Commitment to Veteran Support and Outreach Act

To amend title 38, United States Code, to authorize the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to award grants to States to improve outreach to veterans, and for other purposes. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Commitment to Veteran Support and Outreach Act 2. Authority for Secretary of Veterans Affairs to award grants to States and Indian Tribes to improve outreach to veterans (a) In general Chapter 63 (1) by redesignating sections 6307 and 6308 and sections 6308 and 6309, respectively; and (2) by inserting after section 6306 the following new section 6307: 6307. Grants to States and Indian Tribes to improve outreach to veterans (a) Purpose It is the purpose of this section to provide for assistance by the Secretary to States and Indian Tribes to carry out programs that— (1) improve outreach and assistance to veterans and the spouses, children, and parents of veterans, to ensure that such individuals are fully informed about any veterans and veterans-related benefits and programs (including veterans programs of a State or Indian Tribe) for which they may be eligible; and (2) facilitate opportunities for such individuals to receive competent, qualified services in the preparation, presentation, and prosecution of veterans benefits claims. (b) Authority The Secretary may award grants under this section to States and Indian Tribes— (1) to carry out, coordinate, improve, or otherwise enhance outreach activities; (2) to increase the number of county or Tribal veterans service officers serving in the State or Indian Tribe by hiring new, additional such officers; or (3) to expand, carry out, coordinate, improve, or otherwise enhance existing programs, activities, and services of the existing organization of the State or Indian Tribe that has been recognized by the Department of Veterans Affairs pursuant to section 5902, in the preparation, presentation, and prosecution of claims for veterans benefits through representatives who hold positions as county or Tribal veterans service officers. (c) Application (1) To be eligible for a grant under this section, a State or Indian Tribe shall submit to the Secretary an application therefor at such time, in such manner, and containing such information as the Secretary may require. (2) Each application submitted under paragraph (1) shall include the following: (A) A detailed plan for the use of the grant. (B) A description of the programs through which the State or Indian Tribe will meet the outcome measures developed by the Secretary under subsection (i). (C) A description of how the State or Indian Tribe will distribute grant amounts equitably among counties (or Tribal lands, as the case may be) with varying levels of urbanization. (D) A plan for how the grant will be used to meet the unique needs of American Indian or Alaska Native veterans, elderly veterans, women veterans, and veterans from other underserved communities. (d) Distribution The Secretary shall seek to ensure that grants awarded under this section are equitably distributed among States and Indian Tribes with varying levels of urbanization. (e) Priority The Secretary shall prioritize awarding grants under this section that will serve the following areas: (1) Areas with a critical shortage of county or Tribal veterans service officers. (2) Areas with high rates of— (A) suicide among veterans; or (B) referrals to the Veterans Crisis Line. (f) Use of county or Tribal veterans service officers A State or Indian Tribe that receives a grant under this section to carry out an activity described in subsection (b)(1) may only carry out the activity through— (1) a county or Tribal veterans service officer of the State or Indian Tribe; or (2) if the State or Indian Tribe does not have a county or Tribal veterans service officer, or if the county or Tribal veterans service officers of the State or Indian Tribe cover only a portion of that State or Indian Tribe, an appropriate entity of a State, local, or Tribal government, as determined by the Secretary. (g) Required activities Any grant awarded under this section shall be used— (1) to expand existing programs, activities, and services; (2) to hire and maintain new, additional county or Tribal veterans service officers; or (3) for travel and transportation to facilitate carrying out paragraph (1) or (2). (h) Other permissible activities A grant under this section may be used to provide education and training, including on-the-job training, for State, county, local, and Tribal government employees who provide (or when trained will provide) veterans outreach services in order for those employees to obtain and maintain accreditation in accordance with procedures approved by the Secretary. (i) Outcome measures (1) The Secretary shall develop and provide to each State or Indian Tribe that receives a grant under this section written guidance on the following: (A) Outcome measures. (B) Policies of the Department. (2) In developing outcome measures under paragraph (1), the Secretary shall consider the following goals: (A) Increasing the use of veterans and veterans-related benefits, particularly among vulnerable populations. (B) Increasing the number of county and Tribal veterans service officers recognized by the Secretary for the representation of veterans under chapter 59 of this title. (j) Tracking requirements (1) With respect to each grant awarded under this section, the Secretary shall track the use of veterans benefits among the population served by the grant, including the average period of time between the date on which a veteran or other eligible claimant applies for such a benefit and the date on which the veteran or other eligible claimant receives the benefit, disaggregated by type of benefit. (2) Not less frequently than annually during the life of the grant program established under this section, the Secretary shall submit to Congress a report on— (A) the information tracked under paragraph (1); (B) how the grants awarded under this section serve the unique needs of American Indian or Alaska Native veterans, elderly veterans, women veterans, and veterans from other underserved communities; and (C) other information provided by States and Indian Tribes pursuant to the grant reporting requirements. (k) Performance review (1) The Secretary shall— (A) review the performance of each State or Indian Tribe that receives a grant under this section; and (B) make information regarding such performance publicly available. (l) Remediation plan (1) In the case of a State or Indian Tribe that receives a grant under this section and does not meet the outcome measures developed by the Secretary under subsection (i), the Secretary shall require the State or Indian Tribe to submit a remediation plan under which the State or Indian Tribe shall describe how and when it plans to meet such outcome measures. (2) The Secretary may not award a subsequent grant under this section to a State or Indian Tribe described in paragraph (1) unless the Secretary approves the remediation plan submitted by the State of Indian Tribe. (m) Maximum amount The amount of a grant awarded under this section may not exceed 10 percent of amounts made available for grants under this section for the fiscal year in which the grant is awarded. (n) Supplement, not supplant Any grant awarded under this section shall be used to supplement and not supplant State and local funding that is otherwise available. (o) Definitions In this section: (1) The term county or Tribal veterans service officer (2) The term Indian Tribe 25 U.S.C. 5304 (3) The term State (4) The term Veterans Crisis Line . (b) Clerical amendment The table of sections at the beginning of chapter 63 of such title is amended by striking the items relating to sections 6307 and 6308 and inserting the following new items: 6307. Grants to States and Indian Tribes to improve outreach to veterans. 6308. Outreach for eligible dependents. 6309. Biennial report to Congress. . (c) Authorization of appropriations There is authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary of Veterans Affairs for each of fiscal years 2024 through 2028, $50,000,000 to carry out section 6307 of title 38, United States Code, as added by subsection (a). (d) Authorization of additional full-Time equivalent employee During fiscal years 2024 through 2028, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs may hire two or more additional full-time equivalent employees in the Office of the General Counsel of the Department of Veterans Affairs, as compared to the number of full-time equivalent employees that would otherwise be authorized for such office, to carry out duties under the accreditation, discipline, and fees program.

Summary: Commitment to Veteran Support and Outreach Act This bill authorizes the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to provide grants to states and Indian tribes to implement programs that improve outreach and assistance to veterans and their families to ensure that such individuals are fully informed about veterans' benefits and programs. Specifically, the VA may provide grants to states and tribes to (1) implement or enhance outreach activities; (2) increase the number of county or tribal veterans service officers in the state or tribe; or (3) expand, implement, or otherwise enhance existing programs and services of the existing state or tribal organization that is recognized by the VA in the preparation, presentation, and prosecution of claims for veterans benefits through representatives who hold positions as county or tribal veterans service officers. The VA must prioritize awarding grants in areas with a critical shortage of county or tribal veterans service officers, areas with high rates of suicide among veterans, and areas with high rates of referrals to the Veterans Crisis Line. During FY2024-FY2028, the VA is authorized to hire two or more additional full-time equivalent employees in the VA's Office of General Counsel to carry out duties under the accreditation, discipline, and fees program.