1. Short title
This Act may be cited as the “Sgt. Isaac Woodard, Jr. and Sgt. Joseph H. Maddox GI Bill Restoration Act of 2021”.
Sgt. Isaac Woodard, Jr. and Sgt. Joseph H. Maddox GI Bill Restoration Act of 2021
A BILL
To amend title 38, United States Code, to extend to Black veterans of World War II, and surviving spouses and certain direct descendants of such veterans, eligibility for certain housing loans and educational assistance administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, and for other purposes.
2. Findings
Congress finds the following:
African Americans played a pivotal role in the war effort during World War II, with more than 1,200,000 African Americans serving in the Armed Forces, and, by 1945, approximately 1.9 percent of all officers in the Armed Forces were African Americans.
Following World War II, the Servicemen’s Readjustment Act of 1944 (58 Stat. 284, commonly known as the “GI Bill”) offered substantial material benefits to 16,000,000 veterans to assist them in reintegrating into civil society.
The GI Bill offered a range of economic and educational benefits administered by the Federal Government through the Secretary of the Veterans Administration, including monetary assistance to access higher education, government guarantees for housing loans, unemployment allowances, and civilian workforce reentry assistance.
Though the legislative text of the GI Bill was race neutral, the administration of benefits through national, State, and local Veterans Administration offices resulted in a pattern of discrimination against racial minorities, especially African Americans.
Veterans Administration benefits counselors denied African Americans access to educational benefits at certain universities and funneled applicants into industrial and vocational schools rather than higher education opportunities, with just 6 percent of African-American veterans of World War II earning a college degree, compared to 19 percent of White veterans of World War II.
In administering its housing guaranty program, the Veterans Administration adopted the Federal Housing Administration’s racial exclusion programs, also known as redlining, which excluded a significant number of African Americans from taking full advantage of the housing guaranty program.
The GI Bill created substantial economic growth and wealth accumulation for those who could benefit, but discriminatory administration of the program prevented many African-American veterans of World War II from enjoying the full economic prosperity of the post-war period.
3. Housing loans guaranteed by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs for Black veterans of World War II and survivors and certain direct descendants of such veterans
Establishment— Chapter 37 of title 38, United States Code, is amended as follows:
Definition— Section 3701(b) of such title is amended by adding at the end the following new paragraphs:
“(8) The term “veteran” also includes, for purposes of housing loans, an individual who—
“(A) is Black;
“(B) served on active duty as a member of the Armed Forces during World War II; and
“(C) certifies to the Secretary that such individual was denied a specific benefit under the Servicemen's Readjustment Act of 1944 (58 Stat. 284) on the basis of race.
“(9) The term “veteran” also includes, for purposes of housing loans, an individual who—
“(A) is the surviving spouse, child, grandchild, or other direct descendant of a veteran described in paragraph (8);
“(B) certifies to the Secretary that such veteran described in paragraph (8) was denied a specific benefit under the Servicemen's Readjustment Act of 1944 (58 Stat. 284) on the basis of race; and
“(C) is living on the date of the enactment of the Sgt. Isaac Woodard, Jr. and Sgt. Joseph H. Maddox GI Bill Restoration Act of 2021.”
Basic entitlement— Section 3702(a)(2)(E) of such title is amended by adding at the end the following new subparagraph:
“(H) Each individual—
“(i) described in paragraph (8) or (9) of section 3701(b) of this title; and
“(ii) who applies for a housing loan during the five-year period beginning on the date of the enactment of the Sgt. Isaac Woodard, Jr. and Sgt. Joseph H. Maddox GI Bill Restoration Act of 2021.”
Deadline— The Secretary shall carry out the amendment made by this section not later than 90 days after the date of the enactment of this Act.
Regulations— The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall prescribe regulations to carry out the amendments made by this section.
GAO report— Not later than one year after the deadline under subsection (b), the Comptroller General of the United States shall submit to Congress a report regarding—
the number of individuals who received housing loan benefits pursuant to the amendments made by this section; and
the total value of housing loan benefits administered by the Secretary pursuant to the amendments made by this section.
4. Educational assistance for survivors and certain direct descendants of Black veterans of World War II
Entitlement— Subsection (b) of section 3311 of title 38, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
“(12) An individual—
“(A) described in section 3701(b)(9) of this title; and
“(B) who applies for educational assistance under this chapter during the five-year period beginning on the date of the enactment of the Sgt. Isaac Woodard, Jr. and Sgt. Joseph H. Maddox GI Bill Restoration Act of 2021.”
Deadline— The Secretary shall carry out the amendment made by this section not later than 90 days after the date of the enactment of this Act.
Regulations— The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall prescribe regulations to carry out the amendment made by this section.
GAO report— Not later than one year after the deadline under subsection (b), the Comptroller General of the United States shall submit to Congress a report regarding—
the number of individuals who received educational assistance pursuant to the amendment made by this section; and
the total amount of educational assistance paid by the Secretary pursuant to the amendment made by this section.
5. Blue Ribbon panel on benefits and assistance for female and minority veterans
Establishment— Not later than 30 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall, pursuant to the Federal Advisory Committee Act (Public Law 92–463; 5 U.S.C. App.), appoint a panel of independent experts on—
inequities in the distribution of benefits and assistance administered by the Secretary; and
military service by female and minority members of the Armed Forces.
Duties— The panel shall develop recommendations regarding additional benefits and assistance for individuals described in subsection (a)(2), and related legislation.
Report— Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the panel shall submit to Congress and the President a report containing the recommendations developed under this section.