II 

114TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. 1797 

To require the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to establish a voluntary national 

directory of veterans to support outreach to veterans, and for other purposes. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

JULY 16, 2015 

Ms. HEITKAMP (for herself, Mr. MORAN, Mr. KING, and Mr. BOOZMAN) 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 establish 

a voluntary national directory of veterans to support 

outreach to 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 ‘‘Connect with Veterans 

5 Act of 2015’’. 

6 SEC. 2. VOLUNTARY NATIONAL DIRECTORY OF VETERANS. 

7 (a) PROGRAM REQUIRED.— 

8 (1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Veterans 

9 Affairs, in coordination with the Secretary of DeVerDate Sep 11 2014 23:58 Jul 20, 2015 Jkt 049200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\S1797.IS S1797

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1 fense, shall establish a program to facilitate outreach 

2 to veterans by covered entities. 

3 (2) COVERED ENTITIES.—For purposes of this 

4 section, a covered entity is any of the following: 

5 (A) The Department of Veterans Affairs. 

6 (B) The agency or department of a State 

7 that is the primary agency or department of the 

8 State for the administration of benefits and 

9 services for veterans in the State. 

10 (C) A political subdivision of a State. 

11 (D) An Indian tribe (as defined in section 

12 4 of the Indian Self-Determination and Edu13 cation Assistance Act (25 U.S.C. 450b)). 

14 (3) NATIONAL DIRECTORY.—To carry out the 

15 program required by paragraph (1), the Secretary of 

16 Veterans Affairs shall— 

17 (A) establish a national directory of vet18 erans as described in subsection (b); and 

19 (B) share information in the directory in 

20 accordance with subsection (c). 

21 (b) NATIONAL DIRECTORY.— 

22 (1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Veterans 

23 Affairs shall establish the national directory required 

24 by subsection (a)(3) using information received from 

25 the Secretary of Defense under subsection (d)(4). 


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1 (2) UPDATES.—The Secretary of Veterans Af2 fairs shall ensure that the national directory includes 

3 a mechanism by which a participating individual can 

4 update the information in the national directory that 

5 pertains to the participating individual. 

6 (3) DISENROLLMENT.—The Secretary shall es7 tablish a mechanism by which a participating indi8 vidual can indicate to the Secretary that the indi9 vidual would no longer like to receive information 

10 from participating entities under the program. 

11 (4) REENROLLMENT.—The Secretary shall es12 tablish a mechanism for the inclusion of information 

13 in the national directory of individuals who were pre14 viously participating individuals but who had made 

15 an indication under paragraph (3) and subsequently 

16 indicate that they would like to receive information 

17 from participating entities under the program. 

18 (5) PRIVACY AND SECURITY.—The Secretary 

19 shall take such actions as the Secretary considers 

20 appropriate to protect— 

21 (A) the privacy of individuals participating 

22 in the program; and 

23 (B) the security of the information stored 

24 in the national directory. 


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1 (6) EBENEFITS.—The Secretary of Veterans 

2 Affairs may use the system and architecture of the 

3 eBenefits Internet website of the Department of Vet4 erans Affairs to support and operate the national di5 rectory as the Secretary considers appropriate. 

6 (c) OUTREACH.— 

7 (1) SHARING OF DIRECTORY INFORMATION.— 

8 (A) IN GENERAL.—Except as provided in 

9 paragraph (2), in order to connect participating 

10 individuals with information about the pro11 grams they could be eligible for or services, sup12 port, and information they may be interested in 

13 receiving, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs may 

14 share, under the program established under 

15 subsection (a)(1), information in the national 

16 directory concerning such individuals with enti17 ties applicable to participating individuals. 

18 (B) ENTITIES APPLICABLE TO PARTICI19 PATING INDIVIDUALS.—For purposes of this 

20 subsection, an entity that is applicable to a par21 ticipating individual is a covered entity from 

22 whom a participating individual has expressed 

23 interest in receiving information under the pro24 gram. 


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1 (C) UPDATED INFORMATION.—In a case in 

2 which a participating individual updates the in3 formation pertaining to the participating indi4 vidual under subsection (b)(2), the Secretary 

5 shall transmit such information to each entity 

6 applicable to the participating individual. 

7 (D) NOTIFICATION OF DISENROLLMENT.— 

8 In a case in which a participating individual in9 dicates to the Secretary under subsection (b)(3) 

10 that the individual would no longer like to re11 ceive information from participating entities 

12 under the program, the Secretary shall inform 

13 each entity applicable to the participating indi14 vidual that the individual would no longer like 

15 to receive information from the entity under the 

16 program. 

17 (2) LIMITATIONS.— 

18 (A) LIMITATIONS ON THE SECRETARY.— 

19 (i) INFORMATION SHARED.—Under 

20 the program, the Secretary of Veterans Af21 fairs may only share from the national di22 rectory the following: 

23 (I) The name of a participating 

24 individual. 


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1 (II) The e-mail address of a par2 ticipating individual. 

3 (III) The postal address of a par4 ticipating individual. 

5 (IV) The phone number of a par6 ticipating individual. 

7 (V) Information on the types of 

8 benefits and services for which a par9 ticipating individual would like to re10 ceive communication and outreach, as 

11 collected under subsection 

12 (d)(2)(B)(iii). 

13 (ii) PROHIBITION ON SALE OF INFOR14 MATION.—The Secretary may not sell any 

15 information collected under this section. 

16 (iii) ENTITIES.—The Secretary may 

17 not share any information collected under 

18 the program with any entity that is not a 

19 participating entity. 

20 (B) LIMITATIONS ON PARTICIPATING ENTI21 TIES.— 

22 (i) SHARING WITH THIRD-PARTY AND

23 FOR-PROFIT ENTITIES.—As a condition of 

24 participation in the program, a partici25 pating entity shall agree not to share any 


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1 information the participating entity re2 ceives under the program with any third3 party or for-profit entity. 

4 (ii) PURCHASES OF PRODUCTS OR

5 SERVICES.—As a condition of participation 

6 in the program, a participating entity shall 

7 agree not to include in any information 

8 sent by the participating entity to a par9 ticipating individual a requirement that the 

10 participating individual or the family of the 

11 participating individual purchase a product 

12 or service. 

13 (iii) POLITICAL COMMUNICATION.—As 

14 a condition of participation in the pro15 gram, a participating entity shall agree not 

16 to use any information received under the 

17 program for any political communication. 

18 (3) DISENROLLMENT BY PARTICIPATING ENTI19 TIES.—The Secretary shall establish a mechanism 

20 by which a participating entity may indicate to the 

21 Secretary that the participating entity would no 

22 longer like to receive information about participating 

23 individuals from the national directory. 

24 (4) SENSE OF CONGRESS.— 


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1 (A) CONSOLIDATION OF REQUESTS.—It is 

2 the sense of Congress that covered entities de3 scribed in subsection (a)(2)(C) who are located 

4 in the same region should work together in a 

5 manner such that only one of them requests re6 ceipt of information under the program. 

7 (B) COLLABORATION.—It is the sense of 

8 Congress that covered entities described in sub9 section (a)(2)(C) should work with third par10 ties, such as veterans service organizations, 

11 military community groups, and other entities 

12 with an interest in assisting veterans, to develop 

13 the information the covered entities send to 

14 participating individuals under the program. 

15 (5) PUBLICITY.—The Secretary shall develop a 

16 plan to publicize the program and inform covered 

17 entities of the benefits of participating in the pro18 gram. 

19 (d) COLLECTION OF CONTACT INFORMATION.— 

20 (1) IN GENERAL.—To each member of the 

21 Armed Forces separating from service in the Armed 

22 Forces, the Secretary of Defense shall provide a 

23 form for the collection of information to be included 

24 in the national directory established under sub25 section (a). 


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1 (2) FORM.— 

2 (A) DEVELOPMENT.—The Secretary of 

3 Defense shall, in consultation with the Sec4 retary of Veterans Affairs, develop the form 

5 provided under paragraph (1). 

6 (B) ELEMENTS.—The form developed 

7 under subparagraph (A) shall allow a member 

8 of the Armed Forces who is in the process of 

9 separating from service in the Armed Forces to 

10 indicate the following: 

11 (i) Where the member intends to re12 side after separation. 

13 (ii) How the individual can best be 

14 contacted, such as a telephone number, an 

15 e-mail address, or a postal address. 

16 (iii) For which types of benefits and 

17 services the member would like to receive 

18 communication and outreach, such as 

19 health care, education, employment, and 

20 housing. 

21 (iv) From which of the following the 

22 member would like to receive the commu23 nication and outreach specified under 

24 clause (iii): 


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1 (I) The Department of Veterans 

2 Affairs. 

3 (II) The agency or department of 

4 the State in which the member in5 tends to reside after separation that is 

6 the primary agency or department of 

7 the State for the administration of 

8 benefits and services for veterans in 

9 the State. 

10 (III) A political subdivision of a 

11 State. 

12 (C) NOTICE.—The form developed under 

13 subparagraph (A) shall include notice of the fol14 lowing: 

15 (i) Information provided to agencies 

16 and departments described in subpara17 graph (B)(iv)(II) will only be provided as 

18 authorized and upon request by such agen19 cies and departments. 

20 (ii) Political subdivisions of States 

21 that receive information under the pro22 gram established under subsection (a) 

23 may— 

24 (I) share such information with 

25 such nonprofit organizations as the 


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1 political subdivisions consider appro2 priate; and 

3 (II) work with such organizations 

4 to provide the veterans with relevant 

5 information about benefits and serv6 ices offered by such organizations. 

7 (iii) Information provided on the form 

8 developed under subparagraph (A) will 

9 never be sold, provided to a for-profit enti10 ty, or used to send any sort of political 

11 communication. 

12 (D) MANNER.—The Secretary of Defense 

13 shall ensure that the form provided under para14 graph (1) is not primarily electronic in nature. 

15 (3) VOLUNTARY PARTICIPATION.—The Sec16 retary of Defense shall ensure that completion of the 

17 form provided under paragraph (1) is voluntary and 

18 submittal of such form to the Secretary by a mem19 ber of the Armed Forces shall be considered an indi20 cation to the Secretary that the member would like 

21 to receive information from participating entities 

22 under the program. 

23 (4) TRANSMITTAL OF INFORMATION TO SEC24 RETARY OF VETERANS AFFAIRS.—Not later than 30 

25 days after the date on which a member of the 


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1 Armed Forces who submitted information to the 

2 Secretary of Defense under this subsection separates 

3 from service in the Armed Forces, the Secretary of 

4 Defense shall transmit such information to the Sec5 retary of Veterans Affairs. 

6 (5) PRIVACY AND SECURITY.—The Secretary of 

7 Defense shall take such actions as the Secretary 

8 considers appropriate to protect— 

9 (A) the privacy of individuals who submit 

10 information under this subsection; and 

11 (B) the security of such information— 

12 (i) while it is in the possession of the 

13 Secretary; and 

14 (ii) while it is in transit to the Sec15 retary of Veterans Affairs. 

16 (6) INTEGRATION WITH TRANSITION ASSIST17 ANCE PROGRAM.—The Secretary of Defense and the 

18 Secretary of Labor shall jointly take such actions as 

19 the secretaries consider appropriate to integrate the 

20 collection of information under this subsection into 

21 the Transition Assistance Program. 

22 (e) REPORT.— 

23 (1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 180 days 

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1 fense shall jointly submit to the appropriate commit2 tees of Congress a report on the program established 

3 under subsection (a)(1). 

4 (2) CONTENTS.—The report submitted under 

5 paragraph (1) shall include an examination and as6 sessment of the following: 

7 (A) The signup process and the effective8 ness of the forms developed and provided under 

9 subsection (d). 

10 (B) The ways in which contact information 

11 is transferred from the Secretary of Defense to 

12 the Secretary of Veterans Affairs under the 

13 program and the plans of the secretaries to 

14 overcome challenges encountered by the secre15 taries in transferring such information. 

16 (C) The number of covered entities de17 scribed in subsection (a)(2)(C) participating in 

18 the program and any challenges they report in 

19 receiving the contact information from the Sec20 retary of Veterans Affairs under the program. 

21 (D) The effectiveness of efforts of the Sec22 retary of Veterans Affairs and the Secretary of 

23 Defense to protect the personal information of 

24 participating individuals. 


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1 (E) The effectiveness of efforts of covered 

2 entities described in subsection (a)(2)(C) to 

3 protect the personal information of partici4 pating individuals. 

5 (F) Whether additional limitations on the 

6 use of information collected under the program 

7 are necessary to protect participating individ8 uals from unwanted contact, or contact that is 

9 inconsistent with the program. 

10 (G) Whether participating individuals are 

11 benefitting by participating in the program and 

12 whether changing the program would improve 

13 such benefits. 

14 (H) The overall participation in the pro15 gram, utilization of the program, and how such 

16 participation and utilization could be improved. 

17 (I) Such other matters as the secretaries 

18 consider appropriate. 

19 (3) APPROPRIATE COMMITTEES OF CONGRESS

20 DEFINED.—In this subsection, the term ‘‘appro21 priate committees of Congress’’ means the following: 

22 (A) The Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, 

23 the Committee on Armed Services, and the 

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1 erans Affairs, and Related Agencies of the 

2 Committee on Appropriations of the Senate. 

3 (B) The Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, 

4 the Committee on Armed Services, and the 

5 Subcommittee on Military Construction, Vet6 erans Affairs and Related Agencies of the Com7 mittee on Appropriations of the House of Rep8 resentatives. 

9 (f) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 

10 (1) PARTICIPATING ENTITY.—The term ‘‘par11 ticipating entity’’ means a covered entity that has 

12 indicated to the Secretary of Veterans Affairs that 

13 the covered entity would like to receive information 

14 about participating individuals from the national di15 rectory and has made no subsequent indication that 

16 the covered entity would like to stop receiving such 

17 information. 

18 (2) PARTICIPATING INDIVIDUAL.—The term 

19 ‘‘participating individual’’ means an individual with 

20 respect to whom information is stored in the na21 tional directory and who has indicated to the Sec22 retary of Veterans Affairs or the Secretary of De23 fense that the individual would like to receive infor24 mation from participating entities under the pro25 gram and has made no subsequent indication that 


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1 the individual would like to stop receiving such infor2 mation. 

Æ 


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