---
kind: "section"
citation: "38 U.S.C. § 6304"
title: "38"
title_heading: "Veterans’ Benefits"
number: "6304"
heading: "Veterans assistance offices"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/38/6304"
units:
  - "Part IV — General Administrative Provisions"
  - "Chapter 63 — Outreach Activities"
  - "Subchapter I — Outreach Services Program"
---

# §6304. Veterans assistance offices

- (a) **In General.—** The [Secretary](/usc/38/101.md?p=1) shall establish and maintain [veterans](/usc/38/101.md?p=2) assistance offices at such places throughout the United States and its territories and possessions, and in the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, as the [Secretary](/usc/38/101.md?p=1) determines to be necessary to carry out the purposes of this subchapter. The [Secretary](/usc/38/101.md?p=1) may maintain such offices on such military installations located elsewhere as the [Secretary](/usc/38/101.md?p=1), after consultation with the [Secretary](/usc/38/101.md?p=1) of Defense and taking into account recommendations, if any, of the [Secretary](/usc/38/101.md?p=1) of Labor, determines to be necessary to carry out such purposes.
- (b) **Location of Offices.—** In establishing and maintaining such offices, the [Secretary](/usc/38/101.md?p=1) shall give due regard to—
  - (1) the geographical distribution of [veterans](/usc/38/101.md?p=2) recently discharged or released from [active military, naval, air, or space service](/usc/38/101.md?p=24);
  - (2) the special needs of educationally disadvantaged [veterans](/usc/38/101.md?p=2) (including their need for accessibility of [outreach](/usc/38/6301.md?p=b-1) services); and
  - (3) the necessity of providing appropriate [outreach](/usc/38/6301.md?p=b-1) services in less populated areas.

## Source credit

(Added Pub. L. 109–233, title IV, § 402(a), June 15, 2006, 120 Stat. 409; amended Pub. L. 116–283, div. A, title IX, § 926(a)(60), Jan. 1, 2021, 134 Stat. 3830; Pub. L. 117–205, § 2(b)(2), Oct. 17, 2022, 136 Stat. 2233.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### Prior Provisions

Provisions similar to those in this section were contained in section 7723 of this title prior to repeal by Pub. L. 109–233.

### Amendments

2022—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 117–205 substituted “this subchapter” for “this chapter”.

2021—Subsec. (b)(1). Pub. L. 116–283 substituted “air, or space service” for “or air service”.