 
bill; which was referred to the Committee on Financial Services

_______________________________________________________________________

A BILL

To establish a rental assistance program for low-income veteran 
families, 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 ``Housing for All Veterans Act of 
2026''.

SEC. 2. LOW-INCOME VETERAN RENTAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM.

(a) In General.--Section 8(o) of the United States Housing Act of 
1937 (42 U.S.C. 1437f(o)) is amended by adding at the end the 
following:
``(23) Low-income veteran rental assistance program.--
``(A) Definitions.--In this paragraph:
``(i) Qualified veteran family.--
``(I) In general.--The term 
`qualified veteran family' means--
``(aa) for fiscal year 
2027, a veteran family having 
an income no higher than 50 
percent of the applicable 
income limitation for extremely 
low-income families;
``(bb) for fiscal year 
2028, a veteran family having 
an income no higher than 75 
percent of the applicable 
income limitation for extremely 
low-income families;
``(cc) for fiscal year 
2029, an extremely low-income 
veteran family;
``(dd) for fiscal year 
2030, a very low-income veteran 
family; and
``(ee) for fiscal year 2031 
and thereafter, a low-income 
veteran family.
``(II) Continuing eligibility.--The 
term `qualified veteran family' 
includes a veteran family that was 
initially assisted under this paragraph 
but no longer satisfies the 
requirements under subclause (I), 
provided that the income of the veteran 
family does not exceed 100 percent of 
the area median income.
``(ii) Tribally designated housing 
entity.--The term `tribally designated housing 
entity' has the meaning given the term in 
section 4 of the Native American Housing 
Assistance and Self-Determination Act of 1996 
(25 U.S.C. 4103).
``(iii) Veteran.--The term `veteran'--
``(I) means a person who, 
regardless of length of service, was a 
member of the Armed Forces (as that 
term is defined in section 101 of title 
10, United States Code); and
``(II) does not include a person 
who--
``(aa) received a 
dishonorable discharge from the 
Armed Forces; or
``(bb) was discharged or 
dismissed from the Armed Forces 
by reason of the sentence of a 
general court-martial.
``(iv) Veteran family.--The term `veteran 
family' means--
``(I) a veteran who is a single 
person;
``(II) a family (including families 
with children) whose head of household 
(or whose spouse) is a veteran; and
``(III) 1 or more veterans living 
together with 1 or more persons.
``(B) Entitlement to rental assistance.--
``(i) Entitlement.--A qualified veteran 
family shall be entitled to rental assistance 
under this paragraph.
``(ii) Access to assistance.--Each public 
housing agency administering assistance under 
this subsection shall ensure that--
``(I) any veteran family desiring 
to submit an application for assistance 
under this paragraph shall have the 
opportunity to do so; and
``(II) assistance under this 
paragraph shall be furnished with 
reasonable promptness to all qualified 
veteran families.
``(C) Information regarding services.--The 
Secretary, in consultation with the Secretary of 
Veterans Affairs, shall provide public housing agencies 
assisting veteran families under this paragraph with 
information regarding services available to veterans in 
the area, and those public housing agencies shall 
provide that information to all veteran families 
assisted under this paragraph.
``(D) Prohibition on discrimination.--
``(i) In general.--An owner of 5 or more 
rental dwelling units may not refuse to lease 
any available unit to a holder of a voucher the 
funds for which are appropriated pursuant to 
this paragraph because of the status of the 
prospective tenant as a holder of such voucher.
``(ii) Rule of construction.--This 
subparagraph may not be construed to preempt 
any law of any State or political subdivision 
thereof that provides more protection than this 
subparagraph.
``(E) Verification of veteran status.--The 
Secretary, in consultation with the Secretary of 
Veterans Affairs, shall maintain an electronic process 
through which a public housing agency may verify the 
veteran status of any veteran family that applies for 
or receives rental assistance under this paragraph.
``(F) Moving to work.--Sums appropriated pursuant 
to this paragraph may not be used for or pursuant to 
the Moving to Work demonstration program authorized 
under section 204 of the Departments of Veterans 
Affairs and Housing and Urban Development, and 
Independent Agencies Appropriations Act, 1996 (42 
U.S.C. 1437f note; Public Law 104-134).
``(G) Compliance with income targeting 
requirements.--Rental assistance provided under this 
paragraph shall not be considered for the purpose of 
determining compliance with the requirements of section 
16(b).
``(H) Exclusion of veteran disability benefits.--
Disability benefits administered by the Department of 
Veterans Affairs shall not be counted as income for the 
purpose of determining whether a veteran family meets 
the requirements to be a qualified veteran family under 
subparagraph (A)(i).
``(I) Administering agencies.--The Secretary shall 
designate a public housing agency to administer 
assistance under this paragraph in any area where no 
existing public housing agency has jurisdiction or 
where no public housing agency is adequately 
administering such assistance, subject to public 
comment and after consultation with States, public 
housing agencies, local governments, Indian tribes, and 
tribally designated housing entities.
``(J) Transition.--No veteran receiving rental 
assistance under this subsection on the date of 
enactment of this paragraph shall be subject to any 
redetermination of eligibility as a result of the 
enactment of this paragraph.
``(K) Supported housing.--
``(i) In general.--Notwithstanding this 
paragraph, all vouchers made available by law 
for the supported housing program administered 
by the Secretary in conjunction with the 
Department of Veterans Affairs under paragraph 
(19) shall continue to be included in that 
supported housing program.
``(ii) Referrals.--Public housing agencies 
shall refer veterans assisted under this 
paragraph to the supported housing program 
under paragraph (19) if the public housing 
agency determines that assistance through that 
program would be appropriate for the veteran.
``(L) Service fees.--
``(i) In general.--Public housing agencies 
administering assistance under this paragraph 
shall be eligible to receive service fees to 
cover costs of assisting qualified veteran 
families to successfully lease units with 
assistance under this paragraph, as determined 
by the Secretary.
``(ii) Amount.--The amount of service fees 
under this subparagraph shall not exceed $4,000 
for each applicant household determined to be 
eligible for assistance under this paragraph, 
except that such amount shall be adjusted for 
inflation annually by the Secretary in 
accordance with an inflationary index selected 
by the Secretary.
``(M) Authorization and permanent appropriation.--
For fiscal year 2027 and each succeeding fiscal year, 
there is appropriated, out of any money in the Treasury 
not otherwise appropriated, for the Secretary to carry 
out this paragraph, such sums as may be necessary to 
provide rental assistance for all qualified veteran 
families entitled to assistance under this paragraph, 
administrative fees under subsection (q) associated 
with such rental assistance, and service fees under 
subparagraph (L) of this paragraph.
``(N) Relation to existing voucher programs.--
``(i) Supplement, not supplant.--Amounts 
appropriated under subparagraph (M) shall 
supplement, and not supplant, amounts otherwise 
made available for rental assistance under this 
subsection, including amounts made available 
under paragraph (19).
``(ii) Rule of construction.--Nothing in 
this paragraph shall be construed to affect the 
number of vouchers for rental assistance 
otherwise provided under this subsection, 
including under paragraph (19).''.
(b) Effective Date.--The amendment made by this section shall take 
effect on the first day of the fiscal year beginning after the fiscal 
year during which this section was enacted.
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