II 

113TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. 927 

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

project to assess the feasibility and advisability of using State and 

local government agencies and nonprofit organizations to increase awareness of benefits and services for veterans and to improve coordination 

of outreach activities relating to such benefits and services, and for 

other purposes. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

MAY 9, 2013 

Mr. SANDERS 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 demonstration project to assess the feasibility and advisability of using State and local government agencies 

and nonprofit organizations to increase awareness of benefits and services for veterans and to improve coordination of outreach activities relating to such benefits and 

services, 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, 


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1 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

2 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Veterans’ Outreach 

3 Act of 2013’’. 

4 SEC. 2. DEMONSTRATION PROJECT TO INCREASE COORDI5 NATION OF OUTREACH EFFORTS BETWEEN 

6 THE DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS 

7 AND FEDERAL, STATE, AND LOCAL AGENCIES 

8 AND NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS. 

9 (a) DEMONSTRATION PROJECT REQUIRED.—The 

10 Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall carry out a demonstra11 tion project to assess the feasibility and advisability of 

12 using State and local government agencies and nonprofit 

13 organizations— 

14 (1) to increase awareness of veterans regarding 

15 benefits and services for veterans; and 

16 (2) to improve coordination of outreach activi17 ties regarding such benefits and services between the 

18 Secretary and Federal, State, and local government 

19 and nonprofit providers of health care and benefit 

20 services for veterans. 

21 (b) DURATION.— 

22 (1) IN GENERAL.—The demonstration project 

23 shall be carried out during the two-year period be24 ginning on the date that is 180 days after the date 

25 of the enactment of this Act. 


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1 (2) AUTHORITY FOR EXTENSION.—The Sec2 retary may extend the duration of the demonstration 

3 project for an additional two years. 

4 (c) GRANTS.— 

5 (1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall carry 

6 out the demonstration project through the award of 

7 grants to State and local government agencies and 

8 nonprofit organizations to carry out projects that— 

9 (A) increase the awareness of veterans re10 garding benefits and services for veterans; and 

11 (B) improve coordination of outreach ac12 tivities regarding such benefits and services be13 tween the Secretary and Federal, State, and 

14 local government and nonprofit providers of 

15 health care and benefit services for veterans. 

16 (2) APPLICATION.— 

17 (A) IN GENERAL.—A State or local gov18 ernment agency or nonprofit organization seek19 ing a grant under the demonstration project 

20 shall submit to the Secretary an application 

21 therefor in such form and in such manner as 

22 the Secretary considers appropriate. 

23 (B) ELEMENTS.—Each application sub24 mitted under subparagraph (A) shall include 

25 the following: 


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1 (i) A description of the consultations, 

2 if any, with the Department of Veterans 

3 Affairs in the development of any proposal 

4 under the application. 

5 (ii) A description of the project for 

6 which the applicant is seeking a grant 

7 under the demonstration project, including 

8 a plan to coordinate under the demonstra9 tion project, to the greatest extent possible, 

10 the outreach activities of Federal, State, 

11 and local government agencies that provide 

12 health care, benefits, and services for vet13 erans and nonprofit organizations that pro14 vide such care, benefits, and services to en15 hance the awareness and availability of 

16 such care, benefits, and services. 

17 (iii) An agreement to report to the 

18 Secretary standardized data and other per19 formance measures necessary for the Sec20 retary to evaluate the demonstration 

21 project and to facilitate evaluation of indi22 vidual projects for which grants are award23 ed under the demonstration project. 

24 (iv) Such other information as the 

25 Secretary may require. 


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1 (3) CONSIDERATIONS.—In awarding grants 

2 under the demonstration project to carry out 

3 projects, the Secretary shall consider where the 

4 projects will be carried out and which populations 

5 are targeted. In particular, the Secretary shall con6 sider the advisability of awarding grants for 

7 projects— 

8 (A) carried out in areas with populations 

9 that have a high proportion of veteran represen10 tation; 

11 (B) carried out in a variety of geographic 

12 areas, including urban, rural, and highly rural 

13 areas; and 

14 (C) that target a variety of veteran popu15 lations, including racial and ethnic minorities, 

16 low-income populations, and older populations. 

17 (4) USE OF FUNDS.—The Secretary shall estab18 lish appropriate uses of grant amounts received 

19 under the demonstration project. 

20 (5) LIMITATION.—In a fiscal year, not more 

21 than 20 percent of all grant amounts awarded in 

22 that fiscal year may be awarded to a single State en23 tity. 

24 (d) STATE MATCHING REQUIREMENT.—The Sec25 retary may not make a grant to a State under subsection 


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1 (c) unless that State agrees that, with respect to the costs 

2 to be incurred by the State in carrying out the program 

3 or activities for which the grant was awarded, the State 

4 will make available (directly or through donations from 

5 public or private entities) non-Federal contributions in an 

6 amount equal to 50 percent of Federal funds provided 

7 under the grant. 

8 (e) ANNUAL REPORT.— 

9 (1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 120 days 

10 after the completion of the first calendar year begin11 ning after the date of the commencement of the 

12 demonstration project, and not less frequently than 

13 once every year thereafter for the duration of the 

14 project, the Secretary shall submit to Congress a re15 port evaluating the demonstration project and the 

16 projects supported by grants awarded under the 

17 demonstration project. 

18 (2) ELEMENTS.—The report required by para19 graph (1) shall include the following: 

20 (A) The findings and conclusions of the 

21 Secretary with respect to the demonstration 

22 project. 

23 (B) An assessment of the benefit to vet24 erans of the demonstration project. 


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1 (C) The recommendations of the Secretary 

2 as to the feasibility and advisability of con3 tinuing or expanding the demonstration project. 

4 SEC. 3. COOPERATIVE AGREEMENTS BETWEEN SECRETARY 

5 OF VETERANS AFFAIRS AND STATES ON OUT6 REACH ACTIVITIES. 

7 (a) IN GENERAL.—Chapter 63 of title 38, United 

8 States Code, is amended by inserting after section 6306 

9 the following new section: 

10 ‘‘§ 6306A. Cooperative agreements with States 

11 ‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary may enter into co12 operative agreements and arrangements with various 

13 agencies and departments of States to carry out this chap14 ter and to otherwise carry out, coordinate, improve, or en15 hance outreach activities of the Department and the 

16 States. 

17 ‘‘(b) ANNUAL REPORT.—Not less frequently than 

18 once each year, the Secretary shall submit to Congress a 

19 report that describes the agreements and arrangements 

20 entered into by the Secretary under subsection (a) during 

21 the most recent one-year period.’’. 

22 (b) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sections 

23 at the beginning of chapter 63 of such title is amended 

24 by inserting after the item relating to section 6306 the 

25 following new item: 

‘‘6306A. Cooperative agreements with States.’’. 


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1 SEC. 4. BUDGET TRANSPARENCY FOR OUTREACH ACTIVI2 TIES OF DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AF3 FAIRS. 

4 (a) IN GENERAL.—Chapter 63 of title 38, United 

5 States Code, is amended by inserting after section 6308 

6 the following new section: 

7 ‘‘§ 6309. Budget transparency 

8 ‘‘(a) BUDGET REQUIREMENTS.—In the budget jus9 tification materials submitted to Congress in support of 

10 the Department budget for a fiscal year (as submitted 

11 with the budget of the President under section 1105(a) 

12 of title 31), the Secretary shall include a separate state13 ment of the amount requested for such fiscal year for ac14 tivities of the Office of Public and Intergovernmental Af15 fairs as follows: 

16 ‘‘(1) For outreach activities of the Department 

17 in aggregate. 

18 ‘‘(2) For outreach activities of each element of 

19 the Department specified in subsection (b)(1). 

20 ‘‘(b) PROCEDURES FOR EFFECTIVE COORDINATION

21 AND COLLABORATION.—(1) Not later than 180 days after 

22 the date of the enactment of the Veterans’ Outreach Act 

23 of 2013, the Secretary shall establish and maintain proce24 dures for the Office of Public and Intergovernmental Af25 fairs to ensure the effective coordination and collaboration 


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1 of outreach activities of the Department between and 

2 among the following: 

3 ‘‘(A) The Office of the Secretary. 

4 ‘‘(B) The Veterans Health Administration. 

5 ‘‘(C) The Veterans Benefits Administration. 

6 ‘‘(D) The National Cemetery Administration. 

7 ‘‘(2) The Secretary shall— 

8 ‘‘(A) beginning after the date on which the Sec9 retary establishes procedures under paragraph (1), 

10 not less frequently than once every two years con11 duct a review of the procedures established and 

12 maintained under paragraph (1) to ensure that such 

13 procedures meet the requirements such paragraph; 

14 ‘‘(B) make such modifications to such proce15 dures as the Secretary considers appropriate based 

16 upon reviews conducted under subparagraph (A) in 

17 order to better meet such requirements; and 

18 ‘‘(C) not later than 45 days after completing a 

19 review under subparagraph (A), submit to Congress 

20 a report on such review.’’. 

21 (b) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sections 

22 at the beginning of chapter 63 of such title is amended 

23 by inserting after the item relating to section 6308 the 

24 following new item: 

‘‘6309. Budget transparency.’’. 


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1 SEC. 5. ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON OUTREACH ACTIVITIES 

2 OF DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS. 

3 (a) ESTABLISHMENT.—Not later than 180 days after 

4 the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of 

5 Veterans Affairs shall establish an advisory committee on 

6 outreach activities of the Department of Veterans Affairs. 

7 (b) MEMBERSHIP.—The advisory committee shall be 

8 composed of individuals selected by the Secretary from 

9 among the following: 

10 (1) To the maximum extent practicable, individ11 uals who are eminent in their respective fields of 

12 public relations. 

13 (2) Representatives of organizations with offices 

14 that focus on communications and distribute mes15 sages through major media news outlets and social 

16 media. 

17 (3) To the maximum extent practicable, individ18 uals with experience communicating financial results 

19 and business strategy for purposes of shaping a con20 fident brand image. 

21 (4) To the maximum extent practicable, individ22 uals with experience with consumer and lifestyle im23 aging and creating publicity for a particular product 

24 or service. 


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1 (5) To the maximum extent practicable, vet2 erans who have experience in press and public rela3 tions. 

4 (c) DUTIES.—The advisory committee shall collabo5 rate with the Assistant Secretary for Public and Intergov6 ernmental Affairs— 

7 (1) to ensure that the Department of Veterans 

8 Affairs is strategically and effectively— 

9 (A) engaging the public and Department 

10 stakeholders to increase awareness nationally 

11 regarding benefits and services furnished by the 

12 Department; 

13 (B) explaining new or changing policies of 

14 the Department; 

15 (C) improving the image and reputation of 

16 the Department; and 

17 (D) coordinating and collaborating with 

18 national community-based organizations, non19 profits, and State and local government agen20 cies; and 

21 (2) to assist the Secretary in conducting such 

22 other press or public relations activities relating to 

23 outreach activities of the Department as the advi24 sory committee considers appropriate. 


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1 (d) CONSULTATION.—The Secretary shall consult 

2 with and seek the advice of the advisory committee not 

3 less frequently than quarterly on matters relating to the 

4 duties of the advisory committee under subsection (c). 

5 (e) QUARTERLY REPORTS.— 

6 (1) IN GENERAL.—Not less frequently than 

7 once every 90 days, the advisory committee shall 

8 submit to Congress and to the Secretary a report on 

9 outreach activities of the Department. 

10 (2) RECOMMENDATIONS.—Each report sub11 mitted under paragraph (1) shall include such rec12 ommendations for legislative and administrative ac13 tion as the advisory committee considers appropriate 

14 to improve the press and public relations of the De15 partment relating to outreach. 

16 (f) TERMINATION.—The advisory committee shall 

17 terminate on October 1, 2015, and the requirements and 

18 authorities under this section shall terminate on such date. 

19 (g) OUTREACH DEFINED.—In this section, the term 

20 ‘‘outreach’’ has the meaning given the term in section 

21 6301 of title 38, United States Code. 


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1 SEC. 6. ADVISORY BOARDS ON OUTREACH ACTIVITIES AT 

2 DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS MED3 ICAL CENTERS. 

4 (a) ESTABLISHMENT.—For each Department of Vet5 erans Affairs medical center, the Secretary of Veterans Af6 fairs shall, acting through the director of such medical 

7 center, establish not later than 180 days after the date 

8 of the enactment of this Act an advisory board at such 

9 medical center on matters relating to outreach activities 

10 of the Department at such medical center. 

11 (b) MEMBERSHIP.—Each advisory board established 

12 under subsection (a) at a Department medical center shall 

13 be, to the maximum extent practicable, composed of indi14 viduals selected by the Secretary from among the fol15 lowing: 

16 (1) Individuals who are eminent in their respec17 tive fields of public relations. 

18 (2) Representatives of organizations with offices 

19 that focus on communications and distribute mes20 sages through major media news outlets and social 

21 media. 

22 (3) Individuals with experience communicating 

23 financial results and business strategy for purposes 

24 of shaping a confident brand image. 


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1 (4) Individuals with experience with consumer 

2 and lifestyle imaging and creating publicity for a 

3 particular product or service. 

4 (5) Employees of the Department who are in5 volved in press and public relations strategy at the 

6 medical center. 

7 (6) To the maximum extent practicable, vet8 erans who have experience in press and public rela9 tions. 

10 (c) DUTIES.—Each advisory board established under 

11 subsection (a) at a Department medical center shall col12 laborate with the Assistant Secretary for Public and Inter13 governmental Affairs— 

14 (1) to ensure that the Department of Veterans 

15 Affairs is strategically and effectively— 

16 (A) engaging the public and Department 

17 stakeholders to increase awareness nationally 

18 regarding benefits and services furnished by the 

19 Department; 

20 (B) explaining new or changing policies of 

21 the Department; 

22 (C) improving the image and reputation of 

23 the Department; and 

24 (D) coordinating and collaborating with 

25 national community-based organizations, nonVerDate Mar 15 2010 00:30 May 16, 2013 Jkt 029200 PO 00000 Frm 00014 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\S927.IS S927

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1 profits, and State and local government agen2 cies; and 

3 (2) to assist the director of such medical facility 

4 in conducting such other press or public relations ac5 tivities relating to outreach activities of the Depart6 ment as the advisory board considers appropriate. 

7 (d) CONSULTATION.—Each director of a Department 

8 medical center shall consult with and seek the advice of 

9 the advisory board established at such medical center not 

10 less frequently than once every two months on matters re11 lating to the duties of the advisory board under subsection 

12 (c). 

13 (e) ANNUAL REPORTS.—Not less frequently than 

14 each year, each advisory board established under sub15 section (a) shall submit to the Secretary a report with 

16 such information as may be beneficial to the Secretary in 

17 preparing the reports required by section 6308 of title 38, 

18 United States Code. 

19 (f) TERMINATION.—Each advisory board established 

20 under subsection (a) and the authorities and requirements 

21 of this section shall terminate on October 1, 2015. 


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1 SEC. 7. MODIFICATION OF REQUIREMENT FOR PERIODIC 

2 REPORTS TO CONGRESS ON OUTREACH AC3 TIVITIES OF DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AF4 FAIRS. 

5 (a) IN GENERAL.—Section 6308 of title 38, United 

6 States Code, is amended— 

7 (1) in subsection (a), by striking ‘‘even-num8 bered’’; and 

9 (2) in subsection (b)— 

10 (A) in paragraph (1), by striking ‘‘bien11 nial’’; 

12 (B) in paragraph (2), by inserting ‘‘for leg13 islative and administrative action’’ after ‘‘Rec14 ommendations’’; and 

15 (C) by adding at the end the following new 

16 paragraph: 

17 ‘‘(3) Recommendations that such administrative 

18 actions as may be taken— 

19 ‘‘(A) to maximize resources for outreach 

20 activities of the Department; and 

21 ‘‘(B) to focus outreach efforts on activities 

22 that are proven to be more effective.’’. 

23 (b) CLERICAL AMENDMENTS.— 

24 (1) SECTION HEADING.—The heading for sec25 tion 6308 of such title is amended by striking ‘‘Bi26 ennial’’ and inserting ‘‘Annual’’. 


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1 (2) TABLE OF SECTIONS.—The table of sections 

2 at the beginning of chapter 63 of such title is 

3 amended by striking the item relating to section 

4 6308 and inserting the following new item: 

‘‘6308. Annual report to Congress.’’. 

Æ 


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