I 
116TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 5324 
To require the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to carry out a pilot program 
on information sharing between the Department of Veterans Affairs 
and designated relatives and friends of veterans regarding the assistance 
and benefits available to the veterans, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
DECEMBER 5, 2019 
Mr. PETERS (for himself, Mr. BANKS, Mrs. DAVIS of California, and Mr. 
CISNEROS) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Com-
mittee on Veterans’ Affairs 
A BILL 
To require the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to carry out 
a pilot program on information sharing between the De-
partment of Veterans Affairs and designated relatives 
and friends of veterans regarding the assistance and 
benefits available to the veterans, and for other purposes. 
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 ‘‘Sergeant Daniel 
Somers Veterans Network of Support Act of 2019’’. 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
03:45 Dec 11, 2019
Jkt 099200
PO 00000
Frm 00001
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H5324.IH
H5324
SEC. 2. PILOT PROGRAM ON INFORMATION SHARING BE-
TWEEN DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS 
AND DESIGNATED RELATIVES AND FRIENDS 
OF VETERANS REGARDING THE ASSISTANCE 
AND BENEFITS AVAILABLE TO THE VET-
ERANS. 
(a) PILOT PROGRAM REQUIRED.— 
(1) IN
GENERAL.—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— 
(A) to encourage members of the Armed 
Forces who are transitioning from service in the 
Armed Forces to civilian life, before separating 
from such service, to designate up to 10 per-
sons to whom information regarding the assist-
ance and benefits available to the veterans 
under laws administered by the Secretary shall 
be disseminated using the contact information 
obtained under paragraph (7); and 
(B) provides such persons, within 30 days 
after the date on which such persons are des-
ignated under subparagraph (A), the option to 
elect to receive such information. 
(2) DURATION.—The Secretary shall carry out 
the pilot program during a period beginning on the 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
03:45 Dec 11, 2019
Jkt 099200
PO 00000
Frm 00002
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H5324.IH
H5324
date of the commencement of the pilot program that 
is not less than two years. 
(3) DISSEMINATION.—The Secretary shall dis-
seminate information described in paragraph (1)(A) 
under the pilot program no less than quarterly. 
(4) TYPES OF INFORMATION.—The types of in-
formation to be disseminated under the pilot pro-
gram to persons who elect to receive such informa-
tion shall include information regarding the fol-
lowing: 
(A) Services and benefits offered to vet-
erans and their family members by the Depart-
ment of Veterans Affairs. 
(B) Challenges and stresses that might ac-
company transitioning from service in the 
Armed Forces to civilian life. 
(C) Services available to veterans and their 
family members to cope with the experiences 
and challenges of service in the Armed Forces 
and transition from such service to civilian life. 
(D) Services available through community 
partner organizations to support veterans and 
their family members. 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
03:45 Dec 11, 2019
Jkt 099200
PO 00000
Frm 00003
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H5324.IH
H5324
(E) Services available through Federal, 
State, and local government agencies to support 
veterans and their family members. 
(F) The environmental health registry pro-
gram, health and wellness programs, and re-
sources for preventing and managing diseases 
and illnesses. 
(G) A toll-free telephone number through 
which such persons who elect to receive infor-
mation under the pilot program may request in-
formation regarding the program. 
(H) Such other matters as the Secretary, 
in consultation with members of the Armed 
Forces and such persons who elect to receive in-
formation under the pilot program, determines 
to be appropriate. 
(5) PRIVACY
OF
INFORMATION.—In carrying 
out the pilot program, the Secretary may not dis-
seminate information under paragraph (4) in viola-
tion of laws and regulations pertaining to the pri-
vacy of members of the Armed Forces, including re-
quirements pursuant to— 
(A) section 552a of title 5, United States 
Code; and 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
03:45 Dec 11, 2019
Jkt 099200
PO 00000
Frm 00004
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H5324.IH
H5324
(B) the Health Insurance Portability and 
Accountability Act of 1996 (Public Law 104– 
191). 
(6) NOTICE AND MODIFICATIONS.—In carrying 
out the pilot program, the Secretary shall, with re-
spect to a veteran— 
(A) ensure that such veteran is notified of 
the ability to modify designations made by such 
veteran under paragraph (1)(A); and 
(B) upon the request of a veteran, author-
ize such veteran to modify such designations at 
any time. 
(7) CONTACT INFORMATION.—In making a des-
ignation under the pilot program, a veteran shall 
provide necessary contact information, specifically 
including an email address, to facilitate the dissemi-
nation of information regarding the assistance and 
benefits available to the veteran under laws adminis-
tered by the Secretary. 
(8) OPT-IN
AND
OPT-OUT
OF
PILOT
PRO-
GRAM.— 
(A) OPT-IN BY MEMBERS.—A veteran may 
participate in the pilot program only if the vet-
eran voluntarily elects to participate in the pro-
gram. A veteran seeking to make such an elec-
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
03:45 Dec 11, 2019
Jkt 099200
PO 00000
Frm 00005
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H5324.IH
H5324
(B) ELEMENTS.—Each survey conducted 
under subparagraph (A) shall include solicita-
tion of the following: 
(i) Feedback on the following: 
(I) The nature of information 
disseminated under the pilot program. 
(II) Satisfaction with the pilot 
program. 
(III) The utility of the pilot pro-
gram. 
(IV) Overall pilot program suc-
cesses and challenges. 
(ii) Recommendations for improving 
the pilot program. 
(iii) Reasons for opting in or out of 
the pilot program. 
(iv) Such other feedback or matters as 
the Secretary considers appropriate. 
(2) REPORT.— 
(A) IN
GENERAL.—Not later than three 
years after the date on which the pilot program 
commences, the Secretary shall submit to the 
Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the Senate 
and the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
03:45 Dec 11, 2019
Jkt 099200
PO 00000
Frm 00007
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H5324.IH
H5324
House of Representatives a final report on the 
pilot program. 
(B) CONTENTS.—The report submitted 
under subparagraph (A) shall include the fol-
lowing: 
(i) The results of the survey adminis-
tered under paragraph (1). 
(ii) The number of participants en-
rolled in the pilot program who are vet-
erans. 
(iii) The number of persons des-
ignated under subsection (a)(1)(A). 
(iv) The number of such persons who 
opted in or out of the pilot program under 
subsection (a)(8). 
(v) The average period such persons 
remained in the pilot program. 
(vi) An assessment of the feasibility 
and advisability of making the pilot pro-
gram permanent. 
(vii) Identification of legislative or ad-
ministrative action that may be necessary 
if the pilot program is made permanent. 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
03:45 Dec 11, 2019
Jkt 099200
PO 00000
Frm 00008
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H5324.IH
H5324
(viii) A plan to expand the pilot pro-
gram if the pilot program is made perma-
nent. 
(ix) If the Secretary finds under 
clause (vi) that making the pilot program 
permanent is not feasible or advisable, a 
justification for such finding. 
Æ 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
03:45 Dec 11, 2019
Jkt 099200
PO 00000
Frm 00009
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6301
E:\BILLS\H5324.IH
H5324