2429 
† HR 2617 EAS2 
SEC. 183. EXPANSION OF HIRING AUTHORITIES FOR CER-
TAIN CLASSES OF RESEARCH OCCUPATIONS. 
Section 7401(3) of title 38, United States Code, is 
amended 
by 
inserting 
‘‘statisticians, 
economists, 
informaticists, data scientists, and’’ after ‘‘blind rehabilita-
tion outpatient specialists,’’. 
SEC. 184. COMPTROLLER GENERAL STUDY ON DEDICATED 
RESEARCH TIME FOR CERTAIN PERSONNEL 
OF THE DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AF-
FAIRS. 
(a) STUDY.—The Comptroller General of the United 
States shall conduct a study on the amount of time dedi-
cated for research for clinician-scientists appointed by the 
Secretary of Veterans Affairs. 
(b) ELEMENTS.—The study under subsection (a) shall 
include the following: 
(1) A review of the policies and practices of the 
Department of Veterans Affairs regarding the time 
dedicated for research for the personnel specified in 
subsection (a). 
(2) An assessment of the effect of such policies 
and practices on the following: 
(A) The recruitment and retention efforts of 
the Department. 
(B) The productivity of the personnel speci-
fied in subsection (a) with respect to research.
2430 
† HR 2617 EAS2 
(C) The efficient use of resources available 
for research on issues relating to the health of 
veterans. 
(c) REPORT.—Not later than two years after the date 
of the enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General shall 
submit to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the Senate 
and the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the House of Rep-
resentatives a report detailing the findings of the study con-
ducted under subsection (a). 
Subtitle H—Mental Health Care 
SEC. 191. ANALYSIS OF FEASIBILITY AND ADVISABILITY OF 
DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS PRO-
VIDING EVIDENCE-BASED TREATMENTS FOR 
THE DIAGNOSIS OF TREATMENT-RESISTANT 
DEPRESSION. 
(a) FINDINGS.—Congress makes the following findings: 
(1) A systematic review in 2019 of the economics 
and quality of life relating to treatment-resistant de-
pression summarized that major depressive disorder 
(in this subsection referred to as ‘‘MDD’’) is a global 
public health concern and that treatment-resistant de-
pression in particular represents a key unmet need. 
The findings of that review highlighted the need for 
improved therapies for treatment-resistant depression
2431 
† HR 2617 EAS2 
to reduce disease burden, lower medical costs, and im-
prove the quality of life of patients. 
(2) The Clinical Practice Guideline for the Man-
agement of MDD (in this subsection referred to as the 
‘‘CPG’’) developed jointly by the Department of Vet-
erans Affairs and the Department of Defense defines 
treatment-resistant depression as at least two ade-
quate treatment trials and lack of full response to 
each. 
(3) The CPG recommends electro-convulsive ther-
apy (in this subsection referred to as ‘‘ECT’’) as a 
treatment strategy for patients who have failed mul-
tiple other treatment strategies. 
(4) The CPG recommends offering repetitive 
transcranial magnetic stimulation (in this subsection 
referred to as ‘‘rTMS’’), an intervention that is indi-
cated by the Food and Drug Administration, for 
treatment during a major depressive episode in pa-
tients with treatment-resistant MDD. 
(5) The final report of the Creating Options for 
Veterans’ Expedited Recovery Commission (commonly 
referred to as the ‘‘COVER Commission’’) established 
under section 931 of the Jason Simcakoski Memorial 
and Promise Act (title IX of Public Law 114–198; 38 
U.S.C. 1701 note) found that treatment-resistant de-
2432 
† HR 2617 EAS2 
pression is a major issue throughout the mental 
health treatment system, and that an estimated 50 
percent of depressed patients are inadequately treated 
by available interventions. 
(6) The COVER Commission also reported data 
collected from the Department of Veterans Affairs that 
found that only approximately 1,166 patients 
throughout the Department were referred for ECT in 
2018 and only approximately 772 patients were re-
ferred for rTMS during that year. 
(b) ANALYSIS.—Not later than 180 days after the date 
of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Af-
fairs shall complete an analysis of the feasibility and advis-
ability of making repetitive transcranial magnetic stimula-
tion available at all medical facilities of the Department 
of Veterans Affairs and electro-convulsive therapy available 
at one medical center located within each Veterans Inte-
grated Service Network for the treatment of veterans who 
are enrolled in the patient enrollment system and have a 
diagnosis of treatment-resistant depression. 
(c) INCLUSION
OF ASSESSMENT
OF REPORT.—The 
analysis conducted under subsection (b) shall include an as-
sessment of the final report of the COVER Commission sub-
mitted under section 931(e)(2) of the Jason Simcakoski Me-
2433 
† HR 2617 EAS2 
morial and Promise Act (title IX of Public Law 114–198; 
38 U.S.C. 1701 note). 
(d) REPORT.—Not later than 180 days after the con-
clusion of the analysis conducted under subsection (b), the 
Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Veterans’ Af-
fairs of the Senate and the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs 
of the House of Representatives a report that includes the 
following: 
(1) The results of such analysis. 
(2) An assessment of the number of veterans who 
are enrolled in the patient enrollment system and who 
have a diagnosis of treatment-resistant depression per 
Veterans Integrated Service Network during the two- 
year period preceding the date of the report. 
(3) An assessment of the number of the veterans 
who are enrolled in the patient enrollment system 
who have a diagnosis of treatment-resistant depres-
sion and who have received or are currently receiving 
repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation or 
electro-convulsive therapy as a treatment modality 
during the two-year period preceding the date of the 
report. 
(4) An assessment of the number and locations 
of medical centers of the Department that currently 
provide repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation
2434 
† HR 2617 EAS2 
to veterans who are enrolled in the patient enrollment 
system and who have a diagnosis of treatment-resist-
ant depression. 
(5) An assessment of the number and locations 
of medical centers of the Department that currently 
provide electro-convulsive therapy to veterans who are 
enrolled in the patient enrollment system and who 
have a diagnosis of treatment-resistant depression. 
(e) PATIENT ENROLLMENT SYSTEM DEFINED.—In this 
section, the term ‘‘patient enrollment system’’ means the 
system of annual patient enrollment of the Department of 
Veterans Affairs established and operated under section 
1705(a) of title 38, United States Code. 
SEC. 192. MODIFICATION OF RESOURCE ALLOCATION SYS-
TEM TO INCLUDE PEER SPECIALISTS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than one year after the 
date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans 
Affairs shall modify the Veterans Equitable Resource Allo-
cation system, or successor system, to ensure that resource 
allocations under such system, or successor system, include 
peer specialists appointed under section 7402(b)(13) of title 
38, United States Code. 
(b) VETERANS EQUITABLE RESOURCE ALLOCATION 
SYSTEM DEFINED.—In this section, the term ‘‘Veterans Eq-
uitable Resource Allocation system’’ means the resource al-
2435 
† HR 2617 EAS2 
location system established pursuant to section 429 of the 
Departments of Veterans Affairs and House and Urban De-
velopment, and Independent Agencies Appropriations Act, 
1997 (Public Law 104–204; 110 Stat. 2929). 
SEC. 193. GAP ANALYSIS OF PSYCHOTHERAPEUTIC INTER-
VENTIONS OF THE DEPARTMENT OF VET-
ERANS AFFAIRS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 270 days after the 
date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans 
Affairs shall complete a gap analysis throughout the entire 
health care system of the Veterans Health Administration 
on the use and availability of psychotherapeutic interven-
tions recommended in widely used clinical practice guide-
lines as recommended in the final report of the COVER 
Commission submitted under section 931(e)(2) of the Jason 
Simcakoski Memorial and Promise Act (title IX of Public 
Law 114–198; 38 U.S.C. 1701 note). 
(b) ELEMENTS.—The gap analysis required under sub-
section (a) shall include the following: 
(1) An assessment of the psychotherapeutic inter-
ventions available and routinely delivered to veterans 
at medical centers of the Department of Veterans Af-
fairs within each Veterans Integrated Service Network 
of the Department.
2436 
† HR 2617 EAS2 
(2) An assessment of the barriers faced by med-
ical centers of the Department in offering certain psy-
chotherapeutic interventions and why those interven-
tions are not widely implemented or are excluded 
from implementation throughout the entire health 
care system of the Veterans Health Administration. 
(c) REPORT AND PLAN.—Not later than 180 days after 
completing the gap analysis under subsection (a), the Sec-
retary shall submit to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs 
of the Senate and the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of 
the House of Representatives— 
(1) a report on the results of the analysis; and 
(2) a plan with measurable, time-limited steps 
for the Department to implement— 
(A) to address the gaps that limit access of 
veterans to care; and 
(B) to treat various mental health condi-
tions across the entire health care system of the 
Veterans Health Administration. 
SEC. 193A. PROHIBITION ON COLLECTION OF COPAYMENTS 
FOR FIRST THREE MENTAL HEALTH CARE 
OUTPATIENT VISITS OF VETERANS. 
(a) PROHIBITION
ON COLLECTION.—Chapter 17 of 
title 38, United States Code, is amended by inserting after 
section 1722B the following new section (and conforming
2437 
† HR 2617 EAS2 
the table of sections at the beginning of such chapter accord-
ingly): 
‘‘§ 1722C. Copayments: prohibition on collection of co-
payments for first three mental health 
care outpatient visits of veterans 
‘‘(a) PROHIBITION.—Except as provided in subsection 
(b), notwithstanding section 1710(g) of this title or any 
other provision of law, the Secretary may not impose or 
collect a copayment for the first three mental health care 
outpatient visits of a veteran in a calendar year for which 
the veteran would otherwise be required to pay a copayment 
under the laws administered by the Secretary. 
‘‘(b) COPAYMENT FOR MEDICATIONS.—The prohibition 
under subsection (a) shall not apply with respect to the im-
position or collection of copayments for medications pursu-
ant to section 1722A of this title. 
‘‘(c) MENTAL HEALTH CARE OUTPATIENT VISIT DE-
FINED.—In this section, the term ‘mental health care out-
patient visit’ means an outpatient visit with a qualified 
mental health professional for the primary purpose of seek-
ing mental health care or treatment for substance abuse dis-
order. 
‘‘(d) SUNSET.—This section shall terminate on the 
date that is five years after the date of the enactment of 
the Joseph Maxwell Cleland and Robert Joseph Dole Memo-
2438 
† HR 2617 EAS2 
rial Veterans Benefits and Health Care Improvement Act 
of 2022.’’. 
(b) APPLICABILITY.—The amendment made by sub-
section (a) shall apply with respect to mental health care 
outpatient visits occurring on or after the date that is 180 
days after the date of the enactment of this Act. 
Subtitle I—Other Matters 
SEC. 194. REQUIREMENT FOR ONGOING INDEPENDENT AS-
SESSMENTS OF HEALTH CARE DELIVERY SYS-
TEMS AND MANAGEMENT PROCESSES OF THE 
DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS. 
(a) ONGOING ASSESSMENTS.—Subchapter I of chapter 
17 of title 38, United States Code, is amended by inserting 
after section 1704 the following new section: 
‘‘§ 1704A. Independent assessments of health care de-
livery systems and management processes 
‘‘(a) INDEPENDENT ASSESSMENTS.—(1) Not less fre-
quently than once every 10 years, the Secretary shall enter 
into one or more contracts with a private sector entity or 
entities described in subsection (d) to conduct an inde-
pendent assessment of the hospital care, medical services, 
and other health care furnished by the Department. 
‘‘(2) Each assessment required under paragraph (1) 
shall address each of the following:
2439 
† HR 2617 EAS2 
‘‘(A) Current and projected demographics and 
unique health care needs of the patient population 
served by the Department. 
‘‘(B) The accuracy of models and forecasting 
methods used by the Department to project health care 
demand, including with respect to veteran demo-
graphics, rates of use of health care furnished by the 
Department, the inflation of health care costs, and 
such other factors as may be determined relevant by 
the Secretary. 
‘‘(C) The reliability and accuracy of models and 
forecasting methods used by the Department to project 
the budgetary needs of the Veterans Health Adminis-
tration and how such models and forecasting methods 
inform budgetary trends. 
‘‘(D) The authorities and mechanisms under 
which the Secretary may furnish hospital care, med-
ical services, and other health care at facilities of the 
Department and non-Department facilities, including 
through Federal and private sector partners and at 
joint medical facilities, and the effect of such authori-
ties and mechanisms on eligibility and access to care. 
‘‘(E) The organization, workflow processes, and 
tools used by the Department to support clinical staff-
ing, access to care, effective length-of-stay manage-
2440 
† HR 2617 EAS2 
ment and care transitions, positive patient experi-
ence, accurate documentation, and subsequent coding 
of inpatient services. 
‘‘(F) The efforts of the Department to recruit and 
retain staff at levels necessary to carry out the func-
tions of the Veterans Health Administration and the 
process used by the Department to determine staffing 
levels necessary for such functions. 
‘‘(G) The staffing level at each medical facility 
of the Department and the productivity of each health 
care provider at the medical facility, compared with 
health care industry performance metrics, which may 
include the following: 
‘‘(i) An assessment of the case load of, and 
number of patients treated by, each health care 
provider at such medical facility during an aver-
age week. 
‘‘(ii) An assessment of the time spent by 
each such health care provider on matters other 
than the case load of the health care provider, in-
cluding time spent by the health care provider as 
follows: 
‘‘(I) At a medical facility that is affili-
ated with the Department. 
‘‘(II) Conducting research.
2441 
† HR 2617 EAS2 
‘‘(III) Training or supervising other 
health care professionals of the Department. 
‘‘(iii) An assessment of the complexity of 
health care conditions per patient treated by 
each health care provider at such medical facil-
ity during an average week. 
‘‘(H) The information technology strategies of the 
Department with respect to furnishing and managing 
health care, including an identification of any weak-
nesses or opportunities with respect to the technology 
used by the Department, especially those strategies 
with respect to clinical documentation of hospital 
care, medical services, and other health care, includ-
ing any clinical images and associated textual re-
ports, furnished by the Department in facilities of the 
Department or non-Department facilities. 
‘‘(I) Business processes of the Veterans Health 
Administration, including processes relating to fur-
nishing non-Department health care, insurance iden-
tification, third-party revenue collection, and vendor 
reimbursement, including an identification of mecha-
nisms as follows: 
‘‘(i) To avoid the payment of penalties to 
vendors.
2442 
† HR 2617 EAS2 
‘‘(ii) To increase the collection of amounts 
owed to the Department for hospital care, med-
ical services, or other health care provided by the 
Department for which reimbursement from a 
third party is authorized and to ensure that such 
amounts collected are accurate. 
‘‘(iii) To increase the collection of any other 
amounts owed to the Department with respect to 
hospital care, medical services, or other health 
care and to ensure that such amounts collected 
are accurate. 
‘‘(iv) To increase the accuracy and timeli-
ness of payments by the Department to vendors 
and providers. 
‘‘(v) To reduce expenditures while improv-
ing the quality of care furnished. 
‘‘(J) The purchase, distribution, and use of phar-
maceuticals, medical and surgical supplies, medical 
devices, and health care-related services by the De-
partment, including the following: 
‘‘(i) The prices paid for, standardization of, 
and use by, the Department with respect to the 
following: 
‘‘(I) Pharmaceuticals. 
‘‘(II) Medical and surgical supplies.
2443 
† HR 2617 EAS2 
‘‘(III) Medical devices. 
‘‘(ii) The use by the Department of group 
purchasing arrangements to purchase pharma-
ceuticals, medical and surgical supplies, medical 
devices, and health care-related services. 
‘‘(iii) The strategy and systems used by the 
Department to distribute pharmaceuticals, med-
ical and surgical supplies, medical devices, and 
health care-related services to Veterans Inte-
grated Service Networks and medical facilities of 
the Department. 
‘‘(K) The competency of Department leadership 
with respect to culture, accountability, reform readi-
ness, leadership development, physician alignment, 
employee engagement, succession planning, and per-
formance management. 
‘‘(L) The effectiveness of the authorities and pro-
grams of the Department to educate and train health 
personnel pursuant to section 7302 of this title. 
‘‘(M) The conduct of medical and prosthetic re-
search of the Department. 
‘‘(N) The provision of assistance by the Depart-
ment to Federal agencies and personnel involved in 
responding to a disaster or emergency.
2444 
† HR 2617 EAS2 
‘‘(O) Such additional matters as may be deter-
mined relevant by the Secretary. 
‘‘(b) TIMING.—The private sector entity or entities car-
rying out an assessment pursuant to subsection (a) shall 
complete such assessment not later than 18 months after 
entering into the contract described in such paragraph. 
‘‘(c) LEVERAGING
OF EXISTING DATA
AND CON-
TRACTS.—To the extent practicable, the private sector enti-
ty or entities carrying out an assessment pursuant to sub-
section (a) shall— 
‘‘(1) make maximum use of existing data that 
has been compiled by the Department, compiled for 
the Department, or purchased by the Department, in-
cluding data that has been collected for— 
‘‘(A) the performance of quadrennial market 
assessments under section 7330C of this title; 
‘‘(B) the quarterly publication of informa-
tion on staffing and vacancies with respect to the 
Veterans Health Administration pursuant to sec-
tion 505 of the VA MISSION Act of 2018 (Pub-
lic Law 115–182; 38 U.S.C. 301 note); and 
‘‘(C) the conduct of annual audits pursuant 
to section 3102 of the Johnny Isakson and David 
P. Roe, M.D. Veterans Health Care and Benefits
2445 
† HR 2617 EAS2 
Improvement Act of 2020 (Public Law 116–315; 
38 U.S.C. 1701 note). 
‘‘(2) maximize the use of existing contracts and 
other agreements of the Department for studies, anal-
ysis, data collection, or research in order to efficiently 
fulfill the requirements of this section. 
‘‘(d) PRIVATE SECTOR ENTITIES DESCRIBED.—A pri-
vate sector entity described in this subsection is a private 
entity that— 
‘‘(1) has experience and proven outcomes in opti-
mizing the performance of national health care deliv-
ery systems, including the Veterans Health Adminis-
tration, other federal health care systems, and systems 
in the private, non-profit, or public health care sector; 
‘‘(2) specializes in implementing large-scale or-
ganizational and cultural transformations, especially 
with respect to health care delivery systems; and 
‘‘(3) is not currently under contract with the De-
partment to provide direct or indirect patient care or 
related clinical care services or supplies under the 
laws administered by the Secretary. 
‘‘(e) PROGRAM INTEGRATOR.—(1) If the Secretary en-
ters into contracts with more than one private sector entity 
under subsection (a) with respect to a single assessment
2446 
† HR 2617 EAS2 
under such subsection, the Secretary shall designate one 
such entity as the program integrator. 
‘‘(2) The program integrator designated pursuant to 
paragraph (1) shall be responsible for coordinating the out-
comes of the assessments conducted by the private sector en-
tities pursuant to such contracts. 
‘‘(f) REPORTS.—(1)(A) Not later than 60 days after 
completing an assessment pursuant to subsection (a), the 
private sector entity or entities carrying out such assess-
ment shall submit to the Secretary and the Committee on 
Veterans’ Affairs of the Senate and the Committee on Vet-
erans’ Affairs of the House of Representatives a report on 
the findings and recommendations of the private sector enti-
ty or entities with respect to such assessment. 
‘‘(B) Each report under subparagraph (A) with respect 
to an assessment shall include an identification of the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘(i) Any changes with respect to the matters in-
cluded in such assessment since the date that is the 
later of the following: 
‘‘(I) The date on which the independent as-
sessment under section 201 of the Veterans Ac-
cess, Choice, and Accountability Act of 2014 
(Public Law 113–146; 38 U.S.C. 1701 note) was 
completed.
2447 
† HR 2617 EAS2 
‘‘(II) The date on which the last assessment 
under subsection (a) was completed. 
‘‘(ii) Any recommendations regarding matters to 
be covered by subsequent assessments under subsection 
(a), including any additional matters to include for 
assessment or previously assessed matters to exclude. 
‘‘(2) Not later than 30 days after receiving a report 
under paragraph (1), the Secretary shall publish such re-
port in the Federal Register and on a publicly accessible 
internet website of the Department. 
‘‘(3) Not later than 90 days after receiving a report 
under paragraph (1), the Secretary shall submit to the 
Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the Senate and the Com-
mittee on Veterans’ Affairs of the House of Representatives 
a report outlining the feasibility and advisability of imple-
menting the recommendations made by the private sector 
entity or entities in such report received, including an iden-
tification of the timeline, cost, and any legislative authori-
ties necessary for such implementation. 
‘‘(g) SUNSET.—The requirement to enter into contracts 
under subsection (a) shall terminate on December 31, 
2055.’’. 
(b) CLERICAL AMENDMENTS.—The table of sections at 
the beginning of such subchapter is amended by inserting
2448 
† HR 2617 EAS2 
after the item relating to section 1704 the following new 
item: 
‘‘1704A. Independent assessments of health care delivery systems and management 
processes.’’. 
(c) DEADLINE FOR INITIAL ASSESSMENT.—The initial 
assessment under section 1704A of title 38, United States 
Code, as added by subsection (a), shall be completed by not 
later than December 31, 2025. 
SEC. 195. IMPROVED TRANSPARENCY OF, ACCESS TO, AND 
USABILITY OF DATA PROVIDED BY DEPART-
MENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS. 
(a) REVIEW OF TIMELINESS AND QUALITY OF CARE 
DATA.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 180 days after 
the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of 
Veterans Affairs shall complete a review of data that 
is publicly available on the Access to Care internet 
website of the Department of Veterans Affairs (or suc-
cessor website)) (in this section referred to as the 
‘‘Website’’). 
(2) ANALYSIS.—The review under paragraph (1) 
shall include an analysis of the access to and 
usability of the publicly available data on the 
Website, including a review of the availability of the 
following data:
2449 
† HR 2617 EAS2 
(A) Any numeric indicators relating to 
timely care, effective care, safety, and veteran- 
centered care that the Secretary collects at med-
ical facilities of the Department pursuant to sec-
tion 1703C of title 38, United States Code. 
(B) The patient wait times information re-
quired by subsection (a) of section 206 of the Vet-
erans Access, Choice, and Accountability Act of 
2014 (Public Law 113–146; 128 Stat. 1780); and 
(C) the patient safety, quality of care, and 
outcome measures required by subsection (b) of 
such section 206. 
(3) CONSULTATION.—In conducting the review 
under paragraph (1) of data described in such para-
graph, the Secretary shall consult with veterans serv-
ice organizations, veterans, and caregivers of veterans 
from geographically diverse areas and representing 
different eras of service in the Armed Forces to gather 
insights about potential modifications that could help 
improve the understanding and use of such data. 
(4) REPORT.—Not later than 30 days after com-
pleting the review under paragraph (1), the Secretary 
shall submit to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of 
the Senate and the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of 
the House of Representatives a report on the outcome
2450 
† HR 2617 EAS2 
of the review, including an assessment of how the Sec-
retary plans to modify the presentation of data de-
scribed in such paragraph in light of the findings of 
the review. 
(b) REQUIREMENTS OF WEBSITE.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than one year after 
the date of the enactment of this Act, in addition to 
the requirements of section 206(b)(4) of the Veterans 
Access, Choice, and Accountability Act of 2014 (Pub-
lic Law 113–146; 128 Stat. 1781), the Secretary shall 
ensure that the Website meets the following require-
ments: 
(A) The Website is directly accessible 
from— 
(i) the main homepage of the publicly 
accessible internet website of the Depart-
ment; and 
(ii) the main homepage of the publicly 
accessible internet website of each medical 
center of the Department. 
(B) Where practicable, the Website is orga-
nized and searchable by each medical center of 
the Department. 
(C) The Website is easily understandable 
and usable by the general public.
2451 
† HR 2617 EAS2 
(2) CONSULTATION
AND
CONTRACT
AUTHOR-
ITY.—In carrying out the requirements of paragraph 
(1)(C), the Secretary— 
(A) shall consult with— 
(i) veterans service organizations; and 
(ii) veterans and caregivers of veterans 
from geographically diverse areas and rep-
resenting different eras of service in the 
Armed Forces; and 
(B) may enter into a contract to design the 
Website with a company, non-profit entity, or 
other entity specializing in website design that 
has substantial experience in presenting health 
care data and information in a easily under-
standable and usable manner to patients and 
consumers. 
(c) ACCURACY OF DATA.— 
(1) ANNUAL
PROCESS.—Not later than 18 
months after the date of the enactment of this Act, the 
Secretary shall develop and implement a process to 
annually audit a generalizable subset of the data con-
tained on the Website to assess the accuracy and com-
pleteness of the data. 
(2) CRITERIA.—The Secretary shall ensure that 
each audit under paragraph (1)—
2452 
† HR 2617 EAS2 
(A) determines the extent that the medical 
record information, clinical information, data, 
and documentation provided by each medical fa-
cility of the Department that is used to calculate 
the information on the Website is accurate and 
complete; 
(B) identifies any deficiencies in the record-
ing of medical record information, clinical infor-
mation, or data by medical facilities of the De-
partment that affects the accuracy and complete-
ness of the information on the Website; and 
(C) provides recommendations to medical 
facilities of the Department on how to— 
(i) improve the accuracy and complete-
ness of the medical record information, clin-
ical information, data, and documentation 
that is used to calculate the information on 
the Website; and 
(ii) ensure that each medical facility of 
the Department provides such information 
in a uniform manner. 
(3) ANNUAL REPORT.—Not later than two years 
after the date of the enactment of this Act, and annu-
ally thereafter, the Secretary shall submit to the Com-
mittee on Veterans’ Affairs of the Senate and the
2453 
† HR 2617 EAS2 
Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the House of Rep-
resentatives a report on the findings of each audit 
under paragraph (1). 
TITLE II—BENEFITS MATTERS 
Subtitle A—Benefits Generally 
SEC. 201. IMPROVEMENTS TO PROCESS OF THE DEPART-
MENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS FOR CLOTHING 
ALLOWANCE CLAIMS. 
(a) SHORT TITLE.—This section may be cited as the 
. 
(b) PROCESS FOR CLOTHING ALLOWANCE CLAIMS.— 
Section 1162 of title 38, United States Code, is amended— 
(1) by striking ‘‘The Secretary under’’ and in-
serting: 
‘‘(a) ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS.—The Secretary, 
under’’; 
(2) in paragraph (2)— 
(A) by striking ‘‘which (A) a physician’’ 
and inserting: ‘‘which—’’ 
‘‘(A) a physician’’; and 
(B) by striking ‘‘, and (B) the Secretary’’ 
and inserting the following: ‘‘; and 
‘‘(B) the Secretary’’; and 
(3) by adding at the end the following new sub-
sections:
2454 
† HR 2617 EAS2 
‘‘(b) CONTINUOUS NATURE OF PAYMENTS.—Payments 
made to a veteran under subsection (a) shall continue on 
an automatically recurring annual basis until the earlier 
of the following: 
‘‘(1) The date on which the veteran elects to no 
longer receive such payments. 
‘‘(2) The date on which the Secretary determines 
the veteran is no longer eligible pursuant to sub-
section (c). 
‘‘(c) REVIEWS OF CLAIMS.—(1) The Secretary shall, 
in accordance with this subsection, conduct reviews of a 
claim on which a clothing allowance for a veteran under 
subsection (a) is based to determine the continued eligibility 
of the veteran for such allowance. 
‘‘(2) The Secretary shall prescribe standards for deter-
mining whether a claim for a clothing allowance is based 
on a veteran’s wearing or use of a prosthetic, orthopedic 
appliance (including a wheelchair), or medication whose 
wear or tear or irreparable damage on a veteran’s 
outergarments or clothing is as likely as not subject to no 
change for the duration of such wearing or use. 
‘‘(3)(A) If the Secretary determines, pursuant to 
standards prescribed under paragraph (2), that a claim for 
a clothing allowance is based on wear or tear or irreparable 
damage that is as likely as not subject to no change, the
2455 
† HR 2617 EAS2 
veteran shall continue to be deemed eligible for receipt of 
a clothing allowance under this section until the Sec-
retary— 
‘‘(i) receives notice under subparagraph (B); or 
‘‘(ii) finds otherwise under subparagraph (C) or 
(D). 
‘‘(B) The Secretary shall require a veteran who is re-
ceiving a clothing allowance under subsection (a), based on 
the wearing or use of a prosthetic, orthopedic appliance (in-
cluding a wheelchair), or medication, to notify the Sec-
retary when the veteran terminates the wearing or use of 
such a prosthetic, orthopedic appliance, or medication. 
‘‘(C) For each veteran who is receiving a clothing al-
lowance under subsection (a), based on the wearing or use 
of a prosthetic, orthopedic appliance (including a wheel-
chair), or medication, the Secretary shall periodically re-
view the veteran’s Department records for evidence that the 
veteran has terminated the wearing or use of such a pros-
thetic, orthopedic appliance, or medication. 
‘‘(D) If a veteran who is receiving a clothing allowance 
under subsection (a), based on the wearing or use of a pros-
thetic, orthopedic appliance (including a wheelchair), or 
medication, has received such clothing allowance beyond the 
prescribed or intended lifespan of such prosthetic, ortho-
2456 
† HR 2617 EAS2 
pedic appliance, or medication, the Secretary may periodi-
cally request the veteran to attest to continued usage. 
‘‘(4) If the Secretary determines that a claim for a 
clothing allowance under subsection (a) does not meet the 
requirements of paragraph (3)(A), then the Secretary may 
require the veteran to recertify the veteran’s continued eligi-
bility for a clothing allowance under this section periodi-
cally, but not more frequently than once each year. 
‘‘(5) When reviewing a claim under this subsection, the 
Secretary shall evaluate the evidence presented by the vet-
eran and such other relevant evidence as the Secretary de-
termines appropriate. 
‘‘(d) DETERMINATION REGARDING CONTINUED ELIGI-
BILITY.—If the Secretary determines, as the result of a re-
view of a claim conducted under subsection (c), that the 
veteran who submitted such claim no longer meets the re-
quirements specified in subsection (a), the Secretary shall— 
‘‘(1) provide to the veteran notice of such deter-
mination that includes a description of applicable ac-
tions that may be taken following the determination, 
including the actions specified in section 5104C of 
this title; and 
‘‘(2) discontinue the clothing allowance based on 
such claim.’’.
2457 
† HR 2617 EAS2 
(c) APPLICABILITY.—The amendments made by sub-
section (b) shall apply with respect to— 
(1) claims for clothing allowance submitted on or 
after the date of the enactment of this Act; and 
(2) claims for clothing allowance submitted prior 
to the date of the enactment of this Act, if the veteran 
who submitted such claim is in receipt of the clothing 
allowance as of the date of the enactment of this Act. 
SEC. 202. MEDICAL OPINIONS FOR CERTAIN VETERANS 
WITH 
SERVICE-CONNECTED 
DISABILITIES 
WHO DIE OF COVID–19. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Veterans Affairs 
shall secure a medical opinion to determine if a service- 
connected disability was the principal or contributory cause 
of death before notifying the survivor of the final decision 
in any case in which all of the following factors are met: 
(1) A claim for compensation is filed under 
chapter 13 of title 38, United States Code, with re-
spect to a veteran with one or more service-connected 
disabilities who dies. 
(2) The death certificate for the veteran identifies 
Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID–19) as the prin-
cipal or contributory cause of death.
2458 
† HR 2617 EAS2 
(3) The death certificate does not clearly identify 
any of the service-connected disabilities of the veteran 
as the principal or contributory cause of death. 
(4) A service-connected disability of the veteran 
includes a condition more likely to cause severe illness 
from COVID–19 as determined by the Centers for 
Disease Control and Prevention. 
(5) The claimant is not entitled to benefits under 
section 1318 of such title. 
(6) The evidence to support the claim does not 
result in a preliminary finding in favor of the claim-
ant. 
(b) OUTREACH.—The Secretary shall provide informa-
tion to veterans, dependents, and veterans service organiza-
tions about applying to dependency and indemnity com-
pensation when a veteran dies from COVID–19. The Sec-
retary shall provide such information through the website 
of the Department of Veterans Affairs and via other out-
reach mechanisms. 
(c) ANNUAL REPORT.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than one year after 
the date of the enactment of this Act, and annually 
thereafter for five years, the Secretary shall submit to 
the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the Senate and 
the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the House of
2459 
† HR 2617 EAS2 
Representatives a report on the effects of the require-
ment to secure medical opinions pursuant to such 
subsection on dependency and indemnity compensa-
tion benefits under chapter 13 of title 38, United 
States Code. 
(2) CONTENTS.—Each report submitted under 
paragraph (1) shall include, with respect to the year 
for which the report is submitted, the following: 
(A) The total number of dependency and in-
demnity compensation claims filed. 
(B) The number and percentage of depend-
ency and indemnity compensation claims for 
which 
a 
disposition 
has 
been 
made, 
disaggregated by whether the disposition was a 
grant, denial, deferral, or withdrawal. 
(C) The accuracy rate for all dependency 
and indemnity compensation claims. 
(D) The total number of covered claims 
filed. 
(E) The number and percentage of covered 
claims for which a disposition has been made, 
disaggregated by whether the disposition was a 
grant, denial, deferral, or withdrawal. 
(F) The accuracy rate for covered claims.
2460 
† HR 2617 EAS2 
(G) The total number and cost of medical 
opinions secured by the Secretary pursuant to 
subsection (a). 
(d) STUDY ON CLAIMS DENIED PRIOR TO ENACT-
MENT.— 
(1) STUDY.—Not later than 180 days after the 
date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall 
complete a study on covered claims that were denied 
prior to the date of the enactment of this Act and sub-
mit to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the Sen-
ate and the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the 
House of Representatives a report on the findings of 
the Secretary with respect to such study, including a 
description of any improvements made as a result of 
such study to trainings of the Department of Veterans 
Affairs relating to dependency and indemnity com-
pensation claims. 
(2) METHODOLOGY.—In carrying out the study 
under paragraph (1), the Secretary shall use a statis-
tically valid, random sample of covered claims. 
(3) ELEMENTS.—The study under paragraph (1) 
shall include, with respect to covered claims denied 
prior to the date of the enactment of this Act, the fol-
lowing elements:
2461 
† HR 2617 EAS2 
(A) A review of whether the individuals 
processing such covered claims— 
(i) correctly applied applicable laws, 
regulations, and policies, operating proce-
dures, and guidelines of the Department of 
Veterans Affairs relating to the adjudication 
of dependency and indemnity compensation 
claims; and 
(ii) completed all necessary claim de-
velopment actions prior to making a dis-
position for the claim. 
(B) An identification of— 
(i) the total number of covered claims 
reviewed under the study; 
(ii) the number and percentage of such 
covered claims the processing of which in-
volved errors; 
(iii) the top five claims processing er-
rors and the number of such covered claims 
the processing of which involved any of such 
five errors. 
(e) STUDY ON CLAIMS DENIED FOLLOWING ENACT-
MENT.— 
(1) STUDY.—Not later than two years after the 
date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall
2462 
† HR 2617 EAS2 
complete a study on covered claims that have been de-
nied following the date of the enactment of this Act 
and submit to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of 
the Senate and the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of 
the House of Representatives a report on the findings 
of the Secretary with respect to such study, including 
a description of any improvements made as a result 
of such study to trainings of the Department of Vet-
erans Affairs relating to dependency and indemnity 
compensation claims. 
(2) METHODOLOGY.—In carrying out the study 
under paragraph (1), the Secretary shall use a statis-
tically valid, random sample of covered claims. 
(3) ELEMENTS.—The study under paragraph (1) 
shall include, with respect to covered claims denied 
following the date of the enactment of this Act, each 
of the elements specified in subsection (d)(3). 
(f) COVERED CLAIM DEFINED.—In this section, the 
term ‘‘covered claim’’ means a dependency and indemnity 
compensation claim filed with respect to a veteran the death 
certificate of whom identifies COVID–19 as the principal 
or contributory cause of death.
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† HR 2617 EAS2 
SEC. 203. ENHANCED LOAN UNDERWRITING METHODS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 3710 of title 38, United 
States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following 
new subsection: 
‘‘(i)(1) The Secretary, in consultation with the advi-
sory group established under paragraph (3)(A), shall pre-
scribe regulations and issue guidance to assist lenders in 
evaluating the sufficiency of the residual income of a vet-
eran pursuant to paragraph (2). 
‘‘(2)(A) Pursuant to the regulations and guidance pre-
scribed under paragraph (1), in the case of a loan to a vet-
eran to be guaranteed under this chapter, if the veteran pro-
vides to the lender an energy efficiency report described in 
subparagraph (B) — 
‘‘(i) the evaluation by the lender of the suffi-
ciency of the residual income of the veteran shall in-
clude a consideration of the estimate of the expected 
energy cost savings contained in the report; and 
‘‘(ii) the lender may apply the underwriting ex-
pertise of the lender in adjusting the residual income 
of the veteran in accordance with the information in 
the report. 
‘‘(B) An energy efficiency report described in this sub-
paragraph is a report made with respect to a home for 
which a loan is to be guaranteed under this chapter that 
includes each of the following:
2464 
† HR 2617 EAS2 
‘‘(i) An estimate of the expected energy cost sav-
ings specific to the home, based on specific informa-
tion about the home, including savings relating to 
electricity or natural gas, oil, and any other fuel reg-
ularly used to supply energy to the home. 
‘‘(ii) Any information required to be included 
pursuant to the regulations and guidance and regula-
tions prescribed by the Secretary under paragraph 
(1). 
‘‘(iii) Information with respect to the energy effi-
ciency of the home as determined pursuant to— 
‘‘(I) the Residential Energy Service Net-
work’s Home Energy Rating System (commonly 
know as ‘HERS’) by an individual certified by 
such Network; or 
‘‘(II) an other method determined appro-
priate by the Secretary, in consultation with the 
advisory group under paragraph (3), including 
with respect to third-party quality assurance 
procedures. 
‘‘(3)(A) To assist the Secretary in carrying out this 
subsection, the Secretary shall establish an advisory group 
consisting of individuals representing the interests of— 
‘‘(i) mortgage lenders; 
‘‘(ii) appraisers;
2465 
† HR 2617 EAS2 
‘‘(iii) energy raters and residential energy con-
sumption experts; 
‘‘(iv) energy efficiency organizations; 
‘‘(v) real estate agents; 
‘‘(vi) home builders and remodelers; 
‘‘(vii) consumer advocates; 
‘‘(viii) veterans’ service organizations; and 
‘‘(ix) other persons determined appropriate by 
the Secretary. 
‘‘(B) The advisory group established under subpara-
graph (A) shall not be subject to the Federal Advisory Com-
mittee Act (5 U.S.C. App.). 
‘‘(4) The Secretary shall ensure that marketing mate-
rials that the Secretary provides to veterans with respect 
to loans guaranteed under this chapter include information 
regarding the use of energy efficiency reports under this 
subsection. 
‘‘(5) Not later than one year after the date on which 
the Secretary issues the regulations and guidance pursuant 
to paragraph (2), and every year thereafter, the Secretary 
shall submit to Congress and make publicly available a re-
port that includes the following information for the year 
covered by the report: 
‘‘(A) An enumeration of the number of loans 
guaranteed under this chapter for which a veteran
2466 
† HR 2617 EAS2 
provided to the Secretary an energy efficiency report 
under this subsection, including the number of such 
loans for which cost savings were taken into account 
pursuant to paragraph (1). 
‘‘(B) Of the number of loans enumerated under 
subparagraph (A), an enumeration of the default 
rates and rates of foreclosure, including how such 
enumeration compares with the default rates and 
rates of foreclosure for guaranteed loans for which no 
energy efficiency report is provided.’’. 
(b) CLARIFICATION OF REQUIREMENTS REGARDING 
ENERGY EFFICIENCY STANDARDS.—Section 3704(f) of such 
title is amended by striking ‘‘such standards’’ and inserting 
the following: ‘‘the standards established under such section 
109, as in effect on the date of such construction’’. 
SEC. 204. DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS LOAN FEES. 
The loan fee table in section 3729(b)(2) of title 38, 
United States Code, is amended by striking ‘‘January 14, 
2031’’ each place it appears and inserting ‘‘November 14, 
2031’’.
2467 
† HR 2617 EAS2 
Subtitle B—Education 
SEC. 211. NATIVE VETSUCCESS AT TRIBAL COLLEGES AND 
UNIVERSITIES PILOT PROGRAM. 
(a) SHORT TITLE.—This section may be cited as the 
‘‘Native VetSuccess at Tribal Colleges and Universities 
Pilot Program Act’’. 
(b) PILOT PROGRAM.— 
(1) IN
GENERAL.—Not later than 18 months 
after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Sec-
retary of Veterans Affairs shall commence carrying 
out a pilot program to assess the feasibility and ad-
visability of expanding the VetSuccess on Campus 
program to additional Tribal colleges and univer-
sities. 
(2) DESIGNATION.—The pilot program carried 
out under paragraph (1) shall be known as the ‘‘Na-
tive VetSuccess at Tribal Colleges and Universities 
Pilot Program’’. 
(c) DURATION.—The Secretary shall carry out the 
pilot program required by subsection (b)(1) during the five- 
year period beginning on the date of the commencement of 
the pilot program. 
(d) PARAMETERS.—Under the pilot program required 
by subsection (b)(1) the Secretary shall—
2468 
† HR 2617 EAS2 
(1) identify three regional Native VetSuccess 
service areas consisting of at least two participating 
Tribal colleges or universities that do not already 
have a VetSuccess program, counselor, or outreach co-
ordinator; and 
(2) assign to each regional Native VetSuccess 
service area a VetSuccess on Campus counselor and a 
full-time Vet Center outreach coordinator, both of 
whom shall— 
(A) be based on one or more of the partici-
pating Tribal colleges or universities in the serv-
ice area; and 
(B) provide for eligible students at such 
participating colleges and universities with all 
services for which such students would be eligible 
under the VetSuccess on Campus program of the 
Department of Veterans Affairs. 
(e) ELIGIBLE STUDENTS.—For purposes of the pilot 
program, an eligible student is a student who is a veteran, 
member of the Armed Forces, or dependent of a veteran or 
member of the Armed Forces who is eligible for any service 
or benefit under the VetSuccess on Campus program of the 
Department. 
(f) CONSULTATION REQUIREMENT.—In developing the 
pilot program required by subsection (b)(1), the Secretary
2469 
† HR 2617 EAS2 
shall, acting through the Veteran Readiness and Employ-
ment Program of the Department of Veterans Affairs and 
in coordination with the Office of Tribal Government Rela-
tions of the Department, consult with Indian Tribes, and 
Tribal organizations, and seek comment from the Advisory 
Committee on Tribal and Indian Affairs of the Department, 
and veterans service organizations regarding each of the fol-
lowing: 
(1) The design of the pilot program. 
(2) The process for selection of the three regional 
Native VetSuccess service areas and participating 
Tribal colleges and universities, taking into consider-
ation— 
(A) the number of eligible students enrolled 
in the college or university and in the regional 
service area; 
(B) the capacity of the colleges and univer-
sities in the regional service area to accommo-
date a full-time VetSuccess on Campus counselor 
and a full-time Vet Center outreach coordinator; 
(C) barriers in specific regional service 
areas that prevent native veterans’ access to ben-
efits and services under the laws administered by 
the Secretary; and
2470 
† HR 2617 EAS2 
(D) any other factor that the Secretary, in 
consultation with Indian Tribes and Tribal or-
ganizations, and after considering input from 
veterans service organizations and the Advisory 
Committee on Tribal and Indian Affairs identi-
fies as relevant. 
(3) The most effective way to provide culturally 
competent outreach and services to eligible students at 
Tribal colleges and universities. 
(g) OUTREACH TO COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES.— 
The Secretary shall provide notice of the pilot program to 
all Tribal colleges and universities and encourage all Tribal 
colleges and universities to coordinate with each other to 
create regional service areas to participate in the pilot pro-
gram. 
(h) BRIEFINGS AND REPORTS.— 
(1) IMPLEMENTATION BRIEFING.—Not later than 
one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, 
the Secretary shall provide the appropriate commit-
tees of Congress a briefing on— 
(A) the design, structure, and objectives of 
the pilot program required by subsection (b)(1); 
and 
(B) the three regional Native Vet Success 
service areas and the Tribal colleges and univer-
2471 
† HR 2617 EAS2 
sities selected for participation in the pilot pro-
gram and the reason for the selection of such 
service areas and such colleges and universities. 
(2) REPORT.— 
(A) IN
GENERAL.—Not later than four 
years after the date on which the Secretary com-
mences the pilot program under subsection 
(b)(1), the Secretary shall submit to the appro-
priate committees of Congress a report on the 
pilot program. 
(B) 
CONTENTS.—The 
report 
submitted 
under subparagraph (A) shall include each of the 
following: 
(i) The number of eligible students pro-
vided services through the pilot program. 
(ii) The types of services that eligible 
students received through the pilot program. 
(iii) The graduation rate of eligible 
students who received services through the 
pilot program and graduation rate of eligi-
ble students who did not receive services 
through the pilot program. 
(iv) The rate of employment within 
one year of graduation for eligible students
2472 
† HR 2617 EAS2 
who received services through the pilot pro-
gram. 
(v) Feedback from each Tribal college 
or university that participated in the pilot 
program, including on the regional nature 
of the program. 
(vi) Analysis of the feasibility of ex-
panding 
a 
regionally 
based 
Native 
VetSuccess at Tribal Colleges and Univer-
sities Program, including an explanation of 
the challenges of such a model due to issues 
with distance, communication, and coordi-
nation, and to the level of unmet services. 
(vii) A detailed proposal regarding a 
long-term extension of the pilot program, 
including a budget, unless the Secretary de-
termines that such an extension is not ap-
propriate. 
(i) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
(1) APPROPRIATE COMMITTEE OF CONGRESS.— 
The term ‘‘appropriate committees of Congress’’ 
means— 
(A) the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs and 
the Committee on Indian Affairs of the Senate; 
and
2473 
† HR 2617 EAS2 
(B) the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs and 
the Committee on Natural Resources of the 
House of Representatives. 
(2) CULTURALLY COMPETENT.—The term ‘‘cul-
turally competent’’ means considerate of the unique 
values, customs, traditions, cultures, and languages of 
Native American veterans. 
(3) TRIBAL COLLEGE OR UNIVERSITY.—The term 
‘‘Tribal college or university’’ has the meaning given 
the term ‘‘Tribal College or University’’ under section 
316 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 
1059c). 
(4) TRIBAL ORGANIZATION.—The term ‘‘Tribal 
organization’’ has the meaning given that term in 
section 4 of the Indian Self-Determination and Edu-
cation Assistance Act (25 U.S.C. 5304). 
SEC. 212. EDUCATION FOR SEPARATING MEMBERS OF THE 
ARMED FORCES REGARDING REGISTERED AP-
PRENTICESHIPS. 
Section 1144(b)(1) of title 10, United States Code, is 
amended by inserting ‘‘(including apprenticeship programs 
approved under chapters 30 through 36 of title 38)’’ after 
‘‘employment opportunities’’.
2474 
† HR 2617 EAS2 
SEC. 213. WEBSITES REGARDING APPRENTICESHIP PRO-
GRAMS. 
(a) WEBSITE UNDER
THE JURISDICTION
OF SEC-
RETARY OF LABOR.—The Assistant Secretary of Labor for 
Veterans’ Employment and Training, in coordination with 
the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, shall establish a user- 
friendly website (or update an existing website) that is 
available to the public on which veterans can find informa-
tion about apprenticeship programs registered under the 
Act of August 16, 1937 (50 Stat. 664; commonly referred 
to as the ‘‘National Apprenticeship Act’’) and approved 
under chapters 30 through 36 of title 38, United States 
Code. Such information shall be searchable and sortable by 
occupation and location, and include, with regard to each 
such program, the following: 
(1) A description, including any cost to a vet-
eran. 
(2) Contact information. 
(3) Whether the program has been endorsed by a 
veterans service organization or nonprofit organiza-
tion that caters to veterans. 
(4) Whether the program prefers to hire veterans. 
(5) Each certification or degree an individual 
earns by completing the program. 
(b) COORDINATION WITH OTHER WEBSITE.—The As-
sistant Secretary shall update all information regarding
2475 
† HR 2617 EAS2 
programs for veterans listed on apprenticeship.gov (or any 
successor website) to include the information specified under 
subsection (a). 
SEC. 214. TRANSFER OF ENTITLEMENT TO POST-9/11 EDU-
CATIONAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM OF DE-
PARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Paragraph (4) of section 3319(h) 
of title 38, United States Code, is amended to read as fol-
lows: 
‘‘(4) DEATH OF TRANSFEROR.— 
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—The death of an indi-
vidual transferring an entitlement under this 
section shall not affect the use of the entitlement 
by the dependent to whom the entitlement is 
transferred. 
‘‘(B) DEATH PRIOR TO TRANSFER TO DES-
IGNATED TRANSFEREES.—(i) In the case of an 
eligible individual whom the Secretary has ap-
proved to transfer the individual’s entitlement 
under this section who, at the time of death, is 
entitled to educational assistance under this 
chapter and has designated a transferee or trans-
ferees under subsection (e) but has not trans-
ferred all of such entitlement to such transferee 
or transferees, the Secretary shall transfer the en-
2476 
† HR 2617 EAS2 
titlement of the individual under this section by 
evenly distributing the amount of such entitle-
ment between all such transferees who would not 
be precluded from using some or all of the trans-
ferred benefits due to the expiration of time limi-
tations found in paragraph (5) of this subsection 
or section 3321 of this title, notwithstanding the 
limitations under subsection (f). 
‘‘(ii) If a transferee cannot use all of the 
transferred benefits under clause (i) because of 
expiration of a time limitation, the unused bene-
fits will be distributed among the other des-
ignated transferees who would not be precluded 
from using some or all of the transferred benefits 
due to expiration of time limitations found in 
paragraph (5) of this subsection or section 3321 
of this title, unless or until there are no trans-
ferees who would not be precluded from using the 
transferred benefits because of expiration of a 
time limitation.’’. 
(b) APPLICABILITY.—Paragraph (4)(B) of section 
3319(h) of title 38, United States Code, shall apply with 
respect to an eligible individual who dies on or after Novem-
ber 1, 2018.
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† HR 2617 EAS2 
SEC. 215. USE OF ENTITLEMENT UNDER DEPARTMENT OF 
VETERANS AFFAIRS SURVIVORS’ AND DE-
PENDENTS’ EDUCATIONAL ASSISTANCE PRO-
GRAM FOR SECONDARY SCHOOL EDUCATION. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 3501(a)(6) of title 38, 
United States Code, is amended— 
(1) by striking ‘‘secondary school,’’; and 
(2) by striking ‘‘secondary school level’’ and in-
serting ‘‘postsecondary school level’’. 
(b) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendment made by sub-
section (a) shall take effect on August 1, 2026, and shall 
apply with respect to an academic period that begins on 
or after that date. 
SEC. 216. ESTABLISHMENT OF PROTECTIONS FOR A MEM-
BER OF THE ARMED FORCES WHO LEAVES A 
COURSE OF EDUCATION, PAID FOR WITH CER-
TAIN EDUCATIONAL ASSISTANCE, TO PER-
FORM CERTAIN SERVICE. 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—Chapter 36 of title 38, United 
States Code, amended by inserting after section 3691 the 
following new section: 
‘‘§ 3691A. Withdrawal or leave of absence from certain 
education 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—(1) A covered member may, after 
receiving orders to enter a period of covered service, with-
draw or take a leave of absence from covered education.
2478 
† HR 2617 EAS2 
‘‘(2)(A) The institution concerned may not take any 
adverse action against a covered member on the basis that 
such covered member withdraws or takes a leave of absence 
under paragraph (1). 
‘‘(B) Adverse actions under subparagraph (A) include 
the following: 
‘‘(i) The assignment of a failing grade to a cov-
ered member for covered education. 
‘‘(ii) The reduction of the grade point average of 
a covered member for covered education. 
‘‘(iii) The characterization of any absence of a 
covered member from covered education as unexcused. 
‘‘(iv) The assessment of any financial penalty 
against a covered member. 
‘‘(b) WITHDRAWAL.—If a covered member withdraws 
from covered education under subsection (a), the institution 
concerned shall refund all tuition and fees (including pay-
ments for housing) for the academic term from which the 
covered member withdraws. 
‘‘(c) LEAVE OF ABSENCE.—If a covered member takes 
a leave of absence from covered education under subsection 
(a), the institution concerned shall— 
‘‘(1) assign a grade of ‘incomplete’ (or equiva-
lent) to the covered member for covered education for
2479 
† HR 2617 EAS2 
the academic term from which the covered member 
takes such leave of absence; and 
‘‘(2) to the extent practicable, permit the covered 
member, upon completion of the period covered serv-
ice, to complete such academic term. 
‘‘(d) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
‘‘(1) The term ‘covered education’ means a course 
of education— 
‘‘(A) at an institution of higher education; 
and 
‘‘(B) paid for with educational assistance 
furnished under a law administered by the Sec-
retary. 
‘‘(2) The term ‘covered member’ means a member 
of the Armed Forces (including the reserve compo-
nents) enrolled in covered education. 
‘‘(3) The term ‘covered service’ means— 
‘‘(A) active service or inactive-duty train-
ing, as such terms are defined in section 101 of 
title 10; or 
‘‘(B) State active duty, as defined in section 
4303 of this title. 
‘‘(4) The term ‘institution concerned’ means, 
with respect to a covered member, the institution of
2480 
† HR 2617 EAS2 
higher education where the covered member is enrolled 
in covered education. 
‘‘(5) The term ‘institution of higher education’ 
has the meaning given such term in section 101 of the 
Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001). 
‘‘(6) The term ‘period of covered service’ means 
the period beginning on the date on which a covered 
member enters covered service and ending on the date 
on which the covered member is released from covered 
service or dies while in covered service.’’. 
(b) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of contents at 
the beginning of such chapter is amended by inserting after 
the item relating to section 3691 the following new item: 
‘‘3691A.Withdrawal or leave of absence from certain education.’’. 
Subtitle C—GI Bill National 
Emergency Extended Deadline Act 
SEC. 231. SHORT TITLE. 
This subtitle may be cited as the ‘‘GI Bill National 
Emergency Extended Deadline Act of 2022’’.
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† HR 2617 EAS2 
SEC. 232. EXTENSION OF TIME LIMITATION FOR USE OF EN-
TITLEMENT UNDER DEPARTMENT OF VET-
ERANS AFFAIRS EDUCATIONAL ASSISTANCE 
PROGRAMS BY REASON OF SCHOOL CLO-
SURES DUE TO EMERGENCY AND OTHER SIT-
UATIONS. 
(a) MONTGOMERY GI BILL.—Section 3031 of title 38, 
United States Code, is amended— 
(1) in subsection (a), by inserting ‘‘and sub-
section (i)’’ after ‘‘through (g)’’; and 
(2) by adding at the end the following new sub-
section: 
‘‘(i)(1) In the case of an individual eligible for edu-
cational assistance under this chapter who is prevented 
from pursuing the individual’s chosen program of education 
before the expiration of the 10-year period for the use of 
entitlement under this chapter otherwise applicable under 
this section because of a covered reason, as determined by 
the Secretary, such 10-year period— 
‘‘(A) shall not run during the period the indi-
vidual is so prevented from pursuing such program; 
and 
‘‘(B) shall again begin running on a date deter-
mined by the Secretary that is— 
‘‘(i) not earlier than the first day after the 
individual is able to resume pursuit of a pro-
2482 
† HR 2617 EAS2 
gram of education with educational assistance 
under this chapter; and 
‘‘(ii) not later than 90 days after that day. 
‘‘(2) In this subsection, a covered reason is— 
‘‘(A) the temporary or permanent closure of an 
educational institution by reason of an emergency sit-
uation; or 
‘‘(B) another reason that prevents the individual 
from pursuing the individual’s chosen program of 
education, as determined by the Secretary.’’. 
(b) POST-9/11 EDUCATIONAL ASSISTANCE.— Section 
3321(b)(1) of such title is amended— 
(1) by inserting ‘‘(A)’’ before ‘‘Subsections’’; 
(2) by striking ‘‘and (d)’’ and inserting ‘‘(d), 
and (i)’’; and 
(3) by adding at the end the following new sub-
paragraph: 
‘‘(B) Subsection (i) of section 3031 of this title 
shall apply with respect to the running of the 15-year 
period described in paragraphs (4)(A) and (5)(A) of 
this subsection in the same manner as such subsection 
(i) applies under such section 3031 with respect to the 
running of the 10-year period described in subsection 
(a) of such section.’’.
2483 
† HR 2617 EAS2 
SEC. 233. EXTENSION OF PERIOD OF ELIGIBILITY BY REA-
SON OF SCHOOL CLOSURES DUE TO EMER-
GENCY AND OTHER SITUATIONS UNDER DE-
PARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS TRAINING 
AND REHABILITATION PROGRAM FOR VET-
ERANS WITH SERVICE-CONNECTED DISABIL-
ITIES. 
Section 3103 of title 38, United States Code, is amend-
ed— 
(1) in subsection (a), by striking ‘‘or (g)’’ and 
inserting ‘‘(g), or (h)’’; and 
(2) by adding at the end the following new sub-
section: 
‘‘(h)(1) In the case of a veteran who is eligible for a 
vocational rehabilitation program under this chapter and 
who is prevented from participating in the vocational reha-
bilitation program within the period of eligibility pre-
scribed in subsection (a) because of a covered reason, as de-
termined by the Secretary, such period of eligibility— 
‘‘(A) shall not run during the period the veteran 
is so prevented from participating in such program; 
and 
‘‘(B) shall again begin running on a date deter-
mined by the Secretary that is— 
‘‘(i) not earlier than the first day after the 
veteran is able to resume participation in a vo-
2484 
† HR 2617 EAS2 
cational rehabilitation program under this chap-
ter; and 
‘‘(ii) not later than 90 days after that day. 
‘‘(2) In this subsection, a covered reason is— 
‘‘(A) the temporary or permanent closure of an 
educational institution by reason of an emergency sit-
uation; or 
‘‘(B) another reason that prevents the veteran 
from participating in the vocational rehabilitation 
program, as determined by the Secretary.’’. 
SEC. 234. PERIOD FOR ELIGIBILITY UNDER SURVIVORS’ 
AND DEPENDENTS’ EDUCATIONAL ASSIST-
ANCE PROGRAM OF DEPARTMENT OF VET-
ERANS AFFAIRS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 3512 of title 38, United 
States Code, is amended— 
(1) by redesignating subsection (h) as subsection 
(f); and 
(2) by adding at the end the following new sub-
section: 
‘‘(g) Notwithstanding any other provision of this sec-
tion, the following persons may be afforded educational as-
sistance under this chapter at any time after August 1, 
2023, and without regard to the age of the person:
2485 
† HR 2617 EAS2 
‘‘(1) A person who first becomes an eligible per-
son on or after August 1, 2023. 
‘‘(2) A person who— 
‘‘(A) first becomes an eligible person before 
August 1, 2023; and 
‘‘(B) becomes 18 years of age, or completes 
secondary schooling, on or after August 1, 
2023.’’. 
(b) CONFORMING AMENDMENTS.—Such section is fur-
ther amended— 
(1) in subsection (a), by striking ‘‘The edu-
cational’’ and inserting ‘‘Except as provided in sub-
section (g), the educational’’; 
(2) in subsection (b)— 
(A) in paragraph (1)(A), by inserting ‘‘sub-
section (g) or’’ after ‘‘provided in’’; and 
(B) in paragraph (2), by striking ‘‘Notwith-
standing’’ and inserting ‘‘Except as provided in 
subsection (g), notwithstanding’’; and 
(3) in subsection (e), by striking ‘‘No person’’ 
and inserting ‘‘Except as provided in subsection (g), 
no person’’.
2486 
† HR 2617 EAS2 
Subtitle D—Rural Veterans Travel 
Enhancement 
SEC. 241. COMPTROLLER GENERAL OF THE UNITED STATES 
REPORT ON FRAUD, WASTE, AND ABUSE OF 
THE DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS 
BENEFICIARY TRAVEL PROGRAM. 
(a) STUDY AND REPORT REQUIRED.—Not later than 
three years after the date of the enactment of this Act, the 
Comptroller General of the United States shall— 
(1) complete a study on fraud, waste, and abuse 
of the benefits furnished under section 111 of title 38, 
United States Code, that may have occurred during 
the five-year period ending on the date of the enact-
ment of this Act; and 
(2) submit to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs 
of the Senate and the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs 
of the House of Representatives a report on the find-
ings of the Comptroller General with respect to the 
study completed under paragraph (1). 
(b) ELEMENTS.—Study conducted under subsection 
(a)(1) shall cover the following: 
(1) The quantity and monetary amount of 
claims that have been adjudicated as fraudulent or 
improper, disaggregated, to the extent possible, by
2487 
† HR 2617 EAS2 
general health care travel and by special mode of 
transportation. 
(2) Instances of potential fraud or improper 
payments that may have occurred but were not de-
tected, disaggregated, to the extent possible, by general 
health care travel and by special mode of transpor-
tation. 
(3) The efforts of the Secretary of Veterans Af-
fairs to mitigate fraud and the effectiveness of the ef-
forts of the Secretary. 
(4) Assessment of communication and training 
provided by the Department of Veterans Affairs to 
employees and contractors handling claims filed 
under section 111 of such title regarding fraud. 
(5) Such recommendations as the Comptroller 
General may have for further mitigation of fraud, 
waste, and abuse. 
SEC. 242. COMPTROLLER GENERAL STUDY AND REPORT ON 
EFFECTIVENESS OF DEPARTMENT OF VET-
ERANS AFFAIRS BENEFICIARY TRAVEL PRO-
GRAM MILEAGE REIMBURSEMENT AND DE-
DUCTIBLE AMOUNTS. 
Not later than one year after the date of the enactment 
of this Act, the Comptroller General of the United States 
shall—
2488 
† HR 2617 EAS2 
(1) complete a study on— 
(A) the efficacy of the current mileage reim-
bursement rate under subsection (a) of section 
111 of title 38, United States Code, in miti-
gating the financial burden of transportation 
costs for traveling to and from Department of 
Veterans Affairs medical facilities for medical 
care; 
(B) the origins of the amount of the deduct-
ible under subsection (c) of such section and its 
impact on the efficacy of the benefits provided 
under such section in mitigating financial bur-
den on veterans seeking medical care; and 
(C) developing such recommendations as the 
Comptroller General may have for how this pro-
gram or another transportation assistance pro-
gram could further encourage veterans, especially 
low-income veterans, to seek medical care, espe-
cially mental health care; and 
(2) submit to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs 
of the Senate and the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs 
of the House of Representatives a report on the find-
ings of the Comptroller General with respect to the 
study completed under paragraph (1).
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† HR 2617 EAS2 
SEC. 243. DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS TRANSPOR-
TATION PILOT PROGRAM FOR LOW INCOME 
VETERANS. 
(a) PILOT PROGRAM REQUIRED.—Not later than one 
year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Sec-
retary of Veterans Affairs shall commence carrying out a 
pilot program to assess the feasibility and advisability of 
providing payments authorized under subsection (a) of sec-
tion 111 of title 38, United States Code, 48 hours in ad-
vance of travel to eligible appointments to veterans and 
other eligible individuals who are also eligible for a deduc-
tion waiver as provided by paragraphs (3) and (4) of sub-
section (c) of such section. 
(b) DURATION.—The Secretary shall carry out the 
pilot program during the five-year period beginning on the 
date of the commencement of the pilot program. 
(c) LOCATIONS.—The Secretary shall carry out the 
pilot program at not fewer than five locations selected by 
the Secretary for purposes of the pilot program. 
(d) REPORT.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 180 days after 
the date of the completion of the pilot program, the 
Secretary shall submit to Congress a report on the 
findings of the Secretary with respect to the pilot pro-
gram.
2490 
† HR 2617 EAS2 
(2) CONTENTS.—The report submitted under 
paragraph (1) shall include the following: 
(A) The number of individuals who bene-
fitted 
from 
the 
pilot 
program 
broken, 
disaggregated by geographic location, race or eth-
nicity, age, disability rating, and sex. 
(B) Average distance traveled by partici-
pants to appointments and average funds pro-
vided per appointment, disaggregated by geo-
graphic region. 
(C) A description of any impediments to 
carrying out the pilot program. 
(D) An account of payments provided for 
travel that did not occur or was authorized in-
correctly. 
(E) An account of any attempts to retrieve 
such payment. 
(F) Recommendations of the Secretary for 
legislative or administrative action to reduce im-
proper payments. 
(G) An assessment of the feasibility and ad-
visability of providing payments as described in 
subsection (a).
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† HR 2617 EAS2 
SEC. 244. PILOT PROGRAM FOR TRAVEL COST REIMBURSE-
MENT 
FOR 
ACCESSING 
READJUSTMENT 
COUNSELING SERVICES. 
(a) PILOT PROGRAM REQUIRED.—Not later than 270 
days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Sec-
retary shall establish and commence a pilot program, with-
in the Readjustment Counseling Services of the Veterans 
Health Administration, to assess the feasibility and advis-
ability of providing payment to cover or offset financial dif-
ficulties of an individual in accessing or using transpor-
tation to and from the nearest Vet Center service site pro-
viding the necessary readjustment counseling services for 
the individual’s plan of service. 
(b) PARTICIPATION.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—In carrying out the pilot pro-
gram required by subsection (a), the Secretary shall 
limit participation— 
(A) by individuals pursuant to paragraph 
(2); and 
(B) by Vet Centers pursuant to paragraph 
(3). 
(2) PARTICIPATION BY INDIVIDUALS.— 
(A) IN
GENERAL.—The Secretary shall 
limit participation in the pilot program to indi-
viduals who are eligible for services at a partici-
2492 
† HR 2617 EAS2 
pating Vet Center and experiencing financial 
hardship. 
(B) FINANCIAL HARDSHIP.—The Secretary 
shall determine the meaning of ‘‘financial hard-
ship’’ for purposes of subparagraph (A). 
(3) PARTICIPATION OF VET CENTERS.—Vet Cen-
ters participating in the program shall be chosen by 
the Secretary from among those serving individuals 
in areas designated by the Secretary as rural or high-
ly rural or Tribal lands. 
(c) TRAVEL ALLOWANCES AND REIMBURSEMENTS.— 
Under the pilot program required by subsection (a), the Sec-
retary shall provide a participating individual a travel al-
lowance or reimbursement at the earliest time practicable, 
but not later than 10 business days after the date of the 
appointment. 
(d) DURATION.—The Secretary shall carry out the 
pilot program required by subsection (a) during the five- 
year period beginning on the date of the commencement of 
the pilot program. 
(e) LOCATIONS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall carry out 
the pilot program at not fewer than five locations se-
lected by the Secretary for purposes of the pilot pro-
gram.
2493 
† HR 2617 EAS2 
(2) EXISTING INITIATIVE.— 
(A) LOCATIONS PARTICIPATING IN EXISTING 
INITIATIVE.—Of the locations selected under 
paragraph (1), four shall be the locations par-
ticipating in the initiative commenced under sec-
tion 104(a) of the Honoring America’s Veterans 
and Caring for Camp Lejeune Families Act of 
2012 (Public Law 112–154), as most recently 
amended by section 105 of the Continuing Ap-
propriations and Ukraine Supplemental Appro-
priations Act, 2023 (Public Law 117–180), as of 
the date of the enactment of this Act. 
(B) TERMINATION
OF
EXISTING
INITIA-
TIVE.—Section 104(a) of the Honoring America’s 
Veterans and Caring for Camp Lejeune Families 
Act of 2012, as so amended, is further amended 
by striking ‘‘September 30, 2023’’ and inserting 
‘‘the date on which the pilot program required by 
subsection (a) of section 244 of the Joseph Max-
well Cleland and Robert Joseph Dole Memorial 
Veterans Benefits and Health Care Improvement 
Act of 2022 commences at each of the locations 
described in subsection (e)(2)(A) of such section’’. 
(f) ANNUAL REPORTS.—
2494 
† HR 2617 EAS2 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than one year after 
the date of the commencement of the pilot program re-
quired by subsection (a) and each year thereafter for 
the duration of the pilot program, the Secretary shall 
submit to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the 
Senate and the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the 
House of Representatives a report on the findings of 
the Secretary with respect to the pilot program. 
(2) CONTENTS.—Each report submitted under 
paragraph (1) shall include the following: 
(A) The number of individuals who bene-
fitted from the pilot program, disaggregated by 
age, race or ethnicity, and sex, to the extent pos-
sible. 
(B) The average distance traveled by each 
individual per each Vet Center. 
(C) The definition of financial hardship de-
termined by the Secretary under subsection 
(b)(2)(B). 
(D) A description of how the funds are dis-
tributed. 
(E) The average amount of funds distrib-
uted per instance, disaggregated by Vet Center.
2495 
† HR 2617 EAS2 
(F) A description of any impediments to the 
Secretary in paying expenses or allowances 
under the pilot program. 
(G) An assessment of the potential for 
fraudulent receipt of payment under the pilot 
program and the recommendations of the Sec-
retary for legislative or administrative action to 
reduce such fraud. 
(H) Such recommendations for legislative or 
administrative action as the Secretary considers 
appropriate with respect to the payment of ex-
penses or allowances. 
(g) VET CENTER DEFINED.—In this section, the term 
‘‘Vet Center’’ means a center for readjustment counseling 
and related mental health services for veterans under section 
1712A of title 38, United States Code. 
Subtitle E—VA Beneficiary Debt 
Collection Improvement Act 
SEC. 251. SHORT TITLE. 
This subtitle may be cited as the ‘‘VA Beneficiary Debt 
Collection Improvement Act of 2022’’. 
SEC. 252. PROHIBITION OF DEBT ARISING FROM OVERPAY-
MENT DUE TO DELAY IN PROCESSING BY THE 
DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS. 
(a) BAR TO RECOVERY.—
2496 
† HR 2617 EAS2 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Chapter 53 of title 38, United 
States Code, is amended by inserting after section 
5302A the following new section: 
‘‘§ 5302B. Prohibition of debt arising from overpay-
ment due to delay in processing 
‘‘(a) LIMITATION.—(1) Except as provided in para-
graph (2), no individual may incur a debt to the United 
States that— 
‘‘(A) arises from the participation of the indi-
vidual in a program or benefit administered by the 
Under Secretary for Benefits; and 
‘‘(B) is attributable to the failure of an employee 
or official of the Department to process information 
provided by or on behalf of that individual within 
applicable timeliness standards established by the 
Secretary. 
‘‘(2) Nothing in this section shall be construed to affect 
the penal and forfeiture provisions for fiduciaries set forth 
in chapter 61 of this title. 
‘‘(b) NOTICE.—(1) If the Secretary determines that the 
Secretary has made an overpayment to an individual, the 
Secretary shall provide notice to the individual of the over-
payment. 
‘‘(2) Notice under paragraph (1) shall include a de-
tailed explanation of the right of the individual—
2497 
† HR 2617 EAS2 
‘‘(A) to dispute the overpayment, including a de-
tailed explanation of the process by which to dispute 
the overpayment; or 
‘‘(B) to request a waiver of indebtedness. 
‘‘(c) DELAY ON COLLECTION.—(1) Subject to para-
graph (2), the Secretary may not take any action under 
section 3711 of title 31 regarding an overpayment described 
in a notice under subsection (b) of this section until the 
date that is 90 days after the date the Secretary issues such 
notice. 
‘‘(2) The Secretary may take action under section 3711 
of title 31 regarding an overpayment described in a notice 
under subsection (b) of this section before the date that is 
90 days after the date the Secretary issues such notice if 
the Secretary determines that delaying such action is— 
‘‘(A) likely to make repayment of such overpay-
ment more difficult for an individual; 
‘‘(B) likely to cause an unpaid debt to be re-
ferred to the Treasury Offset Program; or 
‘‘(C) not in the best interest of the individual.’’. 
(2) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sec-
tions at the beginning of such chapter is amended by 
inserting after the item relating to section 5302A the 
following new item: 
‘‘5302B. Prohibition of debt arising from overpayment due to delay in proc-
essing.’’.
2498 
† HR 2617 EAS2 
(3) DEADLINE.—The Secretary of Veterans Af-
fairs shall prescribe regulations to establish standards 
under section 5302B(a)(2) of such title, as added by 
subsection (a), not later than 180 days after the date 
of the enactment of this Act. 
(b) PLAN FOR IMPROVED NOTIFICATION AND COMMU-
NICATION OF DEBTS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 180 days after 
the date of the enactment of this Act, and one year 
thereafter, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall pro-
vide the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the Senate 
and the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the House 
of representatives a briefing and submit to such com-
mittees a report on the improvement of the notifica-
tion of and communication with individuals who re-
ceive overpayments made by the Secretary. 
(2) CONTENTS.—Each report under paragraph 
(1) shall include each of the following: 
(A) The plan of the Secretary to carry out 
each of the following: 
(i) The development and implementa-
tion of a mechanism by which individuals 
enrolled in the patient enrollment system 
under section 1705 of title 38, United States
2499 
† HR 2617 EAS2 
Code, may view their monthly patient med-
ical statements electronically. 
(ii) The development and implementa-
tion of a mechanism by which individuals 
eligible for benefits under the laws adminis-
tered by the Secretary may receive elec-
tronic correspondence relating to debt and 
overpayment information. 
(iii) The development and implementa-
tion of a mechanism by which individuals 
eligible for benefits under the laws adminis-
tered by the Secretary may access informa-
tion related to Department of Veterans Af-
fairs debt electronically. 
(iv) The improvement and clarification 
of Department communications relating to 
overpayments and debt collection, including 
letters and electronic correspondence and in-
cluding information relating to the most 
common reasons individuals eligible for 
benefits under the laws administered by the 
Secretary incur debts to the United States 
and the process for requesting a waiver of 
such debt. The Secretary shall develop such 
improvements and clarifications in con-
2500 
† HR 2617 EAS2 
sultation with veterans service organiza-
tions, labor organizations that represent 
employees of the Department, other relevant 
nongovernmental organizations, the Com-
mittee on Veterans’ Affairs of the Senate, 
and the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of 
the House of Representatives. 
(B) A description of the current efforts and 
plans for improving the accuracy of payments to 
individuals entitled to benefits under the laws 
administered by the Secretary, including specific 
data matching agreements. 
(C) A description of steps to be taken to im-
prove the identification of underpayments to 
such individuals and to improve Department 
procedures and policies to ensure that such indi-
viduals who are underpaid receive adequate com-
pensation payments. 
(D) A list of actions completed, implemen-
tation steps, and timetables for each requirement 
described in subparagraphs (A) through (C). 
(E) A description of any new legislative au-
thority required to complete any such require-
ment.
2501 
† HR 2617 EAS2 
SEC. 253. PROHIBITION ON DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AF-
FAIRS INTEREST AND ADMINISTRATIVE COST 
CHARGES FOR DEBTS RELATING TO CERTAIN 
BENEFITS PROGRAMS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 5315(a)(1) of title 38, 
United States Code, is amended— 
(1) by striking ‘‘other than a loan’’ and all that 
follows through the semicolon and inserting ‘‘other 
than—’’; and 
(2) by adding at the end the following new sub-
paragraphs: 
‘‘(A) a loan, loan-guaranty, or loan-insur-
ance program; 
‘‘(B) a disability compensation program; 
‘‘(C) a pension program; or 
‘‘(D) an educational assistance program.’’. 
(b) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendments made by sub-
section (a) shall apply with respect to an indebtedness that 
occurs on or after the date of the enactment of this Act. 
SEC. 254. EXTENSION OF WINDOW TO REQUEST RELIEF 
FROM RECOVERY OF DEBT ARISING UNDER 
LAWS ADMINISTERED BY THE SECRETARY OF 
VETERANS AFFAIRS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 5302(a) of title 38, United 
States Code, is amended by striking ‘‘180 days’’ and insert-
ing ‘‘one year’’.
2502 
† HR 2617 EAS2 
(b) EFFECTIVE DATE.—Subsection (a) shall take effect 
on the date that is two years after the date of the enactment 
of this Act. 
SEC. 255. REFORMS RELATING TO RECOVERY BY DEPART-
MENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS OF AMOUNTS 
OWED BY INDIVIDUALS TO THE UNITED 
STATES. 
(a) LIMITATION ON INDEBTEDNESS OFFSETS.—Sub-
section (a) of section 5314 of title 38, United States Code, 
is amended— 
(1) by inserting ‘‘(1)’’ before ‘‘Subject to’’; and 
(2) by adding at the end the following new para-
graph: 
‘‘(2) The Secretary may not make a deduction under 
paragraph (1) while the existence or amount of such indebt-
edness is disputed under section 5314A of this title.’’. 
(b) ADMINISTRATIVE PROCESS FOR DISPUTE OF EX-
ISTENCE OR AMOUNT OF INDEBTEDNESS.— 
(1) ESTABLISHMENT.—Chapter 53 of title 38, 
United States Code, is amended by inserting after sec-
tion 5314 the following new section: 
‘‘§ 5314A. Dispute of indebtedness 
‘‘(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—The Secretary shall prescribe 
regulations that establish an administrative process for the 
dispute of the existence or amount of an indebtedness de-
2503 
† HR 2617 EAS2 
scribed in section 5314(a)(1) of this title (without regard 
to whether the Secretary has made a deduction under such 
section regarding such indebtedness). 
‘‘(b) STANDARDS.—The process under subsection (a) 
shall be efficient, effective, and equitable. 
‘‘(c) TIMELINESS.—The Secretary shall ensure that 
each dispute under subsection (a) proceeds in accordance 
with standards for timeliness prescribed by the Secretary 
under this section. 
‘‘(d) LIMITATION.—The Secretary may not submit to 
any debt collector (as defined in section 803 of the Fair 
Debt Collection Practices Act (15 U.S.C. 1692a)) any dis-
pute pending under this section. 
‘‘(e) RULE OF CONSTRUCTION.—Nothing in this sec-
tion shall be construed to modify the procedures for seeking 
review of a decision of the agency of original jurisdiction 
described in section 5104C(a)(1) of this title.’’. 
(2) EXISTING
ADMINISTRATIVE
PROCESS.—The 
Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall carry out section 
5314A of such title, as added by paragraph (1), by 
improving the administrative process of the Depart-
ment of Veterans Affairs for the dispute of the existing 
or amount of an indebtedness that was in effect on the 
day before the date of the enactment of this Act.
2504 
† HR 2617 EAS2 
(3) IMPROVEMENTS
TO
DEPARTMENT
WEBSITE 
AND NOTICES.—In carrying out paragraph (2), the 
Secretary shall— 
(A) improve the website of the Department; 
and 
(B) ensure that such website and written 
notices sent to a person about indebtedness de-
scribed in section 5314(a) of title 38, United 
States Code, contain all information a person 
needs to dispute such an indebtedness, including 
a description of— 
(i) the specific actions the person will 
need to take in order to dispute the indebt-
edness; 
(ii) the documentation that will be re-
quired for the dispute; and 
(iii) how the documentation is to be 
submitted. 
(4) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sec-
tions at the beginning of such chapter is amended by 
inserting after the item relating to section 5314 the 
following new item: 
‘‘5314A. Dispute of indebtedness.’’. 
(c) 
LIMITATION
ON
AUTHORITY
TO
RECOVER 
DEBTS.—Section 5302(a) of title 38, United States Code, 
is amended—
2505 
† HR 2617 EAS2 
(1) by inserting ‘‘(1)’’ before ‘‘There’’; and 
(2) by adding at the end the following new para-
graph: 
‘‘(2) The Secretary may not seek to recover an indebt-
edness described in paragraph (1) if the Secretary deter-
mines that the cost to the Department to recover such in-
debtedness, as determined when the debt is established, 
would exceed the amount of the indebtedness.’’. 
TITLE III—HOMELESSNESS 
MATTERS 
SEC. 301. ADJUSTMENTS OF GRANTS AWARDED BY THE 
SECRETARY OF VETERANS AFFAIRS FOR COM-
PREHENSIVE SERVICE PROGRAMS TO SERVE 
HOMELESS VETERANS. 
(a) ELIMINATION OF MATCHING REQUIREMENT.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Section 2011(c) of title 38, 
United States Codes, is amended— 
(A) by striking paragraph (2); and 
(B) by redesignating paragraph (3) as 
paragraph (2). 
(2) APPLICABILITY.—The amendments made by 
paragraph (1) shall apply with respect to any grant 
awarded under section 2011 of title 38, United States 
Code, on or after the date of the enactment of this Act.
2506 
† HR 2617 EAS2 
(3) DETERMINATION OF AMOUNT OF GRANT.—On 
or after the date that is five years after the date of 
the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans 
Affairs may determine the maximum amount of a 
grant under section 2011 of title 38, United States 
Code, which shall be not less than 70 percent of the 
estimated cost of the project concerned. 
(4) SUNSET.—Section 4201(b)(2) of the Johnny 
Isakson and David P. Roe, M.D. Veterans Health 
Care and Benefits Improvement Act of 2020 (Public 
Law 116–315; 134 Stat. 5009; 38 U.S.C. 2011 note) 
is amended— 
(A) by striking ‘‘Subsection (c)(2)’’ and in-
serting the following: 
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—Subsection (c)(2)’’; and 
(B) by adding at the end the following new 
subparagraph: 
‘‘(B) SUNSET.—Subparagraph (A) shall 
cease to be effective on the date of the enactment 
of the Joseph Maxwell Cleland and Robert Jo-
seph Dole Memorial Veterans Benefits and 
Health Care Improvement Act of 2022.’’. 
(b) ELIMINATION
OF PROPERTY DISPOSITION RE-
QUIREMENTS.—
2507 
† HR 2617 EAS2 
(1) IN GENERAL.—A recipient of a grant award-
ed under section 2011 of title 38, United States Code, 
on or after the date of the enactment of this Act for 
a project described in subsection (b)(1) of such section 
shall not be subject to any real property or equipment 
disposition requirements relating to the grant under 
section 61.67 of title 38, Code of Federal Regulations, 
sections 200.311(c) and 200.313(e) of title 2, Code of 
Federal Regulations, or successor regulations. 
(2) SUNSET.—Section 4201(b)(6) of the Johnny 
Isakson and David P. Roe, M.D. Veterans Health 
Care and Benefits Improvement Act of 2020 (Public 
Law 116–315; 134 Stat. 5010; 38 U.S.C. 2011 note) 
is amended— 
(A) by striking ‘‘During’’ and inserting the 
following: 
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—During’’; and 
(B) by adding at the end the following new 
subparagraph: 
‘‘(B) SUNSET.—Subparagraph (A) shall 
cease to be effective on the date of the enactment 
of the Joseph Maxwell Cleland and Robert Jo-
seph Dole Memorial Veterans Benefits and 
Health Care Improvement Act of 2022.’’.
2508 
† HR 2617 EAS2 
SEC. 302. MODIFICATIONS TO PROGRAM TO IMPROVE RE-
TENTION OF HOUSING BY FORMERLY HOME-
LESS VETERANS AND VETERANS AT RISK OF 
BECOMING HOMELESS. 
Section 2013 of title 38, United States Code, is amend-
ed— 
(1) by redesignating subsection (b) as subsection 
(d); 
(2) by inserting after subsection (a) the following 
new subsections: 
‘‘(b) SERVICES.—Services provided under the program 
shall include services to assist veterans described in sub-
section (a) with navigating resources provided by the Fed-
eral Government and State, local, and Tribal governments. 
‘‘(c) STAFFING.—In geographic areas where individ-
uals who meet the licensure and certification requirements 
to provide services under the program are in high demand 
as determined by the Secretary, such services may be pro-
vided through one or more individuals with a master’s de-
gree in social work who are undergoing training to meet 
such requirements, if such individuals are under the super-
vision of an individual who meets such requirements.’’; and 
(3) in subsection (d), as redesignated by para-
graph (1), by adding at the end the following new 
paragraph:
2509 
† HR 2617 EAS2 
‘‘(3) The Secretary shall require each recipient of a 
grant awarded under this subsection to submit to the Sec-
retary a report that describes the services provided or co-
ordinated with amounts under such grant.’’. 
SEC. 303. MODIFICATIONS TO HOMELESS VETERANS RE-
INTEGRATION PROGRAMS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 2021 of title 38, United 
States Code, is amended to read as follows: 
‘‘§ 2021. Homeless veterans reintegration programs 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—Subject to the availability of ap-
propriations provided for such purpose, the Secretary of 
Labor shall conduct, directly or through grant or contract, 
such programs as that Secretary determines appropriate to 
provide job training, counseling, and placement services 
(including job readiness and literacy and skills training) 
to expedite the reintegration into the labor force of— 
‘‘(1) homeless veterans, including— 
‘‘(A) veterans who were homeless but found 
housing during the 60-day period preceding the 
date on which the veteran begins to participate 
in a program under this section; and 
‘‘(B) veterans who are at risk of homeless-
ness during the 60-day period beginning on the 
date on which the veteran begins to participate 
in a program under this section;
2510 
† HR 2617 EAS2 
‘‘(2) veterans participating in the Department of 
Housing and Urban Development-Department of Vet-
erans Affairs supported housing program for which 
rental assistance is provided pursuant to section 
8(o)(19) of the United States Housing Act of 1937 (42 
U.S.C. 1437f(o)(19)) or the Tribal HUD-VA Sup-
portive Housing (Tribal HUD-VASH) program; 
‘‘(3) Indians who are veterans and receiving as-
sistance under the Native American Housing Assist-
ance and Self-Determination Act of 1996 (25 U.S.C. 
4101 et seq.); 
‘‘(4) veterans described in section 2023(d) of this 
title or any other veterans who are transitioning from 
being incarcerated; and 
‘‘(5) veterans participating in the Department of 
Veterans Affairs rapid rehousing and prevention pro-
gram authorized in section 2044 of this title. 
‘‘(b) GRANTS.—(1) In awarding grants for purposes 
of conducting programs described in subsection (a), the Sec-
retary of Labor shall, to the maximum extent practicable, 
consider applications for fundable grants from entities in 
all States. 
‘‘(2) In each State in which no entity has been award-
ed a grant described in paragraph (1) as of the date of the 
enactment of the Joseph Maxwell Cleland and Robert Jo-
2511 
† HR 2617 EAS2 
seph Dole Memorial Veterans Benefits and Health Care Im-
provement Act of 2022, the Secretary of Labor shall, in co-
ordination with the Director of Veterans’ Employment and 
Training in the State, organize and conduct an outreach 
and education program to ensure communities are aware 
of the programs conducted under this section and the bene-
fits of the programs. 
‘‘(c) TRAINING AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE.—(1) The 
Secretary of Labor shall provide training and technical as-
sistance to entities seeking a grant or contract under this 
section and recipients of a grant or contract under this sec-
tion regarding the planning, development, and provision of 
services for which the grant or contract is awarded, includ-
ing before and during the grant application or contract 
award period. 
‘‘(2) The training and technical assistance provided 
under paragraph (1) shall include outreach and assistance 
specifically designed for entities serving regions and popu-
lations underserved by the programs conducted under this 
section. 
‘‘(3) The Secretary of Labor may provide training and 
technical assistance under paragraph (1) directly or 
through grants or contracts with such public or nonprofit 
private entities as that Secretary considers appropriate.
2512 
† HR 2617 EAS2 
‘‘(d) REQUIREMENT TO MONITOR EXPENDITURES OF 
FUNDS.—(1) The Secretary of Labor shall collect such in-
formation as that Secretary considers appropriate to mon-
itor and evaluate the distribution and expenditure of funds 
appropriated to carry out this section. 
‘‘(2) Information collected under paragraph (1) shall 
include data with respect to the results or outcomes of the 
services provided to each homeless veteran under this sec-
tion. 
‘‘(3) Information collected under paragraph (1) shall 
be furnished in such form and manner as the Secretary of 
Labor may specify. 
‘‘(e) ADMINISTRATION THROUGH ASSISTANT SEC-
RETARY
OF LABOR
FOR VETERANS’ EMPLOYMENT
AND 
TRAINING.—The Secretary of Labor shall carry out this sec-
tion through the Assistant Secretary of Labor for Veterans’ 
Employment and Training. 
‘‘(f) PROVISION OF SERVICES TO VETERANS IN CER-
TAIN INSTITUTIONS.—(1) The Attorney General of the 
United States shall permit a recipient of a grant or con-
tract under this section or section 2023 of this title to pro-
vide services under this section or section 2023 of this title 
to any veteran described in subsection (a)(4) who is resid-
ing in a penal institution under the jurisdiction of the Bu-
reau of Prisons.
2513 
† HR 2617 EAS2 
‘‘(2) The recipient of a grant or contract under this 
section may provide to officials of an institution described 
in paragraph (1) information regarding the services pro-
vided to veterans under this section and section 2023 of this 
title during the 18-month period preceding the release or 
discharge of a veteran from the institution. 
‘‘(g) REPORT ON SERVICES PROVIDED.—(1) The Sec-
retary of Labor shall require each recipient of a grant or 
contract under this section to submit to that Secretary a 
report on the services provided and veterans served using 
grant or contract amounts not later than 90 days after the 
end of each program year, beginning with the program year 
the begins after the date of the enactment of the Joseph Max-
well Cleland and Robert Joseph Dole Memorial Veterans 
Benefits and Health Care Improvement Act of 2022. 
‘‘(2) To the extent practicable, each report submitted 
under paragraph (1) shall— 
‘‘(A) disaggregate the number of veterans served 
by— 
‘‘(i) sex; 
‘‘(ii) age; 
‘‘(iii) race; 
‘‘(iv) ethnicity; 
‘‘(v) approximate era in which the veteran 
served in the Armed Forces;
2514 
† HR 2617 EAS2 
‘‘(vi) the highest level of education attained; 
‘‘(vii) the average period of time the veteran 
was unemployed or underemployed before receiv-
ing services under this section and while receiv-
ing such services; and 
‘‘(viii) housing status as of— 
‘‘(I) the date on which the veteran is 
first enrolled in services under this section; 
and 
‘‘(II) any subsequent date, if such data 
is available; and 
‘‘(B) include data on the number of veterans re-
ceiving services under this section who are eligible for 
health care and benefits provided by the Department 
of Veterans Affairs. 
‘‘(h) REPORTS TO CONGRESS.—(1) Not less frequently 
than every two years, the Secretary of Labor shall submit 
to Congress a report on the programs conducted under this 
section. The Secretary of Labor shall include in the report 
the following: 
‘‘(A) An evaluation of services furnished to vet-
erans under this section. 
‘‘(B) An analysis of the information collected 
under subsection (d). 
‘‘(C) An identification of—
2515 
† HR 2617 EAS2 
‘‘(i) the total number of applications for 
grants under this section that the Secretary of 
Labor received during the fiscal year preceding 
the date on which the report is submitted; and 
‘‘(ii) the number of such applications that 
were denied. 
‘‘(D) With respect to each State in which no en-
tity was awarded a grant under this section during 
the fiscal year preceding the date on which the report 
is submitted— 
‘‘(i) an identification of the top five reasons 
why entities that applied for such a grant were 
not awarded the grant; and 
‘‘(ii) information regarding the specific cri-
teria used to score the applications and an ex-
planation of if, how, or why such criteria dif-
fered from the previous fiscal year. 
‘‘(2) Not later than 180 days after the end of the pro-
gram year that begins after the date of the enactment of 
the Joseph Maxwell Cleland and Robert Joseph Dole Memo-
rial Veterans Benefits and Health Care Improvement Act 
of 2022, and not later than 120 days after the end of each 
program year thereafter, the Secretary of Labor shall sub-
mit to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the Senate and
2516 
† HR 2617 EAS2 
the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the House of Rep-
resentatives a report setting forth the following: 
‘‘(A) Data obtained from the reports submitted 
under subsection (g), disaggregated by geographic lo-
cation. 
‘‘(B) The number of grants and contracts not 
awarded under this section due to insufficient funds. 
‘‘(C) The number of returning recipients of 
grants or contracts that were and were not awarded 
grants or contracts under this section during the most 
recent application cycle. 
‘‘(D) The number of applications received from 
entities in States in which no entities received a 
grant or contract under this section. 
‘‘(E) The number of veterans who were admitted 
to a program conducted under this section but not 
placed in a job following participation in such pro-
gram, disaggregated by geographic location, age, sex, 
and race or ethnicity. 
‘‘(i) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—(1) There 
are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section 
amounts as follows: 
‘‘(A) $50,000,000 for fiscal year 2002. 
‘‘(B) $50,000,000 for fiscal year 2003. 
‘‘(C) $50,000,000 for fiscal year 2004.
2517 
† HR 2617 EAS2 
‘‘(D) $50,000,000 for fiscal year 2005. 
‘‘(E) $50,000,000 for fiscal year 2006. 
‘‘(F) $50,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2007 
through 2023. 
‘‘(G) $60,000,000 for fiscal year 2024 and each 
fiscal year thereafter. 
‘‘(2) Funds appropriated to carry out this section shall 
remain available until expended. Funds obligated in any 
fiscal year to carry out this section may be expended in 
that fiscal year and the succeeding fiscal year.’’. 
(b) CONFORMING AMENDMENT.—Section 2021A(e) of 
title 38, United States Code, is amended by striking ‘‘sec-
tion 2021(d)’’ and inserting ‘‘section 2021(h)(1)’’. 
SEC. 304. EXPANSION AND EXTENSION OF DEPARTMENT OF 
VETERANS AFFAIRS HOUSING ASSISTANCE 
FOR HOMELESS VETERANS. 
(a) EXPANSION.—Subsection (a) of section 2041 of 
title 38, United States Code, is amended— 
(1) in paragraph (1)— 
(A) in the matter preceding subparagraph 
(A), by inserting ‘‘or permanent housing’’ after 
‘‘shelter’’; 
(B) in subparagraph (A), by striking 
‘‘named in, or approved by the Secretary under, 
section 5902 of this title’’ and inserting ‘‘that is
2518 
† HR 2617 EAS2 
the recipient of a grant under section 2011, 
2013, 2044, or 2061 of this title’’; and 
(C) in subparagraph (B), by inserting ‘‘or 
tribal entity,’’ after ‘‘State’’; and 
(2) in paragraph (3)(B)— 
(A) in clause (i)— 
(i) by inserting ‘‘or permanent hous-
ing’’ after ‘‘shelter’’; 
(ii) by inserting ‘‘(I)’’ before ‘‘utilize’’; 
(iii) by striking the comma and insert-
ing ‘‘; or’’; and 
(iv) by adding at the end the following 
new subclause: 
‘‘(II) sell or rent the property directly 
to homeless veterans or veterans at risk of 
homelessness;’’; and 
(B) in each of clauses (ii) and (iii), by 
striking the comma and inserting a semicolon. 
(b) EXTENSION.—Subsection (c) of such section is 
amended by striking ‘‘September 30, 2017’’ and inserting 
‘‘September 30, 2026’’.
2519 
† HR 2617 EAS2 
SEC. 305. TRAINING AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE PRO-
VIDED BY SECRETARY OF VETERANS AFFAIRS 
TO CERTAIN ENTITIES. 
(a) SUPPORTIVE SERVICES FOR VERY LOW-INCOME 
FAMILIES IN PERMANENT HOUSING.—Section 2044(e) of 
title 38, United States Code, is amended— 
(1) by striking paragraphs (2) and (3); and 
(2) by striking ‘‘(1) From amounts’’ and insert-
ing ‘‘From amounts’’. 
(b) COMPREHENSIVE SERVICE PROGRAMS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Subchapter II of chapter 20 of 
title 38, United States Code, is amended— 
(A) by redesignating section 2014 as section 
2016; and 
(B) by inserting after section 2013 the fol-
lowing new sections 2014 and 2015: 
‘‘§ 2014. Training and technical assistance for recipi-
ents of certain financial assistance 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall provide train-
ing and technical assistance to recipients of grants under 
sections 2011 and 2013 of this title and recipients of per 
diem payments under sections 2012 and 2061 of this title 
regarding the planning, development, and provision of serv-
ices for which the grant or payment is made. 
‘‘(b) PROVISION OF TRAINING AND TECHNICAL ASSIST-
ANCE.—The Secretary may provide training and technical
2520 
† HR 2617 EAS2 
assistance under subsection (a) directly or through grants 
or contracts with such public or nonprofit private entities 
as the Secretary considers appropriate. 
‘‘§ 2015. Training and technical assistance for entities 
regarding services provided to veterans at 
risk of, experiencing, or transitioning out 
of homelessness 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall provide train-
ing and technical assistance to entities serving veterans at 
risk of, experiencing, or transitioning out of homelessness 
regarding— 
‘‘(1) the provision of such services to such vet-
erans; and 
‘‘(2) the planning and development of such serv-
ices. 
‘‘(b) COORDINATION.—The Secretary may coordinate 
the provision of training and technical assistance under 
subsection (a) with the Secretary of Housing and Urban 
Development and the Secretary of Labor. 
‘‘(c) ELEMENTS.—The training and technical assist-
ance provided under subsection (a) shall include coordina-
tion and communication of best practices among all pro-
grams administered by the Veterans Health Administration 
directed at serving veterans at risk of, experiencing, or 
transitioning out of homelessness.
2521 
† HR 2617 EAS2 
‘‘(d) PROVISION OF TRAINING.—The Secretary may 
provide the training and technical assistance under sub-
section (a) directly or through grants or contracts with such 
public or nonprofit private entities as the Secretary con-
siders appropriate.’’. 
(2) USE OF AMOUNTS.—The Secretary of Vet-
erans Affairs shall provide training and technical as-
sistance under sections 2014 and 2015 of such title, 
as inserted by paragraph (1)(B), using amounts ap-
propriated or otherwise made available to the Depart-
ment of Veterans Affairs on or after the date of the 
enactment of this Act. 
(3) 
CONFORMING
AMENDMENT.—Section 
20013(a) of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Eco-
nomic Security Act (38 U.S.C. 2011 note) is amended 
by striking ‘‘2014’’ and inserting ‘‘2016’’. 
(4) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sec-
tions at the beginning of chapter 20 of such title is 
amended by striking the item relating to section 2014 
and inserting the following new items: 
‘‘2014. Training and technical assistance for recipients of certain financial assist-
ance. 
‘‘2015. Training and technical assistance for entities regarding services provided 
to veterans at risk of, experiencing, or transitioning out of home-
lessness. 
‘‘2016. Authorization of appropriations.’’.
2522 
† HR 2617 EAS2 
SEC. 306. MODIFICATION OF ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS 
FOR ENTITIES COLLABORATING WITH THE 
SECRETARY OF VETERANS AFFAIRS TO PRO-
VIDE 
CASE 
MANAGEMENT 
SERVICES 
TO 
HOMELESS VETERANS IN THE DEPARTMENT 
OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT-DE-
PARTMENT 
OF 
VETERANS 
AFFAIRS 
SUP-
PORTED HOUSING PROGRAM. 
Section 304(c)(2)(A) of the Honoring America’s Vet-
erans and Caring for Camp Lejeune Families Act of 2012 
(38 U.S.C. 2041 note) is amended— 
(1) by redesignating subparagraphs (B) through 
(E) as subparagraphs (C) through (F), respectively; 
and 
(2) by inserting after subparagraph (A) the fol-
lowing new subparagraph (B): 
‘‘(B) providing case management services to 
veterans for obtaining suitable housing at vary-
ing locations nationwide or in the area or areas 
similar to where the services will be provided 
under the relevant contract or agreement;’’.
2523 
† HR 2617 EAS2 
SEC. 307. DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS SHARING 
OF INFORMATION RELATING TO COORDI-
NATED ENTRY PROCESSES FOR HOUSING 
AND SERVICES OPERATED UNDER DEPART-
MENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOP-
MENT CONTINUUM OF CARE PROGRAM. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Under Secretary for Health of 
the Department of Veterans Affairs shall— 
(1) provide to staff of medical centers of the De-
partment of Veterans Affairs and homelessness service 
providers of the Department the information described 
in subsection (b); and 
(2) ensure that such information, and other re-
sources the Under Secretary determines are appro-
priate, are accessible to such staff and providers. 
(b) INFORMATION DESCRIBED.—The information de-
scribed in this subsection is information related to best 
practices with respect to the collaboration between medical 
centers of the Department of Veterans Affairs, homelessness 
service providers of the Department, and local partners (in-
cluding local offices of the Department of Housing and 
Urban Development or public housing agencies, and private 
and public local community organizations) on the central-
ized or coordinated assessment systems established and op-
erated by Continuums of Care under section 578.7(a)(8) of 
title 24, Code of Federal Regulations, including making re-
2524 
† HR 2617 EAS2 
ferrals and sharing data, as the Under Secretary determines 
appropriate. 
SEC. 308. DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS COMMU-
NICATION WITH EMPLOYEES RESPONSIBLE 
FOR 
HOMELESSNESS 
ASSISTANCE 
PRO-
GRAMS. 
The Under Secretary for Health of the Department of 
Veterans Affairs shall clearly communicate with employees 
of the Department of Veterans Affairs whose responsibilities 
are related to homelessness assistance programs regard-
ing— 
(1) the measurement of performance of such pro-
grams by the Homeless Programs Office of the De-
partment; and 
(2) how to obtain and provide feedback about 
performance measures. 
SEC. 309. SYSTEM FOR SHARING AND REPORTING DATA. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Veterans Affairs 
and the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development shall 
work together to develop a system for effectively sharing and 
reporting data between the community-wide homeless man-
agement information system described in section 402(f)(3) 
of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 
11360a(f)(3)) and the Homeless Operations Management
2525 
† HR 2617 EAS2 
and Evaluation System of the Department of Veterans Af-
fairs. 
(b) DEADLINE.—The Secretary of Veterans Affairs and 
the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development shall en-
sure that the system developed under subsection (a) is oper-
ational not later than three years after the date of the enact-
ment of this Act. 
SEC. 310. PILOT PROGRAM ON GRANTS FOR HEALTH CARE 
FOR HOMELESS VETERANS. 
(a) PILOT PROGRAM REQUIRED.—Not later than one 
year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Sec-
retary of Veterans Affairs shall commence carrying out a 
pilot program to assess the feasibility and advisability of 
awarding grants to eligible entities to meet the health care 
needs of— 
(1) veterans who are homeless; 
(2) veterans who were previously homeless and 
are transitioning to permanent housing; and 
(3) veterans who are at risk of becoming home-
less. 
(b) LOCATIONS.—The Secretary shall carry out the 
pilot program at not fewer than five locations selected by 
the Secretary for purposes of the pilot program. 
(c) AWARD OF GRANTS.—
2526 
† HR 2617 EAS2 
(1) IN GENERAL.—In carrying out the pilot pro-
gram, the Secretary shall award grants to eligible en-
tities for the purpose described in subsection (a). 
(2) ELIGIBLE ENTITIES.—For purposes of this 
section, an eligible entity is any entity that is pro-
viding transitional housing services to veterans as of 
the date on which the entity applies for a grant under 
this section. 
(3) PREFERENCE.—In awarding grants under 
this section, the Secretary shall give preference to eli-
gible entities that are recipients of grants under sec-
tions 2012 and 2061 of title 38, United States Code, 
as of the date on which the entity applies for a grant 
under this section. 
(4) 
EQUITABLE
DISTRIBUTION; 
PRIORITIZATION.— 
(A) EQUITABLE
DISTRIBUTION.—The Sec-
retary shall ensure that, to the extent practicable, 
grant amounts awarded under paragraph (1) 
are equitably distributed among eligible entities 
across geographic regions. 
(B) PRIORITIZATION.—In awarding grants 
under this section, and in compliance with para-
graphs (2) and (3), the Secretary may prioritize 
eligible entities located—
2527 
† HR 2617 EAS2 
(i) in rural communities; 
(ii) on Tribal lands; and 
(iii) in areas where there is a signifi-
cant population of veterans aged 55 years 
old and older. 
(5) INTERVALS
OF
PAYMENT
AND
MAXIMUM 
GRANT AMOUNT.—The Secretary may establish inter-
vals of payment for the administration of grants 
under this section and a maximum grant amount to 
be awarded, in accordance with the services being 
provided by staff hired using grant amounts and the 
duration of such services. 
(d) USE OF GRANT AMOUNTS.—The recipient of a 
grant under the pilot program— 
(1) shall use grant amounts for the hiring of ap-
propriately qualified medical staff to care for veterans 
described in subsection (a) who require assistance 
with activities of daily living or need consistent med-
ical attention and monitoring; and 
(2) may use such amounts for supplies, adminis-
trative support, and infrastructure needs associated 
with the duties of such staff and the needs of such vet-
erans. 
(e) REQUIREMENTS FOR RECEIPT OF GRANTS.—
2528 
† HR 2617 EAS2 
(1) NOTIFICATION
THAT
SERVICES
ARE
FROM 
DEPARTMENT.—Each entity receiving a grant under 
this section shall notify the recipients of services pro-
vided pursuant to grant amounts that such services 
are being paid for, in whole or in part, by the De-
partment. 
(2) COORDINATION.—An entity receiving a grant 
under this section shall— 
(A) coordinate with the Secretary with re-
spect to the provision of clinical services to eligi-
ble individuals or any other provisions of the 
law regarding the delivery of health care by the 
Secretary; 
(B) inform each veteran who receives assist-
ance under this section from the entity of the 
ability of the veteran to apply for enrollment in 
the patient enrollment system of the Department 
under section 1705(a) of title 38, United States 
Code; and 
(C) if such a veteran wishes to so enroll, in-
form the veteran of a point of contact at the De-
partment who can assist the veteran in such en-
rollment. 
(f) REPORT ON SERVICES PROVIDED.—The Secretary 
shall require each eligible entity awarded a grant under this
2529 
† HR 2617 EAS2 
section to submit to the Secretary a report that describes 
the services provided or coordinated with amounts under 
such grant. 
(g) DURATION.—The Secretary shall carry out the 
pilot program during the five-year period beginning on the 
date on which the pilot program commences. 
(h) REPORTS TO CONGRESS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than one year after 
the date on which the first grants are awarded under 
this section, and annually thereafter until the pro-
gram terminates, the Secretary shall submit to the 
Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the Senate and the 
Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the House of Rep-
resentatives a report on the effectiveness of the pro-
gram. 
(2) ELEMENTS.—The report required by para-
graph (1) shall include the number of veterans served 
by the pilot program under the care of a staff member 
the funding for whom is provided by a grant under 
the program, disaggregated by— 
(A) geographic location; 
(B) sex; 
(C) age; 
(D) race and ethnicity;
2530 
† HR 2617 EAS2 
(E) whether or not a veteran received health 
care from the Department during the two-year 
period preceding the date on which the veteran 
began participating in the program; 
(F) the number of veterans who transitioned 
into permanent housing as a result of participa-
tion in the program; 
(G) with respect to veterans who did not 
transition into permanent housing as a result of 
participation in the program, the main reasons 
for not so transitioning; 
(H) discharge status; and 
(I) eligibility for health care provided by 
the Department of Veterans Affairs. 
SEC. 311. PILOT PROGRAM ON AWARD OF GRANTS FOR SUB-
STANCE 
USE 
DISORDER 
RECOVERY 
FOR 
HOMELESS VETERANS. 
(a) PILOT PROGRAM REQUIRED.—Not later than 270 
days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Sec-
retary of Veterans Affairs shall commence carrying out a 
pilot program under which the Secretary shall award 
grants to eligible entities for the provision or coordination 
of services for recovery from substance use disorder for vet-
erans who are homeless, were previously homeless and are
2531 
† HR 2617 EAS2 
transitioning to permanent housing, or are at risk of becom-
ing homeless. 
(b) DURATION.—The Secretary shall carry out the 
pilot program during the five-year period beginning on the 
date of the commencement of the pilot program. 
(c) LOCATIONS.—The Secretary shall carry out the 
pilot program at not fewer than five locations selected by 
the Secretary for purposes of the pilot program. 
(d) AWARD OF GRANTS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—In carrying out the pilot pro-
gram, the Secretary shall award a grant to an eligible 
entity for each veteran with substance use disorder 
participating in the pilot program for which the eli-
gible entity is providing or coordinating the provision 
of recovery services for substance use disorder under 
the pilot program. 
(2) INTERVALS
OF
PAYMENT
AND
MAXIMUM 
AMOUNTS.—The Secretary may establish intervals of 
payment for the administration of grants under this 
section and a maximum amount to be awarded, in 
accordance with the services being provided and the 
duration of such services. 
(3) PREFERENCE.—In awarding grants under 
paragraph (1), the Secretary shall give preference to 
eligible entities providing or coordinating the provi-
2532 
† HR 2617 EAS2 
sion of recovery services for substance use disorder for 
veterans with substance-use dependency who face bar-
riers in accessing substance-use recovery services from 
the Department of Veterans Affairs. 
(4) EQUITABLE
DISTRIBUTION.—The Secretary 
shall ensure that, to the extent practicable, grant 
amounts awarded under paragraph (1) are equitably 
distributed across geographic regions, including rural 
and Tribal communities. 
(5) REPORT ON SERVICES PROVIDED.—The Sec-
retary shall require each eligible entity awarded a 
grant under paragraph (1) to submit to the Secretary 
a report that describes the services provided or coordi-
nated with amounts under such grant. 
(e) REQUIREMENTS FOR RECEIPT OF GRANTS.— 
(1) NOTIFICATION
THAT
SERVICES
ARE
FROM 
DEPARTMENT.—Each entity receiving a grant under 
this section shall notify the recipients of services pro-
vided pursuant to grant amounts that such services 
are being paid for, in whole or in part, by the De-
partment. 
(2) COORDINATION.—An entity receiving a grant 
under this section shall— 
(A) coordinate with the Secretary with re-
spect to the provision of clinical services to eligi-
2533 
† HR 2617 EAS2 
ble individuals or any other provisions of law re-
garding the delivery of health care by the Sec-
retary; 
(B) inform each veteran who receives assist-
ance under this section from the entity of the 
ability of the veteran to apply for enrollment in 
the patient enrollment system of the Department 
under section 1705(a) of title 38, United States 
Code; and 
(C) if such a veteran wishes to so enroll, in-
form the veteran of a point of contact at the De-
partment who can assist the veteran in such en-
rollment. 
(f) GRANT APPLICATION.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—An eligible entity seeking the 
award of a grant under this section shall submit to 
the Secretary an application therefor in such form, in 
such manner, and containing such commitments and 
information as the Secretary considers necessary to 
carry out this section. 
(2) CONTENTS OF APPLICATION.—Each applica-
tion submitted by an eligible entity under paragraph 
(1) shall contain the following: 
(A) A description of the recovery services for 
substance use disorder proposed to be provided
2534 
† HR 2617 EAS2 
by the eligible entity under the pilot program 
and the identified need for those services. 
(B) A description of the types of veterans 
with substance use disorder proposed to be pro-
vided such recovery services. 
(C) An estimate of the number of veterans 
with substance use disorder proposed to be pro-
vided such recovery services. 
(D) Evidence of the experience of the eligible 
entity in providing such recovery services to vet-
erans with substance use disorder. 
(E) A description of the managerial capac-
ity of the eligible entity— 
(i) to assess continually the needs of 
veterans with substance use disorder for 
such recovery services; 
(ii) to coordinate the provision of such 
recovery services with services provided by 
the Department; and 
(iii) to tailor such recovery services to 
the needs of veterans with substance use dis-
order. 
(3) CRITERIA FOR SELECTION.—
2535 
† HR 2617 EAS2 
(A) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall es-
tablish criteria for the selection of eligible enti-
ties to be awarded grants under this section. 
(B) ELEMENTS.—Criteria established under 
subparagraph (A) with respect to an eligible en-
tity shall include the following: 
(i) Relevant accreditation as may be 
required by each State in which the eligible 
entity operates. 
(ii) Experience coordinating care or 
providing treatment for veterans or mem-
bers of the Armed Forces. 
(g) PARTICIPATION.—Participation by a veteran in 
the pilot program shall not affect any eligibility status or 
requirements for such veteran with respect to other benefits 
or services provided by the Department. 
(h) TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall provide 
training and technical assistance to eligible entities 
awarded grants under this section regarding the plan-
ning, development, and provision of recovery services 
for substance use disorder under this section. 
(2) PROVISION
OF
TRAINING.—The Secretary 
may provide the training required under paragraph 
(1) directly or through grants or contracts with such
2536 
† HR 2617 EAS2 
public or nonprofit private entities as the Secretary 
considers appropriate for purposes of this section, in-
cluding through grants awarded under section 2064 of 
title 38, United States Code. 
(i) COLLECTION
OF INFORMATION.—To the extent 
practicable, the Secretary may collect information from an 
eligible entity awarded a grant under this section relating 
to a substance use disorder of a veteran participating in 
the pilot program for inclusion in the electronic health 
record of the Department for such veteran for the sole pur-
pose of improving care provided to such veteran. 
(j) STUDY ON EFFECTIVENESS OF PILOT PROGRAM.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall conduct a 
study on the effectiveness of the pilot program in 
meeting the needs of veterans with substance use dis-
order. 
(2) COMPARISON.—In conducting the study re-
quired by paragraph (1), the Secretary shall compare 
the results of the pilot program with other programs 
of the Department dedicated to the delivery to vet-
erans of recovery services for substance use disorder. 
(3) CRITERIA.—In making the comparison re-
quired by paragraph (2), to the extent data is avail-
able, the Secretary shall examine the following:
2537 
† HR 2617 EAS2 
(A) The satisfaction of veterans targeted by 
the programs described in paragraph (2). 
(B) The health status of such veterans, in-
cluding mental health. 
(C) The degree to which such programs en-
courage such veterans to engage in productive ac-
tivity. 
(D) The number of veterans using such pro-
grams, disaggregated by— 
(i) veterans who have received health 
care provided by the Department during the 
two-year period preceding the conduct of the 
study; 
(ii) veterans who have not received 
health care provided by the Department 
during such period; 
(iii) veterans eligible for health care 
provided by the Department, disaggregated 
by— 
(I) veterans eligible for services 
from the Department similar to serv-
ices provided under the pilot program; 
and 
(II) veterans not eligible for such 
services from the Department; and
2538 
† HR 2617 EAS2 
(iv) veterans ineligible for health care 
provided by the Department. 
(E) The number of veterans who are still 
homeless or at risk of becoming homeless one 
year after completion of receipt of recovery serv-
ices under such programs. 
(F) The number of veterans who still have 
a substance use disorder that negatively impacts 
their daily living and ability to maintain inde-
pendent housing 180 days after discharge from 
receipt of services provided under this section. 
(G) The status of the discharge from the 
Armed Forces of veterans covered under this 
paragraph. 
(4) REPORTS.—Not later than one year after the 
date on which the first grant is awarded under this 
section, and annually thereafter, the Secretary shall 
submit to the Committee 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). 
(k) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
(1) ELIGIBLE ENTITY.—The term ‘‘eligible enti-
ty’’ means any of the following:
2539 
† HR 2617 EAS2 
(A) An incorporated private institution or 
foundation— 
(i) no part of the net earnings of which 
inures to the benefit of any member, found-
er, contributor, or individual; 
(ii) that has a governing board that is 
responsible for the operation of the recovery 
services for substance use disorder provided 
under this section; and 
(iii) that is approved by the Secretary 
with respect to financial responsibility. 
(B) A for-profit limited partnership, the 
sole general partner of which is an organization 
meeting the requirements of subparagraph (A). 
(C) A corporation wholly owned and con-
trolled by an organization meeting the require-
ments of subparagraph (A). 
(D) A tribally designated housing entity (as 
defined in section 4 of the Native American 
Housing Assistance and Self-Determination Act 
of 1996 (25 U.S.C. 4103)). 
(2) SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER.—The term ‘‘sub-
stance use disorder’’, with respect to a veteran, means 
the veteran has been diagnosed with, or is seeking
2540 
† HR 2617 EAS2 
treatment for, substance use disorder, as determined 
by the Secretary. 
SEC. 312. REPORT BY COMPTROLLER GENERAL OF THE 
UNITED STATES ON AFFORDABLE HOUSING 
FOR VETERANS. 
(a) REPORT REQUIRED.—Not later than three years 
after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Comptroller 
General of the United States shall submit to the Committee 
on Veterans’ Affairs of the Senate and the Committee on 
Veterans’ Affairs of the House of Representatives a report 
on the availability of affordable housing for veterans who 
have or are participating in any program administered by 
the Homeless Programs Office of the Department of Vet-
erans Affairs. 
(b) CONTENTS.—The report required by subsection (a) 
shall include, with respect to the one-year period preceding 
the date of the enactment of this Act, the following: 
(1) The number of veterans using housing vouch-
ers under the program carried out under section 
8(o)(19) of the United States Housing Act of 1937 (42 
U.S.C. 1437f(o)(19)) (commonly referred to as 
‘‘HUD–VASH’’). 
(2) The number of veterans who were allocated 
a housing voucher described in paragraph (1) but who 
have been unable to attain permanent housing.
2541 
† HR 2617 EAS2 
(3) The number of available housing vouchers de-
scribed in paragraph (1) that are unused for any rea-
son. 
(4) Available data regarding the number of vet-
erans who were discharged from transitional housing 
provided using amounts provided under sections 2061 
and 2012 of title 38, United States Code, and did not 
transition to permanent housing due to a shortage 
of— 
(A) case managers under the program de-
scribed in paragraph (1); 
(B) housing vouchers described in such 
paragraph; or 
(C) housing that meets the requirements 
and limitations with respect to such vouchers. 
(c) DISAGGREGATION.—The contents of the report de-
scribed in paragraphs (1), (2), and (4) of subsection (b) 
shall be disaggregated by veterans with a household income 
that does not exceed— 
(1) the area median income; 
(2) 80 percent of the area median income; 
(3) 50 percent of the area median income; and 
(4) 30 percent of the area median income.
2542 
† HR 2617 EAS2 
SEC. 313. STUDY ON FINANCIAL AND CREDIT COUNSELING. 
(a) STUDY REQUIRED.—The Secretary of Veterans Af-
fairs shall conduct a comprehensive study on— 
(1) the use of and variation of financial and 
credit counseling services available for homeless vet-
erans and veterans experiencing housing instability; 
(2) barriers to accessing financial and credit 
counseling for such veterans; and 
(3) the ability to evaluate and assess the poten-
tial effects of financial and credit counseling for such 
veterans with respect to housing, employment, income, 
and other outcomes the Secretary determines appro-
priate. 
(b) METHODOLOGY.—In conducting the study under 
subsection (a), the Secretary shall— 
(1) survey— 
(A) homeless veterans and veterans experi-
encing housing instability who are enrolled in 
the Supportive Services for Veterans Families 
program; 
(B) such veterans who do not seek or receive 
the care or services under such program or a 
similar program; 
(C) grantees of the Supportive Services for 
Veterans Families program; 
(D) financial and credit counselors; and
2543 
† HR 2617 EAS2 
(E) persons who are subject matter experts 
regarding the use of financial and credit coun-
seling services that the Secretary determines ap-
propriate; and 
(2) administer the survey to a representative 
sample of homeless veterans and veterans experiencing 
housing instability in areas with high veteran home-
lessness. 
(c) USE AND VARIATION OF SERVICES.—In conducting 
the study under subsection (a)(1), the Secretary shall— 
(1) use data from the Supportive Services for 
Veterans Families program and other data collected 
by the Department of Veterans Affairs, data collected 
by other departments or agencies of the Federal Gov-
ernment, and data collected by nongovernmental enti-
ties to compare the use of and variation of financial 
and credit counseling services available for homeless 
veterans and veterans experiencing housing insta-
bility and such use and variation for other individ-
uals; and 
(2) assess such services made available through 
the Supportive Services for Veterans Families pro-
gram, including with respect to the types, modes of 
delivery, duration, consistency, and quality, of such 
services.
2544 
† HR 2617 EAS2 
(d) BARRIERS TO COUNSELING.—In conducting the 
study under subsection (a)(2), the Secretary shall conduct 
research on the effects of the following perceived barriers to 
financial and credit counseling for homeless veterans and 
veterans experiencing housing instability surveyed in the 
study: 
(1) The cost of financial and credit counseling 
services. 
(2) The perceived stigma associated with seeking 
financial and credit counseling assistance. 
(3) The effect of driving distance or availability 
of other forms of transportation to the nearest facility 
that received a grant under the Supportive Services 
for Veterans Families program. 
(4) The availability of child care. 
(5) The comprehension of eligibility requirements 
for, and the scope of services available under, the 
Supportive Services for Veterans Families program. 
(6) The effectiveness of outreach for the services 
available to such veterans under the Supportive Serv-
ices for Veterans Families program. 
(7) The location and operating hours of facilities 
that provide services to such veterans under the Sup-
portive Services for Veterans Families program.
2545 
† HR 2617 EAS2 
(8) The COVID–19 pandemic and other health 
related issues. 
(9) Such other significant barriers as the Sec-
retary considers appropriate. 
(e) EVALUATION AND ASSESSMENT OF EFFECTS OF 
COUNSELING.— 
(1) EFFECTS.—In conducting the study under 
subsection (a)(3), the Secretary shall conduct research 
on the ability to evaluate and assess the potential ef-
fects of financial and credit counseling services on 
homeless veterans and veterans experiencing housing 
instability with respect to the following: 
(A) The effects of such services on employ-
ment by comparing the veterans who received 
such services and the veterans who did not re-
ceive such services. 
(B) The effects of such services on housing 
status by comparing the veterans who received 
such services and the veterans who did not re-
ceive such services. 
(C) The effects of such services on income by 
comparing the veterans who received such serv-
ices and the veterans who did not receive such 
services.
2546 
† HR 2617 EAS2 
(D) The effects of such services on credit 
score by comparing the veterans who received 
such services and the veterans who did not re-
ceive such services. 
(E) The effects of such services on other out-
comes the Secretary determines appropriate. 
(2) DATA AND RECOMMENDATIONS.—In carrying 
out paragraph (1), the Secretary shall— 
(A) determine the relevant data that is 
available to the Secretary and determine the con-
fidence of the Secretary with respect to accessing 
any additional data the Secretary may require; 
and 
(B) provide recommendations regarding the 
optimal research or evaluation design that would 
generate the greatest insights and value. 
(f) DISCHARGE BY CONTRACT.—The Secretary may 
seek to enter into a contract with a qualified independent 
entity or organization to carry out the study and research 
required under this section, including such an entity or or-
ganization that is able to access credit scores, data main-
tained by the Internal Revenue Service, and other date ben-
eficial to studying income. 
(g) MANDATORY REVIEW OF DATA BY CERTAIN ELE-
MENTS OF DEPARTMENT.—
2547 
† HR 2617 EAS2 
(1) REVIEWS
REQUIRED.—The Secretary shall 
ensure that the head of each element of the Depart-
ment of Veterans Affairs specified in paragraph (3) 
reviews the results of the study conducted under sub-
section (a). 
(2) SUBMITTAL OF FINDINGS.—The head of each 
element specified in paragraph (3) shall submit to the 
Deputy Under Secretary for Health for Operations 
and Management the findings of the head with respect 
to the review conducted by the under paragraph (1), 
including recommendations regarding what data the 
Secretary should collect from grantees under the Sup-
portive Services for Veterans Families program. 
(3) SPECIFIED ELEMENTS.—The elements of the 
Department of Veterans Affairs specified in this para-
graph are the following: 
(A) The Advisory Committee on Homeless 
Veterans established under section 2066 of title 
38, United States Code. 
(B) The Advisory Committee on Women 
Veterans established under section 542 of title 38, 
United States Code. 
(C) The Advisory Committee on Minority 
Veterans established under section 544 of title 38, 
United States Code.
2548 
† HR 2617 EAS2 
(D) The Homeless Programs Office of the 
Veterans Health Administration. 
(E) The Office of Tribal Government Rela-
tions of the Department. 
(h) REPORTS.— 
(1) INTERIM REPORT.—Not later than one year 
after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Sec-
retary shall submit to Congress an interim report on 
the study under subsection (a). 
(2) FINAL REPORT.— 
(A) IN
GENERAL.—Not later than 30 
months after the date of the enactment of this 
Act, the Secretary shall submit to Congress a re-
port on the study under subsection (a). 
(B) CONTENTS.—The report required by 
subparagraph (A) shall include— 
(i) the findings of the head of each ele-
ment of the Department specified under 
subsection (g)(3); and 
(ii) recommendations for such admin-
istrative and legislative action as the Sec-
retary considers appropriate. 
(i) DEFINITION.—In this section: 
(1) HOMELESS VETERANS AND VETERANS EXPE-
RIENCING HOUSING INSTABILITY.—The term ‘‘home-
2549 
† HR 2617 EAS2 
less veterans and veterans experiencing housing insta-
bility’’ means veterans who are homeless (as that term 
is defined in subsection (a) or (b) of section 103 of 
the McKinney–Vento Homeless Assistance Act (42 
U.S.C. 11302)). 
(2) SUPPORTIVE SERVICES FOR VETERANS FAMI-
LIES PROGRAM.—The term ‘‘Supportive Services for 
Veterans Families program’’ means the program es-
tablished pursuant to section 2044 of title 38, United 
States Code. 
TITLE IV—OTHER MATTERS 
SEC. 401. DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS SUPPLY 
CHAIN RESILIENCY. 
(a) REPORT
ON CRITICAL ITEMS
AND REQUIRE-
MENTS.—Not later than 90 days after the date of the enact-
ment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall sub-
mit to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the Senate and 
the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the House of Rep-
resentatives a report containing each of the following: 
(1) A description of the items and types of items 
the Secretary considers critical with respect to— 
(A) the ongoing response to the Coronavirus 
2019 (COVID–19) pandemic; and
2550 
† HR 2617 EAS2 
(B) future epidemic, pandemic, emergency, 
national emergency, or natural disaster sce-
narios. 
(2) The quantities of the items described in para-
graph (1) that are available, as of the date of the en-
actment of this Act, in inventories, emergency caches, 
or other emergency inventories of the Department of 
Veterans Affairs. 
(3) The anticipated quantities of the items de-
scribed in paragraph (1) that would be necessary 
under potential epidemic, pandemic, emergency, na-
tional emergency, or natural disaster scenarios the 
Secretary determines to be relevant for planning pur-
poses. 
(4) The assumptions and key planning factors 
used by the Secretary to identify the items, types of 
items, and necessary quantities of items for types of 
scenarios, as described in paragraphs (1) and (3). 
(b) PARTICIPATION IN WARSTOPPER PROGRAM.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than one year after 
the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of 
Veterans Affairs and the Secretary of Defense shall 
enter into an agreement to provide for the participa-
tion of the Department of Veterans Affairs in the pro-
2551 
† HR 2617 EAS2 
gram known as the ‘‘Warstopper Program’’ of the De-
fense Logistics Agency, or any successor program. 
(2) REQUIREMENTS.—Pursuant to the agreement 
under paragraph (1), the Defense Logistics Agency 
shall— 
(A) ensure the maintenance and stability of 
the items that are identified as critical in the re-
port required under subsection (a) and that the 
Secretary of Defense determines are appropriate 
for the Warstopper Program; 
(B) establish guidance for the participation 
of the Department of Veterans Affairs in the 
Warstopper Program that includes an identifica-
tion of the items and types of items that are crit-
ical to the needs of the Department of Veterans 
Affairs; and 
(C) use existing contracts and agreements 
and enter into new contracts and agreements, as 
necessary, with manufacturers and distributors 
to reserve the supply of such critical items rather 
than rely on holding physical inventories of such 
items. 
(c) REIMBURSEMENT.—The Secretary of Veterans Af-
fairs shall reimburse the Secretary of Defense for any ex-
penses or obligations incurred to facilitate the participation
2552 
† HR 2617 EAS2 
of the Department of Veterans Affairs in the Warstopper 
Program pursuant to subsection (b). 
(d) PROHIBITION ON EXCLUSIVE RELIANCE ON RE-
GIONAL INVENTORIES.—The Secretary of Veterans Affairs 
shall ensure that the Department does not exclusively rely 
on holding regional, physical inventories of critical items 
in order to respond to greater than expected needs for such 
items during epidemic, pandemic, emergency, national 
emergency, or natural disaster situations. 
(e) REPORT ON IMPLEMENTATION.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 450 days after 
the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of 
Veterans Affairs shall submit to the Committee on 
Veterans’ Affairs of the Senate and the Committee on 
Veterans’ Affairs of the House of Representatives a re-
port on the implementation of this section. 
(2) CONTENTS.—The report submitted under 
paragraph (1) shall contain each the following: 
(A) An implementation plan for the partici-
pation of the Department of Veterans Affairs in 
the Warstopper Program, including milestones 
and timelines for related administrative, con-
tracting, and readiness activities.
2553 
† HR 2617 EAS2 
(B) For each of the items and associated 
quantities identified in paragraphs (1) and (3) 
of subsection (a)— 
(i) the method by which the Secretary 
of Veterans Affairs plans to ensure the De-
partment continues to have access to ade-
quate quantities of such items and types of 
items, including in the Warstopper Pro-
gram, in regional, physical inventories, or 
other methods; and 
(ii) justifications for the method or 
methods identified under clause (i). 
(3) UPDATES TO REPORT.—The Secretary shall 
update the report required under paragraph (1) on 
an annual basis for each of the two years following 
the submission of the report under such paragraph 
and submit such updates to the Committee on Vet-
erans’ Affairs of the Senate and the Committee on 
Veterans’ Affairs of the House of Representatives. 
SEC. 402. IMPROVEMENTS TO EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPOR-
TUNITY FUNCTIONS OF DEPARTMENT OF 
VETERANS AFFAIRS. 
(a) ALIGNMENT
OF EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPOR-
TUNITY DIRECTOR.—
2554 
† HR 2617 EAS2 
(1) REPORTING AND DUTIES.—Subsection (h) of 
section 516 of title 38, United States Code, is amend-
ed— 
(A) by striking ‘‘The provisions’’ and in-
serting ‘‘(1) The provisions’’; and 
(B) by adding at the end the following new 
paragraph: 
‘‘(2) Beginning not later than 90 days after the date 
of the enactment of the Joseph Maxwell Cleland and Robert 
Joseph Dole Memorial Veterans Benefits and Health Care 
Improvement Act of 2022, in carrying out paragraph (1), 
the Secretary shall ensure that the official of the Depart-
ment who serves as the Equal Employment Opportunity 
Director of the Department— 
‘‘(A) reports directly to the Deputy Secretary 
with respect to the functions under this section; and 
‘‘(B) does not also serve in a position that has 
responsibility over personnel functions of the Depart-
ment or other functions that conflict with the func-
tions under this section.’’. 
(2) CONFORMING AMENDMENTS.—Such section is 
further amended— 
(A) in subsection (b)(1), by inserting ‘‘, in 
accordance with subsection (h)(2),’’ after ‘‘an As-
2555 
† HR 2617 EAS2 
sistant Secretary or a Deputy Assistant Sec-
retary’’; and 
(B) in subsection (e)(1)(A), by striking ‘‘the 
Assistant Secretary for Human Resources and 
Administration’’ and inserting ‘‘the Secretary’’. 
(b) ALIGNMENT OF EEO PROGRAM MANAGERS.—Such 
section is further amended by adding at the end the fol-
lowing new subsection: 
‘‘(i) In accordance with subsection (b), not later than 
one year after the date of the enactment of the Joseph Max-
well Cleland and Robert Joseph Dole Memorial Veterans 
Benefits and Health Care Improvement Act of 2022, the 
Secretary shall ensure that each Equal Employment Oppor-
tunity program manager of the Department at the facility 
level reports to the head of the Office of Resolution Manage-
ment, or such successor office established pursuant to sub-
section (a), with respect to the equal employment functions 
of the program manager.’’. 
(c) REPORTING HARASSMENT AND EMPLOYMENT DIS-
CRIMINATION COMPLAINTS.—Subsection (a) of such section 
is amended— 
(1) by striking ‘‘The Secretary’’ and inserting 
‘‘(1) The Secretary’’; and 
(2) by adding at the end the following new para-
graph:
2556 
† HR 2617 EAS2 
‘‘(2) The Secretary shall ensure that the employment 
discrimination complaint resolution system established 
under paragraph (1) requires that any manager of the De-
partment who receives a sexual or other harassment or em-
ployment discrimination complaint reports such complaint 
to the Office of Resolution Management, or successor office, 
immediately, or if such immediate reporting is impracti-
cable, not later than two days after the date on which the 
manager receives the complaint.’’. 
(d) TRAINING.—Subsection (c) of such section is 
amended— 
(1) by inserting ‘‘(1)’’ before ‘‘The Secretary’’; 
and 
(2) by adding at the end the following new para-
graph: 
‘‘(2)(A) Beginning not later than 180 days after the 
date of the enactment of the Joseph Maxwell Cleland and 
Robert Joseph Dole Memorial Veterans Benefits and Health 
Care Improvement Act of 2022, the Secretary shall provide 
to each employee of the Department mandatory annual 
training on identifying and addressing sexual and other 
harassment and employment discrimination, including 
with respect to processes under the Harassment Prevention 
Program of the Department, or such successor program.
2557 
† HR 2617 EAS2 
‘‘(B) An employee of the Department who is hired on 
or after such date shall receive the first such mandatory 
annual training not later than 60 days after being hired.’’. 
(e) HARASSMENT AND EMPLOYMENT DISCRIMINATION 
POLICIES AND DIRECTIVES.—The Secretary of Veterans Af-
fairs shall— 
(1) by not later than the date that is 180 days 
after the date of the enactment of this Act, and on a 
regular basis thereafter, review the policies relating to 
sexual and other harassment and employment dis-
crimination of the Department of Veterans Affairs to 
ensure that such policies are complete and in accord-
ance with the sexual and other harassment and em-
ployment discrimination policies established by the 
Office of Resolution Management of the Department, 
or successor office; and 
(2) by not later than 180 days after the date of 
the enactment of this Act, issue a final directive and 
a handbook for the Harassment Prevention Program 
of the Department. 
(f) SEMIANNUAL REPORTS.—Not later than 180 days 
after the date of the enactment of this Act, and semiannu-
ally thereafter for one year, the Secretary of Veterans Af-
fairs shall submit to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of 
the Senate and the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the
2558 
† HR 2617 EAS2 
House of Representatives a report on the progress the Sec-
retary has made in carrying out this section and section 
516 of title 38, United States Code, as amended by this 
section, including with respect to reporting sexual and other 
harassment and employment discrimination complaints 
pursuant to subsection (a)(2) of such section 516. 
SEC. 403. DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS INFORMA-
TION TECHNOLOGY REFORM ACT OF 2022. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Chapter 81 of title 38, United 
States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following 
new subchapter: 
‘‘SUBCHAPTER VI—INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY 
PROJECTS AND ACTIVITIES 
‘‘§ 8171. Definitions 
‘‘In this subchapter: 
‘‘(1) The term ‘appropriate congressional com-
mittees’ means— 
‘‘(A) the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs 
and the Committee on Appropriations of the 
Senate; and 
‘‘(B) the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs 
and the Committee on Appropriations of the 
House of Representatives. 
‘‘(2) The term ‘information technology’ has the 
meaning given that term in section 11101 of title 40.
2559 
† HR 2617 EAS2 
‘‘(3)(A) 
The 
term 
‘information 
technology 
project’ means a project or program of the Depart-
ment (including a project or program of any element 
of the Department) for, or including, the acquisition 
or implementation of information technology. 
‘‘(B) In cases where the Secretary transmits to 
the Director of the Office of Management and Budget 
information regarding information technology invest-
ments, which may consist of individual or multiple 
projects, the term ‘information technology project’ re-
fers to an individual project or program or a group-
ing of multiple projects or programs resulting in the 
acquisition or implementation of discrete information 
technology. 
‘‘(4) The term ‘life cycle costs’ means all direct 
and indirect costs to acquire, implement, operate, and 
maintain information technology, including with re-
spect to costs of any element of the Department. 
‘‘(5) The term ‘major information technology 
project’ means an information technology project if— 
‘‘(A) the project is designated by the Sec-
retary, the Chief Information Officer of the De-
partment, or the Director of the Office of Man-
agement and Budget as a major information
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technology investment, as defined in section 
11302 of title 40; or 
‘‘(B) the dollar value of the project is esti-
mated by the Secretary to exceed— 
‘‘(i) $1,000,000,000 (as adjusted for in-
flation pursuant to section 1908 of title 41) 
for the total life cycle costs of the project; or 
‘‘(ii) $200,000,000 (as adjusted for in-
flation pursuant to section 1908 of title 41) 
annually. 
‘‘(6) The term ‘business owner’ means, with re-
spect to an information technology project, the pro-
gram manager, project manager, or other supervisory 
official of the Department responsible for the project. 
‘‘§ 8172. Management of major information technology 
projects 
‘‘(a) COST, SCHEDULE, AND PERFORMANCE INFORMA-
TION.—(1) The Secretary shall, acting through the Chief In-
formation Officer of the Department, submit to the appro-
priate congressional committees a report containing infor-
mation on the cost, schedule, and performance of each major 
information technology project that begins after the date of 
the enactment of the Joseph Maxwell Cleland and Robert 
Joseph Dole Memorial Veterans Benefits and Health Care 
Improvement Act of 2022, as generated by the business
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owner of the project, prior to the commencement of such 
project. 
‘‘(2) Each report submitted under paragraph (1) for 
a project shall include, with respect to such project, the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘(A) An estimate of acquisition costs, implemen-
tation costs, and life cycle costs. 
‘‘(B) An intended implementation schedule indi-
cating significant milestones, initial operating capa-
bility, and full operating capability or completion. 
‘‘(C) Key business, functional, and performance 
objectives. 
‘‘(b) BASELINE.—(1) The Secretary shall use the infor-
mation on the cost, schedule, and performance of a major 
information technology project included in the report under 
subsection (a) as the baseline against which changes or 
variances are measured during the life cycle of such project. 
‘‘(2) The Secretary shall— 
‘‘(A) annually update the baseline of a major in-
formation technology project pursuant to subsection 
(c); and 
‘‘(B) include such updated baseline in the docu-
ments providing detailed information on the budget 
for the Department that the Secretary submits to
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Congress in conjunction with the President’s budget 
submission pursuant to section 1105 of title 31. 
‘‘(c) CHANGES AND VARIANCES.—(1) Not later than 60 
days after the date on which the Secretary identifies a 
change or variance described in paragraph (2) in the cost, 
schedule, or performance of a major information technology 
project, the Secretary, acting through the Chief Information 
Officer, shall submit to the appropriate congressional com-
mittees a notification of such change or variance, including 
a description and explanation for such change or variance. 
‘‘(2) A change or variance in the cost, schedule, or per-
formance of a major information technology project de-
scribed in this paragraph is— 
‘‘(A) with respect to the acquisition, implementa-
tion, or life cycle cost of the project, or development 
increment therein, a change or variance that is 10 
percent or greater compared to the baseline; 
‘‘(B) with respect to the schedule for a develop-
ment increment or for achieving a significant mile-
stone, initial operating capability, or full operating 
capability, or for the final completion of the project, 
a change or variance that is 180 days or greater com-
pared to the baseline; or 
‘‘(C) with respect to the performance, an in-
stance where a key business, functional, or perform-
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ance objective is not attained, or is not anticipated to 
be attained, in whole or in part. 
‘‘(d) MANAGEMENT.—The Secretary shall ensure that 
each major information technology project is managed by 
an interdisciplinary team consisting of the following: 
‘‘(1) A project manager who— 
‘‘(A)(i) is certified in project management 
at level three by— 
‘‘(I) the Department; 
‘‘(II) the Federal Acquisition Institute 
pursuant to section 1201 of title 41; or 
‘‘(III) the Department of Defense pur-
suant to section 1701a of title 10; or 
‘‘(ii) holds an equivalent certification by a 
private sector project management certification 
organization, as determined appropriate by the 
Secretary; and 
‘‘(B) is an employee of the Office of Infor-
mation and Technology of the Department or an 
employee of an element of the Department at 
which the project originates. 
‘‘(2) A functional lead who is an employee of the 
element of the Department at which the project origi-
nates.
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‘‘(3) A technical lead who is an employee of the 
Office of Information and Technology of the Depart-
ment. 
‘‘(4) A contracting officer. 
‘‘(5) Sufficient other project management, func-
tional, technical, and procurement personnel as the 
Secretary determines appropriate. 
‘‘§ 8173. Information technology activities of the Fi-
nancial Services Center 
‘‘(a) MANAGEMENT.—Consistent with sections 11302 
and 11319 of title 40— 
‘‘(1) the Chief Information Officer of the Depart-
ment shall— 
‘‘(A) exercise authority over the manage-
ment, governance, and oversight processes relat-
ing to existing or proposed information tech-
nology of the Financial Services Center of the 
Department, or such successor office; and 
‘‘(B) supervise the information technology 
employees and contractors of the Financial Serv-
ices Center; and 
‘‘(2) the Director of the Financial Services Cen-
ter of the Department, or the head of such successor 
office, may not enter into a contract or other agree-
ment for information technology or information tech-
2565 
† HR 2617 EAS2 
nology services unless the contract or other agreement 
has been reviewed and approved by the Chief Infor-
mation Officer. 
‘‘(b) OVERSIGHT.—The Chief Information Officer shall 
have oversight and operational authority over all informa-
tion security practices of the Financial Services Center of 
the Department. 
‘‘§ 8174. Submission of annual reviews of information 
technology 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary, acting through the 
Chief Information Officer of the Department, shall submit 
to the appropriate congressional committees each annual re-
view of the information technology portfolio of the Depart-
ment conducted pursuant to section 11319(d)(3) of title 40. 
‘‘(b) FIRST SUBMISSION.—The first annual review 
submitted under subsection (a) shall include a copy of each 
previous 
annual 
review 
conducted 
under 
section 
11319(d)(3) of title 40. 
‘‘§ 8175. Information technology matters to be in-
cluded in budget justification materials 
for the Department 
‘‘(a) LIST OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY PROJECTS 
IN EFFECT.—The Secretary shall ensure that whenever the 
budget justification materials are submitted to Congress in 
support of the Department budget for a fiscal year (as sub-
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† HR 2617 EAS2 
mitted with the budget of the President for such fiscal year 
under section 1105(a) of title 31), such budget justification 
materials include a list of every information technology 
project currently in effect at the Department (including not 
only congressional projects and subprojects as determined 
by the Director of the Office of Management and Budget 
or the Secretary). 
‘‘(b) PRIORITIZED LIST OF UNFUNDED PROJECTS.— 
(1) In addition to the list included in the budget justifica-
tion materials required by subsection (a), the Secretary 
shall ensure that the budget justification materials described 
in such subsection also include summary descriptions and 
a prioritized list, in rank order, of every information tech-
nology project of the Department, proposed or intended to 
be proposed for the following one, two, or three fiscal years, 
that is unfunded as of the time of the inclusion of the list 
under this paragraph. 
‘‘(2) In producing the list required by paragraph (1), 
the Secretary shall— 
‘‘(A) ensure such list represents a ranking of all 
proposed information technology projects that reflects 
the needs of all elements of the Department; 
‘‘(B) produce one unified list for the entire De-
partment demonstrating how the various proposed in-
formation technology projects of each of the elements
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† HR 2617 EAS2 
of the Department rank in priority with the informa-
tion technology projects of the other elements of the 
Department; and 
‘‘(C) ensure that the list— 
‘‘(i) does not disaggregate and rank infor-
mation technology projects based on element of 
the Department; and 
‘‘(ii) does identify the element of the De-
partment requesting the information technology 
project. 
‘‘(3)(A) In producing each list under paragraph (1), 
the Secretary shall prioritize and rank each information 
technology project based on an assessment of each of the fol-
lowing factors: 
‘‘(i) Degree of collaboration between business 
owners and the Chief Information Officer with respect 
to joint functional-technical planning, requirements, 
and management. 
‘‘(ii) Operational or efficiency benefits to em-
ployees of the Department created or produced by the 
information technology project. 
‘‘(iii) The life cycle cost of the information tech-
nology project. 
‘‘(iv) The cost savings or cost avoidance yielded 
by the information technology project.
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† HR 2617 EAS2 
‘‘(v) Time to completion of the information tech-
nology project. 
‘‘(vi) The difficulty of the information technology 
project, the likelihood the information technology 
project will be completed, or the risks associated with 
undertaking the information technology project. 
‘‘(vii) Tangible benefits to veterans created or 
produced by the information technology project. 
‘‘(viii) Such other factors as the Secretary con-
siders appropriate. 
‘‘(B) The Secretary shall ensure that each list produced 
under paragraph (1) includes, for each information tech-
nology project included in the list, a brief description of 
the findings of the Secretary with respect to each assessment 
carried out by the Secretary for each factor for the informa-
tion technology project under subparagraph (A). 
‘‘(c) PROJECTED FUNDING NEEDS.—(1) In addition 
to the matters included under subsections (a) and (b), the 
Secretary shall ensure that the budget justification mate-
rials described in subsection (a) also include a projection 
of the one-year, two-year, and three-year funding needs of 
the Department for information technology, disaggregated 
by— 
‘‘(A) portfolio; and
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‘‘(B) the product line of the Department that re-
quires the funding. 
‘‘(2) In addition to the projections under paragraph 
(1), with respect to each of the periods set forth in such 
paragraph, the Secretary shall include a description of the 
funding required for each technology business management 
category used by the Office of Information Technology of 
the Department (commonly referred to as ‘cost pools’ and 
‘towers’).’’. 
(b) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sections at 
the beginning of such chapter is amended by adding at the 
end the following: 
‘‘SUBCHAPTER VI—INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY PROJECTS AND ACTIVITIES 
‘‘Sec. 8171. Definitions. 
‘‘Sec. 8172. Management of major information technology projects. 
‘‘Sec. 8173. Information technology activities of the Financial Services Center. 
‘‘Sec. 8174. Submission of annual reviews of information technology. 
‘‘Sec. 8175. Information technology matters to be included in budget justification 
materials for the Department.’’. 
(c) APPLICATION AND REPORT REGARDING MANAGE-
MENT OF MAJOR INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY PROJECTS.— 
(1) CURRENT AND NEW MAJOR PROJECTS.—Ex-
cept as specifically provided in subsection (a) of sec-
tion 8172 of title 38, United States Code, as added 
by subsection (a) of this section, such section 8172 
shall apply with respect to major information tech-
nology projects that begin before, on, or after the date 
of the enactment of this Act. 
(2) REPORT ON CURRENT PROJECTS.—
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† HR 2617 EAS2 
(A) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 90 days 
after the date of the enactment of this Act, the 
Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall submit to the 
appropriate congressional committees a report 
on each major information technology project 
that the Secretary is carrying out as of the date 
of the report. 
(B) 
CONTENTS.—The 
report 
submitted 
under subparagraph (A) shall contain, with re-
spect to each project described in such subpara-
graph, information on the cost, schedule, and 
performance of the project as described in sub-
section (a) of section 8172 of such title, as so 
added. 
(3) DEFINITIONS.—In this subsection, the terms 
‘‘appropriate congressional committees’’ and ‘‘major 
information technology project’’ have the meanings 
given those terms in section 8171 of title 38, United 
States Code, as added by subsection (a) of this section. 
(d) INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY ACTIVITIES OF THE 
FINANCIAL SERVICES CENTER.— 
(1) EFFECTIVE
DATE.—Section 8173 of such 
title, as added by subsection (a), shall take effect on 
the date of the enactment of this Act.
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† HR 2617 EAS2 
(2) APPLICABILITY.—Subsection (a)(2) of such 
section shall apply with respect to contracts and 
agreements entered into on or after the date of the en-
actment of this Act. 
(e) 
EFFECTIVE
DATE
OF
REQUIREMENT
FOR 
PROJECTS IN BUDGET JUSTIFICATION MATERIALS.—Sub-
section (c) of section 8175 of such title, as added by sub-
section (a) of this section, shall take effect on the first Mon-
day in the second January beginning after the date of the 
enactment of this Act. 
SEC. 404. REPORT ON INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY DASH-
BOARD INFORMATION. 
(a) REPORT.—Not later than 90 days after the date 
of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Af-
fairs, acting through the Chief Information Officer of the 
Department of Veterans Affairs, shall submit to the appro-
priate congressional committees a report containing— 
(1) an explanation of the ratings, rankings, and 
risk categorizations used by the Chief Information Of-
ficer pursuant to subparagraph (C) of section 
11302(c)(3) of title 40, United States Code, with re-
spect to the information technology dashboard, or suc-
cessor system, of the Office of Management and Budg-
et developed under such section; and
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† HR 2617 EAS2 
(2) copies of supporting or explanatory informa-
tion provided by the Chief Information Officer to the 
Office of Management and Budget with respect to sub-
missions by the Chief Information Officer to the infor-
mation technology dashboard, or successor system, for 
the fiscal year in which the report is submitted (other 
than information not otherwise made public pursuant 
to such section). 
(b) APPROPRIATE CONGRESSIONAL COMMITTEES DE-
FINED.—In section, the term ‘‘appropriate congressional 
committees’’ has the meaning given such term in section 
8171 of title 38, United States Code, as added by section 
403. 
SEC. 405. IMPROVEMENTS TO TRANSPARENCY OF LAW EN-
FORCEMENT OPERATIONS OF DEPARTMENT 
OF VETERANS AFFAIRS. 
(a) PROVISION OF INFORMATION.—Section 902 of title 
38, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end 
the following new subsection: 
‘‘(e)(1) The Secretary shall publish on the internet 
website of each facility of the Department the following in-
formation with respect to the facility: 
‘‘(A) Summaries and statistics covering the pre-
vious five-year period regarding—
2573 
† HR 2617 EAS2 
‘‘(i) arrests made by and tickets issued by 
Department police officers; 
‘‘(ii) prosecutions, ticketing, and other ac-
tions relating to such arrests; 
‘‘(iii) the use of force and weapons dis-
charge by Department police officers; and 
‘‘(iv) complaints, investigations, and dis-
ciplinary actions regarding Department police 
officers. 
‘‘(B) Contact information for employees of the 
Department and the public to directly contact the po-
lice force of the facility, including for an individual 
(or the representative, attorney, or authorized agent of 
the individual) to request information regarding the 
arrest, ticketing, detainment, use of force, or other po-
lice matters pertaining to that individual. 
‘‘(2) The Secretary shall ensure that each police force 
of a facility of the Department is able to provide to an indi-
vidual who contacts the police force pursuant to paragraph 
(1)(B) the information described in such paragraph.’’. 
(b) USE OF BODY WORN CAMERAS BY DEPARTMENT 
POLICE OFFICERS.— 
(1) REQUIREMENT.—Subsection (a) of such sec-
tion 902 is amended by adding at the end the fol-
lowing new paragraph:
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† HR 2617 EAS2 
‘‘(3) Beginning not later than 180 days after the date 
of the enactment of the Joseph Maxwell Cleland and Robert 
Joseph Dole Memorial Veterans Benefits and Health Care 
Improvement Act of 2022, the Secretary shall require De-
partment police officers to use cameras worn on the indi-
vidual police officer’s person that record and store audio 
and video (commonly known as ‘body worn cameras’).’’. 
(2) GUIDANCE.—Not later than one year after 
the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of 
Veterans Affairs shall issue, and make publicly avail-
able, guidance on the use of body worn cameras by 
Department police officers pursuant to section 
902(a)(3) of title 38, United States Code, as amended 
by paragraph (1). 
(3) CONSULTATION.—The Secretary shall issue 
the guidance under paragraph (2) in consultation 
with veterans service organizations, civil rights orga-
nizations, law enforcement organizations, law enforce-
ment accreditation organizations, privacy rights or-
ganizations, and other relevant organizations or ex-
perts. 
(c) DATA AND REPORTING ON POLICE INCIDENTS.— 
Section 902 of title 38, United States Code, as amended 
by subsection (a), is further amended by adding at the end 
the following new subsection:
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† HR 2617 EAS2 
‘‘(f) POLICE INCIDENTS.—(1)(A) The Secretary shall 
track and analyze the following information regarding the 
police force of the Department: 
‘‘(i) Arrests made by and tickets issued by De-
partment police officers. 
‘‘(ii) Prosecutions, ticketing, and other actions 
relating to such arrests. 
‘‘(iii) The use of force and weapons discharge. 
‘‘(iv) Complaints, investigations, and discipli-
nary actions. 
‘‘(B) The Secretary shall carry out subparagraph (A) 
by implementing one or more Department-wide data sys-
tems. 
‘‘(2)(A) Beginning not later than one year after the 
date of the enactment of the Joseph Maxwell Cleland and 
Robert Joseph Dole Memorial Veterans Benefits and Health 
Care Improvement Act of 2022, the Secretary shall ensure 
that each incident described in subparagraph (C) is 
promptly reported to the Assistant Secretary with responsi-
bility for operations, preparedness, security, and law en-
forcement functions. 
‘‘(B) The Assistant Secretary shall, in a timely man-
ner—
2576 
† HR 2617 EAS2 
‘‘(i) review each incident described in subpara-
graph (C)(i) that is reported under subparagraph (A); 
and 
‘‘(ii) investigate each incident described in sub-
paragraph (C)(ii) that is reported under subpara-
graph (A). 
‘‘(C) An incident described in this subparagraph is ei-
ther of the following: 
‘‘(i) An incident, including an allegation, of the 
use of force by a Department police officer. 
‘‘(ii) An incident, including an allegation, of the 
use of force by a Department police officer that results 
in any person receiving medical attention.’’. 
(d) PLAN ON POLICE STAFFING.—The Secretary shall 
develop a plan that establishes minimum standards for po-
lice staffing at each facility of the Department, including 
with respect to— 
(1) the number of Department police officers as-
signed to each facility; and 
(2) the pay grades for such officers. 
(e) REPORT ON IMPLEMENTATION.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—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’ Affairs of
2577 
† HR 2617 EAS2 
the House of Representatives a report on the imple-
mentation of this section and the amendments made 
by this section. 
(2) CONTENTS.—The report required by para-
graph (1) shall include the following: 
(A) With respect to the staffing needs of the 
Department police force— 
(i) identification of the amount of 
turnover among Department police officers; 
(ii) how the compensation for Depart-
ment police officers affects such turnover; 
(iii) a comparison of such compensa-
tion with the compensation provided to spe-
cialty police units, such as police units at 
medical facilities and other police units in 
the same locality pay area; and 
(iv) the plan developed under sub-
section (d), including— 
(I) estimates on the costs to carry 
out the plan; and 
(II) any recommendations for leg-
islative actions required to carry out 
the plan. 
(B) With respect to body worn cameras, a 
review of the implementation and use of body
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† HR 2617 EAS2 
worn cameras by Department police officers, in-
cluding under pilot programs carried out by the 
Secretary during the five-year period preceding 
the date of the report. 
(f) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
(1) BODY WORN CAMERA.—The term ‘‘body worn 
camera’’ means a camera worn on an individual po-
lice officer’s person that records and stores audio and 
video. 
(2) DEPARTMENT POLICE OFFICER.—The term 
‘‘Department police officer’’ means an employee of the 
Department of Veterans Affairs described in section 
902(a) of title 38, United States Code. 
SEC. 406. PLAN FOR REDUCTION OF BACKLOG OF FREEDOM 
OF INFORMATION ACT REQUESTS. 
(a) PLAN.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Veterans Af-
fairs shall establish and carry out a plan for the Sec-
retary to meet, by not later than five years after the 
date of the enactment of this Act, the requirements of 
section 552 of title 5, United States Code, (commonly 
known as the ‘‘Freedom of Information Act’’ or 
‘‘FOIA’’) with respect to providing documents and in-
formation under such section within the timeframes 
required by such section.
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† HR 2617 EAS2 
(2) ELEMENTS.—The plan required by para-
graph (1) shall include the following: 
(A) Improving and acquiring technology, 
including with respect to searching email and 
other electronic information, and the timelines 
for such improvement, to ensure that the infor-
mation technology of the Department of Veterans 
Affairs is capable of carrying out the plan. 
(B) Identification of efficient procedures, 
policies, and systems of the Department that 
could be developed to allow employees of the De-
partment responsible for replying to requests 
under such section 552 to search and review doc-
uments rather than other employees of the De-
partment. 
(C) A schedule for carrying out the plan, 
including key milestones and metrics. 
(b) COMPLIANCE ASSESSMENT.—The Secretary shall 
request the Director of the Office of Government Informa-
tion Services of the National Archives and Records Admin-
istration to conduct an assessment of the compliance by the 
Department of Veterans Affairs with section 552 of title 5, 
United States Code. 
(c) REPORTS.— 
(1) INITIAL REPORT.—
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† HR 2617 EAS2 
(A) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 180 days 
after the date of the enactment of this Act, the 
Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Vet-
erans’ Affairs of the Senate and the Committee 
on Veterans’ Affairs of the House of Representa-
tives a report on implementing subsections (a) 
and (b). 
(B) CONTENTS.—The report required by 
subparagraph (A) shall include the following: 
(i) The plan established under sub-
section (a). 
(ii) An analysis of the root causes of 
the backlog of Freedom of Information Act 
requests. 
(iii) Recommendations with respect to 
any additional resources or legislative ac-
tion the Secretary determines necessary for 
such implementation. 
(2) ANNUAL REPORTS.—During the five-year pe-
riod following the date of the enactment of this Act, 
the Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Vet-
erans’ Affairs of the Senate and the Committee on 
Veterans’ Affairs of the House of Representatives an-
nual reports on—
2581 
† HR 2617 EAS2 
(A) carrying out the plan under subsection 
(a), including any updates or changes made to 
the plan; and 
(B) the compliance by the Department as 
described in subsection (b). 
(3) PUBLICATION.—The Secretary shall make 
publicly available on the internet website of the De-
partment the reports under paragraphs (1) and (2) 
by not later than 30 days after the date on which the 
Secretary submits the reports to the Committee on 
Veterans’ Affairs of the Senate and the Committee on 
Veterans’ Affairs of the House of Representatives. 
(d) DEFINITION OF BACKLOG OF FREEDOM OF INFOR-
MATION ACT REQUESTS.—In this section, the term ‘‘backlog 
of Freedom of Information Act requests’’ means the number 
of requests, as reported by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs 
to the Attorney General in the Annual FOIA Report, made 
by individuals to the Secretary pursuant to section 552 of 
title 5, United States Code, for documents or information 
that the Secretary has not fulfilled or provided a response 
to the individual. 
SEC. 407. MEDAL OF HONOR SPECIAL PENSION TECHNICAL 
CORRECTION. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 2003(a) of the Johnny 
Isakson and David P. Roe, M.D. Veterans Health Care and
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† HR 2617 EAS2 
Benefits Improvement Act of 2020 (Public Law 116–315) 
is amended by striking ‘‘$1,388.68’’ and inserting 
‘‘$1,406.73’’. 
(b) CORRECTION TO CERTAIN PENSION PAYMENTS.— 
(1) CORRECT CODIFICATION.—Section 1562(a)(1) 
of title 38, United States Code, is amended by strik-
ing ‘‘$1,388.68’’ and inserting ‘‘$ 1,406.73’’. 
(2) 
RETROACTIVE
EFFECTIVE
DATE.—The 
amendment made by paragraph (1) shall take effect 
as if it were enacted immediately after the enactment 
of the Johnny Isakson and David P. Roe, M.D. Vet-
erans Health Care and Benefits Improvement Act of 
2020 (Public Law 116–315). 
(c) TREATMENT OF CERTAIN PENSION PAYMENTS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—A payment described in para-
graph (2) shall be treated as an authorized payment. 
(2) PAYMENTS
DESCRIBED.—A payment de-
scribed in this paragraph is a payment of pension 
under section 1562 of title 38, United States Code, by 
the Secretary of Veterans Affairs— 
(A) in the amount of $1,406.73 during the 
period beginning on January 5, 2021, and end-
ing on November 30, 2021;
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† HR 2617 EAS2 
(B) in the amount of $1,489.73 during the 
period beginning on December 1, 2021, and end-
ing on November 30, 2022; or 
(C) in the amount of $1,619.34 during the 
period beginning on December 1, 2022, and end-
ing on the date of the enactment of this Act. 
SEC. 408. IMPOSITION OF CAP ON EMPLOYEES OF THE DE-
PARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS WHO PRO-
VIDE EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY 
COUNSELING. 
(a) REIMPOSITION OF CAP.— 
(1) IN
GENERAL.—Section 516 of title 38, 
United States Code, as amended by section 7(a) of the 
Responsible Education Mitigating Options and Tech-
nical Extensions Act (Public Law 117–76), is further 
amended— 
(A) by redesignating subsection (g) as sub-
section (h); and 
(B) by inserting after subsection (f) the fol-
lowing new subsection (g): 
‘‘(g)(1)(A) Except as provided in paragraph (4), be-
ginning on the date of the enactment of the Joseph Maxwell 
Cleland and Robert Joseph Dole Memorial Veterans Bene-
fits and Health Care Improvement Act of 2022 and ending 
on the date that is three years after the date of the enact-
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† HR 2617 EAS2 
ment of such Act, the number of employees of the Depart-
ment whose duties include equal employment opportunity 
counseling functions may not exceed 76 full-time equivalent 
employees. 
‘‘(B) Except as provided in paragraph (4), beginning 
on the date that is three years after the date of enactment 
of the Joseph Maxwell Cleland and Robert Joseph Dole Me-
morial Veterans Benefits and Health Care Improvement Act 
of 2022, the number of employees of the Department whose 
duties include equal employment opportunity counseling 
functions may not exceed 81 full-time equivalent employees. 
‘‘(2) Except as provided in paragraph (4), of the 76 
full-time equivalent employees set forth in paragraph (1), 
the number of employees of the Department whose duties 
include equal employment opportunity counseling functions 
as well as other unrelated functions may not exceed 40 full- 
time equivalent employees. 
‘‘(3) Except as provided in paragraph (4), any em-
ployee described in paragraph (2) whose duties include 
equal employment opportunity counseling functions as well 
as other unrelated functions may be assigned equal employ-
ment opportunity counseling functions only at Department 
facilities in remote geographic locations. 
‘‘(4)(A) Beginning on the date that is one year after 
the date of enactment of the Joseph Maxwell Cleland and
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Robert Joseph Dole Memorial Veterans Benefits and Health 
Care Improvement Act of 2022, the Secretary shall prompt-
ly notify Congress if, at any point in time, the number of 
full-time equivalent employees of the Department specified 
in paragraph (1), whose duties include equal opportunity 
counseling functions, is insufficient for the Department to 
meet its required obligations under law. 
‘‘(B) Notification under subparagraph (A) shall in-
clude— 
‘‘(i) the specific legal obligations relating to em-
ployment discrimination, or other matters similar to 
those covered by regulations prescribed by the Equal 
Employment Opportunity Commission, that the De-
partment is unable to meet; and 
‘‘(ii) the total additional number of full-time 
equivalent employees of the Department that would be 
needed for the Department to meet such obligations.’’. 
(2) CONFORMING
AMENDMENT.—Subsection (b) 
of section 7 of such Act is hereby repealed. 
(b) REPORT.—Not later than 3 years after the date 
of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Af-
fairs shall submit to Congress a report that includes the 
following elements: 
(1) An accounting of the number of informal 
stage cases filed with the employment discrimination
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complaint resolution system established and adminis-
tered under section 516(a) of title 38, United States 
Code, disaggregated by— 
(A) the period beginning on January 1, 
2019, and ending on the date of the enactment 
of this Act; and 
(B) the three-year period beginning on the 
date of the enactment of this Act. 
(2) A comparison of timeliness, with respect to 
the average time to process, of processing of informal 
stage cases by such system with respect to— 
(A) the period beginning on January 1, 
2019, and ending on the date of the enactment 
of this Act; and 
(B) the three-year period beginning on the 
date of the enactment of this Act. 
(3) An accounting of the amounts, times, and 
quality of informal claims processed by employees of 
the Department of Veterans Affairs whose duties in-
clude only equal employment opportunity counseling 
functions under section 516 of title 38, United States 
Code, disaggregated by— 
(A) the ten-year period ending on the date 
of the enactment of this Act; and
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(B) the three-year period beginning on the 
date of the enactment of this Act. 
(c) ANNUAL REPORTS.—Not later than one year after 
the date of the enactment of this Act and once each year 
thereafter, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall make 
available to the public on an internet website of the Depart-
ment an annual report that includes, for the year covered 
by the report, the following: 
(1) Total number of complaints filed through the 
employment discrimination complaint resolution sys-
tem established and administered under subsection (a) 
of section 516 of title 38, United States Code. 
(2) Total number of such complaints completed 
processing by such system in a timely manner. 
(3) The percentage of all pre-complaint coun-
seling provided under such section that led to resolu-
tion without further action. 
(4) The percentage of all pre-complaint coun-
seling provided under such section that led to resolu-
tion via alternative dispute resolution. 
(5) The percentage of all pre-complaint coun-
seling provided under such section that led to filing 
of a formal complaint via such system. 
(6) An accounting of the amounts, times, and 
quality of informal claims processed by employees of
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the Department whose duties include equal employ-
ment opportunity counseling under such section. 
(7) An estimate of the required ratio of Depart-
ment employees whose duties include equal employ-
ment opportunity counseling functions relative to the 
number of full-time equivalent employees in the De-
partment. 
(d) INDEPENDENT ASSESSMENT.—Not later than 180 
days after the first report is made available under sub-
section (c), the Comptroller General shall submit to the 
Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the Senate and the Com-
mittee on Veterans’ Affairs of the House of Representatives 
an independent assessment of the ratio reported by the Sec-
retary pursuant to paragraph (7) of such subsection. Such 
assessment shall include such recommendations as the Sec-
retary may have for improving such ratio and the ability 
of the Department to provide equal employment oppor-
tunity counseling. 
DIVISION V—STRONG VETERANS 
ACT OF 2022 
SEC. 1. SHORT TITLE; TABLE OF CONTENTS. 
(a) SHORT TITLE.—This division may be cited as the 
‘‘Support The Resiliency of Our Nation’s Great Veterans 
Act of 2022’’ or the ‘‘STRONG Veterans Act of 2022’’.
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(b) TABLE OF CONTENTS.—The table of contents for 
this division is as follows: 
DIVISION V—STRONG VETERANS ACT OF 2022 
Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents. 
TITLE I—TRAINING TO SUPPORT VETERANS’ MENTAL HEALTH 
Sec. 101. Mental health and suicide prevention outreach to minority veterans and 
American Indian and Alaska Native veterans. 
Sec. 102. Expansion of Vet Center workforce. 
Sec. 103. Expansion of mental health training for Department of Veterans Af-
fairs. 
Sec. 104. Expansion of scholarships and loan repayment programs for mental 
health providers. 
TITLE II—VETERANS CRISIS LINE 
Sec. 201. Veterans Crisis Line. 
Subtitle A—Veterans Crisis Line Training and Quality Management 
Sec. 211. Staff training. 
Sec. 212. Quality review and management. 
Sec. 213. Guidance for high-risk callers. 
Sec. 214. Oversight of training of social service assistants and clarification of job 
responsibilities. 
Subtitle B—Pilot Programs and Research on Veterans Crisis Line 
Sec. 221. Pilot programs. 
Sec. 222. Authorization of appropriations for research on effectiveness and oppor-
tunities for improvement of Veterans Crisis Line. 
Subtitle C—Transition of Crisis Line Number 
Sec. 231. Feedback on transition of crisis line number. 
TITLE III—OUTREACH TO VETERANS 
Sec. 301. Designation of Buddy Check Week by Secretary of Veterans Affairs. 
Sec. 302. Improvements to Veterans Justice Outreach Program. 
Sec. 303. Department of Veterans Affairs Governors Challenge Program. 
TITLE IV—MENTAL HEALTH CARE DELIVERY 
Sec. 401. Expansion of peer specialist support program of Department of Vet-
erans Affairs. 
Sec. 402. Expansion of Vet Center services. 
Sec. 403. Eligibility for mental health services. 
Sec. 404. Mental health consultations. 
TITLE V—RESEARCH 
Sec. 501. Veterans integration to academic leadership program of the Department 
of Veterans Affairs.
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Sec. 502. Improvement of sleep disorder care furnished by Department of Veterans 
Affairs. 
Sec. 503. Study on inpatient mental health and substance use care from Depart-
ment of Veterans Affairs. 
Sec. 504. Study on treatment from Department of Veterans Affairs for co-occur-
ring mental health and substance use disorders. 
Sec. 505. Study on workload of suicide prevention teams of Department of Vet-
erans Affairs. 
Sec. 506. Expansion of suicide prevention and mental health research. 
Sec. 507. Study on mental health and suicide prevention support for military 
families. 
Sec. 508. Research on brain health. 
Sec. 509. Study on efficacy of clinical and at-home resources for post-traumatic 
stress disorder. 
TITLE I—TRAINING TO SUPPORT 
VETERANS’ MENTAL HEALTH 
SEC. 101. MENTAL HEALTH AND SUICIDE PREVENTION OUT-
REACH TO MINORITY VETERANS AND AMER-
ICAN INDIAN AND ALASKA NATIVE VETERANS. 
(a) STAFFING REQUIREMENT.—Beginning not later 
than 90 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, 
the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall ensure that each med-
ical center of the Department of Veterans Affairs has no 
fewer than one full-time employee whose responsibility is 
serving as a minority veteran coordinator. 
(b) TRAINING.—Not later than 180 days after the date 
of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary, in consultation 
with the Indian Health Service and the Director of the Of-
fice of Mental Health and Suicide Prevention of the Depart-
ment of Veterans Affairs, shall ensure that all minority vet-
eran coordinators receive training in delivery of mental 
health and suicide prevention services culturally appro-
priate for American Indian and Alaska Native veterans,
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especially with respect to the identified populations and 
tribes within the coordinators’ catchment areas. 
(c) COORDINATION WITH SUICIDE PREVENTION COOR-
DINATORS.—Not later than 180 days after the date of the 
enactment of this Act, the Secretary, in consultation with 
the Director of the Office of Mental Health and Suicide Pre-
vention, shall ensure that the suicide prevention coordinator 
and minority veteran coordinator of each medical center 
of the Department have developed and disseminated to the 
director of the medical center a written plan for conducting 
mental health and suicide prevention outreach to all tribes 
and urban Indian health organizations within the 
catchment area of the medical center. Each such plan shall 
include for each tribe covered by the plan— 
(1) contact information for tribal leadership and 
the tribal health facility or Indian Health Service fa-
cility serving that tribe; 
(2) a schedule for and list of outreach plans (in-
cluding addressing any barriers to accessing Depart-
ment mental health care); 
(3) documentation of any conversation with trib-
al leaders that may guide culturally appropriate de-
livery of mental health care to American Indian or 
Alaska Native veterans;
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(4) documentation of any progress in incor-
porating traditional healing practices into mental 
health and suicide prevention protocols and options 
available for veterans who are members of such tribe; 
and 
(5) documentation of any coordination among 
the Department, the Indian Health Service, urban In-
dian health organizations, and the Substance Abuse 
and Mental Health Services Administration for the 
purpose of improving suicide prevention efforts tai-
lored to veterans who are members of such tribe and 
the provision of culturally competent mental health 
care to such veterans. 
(d) REPORT.—Not later than one year after the enact-
ment of this Act, 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 outreach efforts to minority veterans and American In-
dian and Alaska Native veterans. Such report shall include 
each of the following: 
(1) The number of minority veteran coordinators 
within the Department. 
(2) The number and percentage of minority vet-
eran coordinators who are women.
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(3) The number and percentage of minority vet-
eran coordinators who are persons of color. 
(4) The number and percentage of Department 
medical centers with minority veteran coordinators. 
(5) The number and percentage of Department 
mental health providers who are enrolled members of 
a federally recognized Indian tribe or self-identify as 
Native American. 
(6) The number and percentage of Department 
mental health providers who speak a second language. 
(7) A review of the outreach plans developed and 
submitted to all Department medical centers for out-
reach to American Indian and Alaska Native vet-
erans. 
(8) A review of mental health care provided an-
nually by the Department to American Indian and 
Alaska Native veterans for the past three years, in-
cluding number of appointments, and an assessment 
of any barriers to providing this care. 
SEC. 102. EXPANSION OF VET CENTER WORKFORCE. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than one year after the 
date of the enactment of this Act and subject to the avail-
ability of appropriations, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs 
shall hire an additional 50 full-time equivalent employees 
for Vet Centers to bolster the workforce of Vet Centers and
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to provide expanded mental health care to veterans, mem-
bers of the Armed Forces, and their families through out-
reach, community access points, outstations, and Vet Cen-
ters. 
(b) VET CENTER DEFINED.—In this section, the term 
‘‘Vet Center’’ has the meaning given that term in section 
1712A(h) of title 38, United States Code. 
SEC. 103. EXPANSION OF MENTAL HEALTH TRAINING FOR 
DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than three years after the 
date of the enactment of this Act and subject to the avail-
ability of appropriations, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, 
in collaboration with the Office of Mental Health and Sui-
cide Prevention and the Office of Academic Affiliations, 
shall add an additional 250 paid trainee slots in covered 
mental health disciplines to the workforce of the Department 
of Veterans Affairs. 
(b) COVERED MENTAL HEALTH DISCIPLINES DE-
FINED.—In this section, the term ‘‘covered mental health 
disciplines’’ means psychiatry, psychology, advanced prac-
tice nursing (with a focus on mental health or substance 
use disorder), social work, licensed professional mental 
health counseling, and marriage and family therapy.
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SEC. 104. EXPANSION OF SCHOLARSHIPS AND LOAN REPAY-
MENT PROGRAMS FOR MENTAL HEALTH PRO-
VIDERS. 
(a) EXPANSION OF HEALTH PROFESSIONAL SCHOLAR-
SHIP PROGRAM.—Beginning in academic year 2022, the 
Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall include not fewer than 
an additional (as compared to academic year 2021) 50 
awards per academic year under the Department of Vet-
erans Affairs Health Professional Scholarship Program 
under subchapter II of chapter 76 of title 38, United States 
Code, for applicants otherwise eligible for such program 
who are pursuing degrees or training in mental health dis-
ciplines, including advanced practice nursing (with a focus 
on mental health or substance use disorder), psychology, 
and social work. 
(b) EXPANSION
OF EDUCATION DEBT REDUCTION 
PROGRAM.— 
(1) IN
GENERAL.—Beginning in fiscal year 
2022, the Secretary shall provide not fewer than an 
additional (as compared to fiscal year 2021) 200 debt 
reduction awards per year under the Department of 
Veterans Affairs Education Debt Reduction Program 
under subchapter VII of chapter 76 of title 38, United 
States Code, to be used to recruit mental health pro-
fessionals to the Department of Veterans Affairs in 
disciplines that include psychiatry, psychology, ad-
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vanced practice nursing (with a focus on mental 
health or substance use disorder), and social work. 
(2) AUTHORIZATION
OF
APPROPRIATIONS.— 
There is authorized to be appropriated to the Sec-
retary of Veterans Affairs $8,000,000 per year to 
carry out the additional awards under paragraph (1). 
(c) OUTREACH.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than one year after 
the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary 
shall develop a public awareness campaign to encour-
age veterans and mental health professionals to choose 
the Department for their mental health career. 
(2) ELEMENTS.—The campaign required under 
paragraph (1)— 
(A) shall advertise the paid trainee, scholar-
ship, and loan repayment opportunities offered 
by the Department; and 
(B) may highlight the new graduate med-
ical education residencies available at the De-
partment for medical students entering resi-
dency.
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TITLE II—VETERANS CRISIS 
LINE 
SEC. 201. VETERANS CRISIS LINE. 
In this title, the term ‘‘Veterans Crisis Line’’ means 
the toll-free hotline for veterans established under section 
1720F(h) of title 38, United States Code. 
Subtitle A—Veterans Crisis Line 
Training and Quality Management 
SEC. 211. STAFF TRAINING. 
(a) REVIEW OF TRAINING FOR VETERANS CRISIS LINE 
CALL RESPONDERS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Veterans Af-
fairs shall enter into an agreement with an organiza-
tion outside the Department of Veterans Affairs to re-
view the training for Veterans Crisis Line call re-
sponders on assisting callers in crisis. 
(2) COMPLETION OF REVIEW.—The review con-
ducted under paragraph (1) shall be completed not 
later than one year after the date of the enactment of 
this Act. 
(3) ELEMENTS
OF
REVIEW.—The review con-
ducted under paragraph (1) shall consist of a review 
of the training provided by the Department on sub-
jects including risk assessment, lethal means assess-
ment, substance use and overdose risk assessment,
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safety planning, referrals to care, supervisory con-
sultation, and emergency dispatch. 
(4) UPDATE OF TRAINING.—If any deficiencies 
in the training for Veterans Crisis Line call respond-
ers are found pursuant to the review under paragraph 
(1), the Secretary shall update such training and as-
sociated standards of practice to correct those defi-
ciencies not later than one year after the completion 
of the review. 
(b) RETRAINING GUIDELINES FOR VETERANS CRISIS 
LINE CALL RESPONDERS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than one year after 
the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary 
shall develop guidelines on retraining and quality 
management for when a Veterans Crisis Line call re-
sponder has an adverse event or when a quality re-
view check by a supervisor of such a call responder 
denotes that the call responder needs improvement. 
(2) ELEMENTS OF GUIDELINES.—The guidelines 
developed under paragraph (1) shall specify the sub-
jects and quantity of retraining recommended and 
how supervisors should implement increased use of si-
lent monitoring or other performance review mecha-
nisms.
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SEC. 212. QUALITY REVIEW AND MANAGEMENT. 
(a) MONITORING
OF CALLS
ON VETERANS CRISIS 
LINE.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Veterans Af-
fairs shall require that not fewer than two calls per 
month for each Veterans Crisis Line call responder be 
subject to supervisory silent monitoring, which is used 
to monitor the quality of conduct by such call re-
sponder during the call. 
(2) BENCHMARKS.—The Secretary shall establish 
benchmarks for requirements and performance of Vet-
erans Crisis Line call responders on supervisory si-
lent monitored calls. 
(3) QUARTERLY REPORTS.—Not less frequently 
than quarterly, the Secretary shall submit to the Of-
fice of Mental Health and Suicide Prevention of the 
Department of Veterans Affairs a report on occur-
rence and outcomes of supervisory silent monitoring 
of calls on the Veterans Crisis Line. 
(b) QUALITY MANAGEMENT PROCESSES
FOR VET-
ERANS CRISIS LINE.—Not later than one year after the date 
of the enactment of this Act, the leadership for the Veterans 
Crisis Line, in partnership with the Office of Mental Health 
and Suicide Prevention of the Department and the National 
Center for Patient Safety of the Department, shall establish 
quality management processes and expectations for staff of
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the Veterans Crisis Line, including with respect to report-
ing of adverse events and close calls. 
(c) ANNUAL COMMON CAUSE ANALYSIS FOR CALLERS 
TO VETERANS CRISIS LINE WHO DIE BY SUICIDE.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Not less frequently than an-
nually, the Secretary shall perform a common cause 
analysis for all identified callers to the Veterans Cri-
sis Line that died by suicide during the one-year pe-
riod preceding the conduct of the analysis before the 
caller received contact with emergency services and in 
which the Veterans Crisis Line was the last point of 
contact. 
(2) SUBMITTAL
OF
RESULTS.—The Secretary 
shall submit to the Office of Mental Health and Sui-
cide Prevention of the Department the results of each 
analysis conducted under paragraph (1). 
(3) APPLICATION OF THEMES OR LESSONS.—The 
Secretary shall apply any themes or lessons learned 
under an analysis under paragraph (1) to updating 
training and standards of practice for staff of the Vet-
erans Crisis Line. 
SEC. 213. GUIDANCE FOR HIGH-RISK CALLERS. 
(a) DEVELOPMENT
OF ENHANCED GUIDANCE
AND 
PROCEDURES FOR RESPONSE TO CALLS RELATED TO SUB-
STANCE USE AND OVERDOSE RISK.—Not later than one
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year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Sec-
retary of Veterans Affairs, in consultation with national ex-
perts within the Department of Veterans Affairs on sub-
stance use disorder and overdose, shall— 
(1) develop enhanced guidance and procedures to 
respond to calls to the Veterans Crisis Line related to 
substance use and overdose risk; 
(2) update training materials for staff of the Vet-
erans Crisis Line in response to such enhanced guid-
ance and procedures; and 
(3) update criteria for monitoring compliance 
with such enhanced guidance and procedures. 
(b) REVIEW AND IMPROVEMENT OF STANDARDS FOR 
EMERGENCY DISPATCH.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than one year after 
the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary 
shall— 
(A) review the current emergency dispatch 
standard operating procedure of the Veterans 
Crisis Line to identify any additions to such 
procedure to strengthen communication regard-
ing— 
(i) emergency dispatch for disconnected 
callers; and
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(ii) the role of social service assistants 
in requesting emergency dispatch and re-
cording such dispatches; and 
(B) update such procedure to include the 
additions identified under subparagraph (A). 
(2) TRAINING.—The Secretary shall ensure that 
all staff of the Veterans Crisis Line are trained on all 
updates made under paragraph (1)(B) to the emer-
gency dispatch standard operating procedure of the 
Veterans Crisis Line. 
SEC. 214. OVERSIGHT OF TRAINING OF SOCIAL SERVICE AS-
SISTANTS AND CLARIFICATION OF JOB RE-
SPONSIBILITIES. 
Not later than one year after the date of the enactment 
of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall— 
(1) establish oversight mechanisms to ensure that 
social service assistants and supervisory social service 
assistants working with the Veterans Crisis Line are 
appropriately trained and implementing guidance of 
the Department regarding the Veterans Crisis Line; 
and 
(2) refine standard operating procedures to de-
lineate roles and responsibilities for all levels of su-
pervisory social service assistants working with the 
Veterans Crisis Line.
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Subtitle B—Pilot Programs and 
Research on Veterans Crisis Line 
SEC. 221. PILOT PROGRAMS. 
(a) EXTENDED SAFETY PLANNING PILOT PROGRAM 
FOR VETERANS CRISIS LINE.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Commencing not later than 
180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, 
the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall carry out a 
pilot program to determine whether a lengthier, 
templated safety plan used in clinical settings could 
be applied in call centers for the Veterans Crisis Line. 
(2) BRIEFING.—Not later than two years after 
the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary 
shall provide to Congress a briefing on the findings 
of the Secretary under the pilot program conducted 
under paragraph (1), which shall include any rec-
ommendations of the Secretary with respect to the 
continuation or discontinuation of the pilot program. 
(b) CRISIS LINE FACILITATION PILOT PROGRAM.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Commencing not later than 
one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, 
the Secretary shall carry out a pilot program on the 
use of crisis line facilitation to increase use of the 
Veterans Crisis Line among high-risk veterans.
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(2) BRIEFING.—Not later than two years after 
the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary 
shall provide to Congress a briefing on the findings 
of the Secretary under the pilot program under para-
graph (1), including any recommendations of the Sec-
retary with respect to the continuation or discontinu-
ation of the pilot program. 
(3) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
(A) The term ‘‘crisis line facilitation’’, with 
respect to a high-risk veteran, means the presen-
tation by a therapist of psychoeducational infor-
mation about the Veterans Crisis Line and a dis-
cussion of the perceived barriers and facilitators 
to future use of the Veterans Crisis Line for the 
veteran, which culminates in the veteran calling 
the Veterans Crisis Line with the therapist to 
provide firsthand experiences that may counter 
negative impressions of the Veterans Crisis Line. 
(B) The term ‘‘high-risk veteran’’ means a 
veteran receiving inpatient mental health care 
following a suicidal crisis.