I 
115TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 7158 
To amend title 38, United States Code, to establish a mission statement 
of the Department of Veterans Affairs. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
NOVEMBER 16, 2018 
Miss RICE of New York (for herself, Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ, Mrs. 
BUSTOS, Mr. CORREA, Ms. JACKSON LEE, Ms. ESTY of Connecticut, Ms. 
ROYBAL-ALLARD, Mr. MOULTON, and Mr. MAST) introduced the fol-
lowing bill; which was referred to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs 
A BILL 
To amend title 38, United States Code, to establish a mission 
statement of the Department of Veterans Affairs. 
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 ‘‘Honoring All Veterans 
Act’’. 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
03:44 Nov 20, 2018
Jkt 089200
PO 00000
Frm 00001
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H7158.IH
H7158
lotter on DSKBCFDHB2PROD with BILLS
SEC. 2. MISSION STATEMENT OF DEPARTMENT OF VET-
ERANS AFFAIRS. 
(a) REQUIRED MISSION STATEMENT.—Section 301 
of title 38, United States Code, is amended by adding at 
the end the following new subsection: 
‘‘(d) The mission statement of the Department shall 
be as follows: ‘To fulfill President Lincoln’s promise to 
care for those ‘‘who shall have borne the battle’’ and for 
their families, caregivers, and survivors.’.’’. 
(b) NOTIFICATION.—Not later than 30 days after the 
date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Vet-
erans Affairs shall— 
(1) publish in the Federal Register and on the 
internet website of the Department of Veterans Af-
fairs a notification explaining the mission statement 
of the Department as specified in subsection (d) of 
section 301 of title 38, United States Code, as added 
by subsection (a) of this section; and 
(2) update each internet website of the Depart-
ment of Veterans Affairs and other electronic ref-
erences that use a previous mission statement. 
(c) GUIDANCE.—Not later than 30 days after the 
date of the enactment of the this Act, the Secretary shall 
develop and issue guidance to all elements of the Depart-
ment regarding the mission statement of the Department 
as specified in subsection (d) of section 301 of title 38, 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
03:44 Nov 20, 2018
Jkt 089200
PO 00000
Frm 00002
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H7158.IH
H7158
lotter on DSKBCFDHB2PROD with BILLS
United States Code, as added by subsection (a) of this 
section. The guidance shall include the following: 
(1) A notification explaining the mission state-
ment. 
(2) Instructions and a timeline for updating all 
previous mission statement references at each such 
element. 
(3) A method to monitor and evaluate the com-
pliance by facilities of the Department with the 
guidance, including a reporting mechanism for such 
facilities to report back to the Secretary on the 
progress made in updating all non-electronic mission 
statement references. 
(4) Any other information that the Secretary 
determines necessary to ensure timely compliance 
with the guidance. 
(d) REPORT.—Not later than 180 days after the date 
of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit 
to Congress a report containing a review and assessment 
of the progress of each element of the Department in com-
plying with the guidance under subsection (c), including— 
(1) any reasons explaining why an element of 
the Department has failed to implement the guid-
ance; and 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
03:44 Nov 20, 2018
Jkt 089200
PO 00000
Frm 00003
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H7158.IH
H7158
lotter on DSKBCFDHB2PROD with BILLS
(2) a plan to address any such failure to imple-
ment the guidance and ensure that each element of 
the Department fully implements and complies with 
the guidance. 
Æ 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
03:44 Nov 20, 2018
Jkt 089200
PO 00000
Frm 00004
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6301
E:\BILLS\H7158.IH
H7158
lotter on DSKBCFDHB2PROD with BILLS