This bill expands the Department of Veterans Affairs' focus beyond minority veterans to also serve "historically underserved veterans," a category that includes veterans facing barriers based on sexual orientation, gender identity, English language proficiency, citizenship status, religion, low socioeconomic status, rural residence, or other factors the VA determines appropriate. The legislation renames and restructures the Center for Minority Veterans and its Advisory Committee to reflect this broader mission, adds representatives from Housing, Education, Justice, Small Business Administration, and Drug Control Policy offices to the advisory committee, and requires the VA to conduct biennial reviews identifying disparities in veterans' access to benefits. Additionally, the bill mandates that the VA permanently reinstate its Office of Equity Assurance within 30 days, rehire any terminated employees, protect the office from future elimination, and provide Congress biannual briefings on equity-related research and data. The bill does not specify new funding amounts but requires implementation and reporting within specified timeframes.
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