,i #aafth ,,congress #b;d ,session ,h4 ,r4 #fiij ,,in ,,the ,,house ,,of ,,representatives ,may #bb1 #bjbj,mr4 ,pallone 7for himself and ,mr4 ,rose of ,new ,york7 introduced the following bill2 which was referred to the ,committee on ,veterans' ,affairs ,a ,,bill ,to direct the ,secretary of ,veterans ,affairs to conduct a study on the effect of financial and credit counseling for housing unstable veterans4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,homeless ,veterans ,credit ,repair1 ,enhancement1 and ,debt ,improvement for ,tomorrow ,act or the ,homeless ,veterans ,,credit ,act4 #b4 ,study on financial and credit counseling 7a7 ,study required ,the ,secretary of ,veterans ,affairs shall conduct a comprehensive study on-- 7#a7 the use of and variation of financial and credit counseling services available for housing unstable veterans2 7#b7 barriers to accessing financial and credit counseling for housing unstable veterans2 and 7#c7 the ability to evaluate and assess the potential effects of financial and credit counseling for housing unstable veterans with respect to housing1 employment1 income1 and other outcomes the ,secretary determines appropriate4 7b7 ,methodology ,in conducting the study under subsection 7a71 the ,secretary shall-- 7#a7 survey-- 7,a7 housing unstable veterans who are enrolled in the ,supportive ,services for ,veterans ,families program2 7,b7 housing unstable veterans who do not seek or receive the care or services under such program or a similar program2 7,c7 grantees of the ,supportive ,services for ,veterans ,families program2 7,d7 financial and credit counselors2 and 7,e7 persons who are subject matter experts regarding the use of financial and credit counseling services that the ,secretary determines appropriate2 and 7#b7 administer the survey to a representative sample of housing unstable veterans and veterans in areas with high veteran homelessness4 7c7 ,use and variation of services ,in conducting the study under subsection 7a77#a71 the ,secretary shall-- 7#a7 use data from the ,supportive ,services for ,veterans ,families program and other data collected by the ,department of ,veterans ,affairs1 data collected by other departments or agencies of the ,federal ,government1 and data collected by nongovernmental entities to compare the use of and variation of financial and credit counseling services available for housing unstable veterans and such use and variation for other individuals2 and 7#b7 assess such services made available through the ,supportive ,services for ,veterans ,families program1 including with respect to the types1 modes of delivery1 duration1 consistency1 and quality1 of such services4 7d7 ,barriers to counseling ,in conducting the study under subsection 7a77#b71 the ,secretary shall conduct research on the effects of the following perceived barriers to financial and credit counseling for housing unstable veterans surveyed in the study3 7#a7 ,the cost of financial and credit counseling services4 7#b7 ,the perceived stigma associated with seeking financial and credit counseling assistance4 7#c7 ,the effect of driving distance or availability of other forms of transportation to the nearest facility that received a grant under the ,supportive ,services for ,veterans ,families program4 7#d7 ,the availability of child care4 7#e7 ,the comprehension of eligibility requirements for1 and the scope of services available under1 the ,supportive ,services for ,veterans ,families program4 7#f7 ,the effectiveness of outreach for the services available to housing unstable veterans under the ,supportive ,services for ,veterans ,families program4 7#g7 ,the location and operating hours of facilities that provide services to housing unstable veterans under the ,supportive ,services for ,veterans ,families program4 7#h7 ,the ,,covid-#ai pandemic and other health related issues4 7#i7 ,such other significant barriers as the ,secretary considers appropriate4 7e7 ,evaluation and assessment of effects of counseling 7#a7 ,effects ,in conducting the study under subsection 7a77#c71 the ,secretary shall conduct research on the ability to evaluate and assess the potential effects of financial and credit counseling services on housing unstable veterans with respect to the following3 7,a7 ,the effects of such services on employment by comparing the veterans who received such services and the veterans who did not receive such services4 7,b7 ,the effects of such services on housing status by comparing the veterans who received such services and the veterans who did not receive such services4 7,c7 ,the effects of such services on income by comparing the veterans who received such services and the veterans who did not receive such services4 7,d7 ,the effects of such services on credit score by comparing the veterans who received such services and the veterans who did not receive such services4 7,e7 ,the effects of such services on other outcomes the ,secretary determines appropriate4 7#b7 ,data and recommendations ,in carrying out paragraph 7#a71 the ,secretary shall-- 7,a7 determine the relevant data that is available to the ,secretary and determine the confidence of the ,secretary with respect to accessing any additional data the ,secretary may require2 and 7,b7 provide recommendations regarding the optimal research or evaluation design that would generate the greatest insights and value4 7f7 ,discharge by contract ,the ,secretary may seek to enter into a contract with a qualified independent entity or organization to carry out the study and research required under this section1 including such an entity or organization that is able to access credit scores1 data maintained by the ,internal ,revenue ,service1 and other date beneficial to studying income4 7g7 ,mandatory review of data by certain elements of ,department 7#a7 ,in general ,the ,secretary shall ensure that the head of each element of the ,department of ,veterans ,affairs specified in paragraph 7#b7 reviews the results of the study conducted under subsection 7a74 ,the head of each such element shall submit to the ,deputy ,under ,secretary for ,health for ,operations and ,management the findings of the head with respect to the study1 including recommendations regarding what data the ,secretary should collect from grantees under the ,supportive ,services for ,veterans ,families program4 7#b7 ,specified elements ,the elements of the ,department of ,veterans ,affairs specified in this paragraph are the following3 7,a7 ,the ,advisory ,committee on ,homeless ,veterans established under section #bjff of title #ch1 ,united ,states ,code4 7,b7 ,the ,advisory ,committee on ,women ,veterans established under section #edb of title #ch1 ,united ,states ,code4 7,c7 ,the ,advisory ,committee on ,minority ,veterans established under section #edd of title #ch1 ,united ,states ,code4 7,d7 ,the ,homeless ,programs ,office of the ,veterans ,health ,administration4 7,e7 ,the ,office of ,tribal ,government ,relations of the ,department4 7h7 ,reports 7#a7 ,interim report ,not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this ,act1 the ,secretary shall submit to ,congress an interim report on the study under subsection 7a74 7#b7 ,final report ,not later than #cj months after the date of the enactment of this ,act1 the ,secretary shall submit to ,congress a report on the study under subsection 7a74 ,the report shall include-- 7,a7 the findings of the head of each element of the ,department specified under subsection 7g77#b72 and 7,b7 recommendations for such administrative and legislative action as the ,secretary considers appropriate4 7i7 ,definition ,in this section3 7#a7 ,the term housing unstable veteran means a veteran that is without a permanent place to live that is fit for human habitation4 7#b7 ,the term ,supportive ,services for ,veterans ,families program means the program established pursuant to section #bjdd of title #ch1 ,united ,states ,code4