SEC. 204. GENERAL REQUIREMENTS FOR TRANSITION PRO-
GRAMS. 
(a) ACCESSIBILITY OF INFORMATION.—
(1) IN
GENERAL.—Chapter 58 of title 10, 
United States Code, is amended by adding at the 
end the following new sections: 
‘‘§ 1154. Transition programs: general requirements 
‘‘(a) LOCATIONS.—The Secretary of Defense and the 
Secretary of Homeland Security shall ensure that the 
transition programs for members of the armed forces are 
provided at the following locations: 
‘‘(1) Each military installation under the juris-
diction of the Secretary. 
‘‘(2) Each armory and military family support 
center of the National Guard. 
‘‘(3) Each inpatient medical care facility of the 
uniformed services. 
‘‘(4) In the case of a member on the temporary 
disability retired list under section 1202 or 1205 of 
this title who is being retired under another provi-
sion of this title or is being discharged, a location 
reasonably convenient to the member. 
‘‘(b) PARTICIPATION OF MILITARY AND VETERANS’ 
SERVICE ORGANIZATIONS.—The Secretary of Defense and 
the Secretary of Homeland Security shall ensure that rep-
resentatives of military and veterans’ service organizations
and representatives of military and veterans’ services 
agencies of States are permitted to participate in transi-
tion programs at the locations where assistance under 
those programs is provided. 
‘‘(c) TRANSITION PROGRAMS DEFINED.—In this sec-
tion, the term ‘transition programs’ means the programs 
under sections 1142 and 1144 of this title and any similar 
programs administered by, in conjunction with, or in con-
sultation with the Secretary of Defense or the Secretary 
of Homeland Security. 
‘‘§ 1155. Veteran-to-veteran preseparation counseling 
‘‘(a) COOPERATION REQUIRED.—The Secretary of 
Defense and the Secretary of Homeland Security shall 
carry out a program to facilitate the access of representa-
tives of military and veterans’ service organizations and 
representatives of military and veterans’ services agencies 
of States to provide preseparation counseling and services 
to members of the armed forces who are scheduled, or are 
in the process of being scheduled, for discharge, release 
from active duty, or retirement. 
‘‘(b) ELEMENTS OF PROGRAM.—The program under 
this section shall include the following elements: 
‘‘(1) Authorization for representatives of mili-
tary and veterans’ service organizations and rep-
resentatives of military and veterans’ services agen-
cies of States to participate in the preseparation 
counseling and other assistance provided to members 
under the programs carried out under sections 1142 
and 1144 of this title. 
‘‘(2) Support for the outreach programs of such 
organizations and agencies by providing the organi-
zations and agencies with the names and addresses 
of members of the armed forces described in sub-
section (a). 
‘‘(c) LOCATIONS.—The program under this section 
shall, subject to subsection (e), provide for access to mem-
bers at the following locations: 
‘‘(1) Each installation of the armed forces. 
‘‘(2) Each armory and military family support 
center of the National Guard. 
‘‘(3) Each inpatient medical care facility of the 
uniformed services administered under chapter 55 of 
this title. 
‘‘(4) In the case of a member on the temporary 
disability retired list under section 1202 or 1205 of 
this title who is being retired under another provi-
sion of this title or is being discharged, a location 
reasonably convenient to the member. 
‘‘(d) WAIVER OF ACCESS RESTRICTIONS.—To carry 
out elements of the program under subsection (b), the Sec-
retary of Defense and the Secretary of Homeland Security 
may waive the applicable provisions of the regulations pro-
mulgated under section 264(c) of the Health Insurance 
Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (42 U.S.C. 
1320d–2 note) to the extent necessary to ensure that rep-
resentatives of military and veterans’ service organizations 
and representatives of military and veterans’ services 
agencies of States have access to members and former 
members of the uniformed services in medical treatment 
facilities of the uniformed services. 
‘‘(e) CONSENT OF MEMBERS REQUIRED.—Access to 
a member of the armed forces under the program under 
this section is subject to the consent of the member.’’. 
(2) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sec-
tions at the beginning of such chapter is amended 
by adding at the end the following new items:
‘‘1154. Transition programs: general requirements. 
‘‘1155. Veteran-to-veteran preseparation counseling.’’.
(b) DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS.—
(1) Subchapter I of chapter 17 of title 38, 
United States Code, is amended by adding at the 
end the following new section: 
‘‘§ 1709. Veteran-to-veteran counseling 
‘‘(a) COOPERATION REQUIRED.—The Secretary shall 
carry out a program to facilitate the access of representa-
tives of military and veterans’ service organizations and
representatives of military and veterans’ services agencies 
of States to veterans furnished care and services under 
this chapter to provide information and counseling to such 
veterans on the care and services authorized by this chap-
ter and other benefits and services available under the 
laws administered by the Secretary. 
‘‘(b) FACILITIES COVERED.—The program under 
this section shall, subject to subsection (d), provide for ac-
cess to veterans described in subsection (a) at each facility 
of the Department or non-Department facility at which 
the Secretary furnishes care and services under this chap-
ter. 
‘‘(c) WAIVER OF ACCESS RESTRICTIONS.—To carry 
out the program under this section, the Secretary may 
waive the applicable provisions of the regulations promul-
gated under section 264(c) of the Health Insurance Port-
ability and Accountability Act of 1996 (42 U.S.C. 1320d–
2 note) to the extent necessary to ensure that representa-
tives of military and veterans’ service organizations and 
representatives of military and veterans’ services agencies 
of States have access to veterans described in subsection 
(a) at the facilities referred to in subsection (b). 
‘‘(d) CONSENT OF VETERANS REQUIRED.—Access to 
a veteran under the program under this section is subject 
to the consent of the veteran.’’.
(2) The table of sections at the beginning of 
that chapter is amended by inserting after the item 
relating to section 1708 the following new item:
‘‘1709. Veteran-to-veteran counseling.’’.
SEC. 205. INFORMATION SHARING BETWEEN DEPARTMENT 
OF DEFENSE AND DEPARTMENT OF VET-
ERANS AFFAIRS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Defense and the 
Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall jointly develop proto-
cols to facilitate the sharing of information between the 
Department of Defense and the Department of Veterans 
Affairs on the matters referred to in subsection (c) with 
respect to each member of the Armed Forces. 
(b) PURPOSE.—The purpose of the protocols under 
subsection (a) is to facilitate determinations by the Sec-
retary of Veterans Affairs of the existence and extent of 
a connection of any illness or injury experienced by a 
former member of the Armed Forces after separation from 
the Armed Forces and the exposure of that member to 
toxic or hazardous substances in the course of the mem-
ber’s duties or assignments as a member of the Armed 
Forces. 
(c) COVERED MATTERS.—The matters referred to in 
this subsection with respect to a member of the Armed 
Forces are as follows:
(1) The duties and assignments of the member, 
including the location of such duties and assign-
ments. 
(2) Any exposures of the member in the course 
of such duties and assignments to toxic or hazardous 
substances. 
(3) Any illness or injury of the member in-
curred or aggravated in the course of such duties 
and assignments. 
(d) ELEMENTS OF PROTOCOLS.—The protocols on 
the sharing of information developed under subsection (a) 
shall include the following: 
(1) Mechanisms to ensure that the Secretary of 
Veterans Affairs receives information to facilitate 
the timely and accurate assessment of the illnesses 
or injuries of a member of the Armed Forces that 
may have been incurred or aggravated by the mem-
ber’s exposure to toxic or hazardous substances dur-
ing service in the Armed Forces. 
(2) Mechanisms that provide, to the maximum 
extent practicable consistent with the national secu-
rity interests of the United States, for the declas-
sification of information necessary to achieve the 
purpose of the protocols.
(3) Procedures to ensure that information is 
shared under the protocols as a matter of routine 
operations of the Department of Defense and the 
Department of Veterans Affairs. 
(e) REPORT.—Not later than one year after the date 
of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense and 
the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall jointly submit to 
Congress a report on the protocols developed under sub-
section (a). The report shall include such recommenda-
tions for legislative or administrative action as the Secre-
taries consider appropriate. 
SEC. 206. EXPANSION OF DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AF-
FAIRS OUTREACH SERVICES. 
(a) RESCISSION OF DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AF-
FAIRS
MEMORANDUM
PROHIBITING
OUTREACH.—The 
memorandum of the Department of Veterans Affairs 
dated July 18, 2002, from the Deputy Under Secretary 
for Health for Operations and Management with the sub-
ject ‘‘Status of VHA Enrollment and Associated Issues’’ 
is hereby rescinded. Marketing activities of Directors of 
health service networks (known as ‘‘Veterans Integrated 
Service Networks’’) of the Department of Veterans Affairs 
to enroll new veterans within their respective networks 
shall be carried out without regard to such memorandum.
(b) FUNDING LIMITATION.—No funds available to 
the Department of Veterans Affairs may be used to carry 
out the memorandum referred to in subsection (a) or oth-
erwise to implement the policy contained in that memo-
randum. 
(c) VETERANS AT RISK OF HOMELESSNESS.—Sec-
tion 2022 of title 38, United States Code, is amended—
(1) in subsection (a), by inserting ‘‘and mem-
bers of the armed forces separating from active 
duty’’ after ‘‘or imprisonment’’; 
(2) in subsection (b), by adding at the end the 
following new paragraph: 
‘‘(7) Plans to provide information concerning 
homelessness, including risk factors, awareness as-
sessment, and contact information for preventative 
assistance associated with homelessness.’’; and 
(3) in subsection (e)(1), by striking ‘‘and’’ at 
the end of subparagraph (A), by striking the period 
at the end of subparagraph (B) and inserting ‘‘; 
and’’, and by adding at the end the following new 
subparagraph: 
‘‘(C) provision of information concerning home-
lessness, including risk factors, awareness assess-
ment, and contact information for preventative as-
sistance associated with homelessness.’’.
(d) OUTREACH SERVICES.—Section 7722(c) of such 
title is amended by adding at the end the following new 
paragraph: 
‘‘(3) The Secretary shall distribute to each veteran 
information concerning homelessness, including risk fac-
tors, awareness assessment, and contact information for 
preventative assistance associated with homelessness.’’. 
TITLE III—HOMEOWNERSHIP 
SEC. 301. MORTGAGE ASSISTANCE. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 230 of the National 
Housing Act (12 U.S.C. 1715u) is amended by adding at 
the end the following new subsection: 
‘‘(g)(1) The Secretary shall provide assistance and 
supplemental assistance under this subsection with respect 
to mortgages of members of the Armed Forces who are 
seriously injured during service in the Armed Forces, for 
the purpose of avoiding foreclosure on the mortgages. 
‘‘(2) An individual shall be eligible for assistance 
under this subsection only if—
‘‘(A) the individual has been seriously injured 
while on active duty in the Armed Forces; and 
‘‘(B) the income of the individual is materially 
reduced (in the determination of the Secretary) be-
cause of such injury.
‘‘(3) A mortgage shall be eligible for assistance under 
this subsection only if—
‘‘(A) the mortgagor is an eligible member of the 
Armed Forces; and 
‘‘(B) the dwelling that secures the loan subject 
to the mortgage is the primary residence of the eligi-
ble member of the Armed Forces. 
‘‘(4)(A) Subject only to the availability of amounts 
provided under appropriations Acts, the Secretary shall 
provide assistance under this subsection in the form of 
monthly payments made by the Secretary to the mort-
gagee of an eligible mortgage on behalf of any eligible 
member of the Armed Forces. 
‘‘(B) Assistance payments under this paragraph shall 
be made for the 2-year period beginning upon the serious 
injury of the eligible member of the Armed Forces. 
‘‘(C) Assistance payments under this paragraph shall 
be in the amount determined by the Secretary to be nec-
essary to pay any monthly charges during such period for 
principal, interest, taxes, assessments, ground rents, haz-
ard insurance, and mortgage insurance premiums (unless 
otherwise provided under section 222(c)), and may include 
an amount necessary to make the payments on the mort-
gage current.
‘‘(5)(A) Subject only to the availability of amounts 
provided under appropriations Acts, the Secretary shall 
provide supplemental assistance under this subsection in 
the form of monthly supplemental payments made by the 
Secretary to the mortgagee of an eligible mortgage on be-
half of any eligible member of the Armed Forces. 
‘‘(B) Supplemental assistance payments under this 
paragraph shall be made for the period beginning upon 
the expiration of the 2-year period under paragraph 
(4)(B) and ending upon payment in full of the obligation 
under the eligible mortgage. 
‘‘(C) Supplemental assistance payments under this 
paragraph shall be made in the amount equal to the dif-
ference between—
‘‘(i) the amount determined by the Secretary to 
be necessary to pay any monthly charges for prin-
cipal, interest, taxes, assessments, ground rents, 
hazard insurance, and mortgage insurance premiums 
(unless otherwise provided under section 222(c)); 
and 
‘‘(ii) 30 percent of the monthly income of the 
household of the mortgagor. 
‘‘(D) Supplemental assistance payments under this 
paragraph may include an amount necessary to make the 
payments on the mortgage current.
‘‘(6) The Secretary may prescribe additional require-
ments to carry out this subsection. 
‘‘(7) For purposes of this subsection: 
‘‘(A) The term ‘active duty’ means full-time 
duty in the active military service of the United 
States. The term includes full-time training duty, 
annual training duty, and attendance, while in the 
active military service, at a school designated as a 
service school by law or by the Secretary of the mili-
tary department concerned. 
‘‘(B) The term ‘Armed Forces’ means the 
Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, and Coast 
Guard, and includes members of the National Oce-
anic and Atmospheric Administration and the Public 
Health Service when assigned to and serving with 
the Armed Forces. 
‘‘(C) The term ‘eligible member of the Armed 
Forces’ means an individual who meets the require-
ments under paragraph (2). 
‘‘(D) The term ‘eligible mortgage’ means a 
mortgage that meets the requirements under para-
graph (3). The term ‘mortgage’ means all first mort-
gages and includes mortgages not insured under this 
title.
‘‘(E) The term ‘income’ means income from all 
sources and members of the household, including 
any benefits and annuities, as determined in accord-
ance with criteria prescribed by the Secretary. 
‘‘(8) There are authorized to be appropriated such 
sums as may be necessary to carry out this subsection.’’. 
(b) EFFECTIVE DATE.—Assistance may be provided 
under the amendments made by subsection (a) only with 
respect to eligible members of the Armed Forces seriously 
injured on or after September 11, 2001. 
TITLE IV—EDUCATION 
SEC. 401. REPEAL OF $1,200 REDUCTION IN BASIC PAY RE-
QUIRED 
FOR 
PARTICIPATION 
IN 
MONT-
GOMERY GI BILL EDUCATIONAL ASSISTANCE 
PROGRAM. 
Any reduction in the basic pay of an individual re-
ferred to in section 3011(b) of title 38, United States 
Code, by reason of such section 3011(b), or of any indi-
vidual referred to in section 3012(c) of such title by reason 
of such section 3012(c), as of the date of the enactment 
of this Act shall cease, commencing with the first month 
beginning after such date, and any obligation of such indi-
vidual under such section 3011(b) or 3012(c), as the case
may be, as of the day before such date shall be considered 
to be fully satisfied as of such date.
Æ