II 

116TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION S. 5072 

To improve Vet Centers of the Department of Veterans Affairs, and for 

other purposes. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

DECEMBER 19, 2020 

Mr. REED (for himself and Mr. TESTER) introduced the following bill; which 

was read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs 

A BILL 

To improve Vet Centers of the Department of Veterans 

Affairs, and for other purposes. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Vet Center Improve5 ment Act of 2020’’. 

6 SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS. 

7 In this Act: 

8 (1) VET CENTER.—The term ‘‘Vet Center’’ has 

9 the meaning given that term in section 1712A(h) of 

10 title 38, United States Code. 


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1 (2) VETERANS SERVICE ORGANIZATION.—The 

2 term ‘‘veterans service organization’’ means any or3 ganization recognized by the Secretary of Veterans 

4 Affairs for the representation of veterans under sec5 tion 5902 of title 38, United States Code. 

6 SEC. 3. PRODUCTIVITY EXPECTATIONS FOR READJUST7 MENT COUNSELORS OF VET CENTERS. 

8 (a) EVALUATION OF PRODUCTIVITY EXPECTA9 TIONS.—Not later than one year after the date of the en10 actment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs 

11 shall evaluate productivity expectations for readjustment 

12 counselors of Vet Centers, including by obtaining system13 atic feedback from counselors on such expectations, in14 cluding with respect to following: 

15 (1) Any potential effects of productivity expec16 tations, whether positive or negative, on client care. 

17 (2) Distances readjustment counselors may 

18 travel to appointments, especially with respect to 

19 serving rural veterans. 

20 (3) The possibility that some veterans may not 

21 want to use nor benefit from telehealth or group 

22 counseling. 

23 (4) Availability and access of veteran popu24 lations to broadband and telehealth. 


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1 (5) Any effect on readjustment counselors, in2 cluding with respect to recruitment, retention, and 

3 welfare. 

4 (6) Whether productivity expectations provide 

5 incentives or pressure to inaccurately report client 

6 visits. 

7 (7) Whether directors and readjustment coun8 selors of Vet Centers need additional training or 

9 guidance on how productivity expectations are cal10 culated. 

11 (8) Such other criteria as the Secretary con12 siders appropriate. 

13 (b) SYSTEMATIC FEEDBACK.— 

14 (1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall— 

15 (A) make every effort to ensure that all re16 adjustment counselors of Vet Centers are given 

17 the opportunity to provide feedback on the 

18 items under subsection (a); 

19 (B) collect and safely store the feedback 

20 obtained under subsection (a)— 

21 (i) in an anonymized manner, in order 

22 to protect the privacy of each respondent; 

23 and 

24 (ii) in a manner that allows for eval25 uation by third parties of the feedback, 


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1 such as audit of the feedback by the Gov2 ernment Accountability Office; and 

3 (C) provide the feedback obtained under 

4 subsection (a) in an anonymized manner to the 

5 working group established under section 5. 

6 (2) GOVERNMENT ACCOUNTABILITY OFFICE

7 AUDIT.—Not less frequently than once each year 

8 during the five-year period beginning on the date of 

9 the enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General 

10 of the United States shall audit the feedback ob11 tained from readjustment counselors of Vet Centers 

12 under subsection (a). 

13 (c) IMPLEMENTATION OF CHANGES.—Not later than 

14 90 days after the date of the completion of the evaluation 

15 required by subsection (a), the Secretary shall implement 

16 any needed changes to the productivity expectations de17 scribed in such subsection in order to ensure— 

18 (1) quality of care and access to care for vet19 erans; and 

20 (2) the welfare of readjustment counselors. 

21 (d) REPORT TO CONGRESS.—Not later than 180 days 

22 after the date of the completion of the evaluation required 

23 by subsection (a), the Secretary shall submit to Congress 

24 a report on— 

25 (1) the findings of the evaluation; and 


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1 (2) any planned or implemented changes de2 scribed in subsection (c). 

3 (e) PLAN FOR REASSESSMENT AND IMPLEMENTA4 TION.— 

5 (1) PLAN.—Not later than one year after the 

6 date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary 

7 shall develop and implement a plan for— 

8 (A) reassessing productivity expectations 

9 for readjustment counselors of Vet Centers, in 

10 consultation with such counselors; and 

11 (B) implementing any needed changes to 

12 such expectations, as the Secretary determines 

13 appropriate. 

14 (2) REASSESSMENTS.—Under the plan required 

15 by paragraph (1), the Secretary shall conduct a re16 assessment described in such paragraph not less fre17 quently than once each year. 

18 SEC. 4. STAFFING MODELS FOR VET CENTERS. 

19 (a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than one year after the 

20 date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Vet21 erans Affairs shall develop and implement a staffing model 

22 for Vet Centers that incorporates key practices in the de23 sign of staffing models. 

24 (b) ELEMENTS.—In developing the staffing model 

25 under subsection (a), the Secretary shall— 


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1 (1) involve key stakeholders, including readjust2 ment counselors, outreach specialists, and directors 

3 of Vet Centers; 

4 (2) incorporate key work activities and the fre5 quency and time required to conduct such activities; 

6 (3) ensure the quality of data used in the model 

7 to provide assurance that staffing estimates are reli8 able; and 

9 (4) incorporate— 

10 (A) risk factors, including case complexity, 

11 geography, and availability, advisability, and 

12 willingness of veterans to use telehealth or 

13 group counseling; and 

14 (B) such other factors as the Secretary 

15 considers appropriate. 

16 (c) PLAN FOR ASSESSMENTS AND UPDATES.—Not 

17 later than one year after the date of the enactment of this 

18 Act, the Secretary shall develop a plan for— 

19 (1) assessing and updating the staffing model 

20 developed and implemented under subsection (a) not 

21 less frequently than once every four years; and 

22 (2) implementing any needed changes to such 

23 model, as the Secretary determines appropriate. 


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1 SEC. 5. WORKING GROUP OF READJUSTMENT COUN2 SELORS, OUTREACH SPECIALISTS, AND DI3 RECTORS OF VET CENTERS. 

4 (a) IN GENERAL.—In conducting the evaluation of 

5 productivity expectations described in section 3 and devel6 oping the staffing model described in section 4, the Sec7 retary of Veterans Affairs shall establish a working group 

8 to assess— 

9 (1) the efficacy, impact, and composition of per10 formance metrics for such expectations with respect 

11 to— 

12 (A) quality of care and access to care for 

13 veterans; and 

14 (B) the welfare of readjustment counselors 

15 and other employees of Vet Centers; and 

16 (2) key considerations for the development of a 

17 staffing model for Vet Centers, including— 

18 (A) quality of care and access to care for 

19 veterans and other individuals eligible for care 

20 through Vet Centers; and 

21 (B) recruitment, retention, and welfare of 

22 employees of Vet Centers. 

23 (b) MEMBERSHIP.—The working group established 

24 under subsection (a) shall be composed of readjustment 

25 counselors, outreach specialists, and directors of Vet Cen26 ters. 


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1 (c) FEEDBACK; RECOMMENDATIONS.—The working 

2 group established under subsection (a) shall provide to the 

3 Secretary— 

4 (1) feedback from readjustment counselors, out5 reach specialists, and directors of Vet Centers; and 

6 (2) recommendations on how to improve— 

7 (A) quality of care and access to care for 

8 veterans; and 

9 (B) the welfare of readjustment counselors 

10 and other employees of Vet Centers. 

11 SEC. 6. IMPROVEMENTS OF HIRING PRACTICES AT VET 

12 CENTERS. 

13 (a) STANDARDIZATION OF POSITION DESCRIP14 TIONS.— 

15 (1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than one year 

16 after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Sec17 retary of Veterans Affairs shall standardize descrip18 tions of position responsibilities at Vet Centers. 

19 (2) REPORTING REQUIREMENT.—In each of the 

20 first two annual reports submitted under section 

21 7309(e) of title 38, United States Code, after the 

22 date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary 

23 shall include a description of the actions taken by 

24 the Secretary to carry out paragraph (1). 


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1 (b) EXPANSION OF REPORTING REQUIREMENTS ON

2 READJUSTMENT COUNSELING TO INCLUDE ACTIONS TO

3 REDUCE STAFFING VACANCIES AND TIME TO HIRE.— 

4 Section 7309(e) of title 38, United States Code, is amend5 ed by adding at the end the following new subparagraph: 

6 ‘‘(D) A description of actions taken by the Sec7 retary to reduce— 

8 ‘‘(i) vacancies in counselor positions in the 

9 Readjustment Counseling Service; and 

10 ‘‘(ii) the time it takes to hire such coun11 selors.’’. 

12 SEC. 7. REPORT BY GOVERNMENT ACCOUNTABILITY OF13 FICE ON VET CENTER INFRASTRUCTURE AND 

14 FUTURE INVESTMENTS. 

15 (a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than one year after the 

16 date of the enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General 

17 of the United States shall submit to Congress a report 

18 on physical infrastructure and future investments with re19 spect to Vet Centers. 

20 (b) ELEMENTS.—The report required by subsection 

21 (a) shall include the following: 

22 (1) An assessment of— 

23 (A) the condition of the physical infra24 structure of all assets of Vet Centers, whether 


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1 owned or leased by the Department of Veterans 

2 Affairs; and 

3 (B) the short-, medium-, and long-term 

4 plans of the Department to maintain and up5 grade the physical infrastructure of Vet Centers 

6 to address the operational needs of Vet Centers 

7 as of the date of the date of the submittal of 

8 the report and future needs. 

9 (2) An assessment of management and stra10 tegic planning for the physical infrastructure of Vet 

11 Centers, including whether the Department should 

12 buy or lease existing or additional locations in areas 

13 with stable or growing populations of veterans. 

14 (3) An assessment of whether, as of the date of 

15 the submittal of the report, Vet Center buildings, 

16 mobile Vet Centers, community access points, and 

17 similar infrastructure are sufficient to care for vet18 erans or if such infrastructure is negatively affecting 

19 care due to limited space for veterans and Vet Cen20 ter personnel or other factors. 

21 (4) An assessment of the areas with the great22 est need for investments in— 

23 (A) improved physical infrastructure, in24 cluding upgraded Vet Centers; or 


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1 (B) additional physical infrastructure for 

2 Vet Centers, including new Vet Centers owned 

3 or leased by the Department. 

4 (5) A description of the authorities and re5 sources that may be required for the Secretary to 

6 make such investments. 

7 (6) A review of all annual reports submitted 

8 under 7309(e) of title 38, United States Code before 

9 the date of the submittal of the report under sub10 section (a). 

11 SEC. 8. PILOT PROGRAM TO COMBAT FOOD INSECURITY 

12 AMONG VETERANS AND FAMILY MEMBERS 

13 OF VETERANS. 

14 (a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than one year after the 

15 date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Vet16 erans Affairs shall establish a pilot program to award 

17 grants to eligible entities to support partnerships that ad18 dress food insecurity among veterans and family members 

19 of veterans who receive services through Vet Centers or 

20 other facilities of the Department of Veterans Affairs as 

21 determined by the Secretary. 

22 (b) ELIGIBLE ENTITIES.—For purposes of the pilot 

23 program, an eligible entity is— 

24 (1) a nonprofit organization; 

25 (2) a veterans service organization; 


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1 (3) a public agency; 

2 (4) a community-based organization; or 

3 (5) an institution of higher education. 

4 (c) LOCATIONS.—In carrying out the pilot program, 

5 the Secretary shall award at least one grant to at least 

6 one eligible entity in each State, if the Secretary deter7 mines that there is such an entity in a State that has ap8 plied for, and meets requirements for the award of, such 

9 a grant. 

10 (d) MINIMUM PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS.—Any 

11 grant awarded under this section shall be used— 

12 (1) to carry out a collaboration between one or 

13 more public agencies and one or more Vet Centers 

14 or other facilities of the Department for five years; 

15 (2) to increase participation in nutrition coun16 seling programs and provide educational materials 

17 and counseling to veterans and family members of 

18 veterans to address food insecurity and healthy diets 

19 among those individuals; 

20 (3) to increase access to and enrollment in Fed21 eral assistance programs, including the supplemental 

22 nutrition assistance program under the Food and 

23 Nutrition Act of 2008 (7 U.S.C. 2011 et seq.), the 

24 special supplemental nutrition program for women, 

25 infants, and children established by section 17 of the 


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1 Child Nutrition Act of 1966 (42 U.S.C. 1786), and 

2 the low-income home energy assistance program es3 tablished under the Low-Income Home Energy As4 sistance Act of 1981 (42 U.S.C. 8621 et seq.), and 

5 any other assistance program that the Secretary 

6 deems advisable. 

7 (e) APPLICATION.—An eligible entity seeking a grant 

8 under the pilot program shall submit to the Secretary an 

9 application therefor at such time, in such manner, and 

10 containing such information as the Secretary may require. 

11 (f) SELECTION.—The Secretary shall select eligible 

12 entities that submit applications under subsection (e) for 

13 the award of grants under the pilot program using a com14 petitive process that takes into account the following: 

15 (1) Capacity of the applicant entity to serve 

16 veterans and family members of veterans. 

17 (2) Demonstrated need of the population the 

18 applicant entity would serve. 

19 (3) Demonstrated need of the applicant entity 

20 for assistance from the grants. 

21 (4) Such other criteria as the Secretary con22 siders appropriate. 

23 (g) REPORT.—Not later than 180 days after the date 

24 of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit 


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1 to the appropriate committees of Congress a report on the 

2 status of the implementation of this section. 

3 (h) GOVERNMENT ACCOUNTABILITY OFFICE RE4 PORT.— 

5 (1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than one year 

6 after the date on which the pilot program termi7 nates, the Comptroller General of the United States 

8 shall submit to Congress a report evaluating the ef9 fectiveness of the activities carried out under this 

10 section in reducing food insecurity among veterans 

11 and family members of veterans. 

12 (2) ELEMENTS.—The report required by para13 graph (1) shall include the following: 

14 (A) A summary of the activities conducted 

15 under this section. 

16 (B) An assessment of the effectiveness of 

17 the grants awarded under this section. 

18 (C) Best practices regarding the use of 

19 partnerships to improve the effectiveness of 

20 public benefit programs to address food insecu21 rity among veterans and family members of vet22 erans. 

23 (D) An assessment of the feasiblity and 

24 advisability of extending the term of the pilot 

25 program. 


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1 (i) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 

2 (1) APPROPRIATE COMMITTEES OF CON3 GRESS.—The term ‘‘appropriate committees of Con4 gress’’ means— 

5 (A) the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs 

6 and the Committee on Appropriations of the 

7 Senate; and 

8 (B) the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs 

9 and the Committee on Appropriations of the 

10 House of Representatives. 

11 (2) INSTITUTION OF HIGHER EDUCATION.—The 

12 term ‘‘institution of higher education’’ has the 

13 meaning given that term in section 101 of the High14 er Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001). 

15 (3) PUBLIC AGENCY.—The term ‘‘public agen16 cy’’ means a department, agency, other unit, or in17 strumentality of Federal, State, or local government. 

18 (4) STATE.—The term ‘‘State’’ means each 

19 State and Territory of the United States and the 

20 District of Columbia. 

21 (5) VETERAN.—The term ‘‘veteran’’ means an 

22 individual who served in the Armed Forces, includ23 ing an individual who served in a reserve component 

24 of the Armed Forces, and who was discharged or reVerDate Sep 11 2014 00:05 Jan 11, 2021 Jkt 019200 PO 00000 Frm 00015 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\S5072.IS S5072

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1 leased therefrom, regardless of the conditions of 

2 such discharge or release. 

Æ 


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