Congressman Al Green Applauds Passage of his Amendment to the NDAA Which Helps Service Members and Veterans Gain Benefits

(Houston, TX) — On Thursday, September 23, 2021, Congressman Al Green (TX-09) released a statement following passage of his amendment by the House:

“I am pleased to announce the passage of my amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) modeled after my legislation H.R. 5251 – Honoring Military Service in Homebuying Act of 2021. For seven decades, the Department of Veterans Affairs’ Home Loan Program has helped countless service members and veterans achieve the dream of owning their own home. It is undoubtedly one of the most successful benefits programs in our nation’s history,” Congressman Al Green stated. “The Department of Veterans Affairs has been able to ensure that service members and veterans access their benefits through the military service question in the Universal Residential Loan Application form. This question enabled the Department to give service members and veterans the preferential loans and other benefits they were entitled to. In 2019, however, the Director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency moved the military service question on the Universal Residential Loan Application to the end of the application form, below the signature line. This small change led to service members and veterans overlooking it, ultimately missing their opportunity to benefit from the Home Loan Program.”

For nearly seventy years, the Home Loan Program has been the main avenue through which veterans have traditionally accessed their benefits.

Congressman Al Green continued, “My amendment returns the military service question to a prominent location on the Universal Residential Loan Application form. This move will ensure that all service members and veterans are more likely to access the benefits to which their service entitles them. I am immensely gratified that the House passed this amendment in a bipartisan manner and trust the Senate will swiftly follow suit.”