The SERVE Act extends Veterans Affairs benefits to former military members who were discharged based on sexual orientation or gender identity, including those with diagnoses of gender dysphoria. These individuals would become eligible for VA hospital care and medical services, mental health counseling through Vet Centers, burial in national cemeteries, Post-9/11 educational assistance, and housing loans, regardless of whether their discharge was characterized as entry-level, honorable, or other than honorable. The bill requires the VA Secretary to conduct outreach to inform eligible individuals and relevant veterans organizations about these newly available benefits. Within 15 months of the bill's enactment, the VA must report to Congress on how many people accessed these benefits, broken down by demographic categories. The legislation does not specify new funding amounts but directs the VA to implement these expanded benefit eligibilities through existing agency structures.
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