I 
111TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 2257 
To amend title 38, United States Code, to improve the outreach activities 
of the Department of Veterans Affairs, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MAY 5, 2009 
Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas introduced the following bill; which 
was referred to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs 
A BILL 
To amend title 38, United States Code, to improve the 
outreach activities of the Department of Veterans Af-
fairs, 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 ‘‘Veterans Outreach Im-
provement Act of 2009’’. 
SEC. 2. DEFINITION OF OUTREACH. 
Section 101 of title 38, United States Code, is 
amended by adding at the end the following new para-
graph: 
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‘‘(34) The term ‘outreach’ means the act or 
process of reaching out in a systematic manner to 
proactively provide information, services, and bene-
fits counseling to veterans, and to the spouses, chil-
dren, and parents of veterans who may be eligible to 
receive benefits under the laws administered by the 
Secretary, to ensure that such individuals are fully 
informed about, and assisted in applying for, any 
benefits and programs under such laws.’’. 
SEC. 3. AUTHORITIES AND REQUIREMENTS FOR ENHANCE-
MENT OF OUTREACH OF ACTIVITIES DEPART-
MENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Chapter 5 of title 38, United 
States Code, is amended by adding at the end the fol-
lowing new subchapter: 
‘‘SUBCHAPTER IV—OUTREACH 
‘‘§ 561. Outreach activities: Funding 
‘‘(a) SEPARATE ACCOUNT FOR OUTREACH ACTIVI-
TIES.—The Secretary shall establish a separate account 
for the funding of the outreach activities of the Depart-
ment, and shall establish within such account a separate 
subaccount for the funding of the outreach activities of 
each element of the Department specified in subsection 
(c). 
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‘‘(b) SEPARATE STATEMENT OF AMOUNT FOR OUT-
REACH ACTIVITIES.—In the budget justification materials 
submitted to Congress in support of the Department 
budget for any fiscal year (as submitted with the budget 
of the President under section 1105(a) of title 31), the 
Secretary shall include a separate statement of the 
amount requested for such fiscal year for activities as fol-
lows: 
‘‘(1) For outreach activities of the Department 
in aggregate. 
‘‘(2) For outreach activities of each element of 
the Department specified in subsection (c). 
‘‘(c) ELEMENTS SPECIFIED.—The elements of the 
Department specified in this subsection are as follows: 
‘‘(1) The Veterans Health Administration. 
‘‘(2) The Veterans Benefits Administration. 
‘‘(3) The National Cemetery Administration. 
‘‘§ 562. Outreach activities: Coordination of activities 
within Department 
‘‘(a) COORDINATION.—The Secretary shall establish 
and maintain procedures for ensuring the effective coordi-
nation of the outreach activities of the Department be-
tween and among the following: 
‘‘(1) The Office of the Secretary. 
‘‘(2) The Office of Public Affairs. 
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‘‘(3) The Veterans Health Administration. 
‘‘(4) The Veterans Benefits Administration. 
‘‘(5) The National Cemetery Administration. 
‘‘(b) REVIEW
AND
MODIFICATION
OF
PROCE-
DURES.—The Secretary shall— 
‘‘(1) periodically review the procedures main-
tained under subsection (a) for the purpose of ensur-
ing that such procedures meet the requirement in 
that subsection; and 
‘‘(2) make such modifications to such proce-
dures as the Secretary considers appropriate in light 
of such review in order to better achieve that pur-
pose. 
‘‘§ 563. Outreach activities: Cooperative activities 
with States; grants to States for improve-
ment of outreach 
‘‘(a) PURPOSE.—It is the purpose of this section to 
assist States in carrying out programs that offer a high 
probability of improving outreach and assistance to vet-
erans, and to the spouses, children, and parents of vet-
erans who may be eligible to receive veterans’ or veterans- 
related benefits, to ensure that such individuals are fully 
informed about, and assisted in applying for, any veterans 
and veterans-related benefits and programs (including 
under State veterans programs). 
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