Veterans' Housing Benefits Act of 1978
Public Law 95-476 · H.R. 12028 · 95th Congress · began in the House
Signed by Jimmy Carter (D) on Oct 18, 1978 · Armed Forces and National Security
Sponsor: Rep. Jack Brinkley (D-GA-3)
Cosponsors (8): Rep. James Abdnor, Rep. Herbert Roberts,
Passage votes
- HouseMethod not stated
- SenateMethod not stated
Data notes
The final version of the law, as each chamber passed it. A chamber that passed it by voice vote or unanimous consent has no count. “Method not stated” means the record does not say how the chamber voted. Where the record has a member-by-member vote, the “Who voted for it” section shows who voted yea.
Summary
The Congressional Research Service’s plain-language summary of what the law does.
(House agreed to Senate amendments with amendments)
Veterans' Housing Benefits Act - =Title I: Veterans' Housing Benefits= - Increases from $25,000 to $30,000 the maximum amount of assistance available for specially adapted housing for certain disabled veterans.
Makes Vietnam era veteras eligible for home, condominium, and mobile home loans, and for automatic 60 percent guaranteed home loans.
Provides that loans for energy-related and general home improvements to a home owned or occupied by a veteran may bear interest at a rate higher than the rate of interest established by the Administrator of Veterans' Affairs (VA) of loans for the purchase of homes.
Increases the amount of a home loan which may be guaranteed by the Veterans' Administration from $17,000 to $25,000.
Adds the installation of solar heating or cooling, combined solar heating and cooling, and application of a residential energy conservation measure to the list of purposes for veterans home improvement loans guarantees.
Revises veterans' mobile home and mobile home lot loans provisions with regard to guarantees and removes the restriction against multiple loan entitlements.
Provides a formula for determining the maximum amount available for direct veterans' loans for mobile homes and mobile home lots.
Authorizes the Administrator to delegate to the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) the responsibility of periodically inspecting manufacturers and making onsite inspections to ensure compliance with mobile home standards established by the Administration.
Makes the provisions of this title effective October 1, 1978, except that the authorization for guarantees of loans for the purchase of converted condominiums shall take effect July 1, 1979.
=Title II: Miscellaneous Provisions= - Requires the Administrator to conduct, on a continuing basis, a review of default experience with respect to education loans and to report to Congress annually on such review. Authorizes the Administrator to establish and apply criteria to limit eligibility for loans and reduce the loan repayment period.
Establishes a plot or interment of allowance of $150 for veterans' buried in certain cemeteries.
Authorizes appropriations for five years, beginning fiscal year 1980, for making grants to States for assistance in establishing, expanding, or improving veterans' cemeteries. Stipulates that such grants shall be subject to certain conditions.
Allows VA supplied headstones and markers to be made of any material requested by the entitled person provided such material is cost effective and compatible with the national cemetery area.
Permits the Administrator to reimburse a person entitled to a headstone or marker for the cost of a non-Government headstone for placement in any cemetery other than a national cemetery, provided the cost is not in excess of the average actual cost of Government headstones.
Makes the provisions of this title effective on the date of enactment except for the burial benefits, which shall take effect October 1, 1978.
Committees
The committees the bill was sent to, and what each did with it.
Data notes
A committee links to its page only where it exists in the current Congress; older and renamed committees are named without a link.
Timeline
From introduction to signing, newest first: the committees, the floor and the president. 16 actions.
- Oct 18, 1978Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
- PresidentPresident · Public Law 95-476.
- Oct 6, 1978PresidentPresident · Measure presented to President.
- PresidentPresident · Measure enrolled in Senate.
- Oct 5, 1978PresidentPresident · Measure enrolled in House.
- Oct 2, 1978Resolving differencesResolving differences · Senate agreed to House amendments.
- Sep 28, 1978Resolving differencesResolving differences · House agreed to Senate amendments with amendments.
- Aug 7, 1978FloorFloor · Measure passed Senate, amended.
- FloorFloor · Measure called up by unanimous consent in Senate.
- Jul 31, 1978CommitteeCommittee · Reported by Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee
- Jul 19, 1978CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee
- Jul 17, 1978FloorFloor · Measure passed House, amended, roll call #547 (373-0).House roll call 547
- FloorFloor · Measure called up under motion to suspend rules and pass in House.
- Jun 29, 1978CommitteeCommittee · Reported by House Veterans' Affairs Committee
- Apr 11, 1978CommitteeCommittee · Referred to House Veterans' Affairs Committee
- IntroducedIntroduced · Introduced in the House
Data notes
Shows the introduction, each committee and subcommittee step the source dates (referral, hearings, markup, report, discharge), and the floor, conference, presidential and became-law steps. Calendar placements, messages between the chambers, amendments and committee report numbers are not shown for laws before the 108th Congress. Two entries the source lists twice are shown once.
Official record
The bill’s full text and every action, including introduction and committee steps, are on Congress.gov. Data through Oct 7, 2026.