or supervision) as a result of such injury or illness; 
and’’; and 
(2) by redesignating paragraph (4) as para-
graph (3). 
(b) PROVISION OF ASSISTANCE TO FAMILY CARE-
GIVERS.—Such section is further amended— 
(1) by redesignating subsections (e), (f), (g), 
and (h) as subsections (f), (g), (h), and (i), respec-
tively; and 
(2) by inserting after subsection (d) the fol-
lowing new subsection (e): 
‘‘(e) ASSISTANCE
FOR FAMILY CAREGIVERS.—(1) 
The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall provide family 
caregivers of a member in receipt of monthly special com-
pensation under subsection (a) the assistance required to 
be provided to family caregivers of eligible veterans under 
section 1720G(a)(3)(A) of title 38 (other than the monthly 
personal caregiver stipend provided for in clause (ii)(V) 
of such section). For purposes of the provision of such 
assistance under this subsection, the definitions in section 
1720G(d) of title 38 shall apply, except that any reference 
in such definitions to a veteran or eligible veteran shall 
be deemed to be a reference to the member concerned. 
‘‘(2) The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall provide 
assistance under this subsection— 
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‘‘(A) in accordance with a memorandum of un-
derstanding entered into by the Secretary of Vet-
erans Affairs and the Secretary of Defense; and 
‘‘(B) in accordance with a memorandum of un-
derstanding entered into by the Secretary of Vet-
erans Affairs and the Secretary of Homeland Secu-
rity (with respect to members of the Coast Guard). 
‘‘(3) The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall ensure 
that a family caregiver in receipt of assistance under this 
subsection is able to transition seamlessly to the receipt 
of assistance under section 1720G of title 38.’’. 
(c) INFORMATION
ON FAMILY CAREGIVER BENE-
FITS.—Subsection (g) of such section, as redesignated by 
subsection (b)(1) of this section, is amended by adding 
at the end the following new paragraph: 
‘‘(3) The Secretary of Defense, in collaboration with 
the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, shall ensure that mem-
bers of the uniformed services in receipt of monthly special 
compensation under subsection (a) are aware of the eligi-
bility of such members for family caregiver assistance 
under subsection (e).’’. 
(d) EXPANSION OF COVERED INJURIES AND ILL-
NESSES.—Subsection (h) of such section, as redesignated 
by subsection (b)(1) of this section, is amended to read 
as follows: 
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‘‘(h) SERIOUS INJURY OR ILLNESS DEFINED.—In 
this section, the term ‘serious injury or illness’ means an 
injury, disorder, or illness (including traumatic brain in-
jury, psychological trauma, or other mental disorder) 
that— 
‘‘(1) renders the afflicted person unable to 
carry out one or more activities of daily living; 
‘‘(2) renders the afflicted person in need of su-
pervision or protection due to the manifestation by 
such person of symptoms or residuals of neurological 
or other impairment or injury; 
‘‘(3) renders the afflicted person in need of reg-
ular or extensive instruction or supervision in com-
pleting two or more instrumental activities of daily 
living; or 
‘‘(4) otherwise impairs the afflicted person in 
such manner as the Secretary of Defense (or the 
Secretary of Homeland Security, with respect to the 
Coast Guard) prescribes for purposes of this sec-
tion.’’. 
(e) CLERICAL AMENDMENTS.— 
(1) HEADING AMENDMENT.—The heading for 
such section is amended to read as follows: 
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‘‘§ 439. Special compensation: members of the uni-
formed services with serious injuries or 
illnesses requiring assistance in everyday 
living’’. 
(2) TABLE
OF
SECTIONS
AMENDMENT.—The 
table of sections at the beginning of chapter 7 of 
such title is amended by striking the item relating 
to section 439 and inserting the following new item: 
‘‘439. Special compensation: members of the uniformed services with serious in-
juries or illnesses requiring assistance in everyday living.’’. 
SEC. 5. FLEXIBLE WORK ARRANGEMENTS FOR CERTAIN 
FEDERAL EMPLOYEES. 
(a) DEFINITION OF COVERED EMPLOYEE.—In this 
section, the term ‘‘covered employee’’ means an employee 
(as defined in section 2105 of title 5, United States Code) 
who— 
(1) is a caregiver, as defined in section 1720G 
of title 38, United States Code; or 
(2) is a caregiver of an individual who receives 
compensation under section 439 of title 37, United 
States Code. 
(b) AUTHORITY TO ALLOW FLEXIBLE WORK AR-
RANGEMENTS.—The Director of the Office of Personnel 
Management may promulgate regulations under which a 
covered employee may— 
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(1) use a flexible schedule or compressed sched-
ule in accordance with subchapter II of chapter 61 
of title 5, United States Code; or 
(2) telework in accordance with chapter 65 of 
title 5, United States Code. 
SEC. 6. LIFESPAN RESPITE CARE. 
(a) DEFINITIONS.—Section 2901 of the Public 
Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 300ii) is amended— 
(1) in paragraph (1)— 
(A) by redesignating subparagraphs (A) 
through (C) as clauses (i) through (iii), respec-
tively, and realigning the margins accordingly; 
(B) by striking ‘‘who requires care or su-
pervision to—’’ and inserting ‘‘who— 
‘‘(A) requires care or supervision to—’’; 
(C) by striking the period and inserting ‘‘; 
or’’; and 
(D) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(B) is a veteran participating in the pro-
gram of comprehensive assistance for family 
caregivers under section 1720G(a) of title 38, 
United States Code.’’; and 
(2) in paragraph (5), by striking ‘‘or another 
unpaid adult,’’ and inserting ‘‘another unpaid adult, 
or a family caregiver as defined in section 1720G of 
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title 38, United States Code, who receives compensa-
tion under such section,’’. 
(b) GRANTS AND COOPERATIVE AGREEMENTS.—Sec-
tion 2902(c) of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 
300ii–1(c)) is amended by inserting ‘‘and the interagency 
working group on policies relating to caregivers of vet-
erans established under section 7 of the Military and Vet-
eran Caregiver Services Improvement Act of 2017’’ after 
‘‘Human Services’’. 
(c) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—Section 
2905 of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 300ii– 
4) is amended by striking ‘‘There are’’ and all that follows 
through ‘‘2011.’’ and inserting ‘‘There are authorized to 
be appropriated to carry out this title $15,000,000 for 
each of fiscal years 2017 through 2022.’’. 
SEC. 7. INTERAGENCY WORKING GROUP ON CAREGIVER 
POLICY. 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—There shall be established in 
the executive branch an interagency working group on 
policies relating to caregivers of veterans and members of 
the Armed Forces (in this section referred to as the 
‘‘working group’’). 
(b) COMPOSITION.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The working group shall be 
composed of the following: 
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(A) A chairperson selected by the Presi-
dent. 
(B) A representative from each of the fol-
lowing agencies or organizations selected by the 
head of such agency or organization: 
(i) The Department of Veterans Af-
fairs. 
(ii) The Department of Defense. 
(iii) The Department of Health and 
Human Services. 
(iv) The Department of Labor. 
(v) The Centers for Medicare and 
Medicaid Services. 
(2) ADVISORS.—The chairperson may select 
any of the following individuals that the chairperson 
considers appropriate to advise the working group in 
carrying out the duties of the working group: 
(A) Academic experts in fields relating to 
caregivers. 
(B) Clinicians. 
(C) Caregivers. 
(D) Individuals in receipt of caregiver serv-
ices. 
(c) DUTIES.—The duties of the working group are 
as follows: 
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(1) To regularly review policies relating to care-
givers of veterans and members of the Armed 
Forces. 
(2) To coordinate and oversee the implementa-
tion of policies relating to caregivers of veterans and 
members of the Armed Forces. 
(3) To evaluate the effectiveness of policies re-
lating to caregivers of veterans and members of the 
Armed Forces, including programs in each relevant 
agency, by developing and applying specific goals 
and performance measures. 
(4) To develop standards of care for caregiver 
services and respite care services provided to a care-
giver, veteran, or member of the Armed Forces by 
a nonprofit or private sector entity. 
(5) To ensure the availability of mechanisms for 
agencies, and entities affiliated with or providing 
services on behalf of agencies, to enforce the stand-
ards described in paragraph (4) and conduct over-
sight on the implementation of such standards. 
(6) To develop recommendations for legislative 
or administrative action to enhance the provision of 
services to caregivers, veterans, and members of the 
Armed Forces, including eliminating gaps in such 
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services and eliminating disparities in eligibility for 
such services. 
(7) To coordinate with State and local agencies 
and relevant nonprofit organizations on maximizing 
the use and effectiveness of resources for caregivers 
of veterans and members of the Armed Forces. 
(d) REPORTS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than December 31, 
2017, and annually thereafter, the chairperson of 
the working group shall submit to Congress a report 
on policies and services relating to caregivers of vet-
erans and members of the Armed Forces. 
(2) ELEMENTS.—Each report required by para-
graph (1) shall include the following: 
(A) An assessment of the policies relating 
to caregivers of veterans and members of the 
Armed Forces and services provided pursuant 
to such policies as of the date of submittal of 
the report. 
(B) A description of any steps taken by 
the working group to improve the coordination 
of services for caregivers of veterans and mem-
bers of the Armed Forces among the entities 
specified in subsection (b)(1)(B) and eliminate 
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barriers to effective use of such services, includ-
ing aligning eligibility criteria. 
(C) An evaluation of the performance of 
the entities specified in subsection (b)(1)(B) in 
providing services for caregivers of veterans and 
members of the Armed Forces. 
(D) An evaluation of the quality and suffi-
ciency of services for caregivers of veterans and 
members of the Armed Forces available from 
nongovernmental organizations. 
(E) A description of any gaps in care or 
services provided by caregivers to veterans or 
members of the Armed Forces identified by the 
working group, and steps taken by the entities 
specified in subsection (b)(1)(B) to eliminate 
such gaps or recommendations for legislative or 
administrative action to address such gaps. 
(F) Such other matters or recommenda-
tions as the chairperson considers appropriate. 
SEC. 8. STUDIES ON POST-SEPTEMBER 11, 2001, VETERANS 
AND SERIOUSLY INJURED VETERANS. 
(a) LONGITUDINAL
STUDY
ON
POST-9/11 VET-
ERANS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Veterans 
Affairs shall provide for the conduct of a longitu-
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dinal study on members of the Armed Forces who 
commenced service in the Armed Forces after Sep-
tember 11, 2001. 
(2) GRANT OR CONTRACT.—The Secretary shall 
award a grant to, or enter into a contract with, an 
appropriate entity unaffiliated with the Department 
of Veterans Affairs to conduct the study required by 
paragraph (1). 
(3) PLAN.—Not later than one year after the 
date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary 
shall submit to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs 
of the Senate and the Committee on Veterans’ Af-
fairs of the House of Representatives a plan for the 
conduct of the study required by paragraph (1). 
(4) REPORTS.—Not later than October 1, 2021, 
and not less frequently than once every four years 
thereafter, the Secretary shall submit to the Com-
mittee on Veterans’ Affairs of the Senate and the 
Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the House of 
Representatives a report on the results of the study 
required by paragraph (1) as of the date of such re-
port. 
(b) COMPREHENSIVE STUDY
ON SERIOUSLY IN-
JURED VETERANS AND THEIR CAREGIVERS.— 
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(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Veterans 
Affairs shall provide for the conduct of a comprehen-
sive study on the following: 
(A) Veterans who have incurred a serious 
injury or illness, including a mental health in-
jury. 
(B) Individuals who are acting as care-
givers for veterans. 
(2) ELEMENTS.—The comprehensive study re-
quired by paragraph (1) shall include the following 
with respect to each veteran included in such study: 
(A) The health of the veteran and, if appli-
cable, the impact of the caregiver of such vet-
eran on the health of such veteran. 
(B) The employment status of the veteran 
and, if applicable, the impact of the caregiver of 
such veteran on the employment status of such 
veteran. 
(C) The financial status and needs of the 
veteran. 
(D) The use by the veteran of benefits 
available to such veteran from the Department 
of Veterans Affairs. 
(E) Any other information that the Sec-
retary considers appropriate. 
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