IIB 
112TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 2302 
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 
OCTOBER 12, 2011 
Received; read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs 
AN ACT 
To amend title 38, United States Code, to direct the Sec-
retary of Veterans Affairs to notify Congress of con-
ferences sponsored by the Department of Veterans Af-
fairs, and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
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SECTION 1. QUARTERLY REPORTS TO CONGRESS ON CON-
FERENCES SPONSORED BY THE DEPART-
MENT. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Subchapter I of chapter 5 of title 
38, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end 
the following new section: 
‘‘§ 517. Quarterly reports to Congress on conferences 
sponsored by the Department 
‘‘(a) QUARTERLY REPORTS REQUIRED.—Not later 
than 30 days after the end of each fiscal quarter, the Sec-
retary shall submit to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs 
of the House of Representatives and the Committee on 
Veterans’ Affairs of the Senate a report on covered con-
ferences. 
‘‘(b) MATTERS INCLUDED.—Each report under sub-
section (a) shall include the following: 
‘‘(1) An accounting of the final costs to the De-
partment of each covered conference occurring dur-
ing the fiscal quarter preceding the date on which 
the report is submitted, including the costs related 
to— 
‘‘(A) transportation and parking; 
‘‘(B) per diem payments; 
‘‘(C) lodging; 
‘‘(D) rental of halls, auditoriums, or other 
spaces; 
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‘‘(E) rental of equipment; 
‘‘(F) refreshments; 
‘‘(G) entertainment; 
‘‘(H) contractors; and 
‘‘(I) brochures or other printed media. 
‘‘(2) The total estimated costs to the Depart-
ment for covered conferences occurring during the 
fiscal quarter in which the report is submitted. 
‘‘(c) COVERED CONFERENCE DEFINED.—In this sec-
tion, the term ‘covered conference’ means a conference, 
meeting, or other similar forum that is sponsored or co- 
sponsored by the Department of Veterans Affairs and is— 
‘‘(1) attended by 50 or more individuals, includ-
ing one or more employees of the Department; or 
‘‘(2) estimated to cost the Department at least 
$20,000.’’. 
(b) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sections 
at the beginning of such chapter is amended by adding 
after the item relating to section 516 the following: 
‘‘517. Quarterly reports to Congress on conferences sponsored by the Depart-
ment.’’. 
SEC. 2. SUBMISSION OF CERTAIN INFORMATION BY THE 
SECRETARY OF VETERANS AFFAIRS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Subchapter II of chapter 5 of title 
38, United States Code, is amended by inserting after sec-
tion 529 the following new section: 
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‘‘§ 529A. Submission of certain information by the 
Secretary to Congress 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—The submission of information 
by the Secretary to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs 
of the House of Representatives or the Committee on Vet-
erans’ Affairs of the Senate in response to a request for 
such information made by a covered member of the com-
mittee shall be deemed to be— 
‘‘(1) 
a 
covered 
disclosure 
under 
section 
552a(b)(9) of title 5; and 
‘‘(2) a permitted disclosure under regulations 
promulgated under section 264(c) of the Health In-
surance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 
(Public Law 104–191), including a permitted disclo-
sure for oversight activities authorized by law as de-
scribed in section 164.512(d) of title 45, Code of 
Federal Regulations. 
‘‘(b) SUBMISSION TO CHAIRMAN.—With respect to a 
request for information described in subsection (a) made 
by a covered member of the committee who is not the 
chairman, the Secretary shall also submit such informa-
tion to the chairman of the Committee on Veterans’ Af-
fairs of the House of Representatives or the Committee 
on Veterans’ Affairs of the Senate, as the case may be. 
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‘‘(c) COVERED MEMBER OF THE COMMITTEE.—In 
this section, the term ‘covered member of the committee’ 
means the following: 
‘‘(1) The chairman or ranking member of the 
Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the House of 
Representatives or the Committee on Veterans’ Af-
fairs of the Senate. 
‘‘(2) A chairman or ranking member of a sub-
committee of the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of 
the House of Representatives or the Committee on 
Veterans’ Affairs of the Senate. 
‘‘(3) The designee of a chairman or ranking 
member described in paragraph (1) or (2).’’. 
(b) CONFORMING AMENDMENT.—The table of sec-
tions at the beginning of such chapter is amended by in-
serting after the item relating to section 529 the following 
new item: 
‘‘529A. Submission of certain information by the Secretary to Congress.’’. 
SEC. 3. PUBLICATION OF DATA ON EMPLOYMENT OF CER-
TAIN VETERANS BY FEDERAL CONTRACTORS. 
Section 4212(d) of title 38, United States Code, is 
amended by adding at the end the following new para-
graph: 
‘‘(3) The Secretary of Labor shall establish and 
maintain an Internet website on which the Secretary shall 
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publicly disclose the information reported to the Secretary 
of Labor by contractors under paragraph (1).’’. 
Passed the House of Representatives October 11, 
2011. 
Attest: 
KAREN L. HAAS, 
Clerk. 
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