# 119-hr-8421: SERVE Act

119-hr-8421, SERVE Act, is a 119th Congress bill sponsored by Rep. Pappas, Chris [D-NH-1] (D-NH); status introduced; PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-10-03).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-8421
- As of: 2026-10-03
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: 119-hr-8421
- Congress: 119
- Title: SERVE Act
- Status: introduced
- Introduced: 2026-04-21
- Sponsor: Rep. Pappas, Chris [D-NH-1] (D-NH)
- Cosponsors: 42
- Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security
- Touches household money: yes
- Last recorded action: 2026-10-03

## Summary

**Would expand VA benefits to former service members discharged for sexual orientation or gender identity.** The SERVE Act would make these individuals eligible for health care, Vet Center counseling, burial in national cemeteries, Post-9/11 educational assistance, and VA home loans that they currently may be denied because of their discharge reason. - Former service members described in 38 U.S.C. 1710(a)(2)(H) would gain access to Hospital Care and Medical Services and Vet Center readjustment counseling. These changes would affect people who left service because of sexual orientation or gender identity. - The bill would explicitly allow interment in national cemeteries, Post-9/11 education benefits, and VA housing loans for those covered by the expanded eligibility. These are the specific program areas the bill targets. - The Secretary of Veterans Affairs would have to notify affected individuals and relevant organizations and deliver a report to congressional veterans committees within 15 months. The report must include counts of benefits provided broken down by demographic categories.

## Cosponsors (42)

- Rep. Vasquez, Gabe [D-NM-2] (D-NM), 2026-10-01T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Casten, Sean [D-IL-6] (D-IL), 2026-10-01T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Pallone, Frank [D-NJ-6] (D-NJ), 2026-10-01T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Levin, Mike [D-CA-49] (D-CA), 2026-04-21T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Jacobs, Sara [D-CA-51] (D-CA), 2026-04-21T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Dexter, Maxine [D-OR-3] (D-OR), 2026-04-21T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Davids, Sharice [D-KS-3] (D-KS), 2026-05-04T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Garcia, Robert [D-CA-42] (D-CA), 2026-05-04T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Tlaib, Rashida [D-MI-12] (D-MI), 2026-05-04T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Deluzio, Christopher R. [D-PA-17] (D-PA), 2026-05-07T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Case, Ed [D-HI-1] (D-HI), 2026-05-07T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Peters, Scott H. [D-CA-50] (D-CA), 2026-05-07T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Larsen, Rick [D-WA-2] (D-WA), 2026-05-07T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Krishnamoorthi, Raja [D-IL-8] (D-IL), 2026-05-07T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Lieu, Ted [D-CA-36] (D-CA), 2026-05-07T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Mullin, Kevin [D-CA-15] (D-CA), 2026-05-07T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Moulton, Seth [D-MA-6] (D-MA), 2026-05-07T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Goldman, Daniel S. [D-NY-10] (D-NY), 2026-05-07T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Davis, Danny K. [D-IL-7] (D-IL), 2026-05-07T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Bonamici, Suzanne [D-OR-1] (D-OR), 2026-05-11T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Balint, Becca [D-VT-At Large] (D-VT), 2026-05-11T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Amo, Gabe [D-RI-1] (D-RI), 2026-05-11T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Kennedy, Timothy M. [D-NY-26] (D-NY), 2026-05-11T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. McBath, Lucy [D-GA-6] (D-GA), 2026-05-12T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Wilson, Frederica S. [D-FL-24] (D-FL), 2026-05-12T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Latimer, George [D-NY-16] (D-NY), 2026-05-13T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Takano, Mark [D-CA-39] (D-CA), 2026-05-13T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. McIver, LaMonica [D-NJ-10] (D-NJ), 2026-05-13T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. García, Jesús G. "Chuy" [D-IL-4] (D-IL), 2026-05-13T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Carter, Troy A. [D-LA-2] (D-LA), 2026-05-19T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Lynch, Stephen F. [D-MA-8] (D-MA), 2026-05-19T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Thanedar, Shri [D-MI-13] (D-MI), 2026-05-20T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Gottheimer, Josh [D-NJ-5] (D-NJ), 2026-05-29T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Brownley, Julia [D-CA-26] (D-CA), 2026-05-29T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Kamlager-Dove, Sydney [D-CA-37] (D-CA), 2026-06-09T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Cisneros, Gilbert Ray [D-CA-31] (D-CA), 2026-06-29T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Morrison, Kelly [D-MN-3] (D-MN), 2026-06-29T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Evans, Dwight [D-PA-3] (D-PA), 2026-06-29T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Foster, Bill [D-IL-11] (D-IL), 2026-06-29T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Scott, Robert C. "Bobby" [D-VA-3] (D-VA), 2026-08-20T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Mejia, Analilia [D-NJ-11] (D-NJ), 2026-08-31T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Riley, Josh [D-NY-19] (D-NY), 2026-09-01T00:00:00.000Z

## Provisions PRIA read

- More VA benefits for discharged veterans: benefit, high. If enacted, you would become eligible for VA hospital care and medical services if you are a former service member separated or discharged because of sexual orientation or gender identity, including a diagnosis of gender dysphoria. This applies if you received an entry-level separation, an honorabl…
- VA outreach to affected veterans: benefit, low. If enacted, the VA would be required to notify affected former service members and veterans and military service organizations about the benefits made available by these amendments. The VA would also be required to report to House and Senate veterans committees within 15 months after enactment on b…

## Related bills

- 119-hr-20: Richard L. Trumka Protecting the Right to Organize Act of 2025
- 119-hr-15: Equality Act
- 119-hr-1589: American Dream and Promise Act of 2025
- 119-hr-12: Women’s Health Protection Act of 2025
- 119-hr-2763: American Family Act
- 119-hr-17: Paycheck Fairness Act

## Sources
- [119-hr-8421 on Congress.gov](https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/8421)

## Related
- [119-hr-20: Richard L. Trumka Protecting the Right to Organize Act of 2025](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-20)
- [119-hr-15: Equality Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-15)
- [119-hr-1589: American Dream and Promise Act of 2025](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-1589)
- [119-hr-12: Women’s Health Protection Act of 2025](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-12)
- [119-hr-2763: American Family Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-2763)
- [119-hr-17: Paycheck Fairness Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-17)
- [All bills in Congress](https://policyrisk.com/legislation)

Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-8421 (as of 2026-10-03).