PUBLIC LAW 114–31—JULY 20, 2015 

VETERANS IDENTIFICATION CARD ACT 

OF 2015 


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129 STAT. 428 PUBLIC LAW 114–31—JULY 20, 2015 

Public Law 114–31 

114th Congress 

An Act 

To amend title 38, United States Code, to direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs 

to issue, upon request, veteran identification cards to certain veterans. 

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 

the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Veterans Identification Card 

Act 2015’’. 

SEC. 2. VETERANS IDENTIFICATION CARD. 

(a) FINDINGS.—Congress makes the following findings: 

(1) Effective on the day before the date of the enactment 

of this Act, veteran identification cards were issued to veterans 

who have either completed the statutory time-in-service 

requirement for retirement from the Armed Forces or who 

have received a medical-related discharge from the Armed 

Forces. 

(2) Effective on the day before the date of the enactment 

of this Act, a veteran who served a minimum obligated time 

in service, but who did not meet the criteria described in 

paragraph (1), did not receive a means of identifying the veteran’s status as a veteran other than using the Department 

of Defense form DD–214 discharge papers of the veteran. 

(3) Goods, services, and promotional activities are often 

offered by public and private institutions to veterans who demonstrate proof of service in the military, but it is impractical 

for a veteran to always carry Department of Defense form 

DD–214 discharge papers to demonstrate such proof. 

(4) A general purpose veteran identification card made 

available to veterans would be useful to demonstrate the status 

of the veterans without having to carry and use official Department of Defense form DD–214 discharge papers. 

(5) On the day before the date of the enactment of this 

Act, the Department of Veterans Affairs had the infrastructure 

in place across the United States to produce photographic 

identification cards and accept a small payment to cover the 

cost of these cards. 

(b) PROVISION OF VETERAN IDENTIFICATION CARDS.—Chapter 

57 of title 38, United States Code, is amended by adding after 

section 5705 the following new section: 

38 USC 5706 

note. 

Veterans 

Identification 

Card Act of 2015. 

38 USC 101 note. 

July 20, 2015 

[H.R. 91] 


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PUBLIC LAW 114–31—JULY 20, 2015 129 STAT. 429 

‘‘§ 5706. Veterans identification card 

‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall issue 

an identification card described in subsection (b) to each veteran 

who— 

‘‘(1) requests such card; 

‘‘(2) presents a copy of Department of Defense form DD– 

214 or other official document from the official military personnel file of the veteran that describes the service of the 

veteran; and 

‘‘(3) pays the fee under subsection (c)(1). 

‘‘(b) IDENTIFICATION CARD.—An identification card described 

in this subsection is a card issued to a veteran that— 

‘‘(1) displays a photograph of the veteran; 

‘‘(2) displays the name of the veteran; 

‘‘(3) explains that such card is not proof of any benefits 

to which the veteran is entitled to; 

‘‘(4) contains an identification number that is not a social 

security number; and 

‘‘(5) serves as proof that such veteran— 

‘‘(A) served in the Armed Forces; and 

‘‘(B) has a Department of Defense form DD–214 or 

other official document in the official military personnel 

file of the veteran that describes the service of the veteran. 

‘‘(c) COSTS OF CARD.—(1) The Secretary shall charge a fee 

to each veteran who receives an identification card issued under 

this section, including a replacement identification card. 

‘‘(2)(A) The fee charged under paragraph (1) shall equal such 

amount as the Secretary determines is necessary to issue an identification card under this section. 

‘‘(B) In determining the amount of the fee under subparagraph 

(A), the Secretary shall ensure that the total amount of fees collected 

under paragraph (1) equals an amount necessary to carry out 

this section, including costs related to any additional equipment 

or personnel required to carry out this section. 

‘‘(C) The Secretary shall review and reassess the determination 

under subparagraph (A) during each five-year period in which the 

Secretary issues an identification card under this section. 

‘‘(3) Amounts collected under this subsection shall be deposited 

in an account of the Department available to carry out this section. 

Amounts so deposited shall be— 

‘‘(A) merged with amounts in such account; 

‘‘(B) available in such amounts as may be provided in 

appropriation Acts; and 

‘‘(C) subject to the same conditions and limitations as 

amounts otherwise in such account. 

‘‘(d) EFFECT OF CARD ON BENEFITS.—(1) An identification card 

issued under this section shall not serve as proof of any benefits 

that the veteran may be entitled to under this title. 

‘‘(2) A veteran who is issued an identification card under this 

section shall not be entitled to any benefits under this title by 

reason of possessing such card. 

‘‘(e) ADMINISTRATIVE MEASURES.—(1) The Secretary shall 

ensure that any information collected or used with respect to an 

identification card issued under this section is appropriately 

secured. 

‘‘(2) The Secretary may determine any appropriate procedures 

with respect to issuing a replacement identification card. 

Review. 

Assessment. 

Determination. 

Fees. 

38 USC 5706. 


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129 STAT. 430 PUBLIC LAW 114–31—JULY 20, 2015 

LEGISLATIVE HISTORY—H.R. 91: 

CONGRESSIONAL RECORD, Vol. 161 (2015): 

May 18, considered and passed House. 

June 22, considered and passed Senate, amended. 

July 7, House concurred in Senate amendment. 

Æ 

‘‘(3) In carrying out this section, the Secretary shall coordinate 

with the National Personnel Records Center. 

‘‘(4) The Secretary may conduct such outreach to advertise 

the identification card under this section as the Secretary considers 

appropriate. 

‘‘(f) CONSTRUCTION.—This section shall not be construed to 

affect identification cards otherwise provided by the Secretary to 

veterans enrolled in the health care system established under section 1705(a) of this title.’’. 

(c) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sections at the beginning of such chapter is amended by inserting after the item relating 

to section 5705 the following new item: 

‘‘5706. Veterans identification card.’’. 

(d) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendments made by this Act shall 

take effect on the date that is 60 days after the date of the enactment of this Act. 

Approved July 20, 2015. 

38 USC 5706 

note. 

38 USC 

prec. 5701. 

Coordination. 


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