I 
114TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 3312 
To amend title 38, United States Code, to authorize the Secretary of Veterans 
Affairs to make grants for establishing coordinated networks of services 
and resources for veterans and their families. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JULY 29, 2015 
Ms. ADAMS (for herself, Mr. PITTENGER, Mr. KATKO, and Ms. MENG) intro-
duced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Vet-
erans’ Affairs 
A BILL 
To amend title 38, United States Code, to authorize the 
Secretary of Veterans Affairs to make grants for estab-
lishing coordinated networks of services and resources 
for veterans and their families. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Veterans Benefits Net-
work Act’’. 
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SEC. 2. DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS GRANTS FOR 
ESTABLISHING COORDINATED NETWORKS OF 
SERVICES AND RESOURCES FOR VETERANS 
AND THEIR FAMILIES. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Subchapter II of chapter 5 of title 
38, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end 
the following new section: 
‘‘§ 533. Grants for establishing coordinated networks 
of services and resources for veterans 
and their families 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary may make a grant 
to an eligible entity for the purpose of establishing or ex-
panding a regional technology system to provide an active 
database and enrollment system that can be used by a co-
ordinated network of private, public, and non-profit enti-
ties to assist veterans and their family members in apply-
ing for benefits and services offered by such entities that 
participate in the network. 
‘‘(b) ELIGIBLE ENTITIES.—To be eligible to receive 
a grant under this section, an entity shall— 
‘‘(1) be a State or local government, a regional 
council of governments, or a private entity; and 
‘‘(2) submit to the Secretary an application 
containing— 
‘‘(A) a description of the credentialing sys-
tem the entity intends to use to determine 
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which service providers will be eligible for inclu-
sion in the network established using the grant 
that ensures such providers meet the require-
ments under subsection (c)(3); and 
‘‘(B) such other information and assur-
ances as the Secretary may require. 
‘‘(c) USE OF FUNDS.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The recipient of a grant 
under this section shall use the grant to establish a 
coordinated network of private, public, and nonprofit 
services and resources, as described in paragraph 
(2), for veterans and their families designed to— 
‘‘(A) facilitate awareness and under-
standing of benefits that are available to mem-
bers of the Armed Forces, veterans, and their 
family members who are eligible for benefits; 
‘‘(B) use best practices to maximize out-
reach to veterans and family members who are 
eligible for benefits; and 
‘‘(C) have the capacity to be replicated at 
other locations or regional networks. 
‘‘(2) SERVICES AND RESOURCES.—The services 
and resources included in the networks established 
using grants under this section may include— 
‘‘(A) education; 
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‘‘(B) employment; 
‘‘(C) family support and recreation; 
‘‘(D) health care; 
‘‘(E) mental health and behavioral coun-
seling; 
‘‘(F) substance abuse counseling; 
‘‘(G) housing; 
‘‘(H) financial assistance; 
‘‘(I) legal assistance; 
‘‘(J) public benefit support; 
‘‘(K) benefits under the laws administered 
by the Secretary; and 
‘‘(L) such other services and resources as 
the Secretary determines appropriate. 
‘‘(3) CRITERIA FOR SERVICE PROVIDERS.—In 
order to be eligible for inclusion in a network estab-
lished using a grant under this section, a service 
provider shall— 
‘‘(A) demonstrate the capacity, experience, 
and expertise required to participate in the net-
work; and 
‘‘(B) enter into an agreement with the en-
tity that receives the grant that ensures that 
the provider will not— 
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‘‘(i) input the personal information of 
a veteran or veteran’s family member into 
the coordinated network without receiving 
the informed consent and authorization of 
the veteran or family member; or 
‘‘(ii) use such personal information in 
any manner or for any purpose other than 
the performance of the services in compli-
ance with the coordinated network. 
‘‘(d) PRIORITY IN AWARDING GRANTS.—In awarding 
grants under this section, the Secretary shall give priority 
to an eligible entity that provides services to individuals 
residing in a geographic area where a large number of vet-
erans and members of the Armed Forces reside, as deter-
mined by the Secretary. 
‘‘(e) DEADLINE FOR USE OF FUNDS.—The Secretary 
shall provide, as a condition of awarding a grant under 
this section to an eligible entity, that the eligible entity 
must use the grant before the expiration of the two-year 
period that begins on the date on which the eligible entity 
receives the grant. If a grant recipient has not used the 
grant before the expiration of such period, the Secretary 
may recover from the eligible entity the unused amount 
of the grant funds. 
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‘‘(f) COST-SHARING.—As a condition on the provision 
of funds under this section to an eligible entity, the eligible 
entity must agree to contribute an amount, derived from 
non-Federal sources, equal to at least 50 percent of the 
funds provided by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to the 
eligible entity under this section. 
‘‘(g) AVAILABILITY OF FUNDS.—The Secretary shall 
use amounts otherwise made available for the Veterans 
Benefits Administration to make grants under this sec-
tion. 
‘‘(h) OUTREACH.—The Secretary shall use the au-
thority of the Secretary to advertise in the national media 
under section 532 of this title to inform veterans, members 
of the Armed Forces, and their families about the net-
works established using grants under this section. 
‘‘(i) REPORT TO CONGRESS.—The Secretary shall 
submit to Congress an annual report on the administra-
tion of the grant program under this section. Each such 
report shall include a description of how grant recipients 
used funds awarded under this section.’’. 
(b) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sections 
at the beginning of such chapter is amended by inserting 
after the item relating to section 532 the following new 
item: 
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