I 
115TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 7138 
To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to establish an inter-agency 
task force on the use of Federal lands for medical treatment and therapy 
through outdoor recreation for veterans. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
NOVEMBER 15, 2018 
Mr. SMITH of New Jersey (for himself and Mr. SMITH of Washington) intro-
duced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Vet-
erans’ Affairs 
A BILL 
To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to establish an 
inter-agency task force on the use of Federal lands for 
medical treatment and therapy through outdoor recre-
ation for veterans. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Accelerating Veterans 
Recovery Outdoors Act’’. 
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SEC. 2. INTER-AGENCY TASK FORCE ON OUTDOOR RECRE-
ATION FOR VETERANS. 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—Not later than 180 days after 
the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of 
Veterans Affairs shall establish a task force to be known 
as the ‘‘Task Force on Outdoor Recreation for Veterans’’ 
(in this Act referred to as the ‘‘Task Force’’). 
(b) COMPOSITION.—The Task Force shall be com-
posed of the following members or their designees: 
(1) The Secretary of Veterans Affairs. 
(2) The Secretary of the Interior. 
(3) The Secretary of Health and Human Serv-
ices. 
(4) The Secretary of Agriculture. 
(5) The Secretary of Defense. 
(6) The Chief of the Army Corps of Engineers. 
(7) Any other members that the Secretary of 
Veterans Affairs determines to be appropriate. 
(c) CHAIRPERSONS.—The Secretary of Veterans Af-
fairs and the Secretary of the Interior shall serve as co- 
chairpersons of the Task Force. 
(d) DUTIES.— 
(1) TASK
FORCE.—The duties of the Task 
Force shall be— 
(A) to identify opportunities to formalize 
coordination between the Department of Vet-
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erans Affairs, public land agencies, and partner 
organizations regarding the use of Federal 
lands for medical treatment and therapy for 
veterans; 
(B) to identify barriers that exist to pro-
viding veterans with opportunities for medical 
treatment and therapy through the use of out-
door recreation on Federal lands; and 
(C) to develop recommendations to better 
facilitate the use of Federal lands for preventa-
tive care, medical treatment, and therapy for 
veterans. 
(2) CONSULTATION.—The Task Force shall 
carry out such responsibilities in consultation with 
appropriate veterans outdoor recreation groups. 
(e) REPORTS.— 
(1) PRELIMINARY
REPORT.—Not later than 
180 days after the date on which the Task Force is 
established, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall 
submit to Congress a report on the preliminary find-
ings of the Task Force. 
(2) FINAL REPORT.—Not later than one year 
after the submission of the preliminary report under 
paragraph (1), the Secretary of Veterans Affairs 
shall submit to Congress a report on the findings of 
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the Task Force, which shall include the rec-
ommendations developed under subsection (d)(1)(C). 
(f) DURATION.—The Task Force shall terminate on 
the date that is one year after the date of the submission 
of the final report under in subsection (e)(2). 
(g) DEFINITIONS.—In this Act: 
(1) The term ‘‘Federal lands’’ means— 
(A) lands that are under the administra-
tion of the Secretary of Agriculture; or 
(B) lands that are under the administra-
tion of the Secretary of Interior. 
(2) The term ‘‘veteran’’ has the meaning given 
such term in section 101(2) of title 38, United 
States Code. 
Æ 
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