---
kind: "section"
citation: "38 U.S.C. § 317"
title: "38"
title_heading: "Veterans’ Benefits"
number: "317"
heading: "Center for Minority Veterans"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/38/317"
units:
  - "Part I — General Provisions"
  - "Chapter 3 — Department of Veterans Affairs"
---

# §317. Center for Minority Veterans

- (a) There is in the [Department](/usc/38/101.md?p=1) a Center for Minority [Veterans](/usc/38/101.md?p=2). There is at the head of the Center a Director.
- (b) The Director shall be a career or noncareer appointee in the Senior Executive Service. The Director shall be appointed for a term of six years.
- (c) The Director reports directly to the [Secretary](/usc/38/101.md?p=1) or the Deputy [Secretary](/usc/38/101.md?p=1) concerning the activities of the Center.
- (d) The Director shall perform the following functions with respect to [veterans](/usc/38/101.md?p=2) who are minorities:
  - (1) Serve as principal adviser to the [Secretary](/usc/38/101.md?p=1) on the adoption and implementation of policies and programs affecting [veterans](/usc/38/101.md?p=2) who are minorities.
  - (2) Make recommendations to the [Secretary](/usc/38/101.md?p=1), the Under [Secretary](/usc/38/101.md?p=1) for Health, the Under [Secretary](/usc/38/101.md?p=1) for Benefits, and other [Department](/usc/38/101.md?p=1) officials for the establishment or improvement of programs in the [Department](/usc/38/101.md?p=1) for which [veterans](/usc/38/101.md?p=2) who are minorities are eligible.
  - (3) Promote the use of benefits authorized by this title by [veterans](/usc/38/101.md?p=2) who are minorities and the conduct of outreach activities to [veterans](/usc/38/101.md?p=2) who are minorities, in conjunction with outreach activities carried out under [chapter 77](/usc/38/chptV/ch77.md) of this title.
  - (4) Disseminate information and serve as a resource center for the exchange of information regarding innovative and successful programs which improve the services available to [veterans](/usc/38/101.md?p=2) who are minorities.
  - (5) Conduct and sponsor appropriate social and demographic research on the needs of [veterans](/usc/38/101.md?p=2) who are minorities and the extent to which programs authorized under this title meet the needs of those [veterans](/usc/38/101.md?p=2), without regard to any law concerning the collection of information from the public.
  - (6) Analyze and evaluate complaints made by or on behalf of [veterans](/usc/38/101.md?p=2) who are minorities about the adequacy and timeliness of services provided by the [Department](/usc/38/101.md?p=1) and advise the appropriate official of the [Department](/usc/38/101.md?p=1) of the results of such analysis or evaluation.
  - (7) Consult with, and provide assistance and information to, officials responsible for administering Federal, [State](/usc/38/101.md?p=20), local, and private programs that assist [veterans](/usc/38/101.md?p=2), to encourage those officials to adopt policies which promote the use of those programs by [veterans](/usc/38/101.md?p=2) who are minorities.
  - (8) Advise the [Secretary](/usc/38/101.md?p=1) when laws or policies have the effect of discouraging the use of benefits by [veterans](/usc/38/101.md?p=2) who are minorities.
  - (9) Publicize the results of medical research which are of particular significance to [veterans](/usc/38/101.md?p=2) who are minorities.
  - (10) Advise the [Secretary](/usc/38/101.md?p=1) and other appropriate officials on the effectiveness of the [Department](/usc/38/101.md?p=1)’s efforts to accomplish the goals of section 492B of the Public Health Service Act ([42 U.S.C. 289a–2](/usc/42/289a–2.md)) with respect to the inclusion of minorities in clinical research and on particular health conditions affecting the health of members of minority groups which should be studied as part of the [Department](/usc/38/101.md?p=1)’s medical research program and promote cooperation between the [Department](/usc/38/101.md?p=1) and other sponsors of medical research of potential benefit to [veterans](/usc/38/101.md?p=2) who are minorities.
  - (11) Provide support and administrative services to the Advisory Committee on Minority [Veterans](/usc/38/101.md?p=2) provided for under [section 544 of this title](/usc/38/544.md).
  - (12) Perform such other duties consistent with this section as the [Secretary](/usc/38/101.md?p=1) shall prescribe.
- (e) The [Secretary](/usc/38/101.md?p=1) shall ensure that the Director is furnished sufficient resources to enable the Director to carry out the functions of the Center in a timely manner.
- (f) The [Secretary](/usc/38/101.md?p=1) shall include in documents submitted to Congress by the [Secretary](/usc/38/101.md?p=1) in support of the President’s budget for each fiscal year—
  - (1) detailed information on the budget for the Center;
  - (2) the [Secretary](/usc/38/101.md?p=1)’s opinion as to whether the resources (including the number of employees) proposed in the budget for that fiscal year are adequate to enable the Center to comply with its statutory and regulatory duties; and
  - (3) a report on the activities and significant accomplishments of the Center during the preceding fiscal year.
- (g) In this section—
  - (1) The term “[veterans](/usc/38/101.md?p=2) who are minorities” means [veterans](/usc/38/101.md?p=2) who are minority group members.
  - (2) The term “minority group member” has the meaning given such term in [section 544(d) of this title](/usc/38/544.md?p=d).

## Source credit

(Added Pub. L. 103–446, title V, § 509(a), Nov. 2, 1994, 108 Stat. 4665; amended Pub. L. 104–275, title V, § 501(a)–(c), Oct. 9, 1996, 110 Stat. 3340.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### Prior Provisions

Prior section 317, added Pub. L. 102–218, § 1(a), Dec. 11, 1991, 105 Stat. 1671; amended Pub. L. 103–446, title XII, § 1201(e)(4), Nov. 2, 1994, 108 Stat. 4685, related to Chief Minority Affairs Officer, prior to repeal by Pub. L. 103–446, § 509(a).

### Amendments

1996—Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 104–275, § 501(a), inserted “career or” before “noncareer”.

Subsec. (d)(10) to (12). Pub. L. 104–275, § 501(b), added pars. (10) and (11) and redesignated former par. (10) as (12).

Subsec. (g). Pub. L. 104–275, § 501(c), added subsec. (g).