I 

111TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 5719 

To amend title 10, United States Code, to require the Secretary of Veterans 

Affairs to develop, and the Secretary of Defense to distribute to members 

of the Armed Forces upon their discharge or release from active duty, 

information in a compact disk read-only memory format or other appropriate digital format that lists and explains the health, education, and 

other benefits for which veterans are eligible under the laws administered 

by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

JULY 13, 2010 

Mr. CARDOZA (for himself and Mr. PUTNAM) introduced the following bill; 

which was referred to the Committee on Armed Services, and in addition 

to the Committee on Veterans’ 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 amend title 10, United States Code, to require the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to develop, and the Secretary 

of Defense to distribute to members of the Armed Forces 

upon their discharge or release from active duty, information in a compact disk read-only memory format or 

other appropriate digital format that lists and explains 

the health, education, and other benefits for which veterans are eligible under the laws administered by the 

Secretary of Veterans Affairs. 


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•HR 5719 IH

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’ Information 

5 Act’’. 

6 SEC. 2. VETERANS HEALTH, EDUCATION, AND OTHER BEN7 EFITS INFORMATION IN COMPACT DISK 

8 READ-ONLY MEMORY FORMAT OR OTHER AP9 PROPRIATE DIGITAL FORMAT FOR MEMBERS 

10 OF THE ARMED FORCES UPON THEIR DIS11 CHARGE OR RELEASE FROM ACTIVE DUTY. 

12 (a) DEVELOPMENT AND DISTRIBUTION OF INFORMA13 TION.—Section 1142 of title 10, United States Code, is 

14 amended— 

15 (1) in subsection (b)(17), by inserting before 

16 the period at the end the following: ‘‘, including, 

17 once available, a copy of the compact disk or other 

18 appropriate digital format developed by the Sec19 retary of Veterans Affairs under subsection (d) that 

20 contains the information described in such sub21 section’’; and 

22 (2) by adding at the end the following new sub23 sections: 

24 ‘‘(d) VETERANS HEALTH, EDUCATION, AND OTHER

25 BENEFITS INFORMATION IN DIGITAL FORMAT.—(1) The 


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1 Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall develop and maintain 

2 in a compact disk read-only memory format, or other ap3 propriate digital format, certain information that the Sec4 retary determines would be helpful to veterans. The infor5 mation shall include the following: 

6 ‘‘(A) A listing and explanation of every benefit 

7 for which veterans may be eligible under the laws 

8 administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs 

9 and any other applicable law, and the eligibility cri10 teria for receiving each such benefit, including the 

11 range of compensation and benefits available under 

12 the laws administered by the Secretary of Veterans 

13 Affairs that are based on grade, length of service, 

14 degree of disability, at separation or retirement, and 

15 other factors affecting compensation and benefits. 

16 ‘‘(B) A comprehensive explanation of how vet17 erans may apply for such benefits, including proce18 dures, requirements, and locations for submitting 

19 applications for such benefits. 

20 ‘‘(C) A listing of all facilities of the Department 

21 of Veterans Affairs and contact information for such 

22 facilities. 

23 ‘‘(D) Contact information for State and local 

24 veterans agencies. 


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•HR 5719 IH

1 ‘‘(2) The compact disk or other digital format devel2 oped under this subsection shall be distributed to members 

3 of the Armed Forces pursuant to subsection (b) and, upon 

4 request, to family members of members of the armed 

5 forces. If a member of the armed forces is unable to re6 ceive the compact disk or other digital format, the compact 

7 disk or other digital format shall be distributed to a family 

8 member of that member of the Armed Forces, as deter9 mined by the Secretary concerned pursuant to regulations 

10 prescribed for such purpose, whether the family member 

11 requests the compact disk or other format or not. 

12 ‘‘(e) INTERNET WEBSITE.—The Secretary of Vet13 erans Affairs, the Secretary of Defense, and the head of 

14 any other relevant Government agency shall each maintain 

15 an Internet website on which information shall be made 

16 available at all times that clearly explains the benefits ad17 ministered by that Secretary or agency head to which vet18 erans are entitled and how veterans can secure those bene19 fits. The website shall include all of the information con20 tained on the compact disk or other digital format de21 scribed in subsection (d) and information about how fam22 ily members of veterans may request a compact disk or 

23 other digital format pursuant to subsection (d)(2). The in24 formation provided on the Internet website shall be up25 dated not later than 30 days after any change affecting 


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1 a benefit for which veterans may be eligible goes into ef2 fect.’’. 

3 (b) DEADLINE.—The compact disk or other digital 

4 format required by section 1142(d) of title 10, United 

5 States Code, as added by subsection (a), shall be developed 

6 and ready for distribution to members of the Armed 

7 Forces not later than one year after the date of the enact8 ment of this Act. 

Æ 


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