[Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 49 (Wednesday, March 18, 2026)]
[Senate]
[Page S1230]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

  SA 4485. Mr. KAINE submitted an amendment intended to be proposed by 
him to the bill S. 1383, to establish the Veterans Advisory Committee 
on Equal Access, and for other purposes; which was ordered to lie on 
the table; as follows:

       At the appropriate place, insert the following:

     SEC. ___. FAIR HOUSING IMPROVEMENT ACT OF 2026.

       (a) Short Title.--This section may be cited as the ``Fair 
     Housing Improvement Act of 2026''.
       (b) Prohibiting Housing Discrimination Based on Source of 
     Income, Veteran Status, or Military Status.--
       (1) In general.--The Fair Housing Act (42 U.S.C. 3601 et 
     seq.) is amended--
       (A) in section 802 (42 U.S.C. 3602), by adding at the end 
     the following:
       ``(p) `Military status' means the status of a person as a 
     member of the uniformed services, as defined in section 101 
     of title 10, United States Code.
       ``(q) `Source of income' includes--
       ``(1) a housing voucher under section 8 of the United 
     States Housing Act of 1937 (42 U.S.C. 1437f) and any form of 
     Federal, State, or local housing assistance provided to a 
     person or family or provided to a housing owner on behalf of 
     a person or family, including--
       ``(A) rental vouchers;
       ``(B) rental assistance;
       ``(C) rental subsidies from nongovernmental organizations; 
     and
       ``(D) homeownership subsidies;
       ``(2) income received as a monthly benefit under title II 
     of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 401 et seq.), as a 
     supplemental security income benefit under title XVI of the 
     Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1381 et seq.), or as a benefit 
     under the Railroad Retirement Act of 1974 (45 U.S.C. 231 et 
     seq.), including any such benefit to which the individual is 
     entitled for which payment is made to a representative payee;
       ``(3) income received by court order, including spousal 
     support and child support;
       ``(4) any payment from a trust, guardian, conservator, 
     cosigner, or relative; and
       ``(5) any other lawful source of income or funds, including 
     savings accounts and investments.
       ``(r) `Veteran status' means the status of a person as a 
     former member of the Armed Forces.'';
       (B) in section 804 (42 U.S.C. 3604)--
       (i) by inserting ``source of income, veteran status, 
     military status,'' after ``familial status,'' each place that 
     term appears; and
       (ii) in subsection (f), by adding at the end the following:
       ``(10) Nothing in this title shall be construed to prohibit 
     any entity from providing or otherwise making available any 
     services or other assistance to individuals receiving 
     Federal, State or local housing assistance.'';
       (C) in section 805 (42 U.S.C. 3605)--
       (i) in subsection (a), by inserting ``source of income, 
     veteran status, military status,'' after ``familial 
     status,''; and
       (ii) in subsection (c), by inserting ``source of income, 
     veteran status, military status,'' after ``handicap,'';
       (D) in section 806 (42 U.S.C. 3606), by inserting ``source 
     of income, veteran status, military status,'' after 
     ``familial status,'';
       (E) in section 808(e)(6) (42 U.S.C. 3608(e)(6)), by 
     inserting ``source of income, veteran status, military 
     status,'' after ``handicap,''; and
       (F) in section 810(f) (42 U.S.C. 3610(f)), by striking 
     paragraph (4) and inserting the following:
       ``(4) During the period beginning on the date of enactment 
     of the Fair Housing Improvement Act of 2026 and ending on the 
     date that is 40 months after such date of enactment, each 
     agency certified for purposes of this title on the day before 
     such date of enactment shall, for purposes of this 
     subsection, be considered certified under this subsection 
     with respect to those matters for which the agency was 
     certified on that date. If the Secretary determines in an 
     individual case that an agency has not been able to meet the 
     certification requirements within this 40-month period due to 
     exceptional circumstances, such as the infrequency of 
     legislative sessions in that jurisdiction, the Secretary may 
     extend such period by not more than 6 months.''.
       (2) Prevention of intimidation in fair housing cases.--
     Section 901 of the Civil Rights Act of 1968 (42 U.S.C. 3631) 
     is amended by inserting ``source of income (as defined in 
     section 802), veteran status (as defined in section 802), 
     military status (as defined in section 802),'' before ``or 
     national origin'' each place that term appears.
                                 ______