I 

116TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 2727 

To establish a pilot program to improve information sharing between the 

Department of Defense and designated relatives and friends of members 

of the Armed Forces regarding the experiences and challenges of military 

service, particularly during and after overseas deployments, and for other 

purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

MAY 14, 2019 

Mr. PETERS (for himself, Mr. BANKS, and Mrs. DAVIS of California) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Armed 

Services, and in addition to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned 

A BILL 

To establish a pilot program to improve information sharing 

between the Department of Defense and designated relatives and friends of members of the Armed Forces 

regarding the experiences and challenges of military service, particularly during and after overseas deployments, 

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 ‘‘Sergeant Daniel 

3 Somers Network of Support Act’’. 

4 SEC. 2. PILOT PROGRAM TO IMPROVE INFORMATION SHAR5 ING BETWEEN DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE 

6 AND DESIGNATED RELATIVES AND FRIENDS 

7 OF MEMBERS OF THE ARMED FORCES RE8 GARDING THE EXPERIENCES AND CHAL9 LENGES OF MILITARY SERVICE. 

10 (a) PILOT PROGRAM DESCRIBED.— 

11 (1) PURPOSE.—Not later than one year after 

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

13 of Defense shall seek to enter into an agreement 

14 with the American Red Cross to carry out a pilot 

15 program under which— 

16 (A) the American Red Cross— 

17 (i) encourages a member of the 

18 Armed Forces, upon the enlistment or ap19 pointment of such member, to designate up 

20 to 15 persons to whom information regard21 ing the military service of such member 

22 shall be disseminated using contact infor23 mation obtained under paragraph (5); and 

24 (ii) provides such persons, within 30 

25 days after the date on which such persons 

26 were designated under clause (i), the opVerDate Sep 11 2014 22:13 May 25, 2019 Jkt 034408 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H2727.IH H2727

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1 tion to elect to receive such information re2 garding military service; and 

3 (B) the Secretary of Defense disseminates, 

4 not less frequently than quarterly, such infor5 mation to such persons who elect to receive 

6 such information under subparagraph (A)(ii). 

7 (2) TYPES OF INFORMATION.—The types of in8 formation to be disseminated by the Secretary of 

9 Defense to persons who elect to receive information 

10 under the pilot program shall include information re11 garding— 

12 (A) aspects of daily life and routine experi13 enced by members of the Armed Forces; 

14 (B) the challenges and stresses of military 

15 service, particularly during and after deploy16 ment as part of a contingency operation; 

17 (C) the services available to members of 

18 the Armed Forces and the dependents of such 

19 members to cope with the experiences and chal20 lenges of military service; 

21 (D) benefits administered by the Secretary 

22 of Defense for members of the Armed Forces 

23 and the dependents of such members; 

24 (E) a toll-free telephone number through 

25 which such persons who elect to receive inforVerDate Sep 11 2014 22:13 May 25, 2019 Jkt 034408 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H2727.IH H2727

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1 mation under the pilot program may request in2 formation regarding the program; and 

3 (F) such other information as the Sec4 retary of Defense, in consultation with members 

5 of the Armed Forces and such persons who 

6 elect to receive information under the pilot pro7 gram, determines to be appropriate. 

8 (3) PRIVACY OF INFORMATION.—In carrying 

9 out the pilot program under paragraph (1), the Sec10 retary of Defense may not disseminate information 

11 under paragraph (2) in violation of laws and regula12 tions pertaining to the privacy of members of the 

13 Armed Forces, including requirements pursuant 

14 to— 

15 (A) section 552a of title 5, United States 

16 Code; and 

17 (B) the Health Insurance Portability and 

18 Accountability Act of 1996 (Public Law 104– 

19 191). 

20 (4) NOTICE AND MODIFICATIONS.—In carrying 

21 out the pilot program under paragraph (1), the Sec22 retary of Defense shall, with respect to a member of 

23 the Armed Forces— 


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1 (A) ensure that such member is notified of 

2 the ability to modify designations made by the 

3 member under paragraph (1)(A); and 

4 (B) upon the request of a member, author5 ize the member to modify such designations at 

6 any time. 

7 (5) CONTACT INFORMATION.—In making a des8 ignation under the pilot program, a member of the 

9 Armed Forces shall provide necessary contact infor10 mation, specifically including an email address, to 

11 facilitate the dissemination of information regarding 

12 the military service of the member. 

13 (6) OPT-OUT OF PROGRAM.—In carrying out 

14 the pilot program under paragraph (1), the Sec15 retary of Defense shall, with respect to a person who 

16 has elected to receive information under such pilot 

17 program, cease disseminating such information to 

18 that person upon request of such person. 

19 (b) SURVEY AND REPORT ON PILOT PROGRAM.— 

20 (1) SURVEY.—Not later than two years after 

21 the date on which the pilot program commences, the 

22 Secretary of Defense, in consultation with the Amer23 ican Red Cross, shall administer a survey to persons 

24 who elected to receive information under the pilot 

25 program, for the purpose of receiving feedback reVerDate Sep 11 2014 22:13 May 25, 2019 Jkt 034408 PO 00000 Frm 00005 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H2727.IH H2727

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1 garding the quality of information disseminated 

2 under this section, including whether such informa3 tion appropriately reflects the military career pro4 gression of members of the Armed Forces. 

5 (2) REPORT.—Not later than three years after 

6 the date on which the pilot program commences, the 

7 Secretary of Defense shall submit to the congres8 sional defense committees a report on the pilot pro9 gram which includes— 

10 (A) the results of the survey administered 

11 under paragraph (1); 

12 (B) a determination as to whether the pilot 

13 program should be made permanent; and 

14 (C) recommendations as to modifications 

15 necessary to improve the program if made per16 manent. 

17 (3) CONGRESSIONAL DEFENSE COMMITTEES

18 DEFINED.—The term ‘‘congressional defense com19 mittees’’ has the meaning given that term in section 

20 101 of title 10, United States Code. 

21 (c) TERMINATION OF PILOT PROGRAM.—The pilot 

22 program shall terminate upon submission of the report re23 quired by subsection (b)(2). 

Æ 


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