I 

111TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 5517 

To amend title 13, United States Code, to require that the questionnaire 

used in a decennial census of population shall include an inquiry regarding an individual’s status as a veteran, a spouse of a veteran, or a 

dependent of a veteran, and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

JUNE 10, 2010 

Mr. STEARNS introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, 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 13, United States Code, to require that 

the questionnaire used in a decennial census of population shall include an inquiry regarding an individual’s 

status as a veteran, a spouse of a veteran, or a dependent of a veteran, 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 ‘‘Every Veteran Counts 

5 Act’’. 


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1 SEC. 2. CENSUS QUESTION REGARDING STATUS AS VET2 ERAN, SPOUSE OF A VETERAN, OR DEPEND3 ENT OF A VETERAN. 

4 (a) IN GENERAL.—Section 141 of title 13, United 

5 States Code, is amended— 

6 (1) by redesignating subsection (g) as sub7 section (h); and 

8 (2) by inserting after subsection (f) the fol9 lowing: 

10 ‘‘(g)(1) In conducting a decennial census under sub11 section (a), the Secretary shall, on each questionnaire used 

12 in such census, include a question regarding whether an 

13 individual is a veteran, a spouse of a veteran, or the de14 pendent of a veteran. Such question shall be in a checkoff 

15 format. 

16 ‘‘(2) In conducting any survey during the interval be17 tween each census of population required under subsection 

18 (a), the Secretary may, on each questionnaire or form 

19 used in such survey, include a question regarding whether 

20 an individual is a veteran, a spouse of a veteran, or the 

21 dependent of a veteran. 

22 ‘‘(3) For purposes of this subsection— 

23 ‘‘(A) the term ‘veteran’ has the meaning given 

24 such term in section 101 of title 38; and 


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1 ‘‘(B) the term ‘dependent’ has the meaning 

2 given such term in section 152 of the Internal Rev3 enue Code of 1986.’’. 

4 (b) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendments made by 

5 subsection (a) shall apply with respect to the 2020 decen6 nial census of population and each decennial census there7 after. 

8 SEC. 3. REPORTS TO CONGRESS REGARDING USE OF POPU9 LATION AND OTHER CENSUS-RELATED DATA 

10 BY THE DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AF11 FAIRS. 

12 Not later than 21 months after the date of a decen13 nial census, the Department of Veterans Affairs shall 

14 transmit to Congress a report identifying the laws or pro15 grams administered by such Department, including the 

16 specific purposes under each such law or program, for 

17 which population data or any other information obtained 

18 from any census, survey, or other means under title 13, 

19 United States Code— 

20 (1) were used by such Department during the 

21 year most recently ended; and 

22 (2) are being or will be used by such Depart23 ment during the period following the close of the 

24 year most recently ended and preceding the date as 


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1 of which data from the next decennial census are ob2 tained. 

Æ 


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