I 
116TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 2727 
To establish a pilot program to improve information sharing between the 
Department of Defense and designated relatives and friends of members 
of the Armed Forces regarding the experiences and challenges of military 
service, particularly during and after overseas deployments, and for other 
purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MAY 14, 2019 
Mr. PETERS (for himself, Mr. BANKS, and Mrs. DAVIS of California) intro-
duced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Armed 
Services, and in addition to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, for a pe-
riod to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for con-
sideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the com-
mittee concerned 
A BILL 
To establish a pilot program to improve information sharing 
between the Department of Defense and designated rel-
atives and friends of members of the Armed Forces 
regarding the experiences and challenges of military serv-
ice, particularly during and after overseas deployments, 
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. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Sergeant Daniel 
Somers Network of Support Act’’. 
SEC. 2. PILOT PROGRAM TO IMPROVE INFORMATION SHAR-
ING BETWEEN DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE 
AND DESIGNATED RELATIVES AND FRIENDS 
OF MEMBERS OF THE ARMED FORCES RE-
GARDING 
THE 
EXPERIENCES 
AND 
CHAL-
LENGES OF MILITARY SERVICE. 
(a) PILOT PROGRAM DESCRIBED.— 
(1) PURPOSE.—Not later than one year after 
the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary 
of Defense shall seek to enter into an agreement 
with the American Red Cross to carry out a pilot 
program under which— 
(A) the American Red Cross— 
(i) encourages a member of the 
Armed Forces, upon the enlistment or ap-
pointment of such member, to designate up 
to 15 persons to whom information regard-
ing the military service of such member 
shall be disseminated using contact infor-
mation obtained under paragraph (5); and 
(ii) provides such persons, within 30 
days after the date on which such persons 
were designated under clause (i), the op-
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tion to elect to receive such information re-
garding military service; and 
(B) the Secretary of Defense disseminates, 
not less frequently than quarterly, such infor-
mation to such persons who elect to receive 
such information under subparagraph (A)(ii). 
(2) TYPES OF INFORMATION.—The types of in-
formation to be disseminated by the Secretary of 
Defense to persons who elect to receive information 
under the pilot program shall include information re-
garding— 
(A) aspects of daily life and routine experi-
enced by members of the Armed Forces; 
(B) the challenges and stresses of military 
service, particularly during and after deploy-
ment as part of a contingency operation; 
(C) the services available to members of 
the Armed Forces and the dependents of such 
members to cope with the experiences and chal-
lenges of military service; 
(D) benefits administered by the Secretary 
of Defense for members of the Armed Forces 
and the dependents of such members; 
(E) a toll-free telephone number through 
which such persons who elect to receive infor-
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mation under the pilot program may request in-
formation regarding the program; and 
(F) such other information as the Sec-
retary of Defense, in consultation with members 
of the Armed Forces and such persons who 
elect to receive information under the pilot pro-
gram, determines to be appropriate. 
(3) PRIVACY
OF
INFORMATION.—In carrying 
out the pilot program under paragraph (1), the Sec-
retary of Defense may not disseminate information 
under paragraph (2) in violation of laws and regula-
tions pertaining to the privacy of members of the 
Armed Forces, including requirements pursuant 
to— 
(A) section 552a of title 5, United States 
Code; and 
(B) the Health Insurance Portability and 
Accountability Act of 1996 (Public Law 104– 
191). 
(4) NOTICE AND MODIFICATIONS.—In carrying 
out the pilot program under paragraph (1), the Sec-
retary of Defense shall, with respect to a member of 
the Armed Forces— 
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(A) ensure that such member is notified of 
the ability to modify designations made by the 
member under paragraph (1)(A); and 
(B) upon the request of a member, author-
ize the member to modify such designations at 
any time. 
(5) CONTACT INFORMATION.—In making a des-
ignation under the pilot program, a member of the 
Armed Forces shall provide necessary contact infor-
mation, specifically including an email address, to 
facilitate the dissemination of information regarding 
the military service of the member. 
(6) OPT-OUT
OF
PROGRAM.—In carrying out 
the pilot program under paragraph (1), the Sec-
retary of Defense shall, with respect to a person who 
has elected to receive information under such pilot 
program, cease disseminating such information to 
that person upon request of such person. 
(b) SURVEY AND REPORT ON PILOT PROGRAM.— 
(1) SURVEY.—Not later than two years after 
the date on which the pilot program commences, the 
Secretary of Defense, in consultation with the Amer-
ican Red Cross, shall administer a survey to persons 
who elected to receive information under the pilot 
program, for the purpose of receiving feedback re-
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garding the quality of information disseminated 
under this section, including whether such informa-
tion appropriately reflects the military career pro-
gression of members of the Armed Forces. 
(2) REPORT.—Not later than three years after 
the date on which the pilot program commences, the 
Secretary of Defense shall submit to the congres-
sional defense committees a report on the pilot pro-
gram which includes— 
(A) the results of the survey administered 
under paragraph (1); 
(B) a determination as to whether the pilot 
program should be made permanent; and 
(C) recommendations as to modifications 
necessary to improve the program if made per-
manent. 
(3) CONGRESSIONAL
DEFENSE
COMMITTEES 
DEFINED.—The term ‘‘congressional defense com-
mittees’’ has the meaning given that term in section 
101 of title 10, United States Code. 
(c) TERMINATION OF PILOT PROGRAM.—The pilot 
program shall terminate upon submission of the report re-
quired by subsection (b)(2). 
Æ 
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