I 
112TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 1854 
To require the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to carry out a program of 
outreach for veterans, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MAY 11, 2011 
Mr. RYAN of Ohio introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
Committee on Veterans’ Affairs 
A BILL 
To require the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to carry out 
a program of outreach for veterans, and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Veterans Outreach En-
hancement Act of 2011’’. 
SEC. 2. PROGRAM OF OUTREACH TO VETERANS. 
(a) PROGRAM REQUIRED.—The Secretary of Vet-
erans Affairs shall establish a program of outreach to vet-
erans for the purpose described in subsection (b). 
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(b) PURPOSE.—The purpose described in this sub-
section is to increase the following: 
(1) The access and use by veterans of Federal, 
State, and local programs providing compensation 
and other benefits for service in the Armed Forces. 
(2) Awareness of such programs by veterans 
and their eligibility for such programs. 
(c) DURATION.—The program required by subsection 
(a) shall be carried out during the five-year period begin-
ning on the date of the enactment of this Act. 
(d) AGREEMENTS TO CARRY OUT PROJECTS AND 
ACTIVITIES.— 
(1) AGREEMENTS WITH FEDERAL AND STATE 
AGENCIES.—In carrying out the program required 
by subsection (a), the Secretary of Veterans Affairs 
may enter into agreements with other Federal and 
State agencies to carry out projects under the juris-
diction of such agencies to further the purpose de-
scribed in subsection (b). 
(2) AGREEMENTS WITH APPLICABLE AUTHORI-
TIES AND COMMISSIONS.—In carrying out the pro-
gram required by subsection (a), the Secretary may 
enter into agreements with applicable authorities 
and commissions to provide technical assistance, 
award grants, enter into contracts, or otherwise pro-
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vide amounts to persons or entities for projects and 
activities that— 
(A) increase outreach to, awareness by, 
and use by veterans of programs described in 
subsection (b)(1); 
(B) provide incentives for State and local 
governments and veterans service organizations 
to assist veterans in utilizing facilities and re-
sources available to veterans through the De-
partment of Veterans Affairs; 
(C) provide incentives for State and local 
governments and veterans service organizations 
to assist veterans in utilizing resources available 
through government and veterans service orga-
nizations for veterans; 
(D) educate communities and State and 
local governments about the employment rights 
of veterans, including the employment and re-
employment of members of the uniformed serv-
ices under chapter 43 of title 38, United States 
Code; 
(E) provide technical assistance to busi-
nesses owned by veterans; and 
(F) encourage and assist nonprofit organi-
zations, businesses, and institutions of higher 
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education to carry out programs of assistance 
designed for veterans. 
(3) APPLICABLE
AUTHORITIES
AND
COMMIS-
SIONS.—For purposes of the program required by 
subsection (a), the applicable authorities and com-
missions are the following: 
(A) The Appalachian Regional Commis-
sion, established under section 14301(a) of title 
40, United States Code. 
(B) The Delta Regional Authority, estab-
lished under section 382B(a) of the Consoli-
dated Farm and Rural Development Act (7 
U.S.C. 2009aa–1(a)). 
(C) The Denali Commission, established 
under section 303 of the Denali Commission 
Act of 1998 (42 U.S.C. 3121 note). 
(D) The Northern Great Plains Regional 
Authority, established under section 383B(a) of 
the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development 
Act (7 U.S.C. 2009bb–1(a)). 
(E) The Southeast Crescent Regional 
Commission, the Southwest Border Regional 
Commission, and the Northern Border Regional 
Commission established under section 15301(a) 
of title 40, United States Code. 
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(F) Entities described in subparagraph (G) 
that serve Native Americans, Alaska Natives, or 
native Hawaiians (as such terms are defined in 
section 3765 of title 38, United States Code). 
(G) Commissions and development boards 
that are— 
(i) not chartered by the Federal Gov-
ernment; 
(ii) selected by the Secretary for pur-
poses of the program; and 
(iii) located in areas that present ex-
traordinary challenges to veterans, as de-
termined by the Secretary, including the 
following: 
(I) Areas in severe economic dis-
tress. 
(II) Areas with underdeveloped 
infrastructure. 
(III) Areas with unusual geo-
graphic characteristics, such as sepa-
ration from the mainland. 
(e) INFORMATION, ADVICE, AND TECHNICAL ASSIST-
ANCE.—In carrying out the program required by sub-
section (a), the Secretary of Veterans Affairs may provide, 
or contract with public or private organizations to provide, 
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information, advice, and technical assistance to nonprofit 
organizations that provide services to communities in 
order to increase the number of veterans receiving such 
services. 
(f) COORDINATION WITH PREVIOUSLY AUTHORIZED 
PILOT PROGRAM ON USE OF COMMUNITY-BASED ORGA-
NIZATIONS AND LOCAL AND STATE GOVERNMENT ENTI-
TIES FOR OUTREACH.—The Secretary may carry out the 
program required by subsection (a) in coordination with 
the pilot program required by section 506(a) of the Care-
givers and Veterans Omnibus Health Services Act of 2010 
(Public Law 111–163; 124 Stat. 1160; 38 U.S.C. 523 
note). 
(g) REPORT ON OUTREACH ACTIVITIES OF DEPART-
MENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than four years 
after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Sec-
retary shall submit to Congress a comprehensive re-
port on the activities of the Department of Veterans 
Affairs regarding outreach to veterans. 
(2) ELEMENTS.—The report required by para-
graph (1) shall include the following: 
(A) A description of all of the activities of 
the Department regarding outreach to veterans 
carried out since the date of the enactment of 
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this Act, including the activities of the Depart-
ment carried out under the program required 
by subsection (a). 
(B) An assessment of the effectiveness of 
the activities described in subparagraph (A). 
(h) VETERANS SERVICE ORGANIZATION DEFINED.— 
In this section, the term ‘‘veterans service organization’’ 
means any organization recognized by the Secretary of 
Veterans Affairs for the representation of veterans under 
section 5902 of title 38, United States Code. 
(i) AUTHORIZATION
OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There 
are authorized to be appropriated to carry out the pro-
gram required by subsection (a)— 
(1) $7,000,000 for fiscal year 2011; and 
(2) $35,000,000 for the period of fiscal years 
2012 through 2016. 
Æ 
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