Pappas, Levin, Jacobs, Dexter Reintroduce Legislation to Guarantee VA Benefits for LGBTQ+ Veterans, Address Harmful Impact of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell”

April 22, 2026 Press Release Pappas’s SERVE Act would guarantee and protect VA benefits for LGBTQ+ veterans discharged from the Armed Forces due to their sexual orientation or gender identity Congressman Chris Pappas (NH-01), member of the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee and Co-Chair of the Equality Caucus, alongside Congressman Mike Levin (CA-49) , Congresswoman Sara Jacobs (CA-51), and Congresswoman Maxine Dexter, M.D. (OR-03) reintroduced the Securing the Rights our Veterans Earned (SERVE) Act to guarantee and protect VA benefits for LGBTQ+ veterans discharged from the Armed Forces due to their sexual orientation or gender identity. During “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” (DADT), many LGBTQ+ veterans who were discharged because of their sexual orientation or gender identity received Other Than Honorable (OTH) or Entry-Level Separation (ELS) discharges, preventing access to VA health care and benefits such as education, burial and memorial services, and home loans. Since its repeal in 2011, impacted veterans appealing for VA benefits have reported a prolonged and burdensome process, often requiring the use of a lawyer, to seek the respect and benefits they earned. Additionally, far too many veterans discharged under DADT are still unaware that they can seek an upgrade or where to start the process. “All of our veterans and their families deserve our thanks and gratitude for their service and sacrifice. For the LGBTQ+ service members and veterans who suffered from the discriminatory policies of ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ and President Trump’s transgender service ban, it’s time to correct this injustice and provide them with the support they earned,” said Congressman Pappas. “Today I’m re-introducing the SERVE Act to ensure LGBTQ+ service members who were unjustly discharged receive the benefits and care they deserve.” “Any veteran, regardless of sexual orientation, who has served our country honorably deserves to have every benefit afforded to them by the government,” said Congressman Mike Levin. “I’m proud to work with my colleagues to right the wrongs of the discriminatory Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell policy and unlock full VA benefits to our service members who were discharged simply for being who they are and who they love. Those who serve our country deserve dignity, fairness, and the full support they earned through their service, and I won’t stop fighting for that.” “Every veteran should receive their earned benefits – no matter what, and especially no matter their gender identity or sexuality. But unfortunately, we know that many LGBTQ+ veterans are still fighting for their VA health care and benefits, even decades after they served. I’m glad that 35,000 LGBTQ+ veterans finally got a sliver of justice last year and became eligible for immediate review of their discharge status, but we need to do far better than that. We need to finally pass the SERVE Act to right this wrong and provide the care and benefits our LGBTQ+ veterans have rightfully earned,” said Congresswoman Sara Jacobs. “A devastating consequence of the Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell era—and the current ban on transgender servicemembers—is that too many veterans continue to be locked out of the benefits they have earned and deserve. This is an abomination to those who volunteered to put their lives on the line for our country. The SERVE Act helps right this injustice by finally guaranteeing the VA benefits to all LGBTQ+ veterans earned through their service and sacrifice,” said Congresswoman Dexter, M.D. The SERVE Act would take critical steps to address this problem by: Extending VA benefits eligibility to veterans who received an “Other Than Honorable” discharge or entry-level separation solely due to their sexual orientation or gender identity, including medical and disability benefits, pensions, veteran center readjustment counseling and mental health services, burial benefits, educational benefits, and housing loans. Requiring VA to conduct outreach to veterans who may be eligible for VA benefits under the legislation and to conduct outreach to Veterans Service Organizations (VSOs) and military service organizations about the new eligibility criteria. Requiring VA to report to Congress on the benefits provided under the legislation during the first year of enactment, including the number and demographic information of individuals who received such benefits. "We ask a lot of our military, but leave too many of our servicemembers behind–including LGBTQ+ veterans who were forced to end their careers under Don't Ask, Don't Tell and the current transgender military ban, many of whom were denied the benefits they earned. All LGBTQ+ veterans who were targeted by these policies deserve full VA benefits, and that's what the SERVE Act aims to do. We thank Rep. Pappas and the other sponsors for once again introducing this important legislation,” said Jennifer Pike Bailey, Director of Government Affairs for the Human Rights Campaign . "For too long, LGBTQ+ servicemembers faced the ugly reality of discrimination — many were not only discharged because of their sexual orientation or gender identity but denied access to benefits and health care from the VA," said Equality California Executive Director Tony Hoang. "Anyone who signs up to defend our nation deserves to be treated with dignity and respect, which is why we are grateful to Congressman Pappas for his reintroduction of the SERVE Act. This important legislation will ensure that those LGBTQ+ veterans discharged because of who they are or who they love will now be able to access the benefits they are entitled to. It is incumbent upon us to keep our promise to look after all our military veterans, including those who are LGBTQ+." The bill text can be found here . Issues : LGBTQ and Equality Veterans