US Code

Public Law 119-73 (01/23/2026)

38 U.S.C. § 3741

Definitions

For the purposes of this subchapter—
(1)
The term “disabled veteran” means (A) a veteran who is entitled to compensation under laws administered by the Secretary for a disability rated at 30 percent or more, or (B) a veteran whose discharge or release from active duty was for a disability incurred or aggravated in line of duty.
(2)
The term “veteran of the Vietnam era” means a person (A) who served on active duty for a period of more than 180 days, any part of which occurred during the Vietnam era, and who was discharged or released therefrom with other than a dishonorable discharge, or (B) who was discharged or released from active duty for a service-connected disability if any part of such active duty was performed during the Vietnam era.

Pub. L. 97–72, title III, § 302(a)95 Stat. 1055Pub. L. 99–576, title VII, § 702(9)100 Stat. 3302Pub. L. 102–83105 Stat. 403(Added , , , § 1841; amended , , ; renumbered § 3741 and amended , §§ 4(a)(1), 5(a), , , 406.)

Editorial Notes

Amendments

Pub. L. 102–83, § 5(a)section 1841 of this title1991—, renumbered as this section.

Pub. L. 102–83, § 4(a)(1)Par. (1). , substituted “administered by the Secretary” for “administered by the Veterans’ Administration”.

Pub. L. 99–5761986— substituted “percent” for “per centum” in par. (1) and “180” for “one hundred and eighty” in par. (2).

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date

Pub. L. 97–72, title III, § 30595 Stat. 1060

“The amendments made by this title [see Tables for classification] shall take effect at the end of the one-hundred-and-eighty-day period beginning on the date of the enactment of this Act [], except that the authority of the Administrator of Veterans’ Affairs to promulgate regulations under subchapter IV of chapter 37 of title 38, United States Code (as added by section 302), shall take effect on such date of enactment.”
, , , provided that:

Short Title

Pub. L. 97–72section 301 of Pub. L. 97–72section 101 of this titleFor short title of title III of , which enacted this subchapter, as the “Veterans’ Small Business Loan Act of 1981”, see , set out as a Short Title of 1981 Amendments note under .

Authorization of Appropriations

Pub. L. 97–72, title III, § 30495 Stat. 1060, , , authorized to be appropriated a total of $750,000 for fiscal years 1982 through 1986 for use by Administrator of Veterans’ Affairs for expenses incidental to establishment of small business loan program authorized by subchapter IV of this chapter.