II 

113TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. 1558 

To require the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to carry out a program of 

outreach for veterans, and for other purposes. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

SEPTEMBER 27, 2013 

Mr. BEGICH (for himself and Mr. BROWN) introduced the following bill; which 

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

A BILL 

To require the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to carry out 

a program of outreach for veterans, 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 ‘‘Veterans Outreach En5 hancement Act of 2013’’. 

6 SEC. 2. PROGRAM OF OUTREACH TO VETERANS. 

7 (a) PROGRAM REQUIRED.—The Secretary of Vet8 erans Affairs shall establish a program of outreach to vet9 erans for the purpose described in subsection (b). 

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1 (b) PURPOSE.—The purpose described in this sub2 section is to increase the following: 

3 (1) The access and use by veterans of Federal, 

4 State, and local programs providing compensation 

5 and other benefits for service in the Armed Forces. 

6 (2) Awareness of such programs by veterans 

7 and their eligibility for such programs. 

8 (c) DURATION.—The program required by subsection 

9 (a) shall be carried out during the five-year period begin10 ning on the date of the enactment of this Act. 

11 (d) AGREEMENTS TO CARRY OUT PROJECTS AND

12 ACTIVITIES.— 

13 (1) AGREEMENTS WITH FEDERAL AND STATE

14 AGENCIES.—In carrying out the program required 

15 by subsection (a), the Secretary of Veterans Affairs 

16 may enter into agreements with other Federal and 

17 State agencies to carry out projects under the juris18 diction of such agencies to further the purpose de19 scribed in subsection (b). 

20 (2) AGREEMENTS WITH APPLICABLE AUTHORI21 TIES AND COMMISSIONS.—In carrying out the pro22 gram required by subsection (a), the Secretary may 

23 enter into agreements with applicable authorities 

24 and commissions to provide technical assistance, 

25 award grants, enter into contracts, or otherwise promstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with BILLS

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1 vide amounts to persons or entities for projects and 

2 activities that— 

3 (A) increase outreach to, awareness by, 

4 and use by veterans of programs described in 

5 subsection (b)(1); 

6 (B) provide incentives for State and local 

7 governments and veterans service organizations 

8 to assist veterans in utilizing facilities and re9 sources available to veterans through the De10 partment of Veterans Affairs; 

11 (C) provide incentives for State and local 

12 governments and veterans service organizations 

13 to assist veterans in utilizing resources available 

14 through government and veterans service orga15 nizations for veterans; 

16 (D) educate communities and State and 

17 local governments about the employment rights 

18 of veterans, including the employment and re19 employment of members of the uniformed serv20 ices under chapter 43 of title 38, United States 

21 Code; 

22 (E) provide technical assistance to busi23 nesses owned by veterans; and 

24 (F) encourage and assist nonprofit organi25 zations, businesses, and institutions of higher 

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1 education to carry out programs of assistance 

2 designed for veterans. 

3 (3) APPLICABLE AUTHORITIES AND COMMIS4 SIONS.—For purposes of the program required by 

5 subsection (a), the applicable authorities and com6 missions are the following: 

7 (A) The Appalachian Regional Commis8 sion, established under section 14301(a) of title 

9 40, United States Code. 

10 (B) The Delta Regional Authority, estab11 lished under section 382B(a) of the Consoli12 dated Farm and Rural Development Act (7 

13 U.S.C. 2009aa–1(a)). 

14 (C) The Denali Commission, established 

15 under section 303 of the Denali Commission 

16 Act of 1998 (42 U.S.C. 3121 note). 

17 (D) The Northern Great Plains Regional 

18 Authority, established under section 383B(a) of 

19 the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development 

20 Act (7 U.S.C. 2009bb–1(a)). 

21 (E) The Southeast Crescent Regional 

22 Commission, the Southwest Border Regional 

23 Commission, and the Northern Border Regional 

24 Commission established under section 15301(a) 

25 of title 40, United States Code. 

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1 (F) Entities described in subparagraph (G) 

2 that serve Native Americans, Alaska Natives, or 

3 native Hawaiians (as such terms are defined in 

4 section 3765 of title 38, United States Code). 

5 (G) Commissions and development boards 

6 that are— 

7 (i) not chartered by the Federal Gov8 ernment; 

9 (ii) selected by the Secretary for pur10 poses of the program; and 

11 (iii) located in areas that present ex12 traordinary challenges to veterans, as de13 termined by the Secretary, including the 

14 following: 

15 (I) Areas in severe economic dis16 tress. 

17 (II) Areas with underdeveloped 

18 infrastructure. 

19 (III) Areas with unusual geo20 graphic characteristics, such as sepa21 ration from the mainland. 

22 (e) INFORMATION, ADVICE, AND TECHNICAL ASSIST23 ANCE.—In carrying out the program required by sub24 section (a), the Secretary of Veterans Affairs may provide, 

25 or contract with public or private organizations to provide, 

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1 information, advice, and technical assistance to nonprofit 

2 organizations that provide services to communities in 

3 order to increase the number of veterans receiving such 

4 services. 

5 (f) REPORT ON OUTREACH ACTIVITIES OF DEPART6 MENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS.— 

7 (1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than four years 

8 after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Sec9 retary shall submit to Congress a comprehensive re10 port on the activities of the Department of Veterans 

11 Affairs regarding outreach to veterans. 

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

14 (A) A description of all of the activities of 

15 the Department regarding outreach to veterans 

16 carried out since the date of the enactment of 

17 this Act, including the activities of the Depart18 ment carried out under the program required 

19 by subsection (a). 

20 (B) An assessment of the effectiveness of 

21 the activities described in subparagraph (A). 

22 (g) VETERANS SERVICE ORGANIZATION DEFINED.— 

23 In this section, the term ‘‘veterans service organization’’ 

24 means any organization recognized by the Secretary of 

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1 Veterans Affairs for the representation of veterans under 

2 section 5902 of title 38, United States Code. 

3 (h) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There 

4 are authorized to be appropriated to carry out the pro5 gram required by subsection (a)— 

6 (1) $7,000,000 for fiscal year 2014; and 

7 (2) $35,000,000 for the period of fiscal years 

8 2015 through 2019. 

Æ 

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