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(c) METHOD TO MONITOR COMPLIANCE.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 180 days after 
the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary 
shall establish or maintain a method or tool— 
(A) to enable monitoring of the compliance 
of the Department with the process and require-
ments established under subsection (a), including 
compliance with policies of the Department re-
lating to the maximum number of days allowed 
to complete each step of such process; and 
(B) to ensure that each medical facility of 
the Department complies with such process and 
requirements. 
(2) USE THROUGHOUT DEPARTMENT.— 
(A) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall re-
quire each medical facility of the Department to 
use the method or tool described in paragraph 
(1). 
(B) REPORT.—Not later than one year after 
the date of the enactment of this Act, the Sec-
retary shall submit to the Committee on Vet-
erans’ Affairs of the Senate and the Committee 
on Veterans’ Affairs of the House of Representa-
tives a report indicating whether each medical
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facility of the Department is using the method or 
tool described in paragraph (1). 
(d) COMPTROLLER GENERAL REPORT.—Not later than 
two years after the date of the enactment of this Act, the 
Comptroller General of the United States shall submit to 
the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the Senate and the 
Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the House of Representa-
tives a report on the compliance of the Secretary with the 
requirements of this section. 
SEC. 3102. AUDITS REGARDING SCHEDULING OF APPOINT-
MENTS AND MANAGEMENT OF CONSULTA-
TIONS FOR HEALTH CARE FROM DEPART-
MENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS AND NON-DE-
PARTMENT HEALTH CARE. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than each of one year and 
two years after the date of the enactment of this Act, the 
Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall provide for the conduct 
of a facility-level audit of the scheduling of appointments 
and the management of consultations for health care under 
the laws administered by the Secretary. 
(b) APPLICATION.— 
(1) FIRST
AUDIT.—The first audit required 
under subsection (a) shall apply to each medical facil-
ity of the Department of Veterans Affairs.
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(2) SECOND AUDIT.—The second audit required 
under subsection (a) shall apply to only those medical 
facilities of the Department that are in need of correc-
tive action based on the first audit, as determined by 
the Secretary. 
(c) ELEMENTS.—Each audit conducted under sub-
section (a) shall include the following: 
(1) With respect to each medical center of the 
Department covered by the audit, an assessment of 
any scheduling or consultation management issues at 
that medical center, including the following: 
(A) An assessment of noncompliance with 
policies of the Veterans Health Administration 
relating to scheduling appointments and man-
aging consultations. 
(B) An assessment of the extent to which 
appointments or consultations are not timely 
processed. 
(C) A description of any backlogs in ap-
pointments or consultations that are awaiting 
action. 
(D) An assessment of whether consultations 
are appropriately processed. 
(E) Data with respect to consultations as 
follows:
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† HR 7105 EAS 
(i) Consultations that were scheduled 
within the request window. 
(ii) Duplicate consultation requests. 
(iii) Consultations that were discon-
tinued. 
(iv) Delays in consultations. 
(v) Consultations that were not prop-
erly closed or discontinued, including a de-
scription of remediation attempts. 
(F) A review for accuracy with respect to 
consultation management as follows: 
(i) A review of the accuracy of the type 
of service, either administrative or clinical, 
that is inputted in the electronic health 
record. 
(ii) A review of the accuracy of the 
type of consultation setting, either impa-
tient or outpatient, that is inputted in the 
electronic health record. 
(iii) A review of the appropriateness of 
the level of urgency of the consultation that 
is inputted in the electronic health record. 
(iv) A review of any delayed or unre-
solved consultations.
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(2) An identification of such recommendations 
for corrective action as the Secretary considers nec-
essary, including additional training, increased per-
sonnel, and other resources. 
(3) A certification that the director of each med-
ical center of the Department covered by the audit is 
in compliance with the process and requirements es-
tablished under section 3101(a) and such other re-
quirements relating to the scheduling of appointments 
and management of consultations as the Secretary 
considers appropriate. 
(4) With respect to referrals for health care be-
tween health care providers or facilities of the Depart-
ment, a measurement of, for each medical facility of 
the Department covered by the audit— 
(A) the period of time between— 
(i) the date that a clinician of the De-
partment determines that a veteran requires 
care from another health care provider or 
facility and the date that the referral for 
care is sent to the other health care provider 
or facility; 
(ii) the date that the referral for care 
is sent to the other health care provider or
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facility and the date that the other health 
care provider or facility accepts the referral; 
(iii) the date that the other health care 
provider or facility accepts the referral and 
the date that the appointment with the 
other health care provider or at the other fa-
cility is made; and 
(iv) the date that the appointment with 
the other health care provider or at the 
other facility is made and the date of the 
appointment with the other health care pro-
vider or at the other facility; and 
(B) any other period of time that the Sec-
retary determines necessary to measure. 
(5) With respect to referrals for non-Department 
health care originating from medical facilities of the 
Department, a measurement of, for each such facility 
covered by the audit— 
(A) the period of time between— 
(i) the date that a clinician of the De-
partment determines that a veteran requires 
care, or a veteran presents to the Depart-
ment requesting care, and the date that the 
referral for care is sent to a non-Depart-
ment health care provider;
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(ii) the date that the referral for care 
is sent to a non-Department health care 
provider and the date that a non-Depart-
ment health care provider accepts the refer-
ral; 
(iii) the date that a non-Department 
health care provider accepts the referral and 
the date that the referral to a non-Depart-
ment health care provider is completed; 
(iv) the date that the referral to a non- 
Department health care provider is com-
pleted and the date that an appointment 
with a non-Department health care provider 
is made; and 
(v) the date that an appointment with 
a non-Department health care provider is 
made and the date that an appointment 
with a non-Department health care provider 
occurs; and 
(B) any other period of time that the Sec-
retary determines necessary to measure. 
(d) CONDUCT
OF AUDIT
BY THIRD PARTY.—Each 
audit conducted under subsection (a) with respect to a med-
ical facility of the Department shall be conducted by an 
individual or entity that is not affiliated with the facility.
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(e) TRANSMITTAL TO VHA.—Each audit conducted 
under subsection (a) shall be transmitted to the Under Sec-
retary for Health of the Department so that the Under Sec-
retary can— 
(1) strengthen oversight of the scheduling of ap-
pointments 
and 
management 
of 
consultations 
throughout the Department; 
(2) monitor national policy on such scheduling 
and management; and 
(3) develop a remediation plan to address issues 
uncovered by those audits. 
(f) ANNUAL REPORT.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than December 31 of 
each year in which an audit is conducted under sub-
section (a), the Secretary shall submit to the Com-
mittee on Veterans’ Affairs of the Senate and the 
Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the House of Rep-
resentatives a report on the audit conducted during 
that year. 
(2) ELEMENTS.—The Secretary shall include in 
each report required by paragraph (1)— 
(A) the nationwide results of the audit con-
ducted under subsection (a);
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(B) the results of such audit with respect to 
each medical facility of the Department covered 
by such audit; 
(C) an assessment of how the Department 
strengthened oversight of the scheduling of ap-
pointments and management of consultations at 
each such facility as a result of the audit; 
(D) an assessment of how the audit in-
formed the national policy of the Department 
with respect to the scheduling of appointments 
and management of consultations; and 
(E) a description of any remediation plans 
to address issues raised by the audit that was 
completed. 
SEC. 3103. ADMINISTRATION OF NON-DEPARTMENT OF VET-
ERANS AFFAIRS HEALTH CARE. 
(a) CERTIFICATION OF PROPER ADMINISTRATION OF 
NON-DEPARTMENT CARE.— 
(1) REVIEW.— 
(A) IN
GENERAL.—The Secretary of Vet-
erans Affairs shall conduct a review of the staff-
ing, training, and other requirements necessary 
to administer section 1703 of title 38, United 
States Code.
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† HR 7105 EAS 
(B) ELEMENTS.—The review conducted 
under subparagraph (A) shall include, with re-
spect to each medical facility of the Department 
of Veterans Affairs— 
(i) an assessment of the type of posi-
tions required to be staffed at the medical 
facility; 
(ii) the number of such positions au-
thorized; 
(iii) the number of such positions 
funded; 
(iv) the number of such positions filled; 
and 
(v) the number of additional such posi-
tions required to be authorized. 
(2) SUBMITTAL TO CONGRESS.—Not later than 
180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, 
and every 180 days thereafter, the Secretary shall 
submit to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the 
Senate and the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the 
House of Representatives— 
(A) the results of the review conducted 
under paragraph (1); and 
(B) a certification that the Secretary has es-
tablished all staffing, training, and other re-
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† HR 7105 EAS 
quirements required to be reviewed under such 
paragraph. 
(b) SCHEDULING OF APPOINTMENTS.— 
(1) MEASUREMENT OF TIMELINESS FOR EACH 
FACILITY.—Not later than 120 days after the date of 
the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall meas-
ure, with respect to referrals for non-Department 
health care originating from medical facilities of the 
Department, for each such facility— 
(A) the period of time between— 
(i) the date that a clinician of the De-
partment determines that a veteran requires 
care, or a veteran presents to the Depart-
ment requesting care, and the date that the 
referral for care is sent to a non-Depart-
ment health care provider; 
(ii) the date that the referral for care 
is sent to a non-Department health care 
provider and the date that a non-Depart-
ment health care provider accepts the refer-
ral; 
(iii) the date that a non-Department 
health care provider accepts the referral and 
the date that the referral to a non-Depart-
ment health care provider is completed;
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† HR 7105 EAS 
(iv) the date that the referral to a non- 
Department health care provider is com-
pleted and the date that an appointment 
with a non-Department health care provider 
is made; and 
(v) the date that an appointment with 
a non-Department health care provider is 
made and the date that an appointment 
with a non-Department health care provider 
occurs; and 
(B) any other period of time that the Sec-
retary determines necessary to measure. 
(2) SUBMISSIONS TO CONGRESS.— 
(A) IN GENERAL.—Not later than one year 
after the date of the enactment of this Act, the 
Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Vet-
erans’ Affairs of the Senate and the Committee 
on Veterans’ Affairs of the House of Representa-
tives the data measured under paragraph (1), 
disaggregated by medical facility. 
(B) UPDATE.—Not less frequently than bi-
weekly, the Secretary shall update the data sub-
mitted under subparagraph (A). 
(c) COMPTROLLER GENERAL REPORT.—
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† HR 7105 EAS 
(1) REVIEW.—Beginning not later than one year 
after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Comp-
troller General of the United States shall review com-
pliance by the Secretary with the requirements of this 
section, including a review of the validity and reli-
ability of data submitted by the Secretary under sub-
section (b)(2). 
(2) REPORT.—Not later than three years after 
the date of the enactment of this Act, the Comptroller 
General shall submit to the Committee on Veterans’ 
Affairs of the Senate and the Committee on Veterans’ 
Affairs of the House of Representatives the results of 
the review conducted under paragraph (1). 
SEC. 3104. EXAMINATION OF HEALTH CARE CONSULTATION 
AND SCHEDULING POSITIONS OF DEPART-
MENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS. 
(a) PROPER GRADING OF CONSULTATION AND SCHED-
ULING POSITIONS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Veterans Af-
fairs shall conduct an examination of health care po-
sitions of the Department of Veterans Affairs to deter-
mine whether health care positions involved in the 
consultation and scheduling processes are appro-
priately graded.
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(2) CONSULTATION.—In conducting the exam-
ination under paragraph (1), the Secretary shall con-
sult with health care staffing experts in the Federal 
Government and the private sector. 
(3) SUBMITTAL TO CONGRESS.—Not later than 
120 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, 
the Secretary shall submit to the appropriate commit-
tees of Congress the results of the examination con-
ducted under paragraph (1). 
(b) REVIEW
OF ONBOARDING PROCESS.—Not later 
than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, 
the Secretary shall submit to the appropriate committees 
of Congress— 
(1) a review of the onboarding process of indi-
viduals in health care positions described in sub-
section (a), including how long it takes to hire those 
individuals; and 
(2) a description of any changes that the Sec-
retary has made or plans to make to improve that 
process. 
(c) APPROPRIATE COMMITTEES
OF CONGRESS DE-
FINED.—In this section, the term ‘‘appropriate committees 
of Congress’’ means— 
(1) the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs and the 
Committee on Appropriations of the Senate; and
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† HR 7105 EAS 
(2) the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs and the 
Committee on Appropriations of the House of Rep-
resentatives. 
TITLE IV—NAVY SEAL BILL 
MULDER 
SEC. 4001. SHORT TITLE. 
This title may be cited as the ‘‘Navy SEAL Bill 
Mulder Act of 2020’’. 
Subtitle A—Service-connection and 
COVID–19 
SEC. 4101. PRESUMPTIONS OF SERVICE-CONNECTION FOR 
MEMBERS OF ARMED FORCES WHO CON-
TRACT CORONAVIRUS DISEASE 2019 UNDER 
CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Subchapter VI of chapter 11 of title 
38, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end 
the following new section: 
‘‘§ 1164. 
Presumptions 
of 
service-connection 
for 
Coronavirus Disease 2019 
‘‘(a) PRESUMPTIONS GENERALLY.—(1) For purposes 
of laws administered by the Secretary and subject to section 
1113 of this title, if symptoms of Coronavirus Disease 2019 
(in this section referred to as ‘COVID–19’) described in sub-
section (d) manifest within one of the manifestation periods
189 
† HR 7105 EAS 
described in paragraph (2) in an individual who served in 
a qualifying period of duty described in subsection (b)— 
‘‘(A) infection with severe acute respiratory syn-
drome coronavirus 2 (in this section referred to as 
‘SARS–CoV–2’) shall be presumed to have occurred 
during the qualifying period of duty; 
‘‘(B) COVID–19 shall be presumed to have been 
incurred during the qualifying period of duty; and 
‘‘(C) if the individual becomes disabled or dies as 
a result of COVID–19, it shall be presumed that the 
individual became disabled or died during the quali-
fying period of duty for purposes of establishing that 
the individual served in the active military, naval, or 
air service. 
‘‘(2)(A) The manifestation periods described in this 
paragraph are the following: 
‘‘(i) During a qualifying period of duty de-
scribed in subsection (b), if that period of duty was 
more than 48 continuous hours in duration. 
‘‘(ii) Within 14 days after the individual’s com-
pletion of a qualifying period of duty described in 
subsection (b). 
‘‘(iii) An additional period prescribed under sub-
paragraph (B).
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‘‘(B)(i) If the Secretary determines that a manifesta-
tion period of more than 14 days after completion of a 
qualifying period of service is appropriate for the presump-
tions under paragraph (1), the Secretary may prescribe 
that additional period by regulation. 
‘‘(ii) A determination under clause (i) shall be made 
in consultation with the Director of the Centers for Disease 
Control and Prevention. 
‘‘(b) QUALIFYING PERIOD OF DUTY DESCRIBED.—A 
qualifying period of duty described in this subsection is— 
‘‘(1) a period of active duty performed— 
‘‘(A) during the national emergency de-
clared by the President under the National 
Emergencies Act (50 U.S.C. 1601 et seq.); and 
‘‘(B) before the date that is three years after 
the date of the enactment of the Johnny Isakson 
and David P. Roe, M.D. Veterans Health Care 
and Benefits Improvement Act of 2020; or 
‘‘(2) training duty under title 10 or full-time 
National Guard duty (as defined in section 101 of 
title 10), performed under orders issued on or after 
March 13, 2020— 
‘‘(A) during the national emergency de-
clared by the President under the National 
Emergencies Act (50 U.S.C. 1601 et seq.); and
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† HR 7105 EAS 
‘‘(B) before the date that is three years after 
the date of the enactment of the Johnny Isakson 
and David P. Roe, M.D. Veterans Health Care 
and Benefits Improvement Act of 2020. 
‘‘(c) APPLICATION OF PRESUMPTIONS FOR TRAINING 
DUTY.—When, pursuant to subsection (a), COVID–19 is 
presumed to have been incurred during a qualifying period 
of duty described in subsection (b)(2)— 
‘‘(1) COVID–19 shall be deemed to have been in-
curred in the line of duty during a period of active 
military, naval, or air service; and 
‘‘(2) where entitlement to benefits under this title 
is predicated on the individual who was disabled or 
died being a veteran, benefits for disability or death 
resulting from COVID–19 as described in subsection 
(a) shall be paid or furnished as if the individual was 
a veteran, without regard to whether the period of 
duty would constitute active military, naval, or air 
service under section 101 of this title. 
‘‘(d) SYMPTOMS OF COVID–19.—For purposes of sub-
section (a), symptoms of COVID–19 are those symptoms 
that competent medical evidence demonstrates are experi-
enced by an individual affected and directly related to 
COVID–19.
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‘‘(e) MEDICAL EXAMINATIONS AND OPINIONS.—If there 
is a question of whether the symptoms experienced by an 
individual described in paragraph (1) of subsection (a) dur-
ing a manifestation period described in paragraph (2) of 
such subsection are attributable to COVID–19 resulting 
from infection with SARS–CoV–2 during the qualifying pe-
riod of duty, in determining whether a medical examina-
tion or medical opinion is necessary to make a decision 
on the claim within the meaning of section 5103A(d) of this 
title, a qualifying period of duty described in subsection (b) 
of this section shall be treated as if it were active military, 
naval, or air service for purposes of section 5103A(d)(2)(B) 
of this title.’’. 
(b) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sections at 
the beginning of such subchapter is amended by adding at 
the end the following new item: 
‘‘1164. Presumptions of service-connection for Coronavirus Disease 2019.’’. 
Subtitle B—Assistance for Homeless 
Veterans 
SEC. 4201. FLEXIBILITY FOR THE SECRETARY OF VETERANS 
AFFAIRS IN CARING FOR HOMELESS VET-
ERANS DURING A COVERED PUBLIC HEALTH 
EMERGENCY. 
(a) GENERAL SUPPORT.— 
(1) USE OF FUNDS.—During a covered public 
health emergency, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs
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† HR 7105 EAS 
may use amounts appropriated or otherwise made 
available to the Department of Veterans Affairs to 
carry out sections 2011, 2012, 2031, and 2061 of title 
38, United States Code, to provide to homeless vet-
erans and veterans participating in the program car-
ried out under section 8(o)(19) of the United States 
Housing Act of 1937 (42 U.S.C. 1437f(o)(19)) (com-
monly referred to as ‘‘HUD-VASH’’), as the Secretary 
determines is needed, the following: 
(A) Assistance required for safety and sur-
vival (such as food, shelter, clothing, blankets, 
and hygiene items). 
(B) Transportation required to support sta-
bility and health (such as for appointments with 
service providers, conducting housing searches, 
and obtaining food and supplies). 
(C) Communications equipment and serv-
ices (such as tablets, smartphones, disposable 
phones, and related service plans) required to 
support stability and health (such as maintain-
ing contact with service providers, prospective 
landlords, and family). 
(D) Such other assistance as the Secretary 
determines is needed.
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† HR 7105 EAS 
(2) HOMELESS VETERANS ON LAND OF THE DE-
PARTMENT.— 
(A) COLLABORATION.—During a covered 
public health emergency, to the extent possible, 
the Secretary may collaborate with one or more 
organizations to manage use of land of the De-
partment for homeless veterans for living and 
sleeping. 
(B) ELEMENTS.—Collaboration under sub-
paragraph (A) may include the provision by ei-
ther the Secretary or the organization of food 
services and security for property, buildings, and 
other facilities owned or controlled by the De-
partment. 
(b) GRANT AND PER DIEM PROGRAM.— 
(1) LIMITS
ON
RATES
FOR
PER
DIEM
PAY-
MENTS.—Section 20013(b) of the Coronavirus Aid, 
Relief, and Economic Security Act (38 U.S.C. 2011 
note; Public Law 116–136) is amended— 
(A) by redesignating paragraphs (1) and 
(2) as subparagraphs (A) and (B), respectively; 
(B) in the matter preceding subparagraph 
(A), as so redesignated, by inserting ‘‘(1)’’ before 
‘‘In the case’’; and 
(C) by adding at the end the following:
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‘‘(2) If the Secretary waives any limit on grant 
amounts or rates for per diem payments under paragraph 
(1), notwithstanding section 2012(a)(2)(B) of such title, the 
maximum rate for per diem payments described in para-
graph (1)(B) shall be three times the rate authorized for 
State homes for domiciliary care under section 1741 of such 
title.’’. 
(2) MODIFICATION
OF
FUNDING
LIMITS
FOR 
GRANTS.—Subsection (c)(2) of section 2011 of title 38, 
United States Code, shall not apply to any grant 
awarded during a covered public health emergency 
under such section for a project described in sub-
section (b)(1) of such section. 
(3) USE OF PER DIEM PAYMENTS.—During a 
covered public health emergency, a recipient of a 
grant or an eligible entity under the grant and per 
diem program of the Department (in this subsection 
referred to as the ‘‘program’’) may use per diem pay-
ments under sections 2012 and 2061 of title 38, 
United States Code, to provide assistance required for 
safety and survival (such as food, shelter, clothing, 
blankets, and hygiene items) for— 
(A) homeless veterans; and 
(B) formerly homeless veterans residing in a 
facility operated wholly or in part by such a re-
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† HR 7105 EAS 
cipient or eligible entity receiving per diem pay-
ments under section 2012 of such title. 
(4) ADDITIONAL TRANSITIONAL HOUSING.— 
(A) IN GENERAL.—During a covered public 
health emergency, under the program, the Sec-
retary may provide amounts for additional tran-
sitional housing beds to facilitate access to hous-
ing and services provided to homeless veterans. 
(B) NOTICE; COMPETITION; PERIOD OF PER-
FORMANCE.—The 
Secretary 
may 
provide 
amounts under subparagraph (A)— 
(i) without notice or competition; and 
(ii) for a period of performance deter-
mined by the Secretary. 
(5) INSPECTIONS AND LIFE SAFETY CODE RE-
QUIREMENTS.— 
(A) IN GENERAL.—During a covered public 
health emergency, the Secretary may waive any 
requirement under subsection (b) or (c) of section 
2012 of title 38, United States Code, in order to 
allow the recipient of a grant or an eligible enti-
ty under the program— 
(i) to quickly identify temporary alter-
nate sites of care for homeless veterans that 
are suitable for habitation;
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(ii) to facilitate social distancing or 
isolation needs; or 
(iii) to facilitate activation or continu-
ation of a program for which a grant has 
been awarded. 
(B) 
LIMITATION.—The 
Secretary 
may 
waive a requirement pursuant to the authority 
provided by subparagraph (A) with respect to a 
facility of a recipient of a grant or an eligible 
entity under the program only if the facility 
meets applicable local safety requirements, in-
cluding fire safety requirements. 
(6) DISPOSITION
OF
PROPERTY
RELATING
TO 
GRANTS.—During a covered public health emergency, 
if the recipient of a grant awarded before or during 
such emergency under section 2011 of title 38, United 
States Code, for a project described in subsection 
(b)(1) of such section is no longer providing services 
in accordance with the terms of the grant, the recipi-
ent shall not be subject during such emergency to any 
property disposition requirements relating to the 
grant under subsection (c) or (f) of section 61.67 of 
title 38, Code of Federal Regulations, section 
200.311(c) of title 2, Code of Federal Regulations, or 
successor regulations.
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† HR 7105 EAS 
(c) INSPECTION AND LIFE SAFETY CODE REQUIRE-
MENTS FOR THERAPEUTIC HOUSING.— 
(1) IN
GENERAL.—During a covered public 
health emergency, the Secretary may waive any in-
spection or life safety code requirement under sub-
section (c) of section 2032 of title 38, United States 
Code— 
(A) to allow quick identification of tem-
porary alternate sites of care for homeless vet-
erans that are suitable for habitation; 
(B) to facilitate social distancing or isola-
tion needs; or 
(C) to facilitate the operation of housing 
under such section. 
(2) LIMITATION.—The Secretary may waive a 
requirement pursuant to the authority provided by 
paragraph (1) with respect to a residence or facility 
referred to in such section 2032 only if the residence 
or facility, as the case may be, meets applicable local 
safety requirements, including fire safety require-
ments. 
(d) ACCESS TO DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS 
TELEHEALTH SERVICES.—To the extent practicable, dur-
ing a covered public health emergency, the Secretary shall 
ensure that veterans participating in or receiving services
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† HR 7105 EAS 
from a program under chapter 20 of title 38, United States 
Code, have access to telehealth services to which such vet-
erans are eligible under the laws administered by the Sec-
retary, including by ensuring that telehealth capabilities 
are available to— 
(1) such veterans; 
(2) case managers of the Department of pro-
grams for homeless veterans authorized under such 
chapter; and 
(3) community-based service providers for home-
less veterans receiving funds from the Department 
through grants or contracts. 
(e) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
(1) COVERED
PUBLIC
HEALTH
EMERGENCY.— 
The term ‘‘covered public health emergency’’ means 
an emergency with respect to COVID–19 declared by 
a Federal, State, or local authority. 
(2) HOMELESS VETERAN; VETERAN.—The terms 
‘‘homeless veteran’’ and ‘‘veteran’’ have the meanings 
given those terms in section 2002 of title 38, United 
States Code. 
(3) TELEHEALTH.— 
(A) IN
GENERAL.—The term ‘‘telehealth’’ 
means the use of electronic information and tele-
communications technologies to support and pro-
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mote long-distance clinical health care, patient 
and professional health-related education, public 
health, and health administration. 
(B) TECHNOLOGIES.—For purposes of sub-
paragraph 
(A), 
‘‘telecommunications 
tech-
nologies’’ include video conferencing, the inter-
net, streaming media, and terrestrial and wire-
less communications. 
SEC. 4202. LEGAL SERVICES FOR HOMELESS VETERANS 
AND VETERANS AT RISK FOR HOMELESS-
NESS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Subchapter III of chapter 20 of 
title 38, United States Code, is amended by inserting after 
section 2022 the following new section: 
‘‘§ 2022A. Legal services for homeless veterans and vet-
erans at risk for homelessness 
‘‘(a) GRANTS.—Subject to the availability of appro-
priations provided for such purpose, the Secretary shall 
award grants to eligible entities that provide legal services 
to homeless veterans and veterans at risk for homelessness. 
‘‘(b) CRITERIA.—(1) The Secretary shall— 
‘‘(A) establish criteria and requirements for 
grants under this section, including criteria for enti-
ties eligible to receive such grants; and
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‘‘(B) publish such criteria and requirements in 
the Federal Register. 
‘‘(2) In establishing criteria and requirements under 
paragraph (1), the Secretary shall— 
‘‘(A) take into consideration any criteria and re-
quirements needed with respect to carrying out this 
section in rural communities, on trust lands, and in 
the territories and possessions of the United States; 
and 
‘‘(B) consult with organizations that have expe-
rience in providing services to homeless veterans, in-
cluding— 
‘‘(i) veterans service organizations; 
‘‘(ii) the Equal Justice Works AmeriCorps 
Veterans Legal Corps; and 
‘‘(iii) such other organizations as the Sec-
retary determines appropriate. 
‘‘(c) ELIGIBLE ENTITIES.—The Secretary may award 
a grant under this section to an entity applying for such 
a grant only if the applicant for the grant— 
‘‘(1) is a public or nonprofit private entity with 
the capacity (as determined by the Secretary) to effec-
tively administer a grant under this section; 
‘‘(2) demonstrates that adequate financial sup-
port will be available to carry out the services for
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which the grant is sought consistent with the applica-
tion; 
‘‘(3) agrees to meet the applicable criteria and 
requirements established under subsection (b)(1); and 
‘‘(4) has, as determined by the Secretary, dem-
onstrated the capacity to meet such criteria and re-
quirements. 
‘‘(d) USE OF FUNDS.—Grants under this section shall 
be used to provide homeless veterans and veterans at risk 
for homelessness the following legal services: 
‘‘(1) Legal services relating to housing, including 
eviction defense, representation in landlord-tenant 
cases, and representation in foreclosure cases. 
‘‘(2) Legal services relating to family law, in-
cluding assistance in court proceedings for child sup-
port, divorce, estate planning, and family reconcili-
ation. 
‘‘(3) Legal services relating to income support, 
including assistance in obtaining public benefits. 
‘‘(4) Legal services relating to criminal defense, 
including defense in matters symptomatic of home-
lessness, such as outstanding warrants, fines, and 
driver’s license revocation, to reduce recidivism and 
facilitate the overcoming of reentry obstacles in em-
ployment or housing.
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‘‘(5) Legal services relating to requests to up-
grade the characterization of a discharge or dismissal 
of a former member of the Armed Forces under section 
1553 of title 10. 
‘‘(6) Such other legal services as the Secretary 
determines appropriate. 
‘‘(e) FUNDS FOR WOMEN VETERANS.—For any fiscal 
year, not less than 10 percent of the amount authorized to 
be appropriated for grants under this section shall be used 
to provide legal services described in subsection (d) to 
women veterans. 
‘‘(f) LOCATIONS.—To the extent practicable, the Sec-
retary shall award grants under this section to eligible enti-
ties in a manner that is equitably distributed across the 
geographic regions of the United States, including with re-
spect to— 
‘‘(1) rural communities; 
‘‘(2) trust lands (as defined in section 3765 of 
this title); 
‘‘(3) Native Americans; and 
‘‘(4) tribal organizations (as defined in section 4 
of the Indian Self-Determination and Education As-
sistance Act (25 U.S.C. 5304)). 
‘‘(g) BIENNIAL REPORTS.—(1) Not less frequently than 
once every two years, the Secretary shall submit to the Com-
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mittee on Veterans’ Affairs of the Senate and the Committee 
on Veterans’ Affairs of the House of Representatives a report 
on grants awarded under this section. 
‘‘(2) To the extent feasible, each report required by 
paragraph (1) shall include the following with respect to 
the period covered by the report: 
‘‘(A) The number of homeless veterans and vet-
erans at risk for homelessness assisted. 
‘‘(B) A description of the legal services provided. 
‘‘(C) A description of the legal matters addressed. 
‘‘(D) An analysis by the Secretary with respect 
to the operational effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of 
the services provided.’’. 
(b) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sections at 
the beginning of chapter 20 of such title is amended by in-
serting after the item relating to section 2022 the following 
new item: 
‘‘2022A. Legal services for homeless veterans and veterans at risk for homeless-
ness.’’. 
(c) CRITERIA.—Not later than 180 days after the date 
of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Af-
fairs shall establish and publish in the Federal Register the 
criteria and requirements pursuant to subsection (b)(1) of 
section 2022A of title 38, United States Code, as added by 
subsection (a).
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SEC. 4203. GAP ANALYSIS OF DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS 
AFFAIRS PROGRAMS THAT PROVIDE ASSIST-
ANCE TO WOMEN VETERANS WHO ARE HOME-
LESS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Veterans Affairs 
shall complete an analysis of programs of the Department 
of Veterans Affairs that provide assistance to women vet-
erans who are homeless or precariously housed to identify 
the areas in which such programs are failing to meet the 
needs of such women. 
(b) REPORT.—Not later than 270 days after the date 
of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to 
the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the Senate and the 
Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the House of Representa-
tives a report on the analysis completed under subsection 
(a). 
SEC. 4204. IMPROVEMENTS TO GRANTS AWARDED BY THE 
SECRETARY OF VETERANS AFFAIRS TO ENTI-
TIES THAT PROVIDE SERVICES TO HOMELESS 
VETERANS. 
(a) INCREASE IN PER DIEM PAYMENTS.—Paragraph 
(2) of subsection (a) of section 2012 of title 38, United 
States Code, is amended to read as follows: 
‘‘(2)(A)(i) Except as otherwise provided in subpara-
graph (B), the rate for such per diem payments shall be
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the daily cost of care estimated by the grant recipient or 
eligible entity adjusted by the Secretary under clause (ii). 
‘‘(ii)(I) The Secretary shall adjust the rate estimated 
by the grant recipient or eligible entity under clause (i) 
to exclude other sources of income described in subclause 
(III) that the grant recipient or eligible entity certifies to 
be correct. 
‘‘(II) Each grant recipient or eligible entity shall pro-
vide to the Secretary such information with respect to other 
sources of income as the Secretary may require to make the 
adjustment under subclause (I). 
‘‘(III) The other sources of income referred to in sub-
clauses (I) and (II) are payments to the grant recipient 
or eligible entity for furnishing services to homeless veterans 
under programs other than under this subchapter, includ-
ing payments and grants from other departments and agen-
cies of the United States, from departments or agencies of 
State or local government, and from private entities or or-
ganizations. 
‘‘(iii) For purposes of calculating the rate for per diem 
payments under clause (i), in the case of a homeless veteran 
who has care of a minor dependent while receiving services 
from the grant recipient or eligible entity, the daily cost 
of care of the homeless veteran shall be the sum of the daily 
cost of care of the homeless veteran determined under clause
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(i) plus, for each such minor dependent, an amount that 
equals 50 percent of such daily cost of care. 
‘‘(B)(i)(I) Except as provided in clause (ii), and sub-
ject to the availability of appropriations, the Secretary may 
adjust the rate for per diem payments under this para-
graph, as the Secretary considers appropriate. 
‘‘(II) Any adjustment made under this clause— 
‘‘(aa) may not result in a rate that— 
‘‘(AA) is lower than the rate in effect under 
this paragraph as in effect immediately pre-
ceding the date of the enactment of the Navy 
SEAL Bill Mulder Act of 2020; or 
‘‘(BB) exceeds the rate that is 115 percent 
of the rate authorized for State homes for domi-
ciliary care under subsection (a)(1)(A) of section 
1741 of this title, as the Secretary may increase 
from time to time under subsection (c) of that 
section; and 
‘‘(bb) may be determined on the basis of locality. 
‘‘(ii) In the case of services furnished to a homeless 
veteran who is placed in housing that will become perma-
nent housing for the veteran upon termination of the fur-
nishing of such services to such veteran, the maximum rate 
of per diem authorized under this section is 150 percent 
of the rate authorized for State homes for domiciliary care
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under subsection (a)(1)(A) of section 1741 of this title, as 
the Secretary may increase from time to time under sub-
section (c) of that section.’’. 
(b) REIMBURSEMENT OF CERTAIN FEES.—Such sec-
tion is further amended by adding at the end the following 
new subsection: 
‘‘(e) REIMBURSEMENT
OF ENTITIES
FOR CERTAIN 
FEES.—The Secretary may reimburse a recipient of a 
grant under section 2011, 2013, or 2061 of this title or a 
recipient of per diem payments under this section for fees 
charged to that grant or per diem payment recipient for 
the use of the homeless management information system de-
scribed in section 402(f) of the McKinney-Vento Homeless 
Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 11360a(f))— 
‘‘(1) in amounts the Secretary determines to be 
reasonable; and 
‘‘(2) if the Secretary determines that the grant or 
per diem payment recipient is unable to obtain infor-
mation contained in such system through other means 
and at no cost to the grant or per diem payment re-
cipient.’’.
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SEC. 4205. REPEAL OF SUNSET ON AUTHORITY TO CARRY 
OUT PROGRAM OF REFERRAL AND COUN-
SELING SERVICES FOR VETERANS AT RISK 
FOR 
HOMELESSNESS 
WHO 
ARE 
TRANSITIONING 
FROM 
CERTAIN 
INSTITU-
TIONS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 2023 of title 38, United 
States Code, is amended— 
(1) by striking subsection (d); and 
(2) by redesignating subsection (e) as subsection 
(d). 
(b) CONFORMING AMENDMENT.—Section 2021(a)(4) of 
such title is amended by striking ‘‘section 2023(e)’’ and in-
serting ‘‘section 2023(d)’’. 
SEC. 4206. COORDINATION OF CASE MANAGEMENT SERV-
ICES FOR VETERANS RECEIVING HOUSING 
VOUCHERS UNDER TRIBAL HOUSING AND 
URBAN 
DEVELOPMENT-VETERANS 
AFFAIRS 
SUPPORTIVE HOUSING PROGRAM. 
Section 2003 of title 38, United States Code, is amend-
ed by adding at the end the following new subsection: 
‘‘(c) MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING ON ASSIST-
ANCE FROM INDIAN HEALTH SERVICE.—The Secretary 
may enter into a memorandum of understanding with the 
Secretary of Health and Human Services under which case 
managers of the Indian Health Service may provide case
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† HR 7105 EAS 
management assistance to veterans who receive housing 
vouchers under the Tribal Housing and Urban Develop-
ment-Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing (Tribal HUD- 
VASH) program of the Department of Housing and Urban 
Development.’’. 
SEC. 4207. CONTRACTS RELATING TO CASE MANAGERS FOR 
HOMELESS VETERANS IN SUPPORTED HOUS-
ING PROGRAM. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 304 of the Honoring Amer-
ica’s Veterans and Caring for Camp Lejeune Families Act 
of 2012 (Public Law 112–154; 38 U.S.C. 2041 note) is 
amended— 
(1) in subsection (a)— 
(A) by inserting ‘‘(1)’’ before ‘‘The Sec-
retary’’; 
(B) by adding at the end the following new 
paragraphs: 
‘‘(2)(A) The director of each covered medical center 
shall seek to enter into one or more contracts or agreements 
described in paragraph (1). 
‘‘(B) Any contract or agreement under subparagraph 
(A) may require that each case manager employed by an 
eligible entity who performs services under the contract or 
agreement has credentials equivalent to the credentials re-
quired for a case manager of the Department.
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‘‘(C)(i) The Secretary may waive the requirement 
under subparagraph (A) with respect to a covered medical 
center if the Secretary determines that fulfilling such re-
quirement is infeasible. 
‘‘(ii) If the Secretary grants a waiver under clause (i), 
the Secretary shall, not later than 90 days after granting 
such waiver, submit to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs 
of the Senate and the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of 
the House of Representatives a report containing— 
‘‘(I) an explanation of the determination made 
under clause (i); 
‘‘(II) a plan to increase the number of case man-
agers of the Department; and 
‘‘(III) a plan for the covered medical center to 
increase use of housing vouchers allocated to that 
medical center under the program described in para-
graph (1). 
‘‘(D) In this paragraph, the term ‘covered medical cen-
ter’ means a medical center of the Department with respect 
to which the Secretary determines that— 
‘‘(i) more than 15 percent of all housing vouchers 
allocated to that medical center under the program 
described in paragraph (1) during the fiscal year pre-
ceding the fiscal year in which such determination
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† HR 7105 EAS 
was made were unused due to a lack of case manage-
ment services provided by the Secretary; and 
‘‘(ii) one or more case manager positions have 
been vacant for at least nine consecutive months im-
mediately preceding the date of such determination.’’; 
and 
(2) in subsection (b)(2)— 
(A) in the matter before subparagraph (A), 
by striking ‘‘, including because—’’ and insert-
ing a period; and 
(B) by striking subparagraphs (A), (B), 
and (C). 
(b) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendments made by this 
section shall take effect on the first day of the first fiscal 
year that begins after the date of the enactment of this Act. 
SEC. 4208. REPORT ON STAFFING OF DEPARTMENT OF 
HOUSING 
AND 
URBAN 
DEVELOPMENT-DE-
PARTMENT 
OF 
VETERANS 
AFFAIRS 
SUP-
PORTED HOUSING PROGRAM. 
Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment 
of this Act, and every three years thereafter, the Secretary 
of Veterans Affairs shall submit to the Committee on Vet-
erans’ Affairs of the Senate and the Committee on Veterans’ 
Affairs of the House of Representatives a report that in-
cludes the following:
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† HR 7105 EAS 
(1) An assessment of the hiring needs of the pro-
gram carried out under section 8(o)(19) of the United 
States Housing Act of 1937 (42 U.S.C. 1437f(o)(19)) 
(in this section referred to as the ‘‘HUD-VASH pro-
gram’’), including— 
(A) an identification of the number of case 
managers of the HUD-VASH program as of the 
date of the report including— 
(i) the total number of vacancies; and 
(ii) the vacancies at each medical cen-
ter of the Department of Veterans Affairs; 
(B) the number of case managers of the 
HUD-VASH program that the Secretary of Vet-
erans Affairs and the Secretary of Housing and 
Urban Development jointly determine necessary 
to meet the needs of the Department and the pro-
gram; and 
(C) the amount of turnover among case 
managers of the HUD-VASH program and 
whether the turnover was planned or unexpected. 
(2) An assessment of how compensation, includ-
ing recruitment and retention incentives, for case 
managers of the HUD-VASH program affects turn-
over, and what percentage of retention compensation 
is provided to such case managers at each medical
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† HR 7105 EAS 
center of the Department of Veterans Affairs (com-
pared to other positions). 
(3) A comparison of compensation described in 
paragraph (2) with the compensation provided to 
State, local, and nongovernmental housing employees 
at comparable training and experience levels. 
(4) Examples of how the Department of Veterans 
Affairs and the Department of Housing and Urban 
Development have worked with non-Federal partners 
(such as local governments, nongovernmental organi-
zations, veterans service organizations, and employee 
unions) to meet the staffing needs of the HUD-VASH 
program. 
(5) Examples of how medical centers of the De-
partment of Veterans Affairs with high retention rates 
for case managers of the HUD-VASH program have 
been able to maintain staffing levels. 
Subtitle C—Retraining Assistance 
for Veterans 
SEC. 4301. ACCESS FOR THE SECRETARIES OF LABOR AND 
VETERANS AFFAIRS TO THE FEDERAL DIREC-
TORY OF NEW HIRES. 
Section 453A(h) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 
653a(h)) is amended by adding at the end the following 
new paragraph:
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† HR 7105 EAS 
‘‘(4) VETERAN EMPLOYMENT.—The Secretaries of 
Labor and of Veterans Affairs shall have access to in-
formation reported by employers pursuant to sub-
section (b) of this section for purposes of tracking em-
ployment of veterans.’’. 
SEC. 4302. EXPANSION OF ELIGIBLE CLASS OF PROVIDERS 
OF HIGH TECHNOLOGY PROGRAMS OF EDU-
CATION FOR VETERANS. 
Section 116 of the Harry W. Colmery Veterans Edu-
cational Assistance Act of 2017 (Public Law 115–48; 38 
U.S.C. 3001 note) is amended— 
(1) in subsection (b), by adding at the end the 
following: ‘‘The Secretary shall treat an individual as 
an eligible veteran if the Secretary determines that 
the individual shall become an eligible veteran fewer 
than 180 days after the date of such determination. 
If an individual treated as an eligible veteran by rea-
son of the preceding sentence does anything to make 
the veteran ineligible during the 180-day period re-
ferred to in such sentence, the Secretary may require 
the veteran to repay any benefits received by such vet-
eran by reason of such sentence.’’; 
(2) in subsection (c)— 
(A) in paragraph (3)(A), by striking ‘‘has 
been operational for at least 2 years’’ and insert-
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† HR 7105 EAS 
ing ‘‘employs instructors whom the Secretary de-
termines are experts in their respective fields in 
accordance with paragraph (6)’’; and 
(B) by adding at the end the following new 
paragraph: 
‘‘(6) EXPERTS.—The Secretary shall determine 
whether instructors are experts under paragraph 
(3)(A) based on evidence furnished to the Secretary by 
the provider regarding the ability of the instructors 
to— 
‘‘(A) identify professions in need of new em-
ployees to hire, tailor the programs to meet mar-
ket needs, and identify the employers likely to 
hire graduates; 
‘‘(B) effectively teach the skills offered to eli-
gible veterans; 
‘‘(C) provide relevant industry experience 
in the fields of programs offered to incoming eli-
gible veterans; and 
‘‘(D) demonstrate relevant industry experi-
ence in such fields of programs.’’; 
(3) in subsection (d), in the matter preceding 
paragraph (1)—
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† HR 7105 EAS 
(A) by inserting ‘‘(not including an indi-
vidual described in the second sentence of sub-
section (b))’’ after ‘‘each eligible veteran’’; and 
(B) by inserting ‘‘or part-time’’ after ‘‘full- 
time’’; 
(4) in subsection (g), by striking ‘‘$15,000,000’’ 
and inserting ‘‘$45,000,000’’; and 
(5) by adding at the end the following new sub-
section (i): 
‘‘(i) PROHIBITION ON CERTAIN ACCOUNTING OF AS-
SISTANCE.—The Secretary may not consider enrollment in 
a high technology program of education under this section 
to be assistance under a provision of law referred to in sec-
tion 3695 of title 38, United States Code.’’. 
SEC. 4303. PILOT PROGRAM FOR OFF-BASE TRANSITION 
TRAINING FOR VETERANS AND SPOUSES. 
(a) EXTENSION OF PILOT PROGRAM.—Subsection (a) 
of section 301 of the Dignified Burial and Other Veterans’ 
Benefits Improvement Act of 2012 (Public Law 112–260; 
10 U.S.C. 1144 note) is amended— 
(1) by striking ‘‘During the two-year period be-
ginning on the date of the enactment of this Act’’ and 
inserting ‘‘During the five-year period beginning on 
the date of the enactment of the Navy SEAL Bill 
Mulder Act of 2020’’; and
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† HR 7105 EAS 
(2) by striking ‘‘to assess the feasibility and ad-
visability of providing such program to eligible indi-
viduals at locations other than military installa-
tions’’. 
(b) LOCATIONS.—Subsection (c) of such section is 
amended— 
(1) in paragraph (1)— 
(A) in the paragraph heading, by striking 
‘‘STATES’’ and inserting ‘‘LOCATIONS’’; and 
(B) by striking ‘‘not less than three and not 
more than five States’’ and inserting ‘‘not fewer 
than 50 locations in States (as defined in section 
101 of title 38, United States Code)’’; 
(2) in paragraph (2), by striking ‘‘at least two’’ 
and inserting ‘‘at least 20’’; and 
(3) by adding at the end the following new para-
graphs: 
‘‘(5) PREFERENCES.—In selecting States for par-
ticipation in the pilot program, the Secretary shall 
provide a preference for any State with— 
‘‘(A) a high rate of usage of unemployment 
benefits for recently separated members of the 
Armed Forces; or
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† HR 7105 EAS 
‘‘(B) a labor force or economy that has been 
significantly impacted by a covered public health 
emergency. 
‘‘(6) COVERED PUBLIC HEALTH EMERGENCY DE-
FINED.—In this subsection, the term ‘covered public 
health emergency’ means— 
‘‘(A) the public health emergency declared 
by the Secretary of Health and Human Services 
under section 319 of the Public Health Service 
Act (42 U.S.C. 247d) on January 31, 2020, with 
respect to Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID– 
19); or 
‘‘(B) a domestic emergency declared, based 
on an outbreak of Coronavirus Disease 2019 
(COVID–19), by the President, the Secretary of 
Homeland Security, or a State or local author-
ity.’’. 
(c) ANNUAL REPORT.—Subsection (e) of such section 
is amended by adding at the end the following new sentence: 
‘‘Each such report shall include information about the em-
ployment outcomes of the eligible individuals who received 
such training during the year covered by the report.’’. 
(d) CONFORMING REPEAL.—Subsection (f) of such sec-
tion is repealed.
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† HR 7105 EAS 
SEC. 4304. GRANTS FOR PROVISION OF TRANSITION ASSIST-
ANCE TO MEMBERS OF THE ARMED FORCES 
AFTER SEPARATION, RETIREMENT, OR DIS-
CHARGE. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Veterans Affairs 
shall make grants to eligible organizations for the provision 
of transition assistance to members of the Armed Forces 
who are separated, retired, or discharged from the Armed 
Forces, and spouses of such members. 
(b) USE OF FUNDS.—The recipient of a grant under 
this section shall use the grant to provide to members of 
the Armed Forces and spouses described in subsection (a) 
resume assistance, interview training, job recruitment 
training, and related services leading directly to successful 
transition, as determined by the Secretary. 
(c) ELIGIBLE ORGANIZATIONS.—To be eligible for a 
grant under this section, an organization shall submit to 
the Secretary an application containing such information 
and assurances as the Secretary, in consultation with the 
Secretary of Labor, may require. 
(d) PRIORITY.—In making grants under this section, 
the Secretary shall give priority to an organization that— 
(1) provides multiple forms of services described 
in subsection (b); or 
(2) is located in a State with—
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† HR 7105 EAS 
(A) a high rate of unemployment among 
veterans; 
(B) a high rate of usage of unemployment 
benefits for recently separated members of the 
Armed Forces; or 
(C) a labor force or economy that has been 
significantly impacted by a covered public health 
emergency (as such term is defined in section 
131(n)). 
(e) AMOUNT OF GRANT.—A grant under this section 
shall be in an amount that does not exceed 50 percent of 
the amount required by the organization to provide the serv-
ices described in subsection (b). 
(f) DEADLINE.—The Secretary shall carry out this sec-
tion not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment 
of this Act. 
(g) TERMINATION.—The authority to provide a grant 
under this section shall terminate on the date that is five 
years after the date on which the Secretary implements the 
grant program under this section. 
SEC. 4305. ONE-YEAR INDEPENDENT ASSESSMENT OF THE 
EFFECTIVENESS OF TRANSITION ASSISTANCE 
PROGRAM. 
(a) INDEPENDENT ASSESSMENT.—Not later than 90 
days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Sec-
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† HR 7105 EAS 
retary of Veterans Affairs, in consultation with the covered 
officials, shall enter into an agreement with an appropriate 
entity with experience in adult education to carry out a 
one-year independent assessment of the Transition Assist-
ance Program under sections 1142 and 1144 of title 10, 
United States Code (TAP), including— 
(1) the effectiveness of the Transition Assistance 
Program for members of each military department 
during the entire military life cycle; 
(2) the appropriateness of the career readiness 
standards of the Transition Assistance Program; 
(3) a review of information that is provided to 
the Department of Veterans Affairs under the Transi-
tion Assistance Program, including mental health 
data; 
(4) whether the Transition Assistance Program 
effectively addresses the challenges veterans face enter-
ing the civilian workforce and in translating experi-
ence and skills from military service to the job mar-
ket; 
(5) whether the Transition Assistance Program 
effectively addresses the challenges faced by the fami-
lies of veterans making the transition to civilian life; 
(6) appropriate metrics regarding outcomes of 
the Transition Assistance Program for members of the
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† HR 7105 EAS 
Armed Forces one year after separation, retirement, 
or discharge from the Armed Forces; 
(7) what the Secretary, in consultation with the 
covered officials and veterans service organizations, 
determine to be successful outcomes for the Transition 
Assistance Program; 
(8) whether members of the Armed Forces achieve 
successful outcomes for the Transition Assistance Pro-
gram, as determined under paragraph (7); 
(9) how the Secretary and the covered officials 
provide feedback to each other regarding such out-
comes; 
(10) recommendations for the Secretaries of the 
military departments regarding how to improve out-
comes for members of the Armed Forces after separa-
tion, retirement, and discharge; and 
(11) other topics the Secretary and the covered 
officials determine would aid members of the Armed 
Forces as they transition to civilian life. 
(b) REPORT.—Not later than 90 days after the comple-
tion of the independent assessment under subsection (a), the 
Secretary and the covered officials shall jointly submit to 
the appropriate committees of Congress— 
(1) the findings and recommendations (including 
recommended legislation) of the independent assess-
224 
† HR 7105 EAS 
ment prepared by the entity described in subsection 
(a); and 
(2) responses of the Secretary and the covered of-
ficials to the findings and recommendations described 
in paragraph (1). 
(c) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
(1) APPROPRIATE COMMITTEES OF CONGRESS.— 
The term ‘‘appropriate committees of Congress’’ 
means— 
(A) the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs and 
the Committee on Armed Services of the Senate; 
and 
(B) the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs and 
the Committee on Armed Services of the House 
of Representatives. 
(2) COVERED OFFICIALS.—The term ‘‘covered of-
ficials’’ means— 
(A) the Secretary of Defense; 
(B) the Secretary of Labor; 
(C) the Administrator of the Small Business 
Administration; and 
(D) the Secretaries of the military depart-
ments.
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† HR 7105 EAS 
(3) MILITARY DEPARTMENT.—The term ‘‘mili-
tary department’’ has the meaning given that term in 
section 101 of title 10, United States Code. 
SEC. 4306. LONGITUDINAL STUDY ON CHANGES TO TRANSI-
TION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM. 
(a) STUDY.—Not later than 90 days after the date of 
the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, 
in consultation with the Secretary of Defense, the Secretary 
of Labor, and the Administrator of the Small Business Ad-
ministration, shall conduct a five-year longitudinal study 
regarding the Transition Assistance Program under sec-
tions 1142 and 1144 of title 10, United States Code (TAP), 
on three separate cohorts of members of the Armed Forces 
who have separated from the Armed Forces, including— 
(1) a cohort that has attended counseling under 
the Transition Assistance Program as implemented 
on the date of the enactment of this Act; 
(2) a cohort that attends counseling under the 
Transition Assistance Program after the Secretary of 
Defense and the Secretary of Labor implement 
changes recommended in the report under section 
136(b); and 
(3) a cohort that has not attended counseling 
under the Transition Assistance Program.
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† HR 7105 EAS 
(b) PROGRESS REPORTS.—Not later than 90 days 
after the date that is one year after the date of the initiation 
of the study under subsection (a), and annually thereafter 
for the three subsequent years, the Secretary of Veterans Af-
fairs, the Secretary of Defense, the Secretary of Labor, and 
the Administrator of the Small Business Administration 
shall jointly submit to the appropriate committees of Con-
gress a progress report of activities under the study during 
the immediately preceding year. 
(c) FINAL REPORT.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 180 days after 
the completion of the study under subsection (a), the 
Secretary of Veterans Affairs, the Secretary of De-
fense, the Secretary of Labor, and the Administrator 
of the Small Business Administration shall jointly 
submit to the appropriate committees of Congress a 
report of final findings and recommendations based 
on the study. 
(2) ELEMENTS.—The final report under para-
graph (1) shall include information regarding the fol-
lowing: 
(A) The percentage of each cohort that re-
ceived unemployment benefits during the study 
under subsection (a).
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(B) The numbers of months members of each 
cohort were employed during the study. 
(C) Annual starting and ending salaries of 
members of each cohort who were employed dur-
ing the study. 
(D) How many members of each cohort en-
rolled in an institution of higher learning, as 
that term is defined in section 3452(f) of title 38, 
United States Code. 
(E) The academic credit hours, degrees, and 
certificates obtained by members of each cohort 
during the study. 
(F) The annual income of members of each 
cohort. 
(G) The total household income of members 
of each cohort. 
(H) How many members of each cohort own 
their principal residences. 
(I) How many dependents members of each 
cohort have. 
(J) The percentage of each cohort that 
achieves a successful outcome for the Transition 
Assistance Program, as determined under section 
136(a)(7).
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(K) Other criteria the Secretaries and the 
Administrator of the Small Business Adminis-
tration determine appropriate. 
(d) APPROPRIATE COMMITTEES OF CONGRESS DE-
FINED.—In this section, the term ‘‘appropriate committees 
of Congress’’ means— 
(1) the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs and the 
Committee on Armed Services of the Senate; and 
(2) the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs and the 
Committee on Armed Services of the House of Rep-
resentatives. 
TITLE V—DEBORAH SAMPSON 
SEC. 5001. SHORT TITLE. 
This title may be cited as the ‘‘Deborah Sampson Act 
of 2020’’. 
Subtitle A—Improving Access for 
Women Veterans to the Depart-
ment of Veterans Affairs 
SEC. 5101. OFFICE OF WOMEN’S HEALTH IN DEPARTMENT 
OF VETERANS AFFAIRS. 
(a) CHIEF OFFICER
OF WOMEN’S HEALTH.—Sub-
section (a) of section 7306 of title 38, United States Code, 
is amended— 
(1) by redesignating paragraph (10) as para-
graph (11); and
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† HR 7105 EAS 
(2) by inserting after paragraph (9) the fol-
lowing new paragraph (10): 
‘‘(10) The Chief Officer of Women’s Health.’’. 
(b) ORGANIZATION
OF OFFICE
AND ANNUAL RE-
PORTS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Subchapter I of chapter 73 of 
title 38, United States Code, is amended by adding 
at the end of the following new sections: 
‘‘§ 7310. Office of Women’s Health 
‘‘(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—(1) The Under Secretary for 
Health shall establish and operate in the Veterans Health 
Administration the Office of Women’s Health (in this sec-
tion referred to as the ‘Office’). 
‘‘(2) The Office shall be located at the Central Office 
of the Department of Veterans Affairs. 
‘‘(3)(A) The head of the Office is the Chief Officer of 
Women’s Health (in this section referred to as the ‘Chief 
Officer’). 
‘‘(B) The Chief Officer shall report to the Under Sec-
retary for Health. 
‘‘(4) The Under Secretary for Health shall provide the 
Office with such staff and other support as may be nec-
essary for the Office to carry out effectively the functions 
of the Office under this section.
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† HR 7105 EAS 
‘‘(5) The Under Secretary for Health may reorganize 
existing offices within the Veterans Health Administration 
as of the date of the enactment of this section in order to 
avoid duplication with the functions of the Office. 
‘‘(b) FUNCTIONS.—The functions of the Office include 
the following: 
‘‘(1) To provide a central office for monitoring 
and encouraging the activities of the Veterans Health 
Administration with respect to the provision, evalua-
tion, and improvement of health care services pro-
vided to women veterans by the Department. 
‘‘(2) To develop and implement standards of care 
for the provision of health care for women veterans by 
the Department. 
‘‘(3) To monitor and identify deficiencies in 
standards of care for the provision of health care for 
women veterans by the Department, to provide tech-
nical assistance to medical facilities of the Depart-
ment to address and remedy deficiencies, and to per-
form oversight of implementation of such standards of 
care. 
‘‘(4) To monitor and identify deficiencies in 
standards of care for the provision of health care for 
women veterans provided through the community 
pursuant to this title and to provide recommendations
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† HR 7105 EAS 
to the appropriate office to address and remedy any 
deficiencies. 
‘‘(5) To oversee distribution of resources and in-
formation related to health programming for women 
veterans under this title. 
‘‘(6) To promote the expansion and improvement 
of clinical, research, and educational activities of the 
Veterans Health Administration with respect to the 
health care of women veterans. 
‘‘(7) To provide, as part of the annual budgeting 
process, recommendations with respect to the amounts 
to be requested for furnishing hospital care and med-
ical services to women veterans pursuant to chapter 
17 of this title, including, at a minimum, rec-
ommendations that ensure that such amounts either 
reflect or exceed the proportion of veterans enrolled in 
the system of patient enrollment of the Department 
established and operated under section 1705(a) of this 
title who are women. 
‘‘(8) To provide recommendations to the Under 
Secretary for Health with respect to modifying the 
Veterans Equitable Resource Allocation system, or 
successor system, to ensure that resource allocations 
under such system, or successor system, reflect the 
health care needs of women veterans.
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‘‘(9) To carry out such other duties as the Under 
Secretary for Health may require. 
‘‘(c) RECOMMENDATIONS.—(1) If the Under Secretary 
for Health determines not to implement any recommenda-
tion made by the Chief Officer with respect to the allocation 
of resources to address the health care needs of women vet-
erans, the Secretary shall notify the appropriate congres-
sional committees of such determination by not later than 
30 days after the date on which the Under Secretary for 
Health receives the recommendation. 
‘‘(2) Each notification under paragraph (1) relating 
to a determination with respect to a recommendation shall 
include the following: 
‘‘(A) The reasoning of the Under Secretary for 
Health in making the determination. 
‘‘(B) An alternative, if one is selected, to the rec-
ommendation that the Under Secretary for Health 
will carry out to fulfill the health care needs of 
women veterans. 
‘‘(d) STANDARDS OF CARE.—For purposes of carrying 
out the functions of the Office under this section, the stand-
ards of care for the provision of health care for women vet-
erans from the Department shall include, at a minimum, 
the following: 
‘‘(1) A requirement for—
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‘‘(A) at least one designated women’s health 
primary care provider at each medical center of 
the Department whose duties include, to the ex-
tent practicable, providing training to other 
health care providers of the Department with re-
spect to the needs of women veterans; and 
‘‘(B) at least one designated women’s health 
primary care provider at each community-based 
outpatient clinic of the Department who may 
serve women patients as a percentage of the total 
duties of the provider. 
‘‘(2) Other requirements as determined by the 
Under Secretary for Health. 
‘‘(e) OUTREACH.—The Chief Officer shall ensure 
that— 
‘‘(1) not less frequently than biannually, each 
medical facility of the Department holds a public 
forum for women veterans that occurs outside of reg-
ular business hours; and 
‘‘(2) not less frequently than quarterly, each 
medical facility of the Department convenes a focus 
group of women veterans that includes a discussion of 
harassment occurring at such facility. 
‘‘(f) DEFINITIONS.—In this section:
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† HR 7105 EAS 
‘‘(1) The term ‘appropriate congressional com-
mittees’ has the meaning given that term in section 
7310A(h) of this title. 
‘‘(2) The term ‘facility of the Department’ has 
the meaning given the term ‘facilities of the Depart-
ment’ in section 1701(3) of this title. 
‘‘(3) The term ‘Veterans Equitable Resource Allo-
cation system’ means the resource allocation system 
established pursuant to section 429 of the Depart-
ments of Veterans Affairs and Housing and Urban 
Development, and Independent Agencies Appropria-
tions Act, 1997 (Public Law 104–204; 110 Stat. 
2929). 
‘‘§ 7310A. Annual reports on women’s health 
‘‘(a) ANNUAL REPORTS.—Not later than December 1 
of each year, the Chief Officer of Women’s Health shall sub-
mit to the appropriate congressional committees a report 
containing the matters under subsections (b) through (g). 
‘‘(b) OFFICE
OF WOMEN’S HEALTH.—Each report 
under subsection (a) shall include a description of— 
‘‘(1) actions taken by the Office of Women’s 
Health established under section 7310 of this title in 
the preceding fiscal year to improve the provision of 
health care by the Department to women veterans;
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† HR 7105 EAS 
‘‘(2) any identified deficiencies related to the 
provision of health care by the Department to women 
veterans and the standards of care established in such 
section and the plan of the Department to address 
such deficiencies; 
‘‘(3) the funding and personnel provided to the 
Office and whether additional funding or personnel 
are needed to meet the requirements of such section; 
and 
‘‘(4) other information that would be of interest 
to the appropriate congressional committees with re-
spect to oversight of the provision of health care by 
the Department to women veterans. 
‘‘(c) ACCESS
TO GENDER-SPECIFIC SERVICES.—(1) 
Each report under subsection (a) shall include an analysis 
of the access of women veterans to gender-specific services 
under contracts, agreements, or other arrangements with 
non-Department medical providers entered into by the Sec-
retary for the provision of hospital care or medical services 
to veterans. 
‘‘(2) The analysis under paragraph (1) shall include 
data and performance measures for the availability of gen-
der-specific services described in such paragraph, includ-
ing—
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† HR 7105 EAS 
‘‘(A) the average wait time between the preferred 
appointment date of the veteran and the date on 
which the appointment is completed; 
‘‘(B) the average driving time required for vet-
erans to attend appointments; and 
‘‘(C) reasons why appointments could not be 
scheduled with non-Department medical providers. 
‘‘(d) MODELS OF CARE.—(1) Each report under sub-
section (a) shall include an analysis of the use by the De-
partment of general primary care clinics, separate but 
shared spaces, and women’s health centers as delivery of 
care models for women veterans. 
‘‘(2) The analysis under paragraph (1) shall include 
the following: 
‘‘(A) The number of facilities of the Department 
that fall into each delivery of care model described in 
such paragraph, disaggregated by Veterans Integrated 
Service Network and State. 
‘‘(B) A description of the criteria used by the De-
partment to determine which such model is most ap-
propriate for each facility of the Department. 
‘‘(C) An assessment of how the Department de-
cides to make investments to modify facilities to a dif-
ferent model.
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‘‘(3) The number of full- and part-time gyne-
cologists of the Department. 
‘‘(4) The number of designated women’s health 
care providers of the Department, disaggregated by 
facility of the Department. 
‘‘(5) The number of health care providers of the 
Department who have completed a mini-residency for 
women’s health care through the Women Veterans 
Health Care Mini-Residency Program of the Depart-
ment during the one-year period preceding the sub-
mittal of the report and the number of mini-residency 
training slots for such program that are available 
during the one-year period following such date. 
‘‘(6) The number of designated women’s health 
care providers of the Department who have sufficient 
women patient loads or case complexities to retain 
their competencies and proficiencies. 
‘‘(f) ACCESSIBILITY AND TREATMENT OPTIONS.—Each 
report under subsection (a) shall include an analysis of the 
accessibility and treatment options for women veterans, in-
cluding the following: 
‘‘(1) An assessment of wheelchair accessibility of 
women’s health centers of the Department, including, 
with respect to each such center, an assessment of ac-
cessibility for each kind of treatment provided at the
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center, including with respect to radiology and mam-
mography, that addresses all relevant factors, includ-
ing door sizes, hoists, and equipment. 
‘‘(2) The options for women veterans to access 
mental health providers and primary care providers 
who are women. 
‘‘(3) The options for women veterans at medical 
facilities of the Department with respect to clothing 
sizes, including for gowns, drawstring pants, and pa-
jamas. 
‘‘(g) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
‘‘(1) The term ‘appropriate congressional com-
mittees’ means— 
‘‘(A) the Committee on Appropriations and 
the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the Senate; 
and 
‘‘(B) the Committee on Appropriations and 
the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the House 
of Representatives. 
‘‘(2) The term ‘gender-specific services’ means 
mammography, obstetric care, gynecological care, and 
such other services as the Secretary determines appro-
priate.’’. 
(2) REFERENCES TO HEALTH CARE AND SERV-
ICES.—The references to health care and the references
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† HR 7105 EAS 
to services in sections 7310 and 7310A of title 38, 
United States Code, as added by paragraph (1), are 
references to the health care and services included in 
the medical benefits package provided by the Depart-
ment as in effect on the day before the date of the en-
actment of this Act. 
(3) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sec-
tions for such chapter is amended by inserting after 
the item relating to section 7309A the following new 
items: 
‘‘7310. Office of Women’s Health. 
‘‘7310A. Annual reports on women’s health.’’. 
(c) INITIAL REPORT.—The Chief Officer of Women’s 
Health of the Department of Veterans Affairs shall submit 
the initial report under section 7310A of title 38, United 
States Code, as added by subsection (b), by not later than 
one year after the date of the enactment of this Act. 
SEC. 5102. WOMEN VETERANS RETROFIT INITIATIVE. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Veterans Affairs 
shall prioritize the retrofitting of existing medical facilities 
of the Department of Veterans Affairs with fixtures, mate-
rials, and other outfitting measures to support the provision 
of care to women veterans at such facilities. 
(b) PLAN.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than one year after 
the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary
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† HR 7105 EAS 
shall submit to Congress, the Committee on Veterans’ 
Affairs of the Senate, and the Committee on Veterans’ 
Affairs of the House of Representatives a plan to ad-
dress deficiencies in environment of care for women 
veterans at medical facilities of the Department. 
(2) ELEMENTS.—The plan required by para-
graph (1) shall include the following: 
(A) An explanation of the specific environ-
ment of care deficiencies that need correcting. 
(B) An assessment of how the Secretary 
prioritizes retrofitting existing medical facilities 
to support provision of care to women veterans 
in comparison to other requirements. 
(C) A five-year strategic plan and cost pro-
jection for retrofitting medical facilities of the 
Department to support the provision of care to 
women veterans as required under subsection (a). 
(c) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—Subject to 
appropriations and the plan under (b), there is authorized 
to be appropriated to the Secretary $20,000,000 to carry 
out subsection (a) in addition to amounts otherwise made 
available to the Secretary for the purposes set forth in such 
subsection.
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† HR 7105 EAS 
SEC. 5103. ESTABLISHMENT OF ENVIRONMENT OF CARE 
STANDARDS AND INSPECTIONS AT DEPART-
MENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS MEDICAL CEN-
TERS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Veterans Affairs 
shall establish a policy under which the environment of care 
standards and inspections at medical centers of the Depart-
ment of Veterans Affairs include— 
(1) an alignment of the requirements for such 
standards and inspections with the women’s health 
handbook of the Veterans Health Administration; 
(2) a requirement for the frequency of such in-
spections; 
(3) delineation of the roles and responsibilities of 
staff at each medical center who are responsible for 
compliance; 
(4) the requirement that each medical center sub-
mit to the Secretary and make publicly available a 
report on the compliance of the medical center with 
the standards; and 
(5) a remediation plan. 
(b) REPORT.—Not later than 180 days after the date 
of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to 
the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the Senate and the 
Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the House of Representa-
tives a report certifying in writing that the policy required
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† HR 7105 EAS 
by subsection (a) has been finalized and disseminated to 
all medical centers of the Department. 
SEC. 5104. PROVISION OF REINTEGRATION AND READJUST-
MENT SERVICES TO VETERANS AND FAMILY 
MEMBERS IN GROUP RETREAT SETTINGS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 1712A of title 38, United 
States Code, is amended— 
(1) in subsection (a)(1)(B)— 
(A) in clause (ii), by redesignating sub-
clauses (I) and (II) as items (aa) and (bb); 
(B) by redesignating clauses (i) and (ii) as 
subclauses (I) and (II); 
(C) in the matter preceding subclause (I), 
as redesignated by subparagraph (B), by striking 
‘‘Counseling’’ and inserting ‘‘(i) Counseling’’; 
and 
(D) by adding at the end the following new 
clause: 
‘‘(ii)(I) Except as provided in subclauses (IV) and (V), 
counseling furnished to an individual under subparagraph 
(A) may include reintegration and readjustment services 
described in subclause (II) furnished in group retreat set-
tings. 
‘‘(II) Reintegration and readjustment services de-
scribed in this subclause are the following:
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‘‘(aa) Information on reintegration of the indi-
vidual into family, employment, and community. 
‘‘(bb) Financial counseling. 
‘‘(cc) Occupational counseling. 
‘‘(dd) Information and counseling on stress re-
duction. 
‘‘(ee) Information and counseling on conflict res-
olution. 
‘‘(ff) Such other information and counseling as 
the Secretary considers appropriate to assist the indi-
vidual in reintegration into family, employment, and 
community. 
‘‘(III) In furnishing reintegration and readjustment 
services under subclause (I), the Secretary shall offer women 
the opportunity to receive such services in group retreat set-
tings in which the only participants are women. 
‘‘(IV) An individual described in subparagraph (C)(v) 
may receive reintegration and readjustment services under 
subclause (I) of this clause only if the individual receives 
such services with a family member described in subclause 
(I) or (II) of such subparagraph. 
‘‘(V) In each of fiscal years 2021 through 2025, the 
maximum number of individuals to whom integration and 
readjustment services may be furnished in group retreat set-
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† HR 7105 EAS 
tings under this subclause (I) shall not exceed 1,200 indi-
viduals.’’. 
(b) REQUEST FOR SERVICES.—Subsection (a)(2) of 
such section is amended— 
(1) by striking ‘‘Upon’’ and inserting ‘‘(A) 
Upon’’; 
(2) by striking ‘‘paragraph (1)(B)’’ and insert-
ing ‘‘paragraph (1)(B)(i)’’; and 
(3) by adding at the end the following new sub-
paragraph: 
‘‘(B) Upon the request of an individual described in 
paragraph (1)(C), the Secretary shall furnish the indi-
vidual reintegration and readjustment services in group re-
treat settings under paragraph (1)(B)(ii) if the Secretary 
determines the experience will be therapeutically appro-
priate.’’. 
SEC. 5105. PROVISION OF LEGAL SERVICES FOR WOMEN 
VETERANS. 
(a) AGREEMENT REQUIRED.—The Secretary of Vet-
erans Affairs shall enter into one or more agreements with 
public or private entities to provide legal services to women 
veterans. 
(b) FOCUS.—The focus of an agreement entered into 
under subsection (a) shall be to address the following unmet 
needs of women veterans as set forth in the most recently
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† HR 7105 EAS 
completed Community Homelessness Assessment, Local 
Education 
and 
Networking 
Groups 
for 
Veterans 
(CHALENG for Veterans) survey: 
(1) Child support. 
(2) Prevention of eviction and foreclosure. 
(3) Discharge upgrades. 
(4) Financial guardianship. 
(5) Credit counseling. 
(6) Family reconciliation assistance. 
SEC. 5106. COMPTROLLER GENERAL SURVEYS AND REPORT 
ON SUPPORTIVE SERVICES PROVIDED FOR 
VERY LOW-INCOME WOMEN VETERANS. 
(a) SURVEYS.— 
(1) SURVEY OF WOMEN VETERANS.—The Comp-
troller General of the United States shall survey 
women veterans who have received or are receiving 
supportive services provided under section 2044 of 
title 38, United States Code, to determine satisfaction 
with the ability of such services to meet the specific 
needs of such veterans. 
(2) SURVEY OF ELIGIBLE ENTITIES.—The Comp-
troller General shall survey eligible entities receiving 
financial assistance under such section and other 
partners of the Department of Veterans Affairs, in-
cluding veterans service organizations and the Na-
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† HR 7105 EAS 
tional Coalition of Homeless Veterans, on the view of 
such entities and partners regarding— 
(A) whether the Department is meeting the 
needs of women veterans through the provision of 
supportive services under such section; and 
(B) any additional supportive services that 
may be required to meet such needs. 
(b) REPORT.— 
(1) IN
GENERAL.—Not later than 18 months 
after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Comp-
troller General of the United States shall submit to 
the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the Senate and 
the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the House of 
Representatives a report on the efforts of the Depart-
ment of Veterans Affairs to provide supportive serv-
ices to women veterans under section 2044 of title 38, 
United States. 
(2) ELEMENTS.—The report required by para-
graph (1) shall include the following: 
(A) A review of how the Department deter-
mines which categories of supportive services 
would be beneficial to women veterans who re-
ceive services under such section. 
(B) A description of the challenges women 
veterans who have children face in accessing sup-
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† HR 7105 EAS 
portive services under such section, including 
with respect to accessing— 
(i) homeless shelters with their chil-
dren; 
(ii) homeless shelters that have restric-
tions on male children; and 
(iii) affordable child care. 
(C) A description of how the Department 
identifies eligible entities under such section that 
can provide supportive services to meet the needs 
of women veterans, including eligible entities 
with experience in— 
(i) intimate partner violence; 
(ii) legal matters pertaining especially 
to women veterans, including temporary re-
straining orders and child care orders; 
(iii) supportive services for children; 
and 
(iv) the evaluation of which categories 
of services would be beneficial to women vet-
erans who receive such services under such 
section. 
(D) A description of how much the Depart-
ment spends, from funds appropriated to carry 
out such section and funds provided under the
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† HR 7105 EAS 
Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security 
Act (Public Law 116–136), on supportive serv-
ices specifically for women veterans, and in par-
ticular, on the services described in subpara-
graph (A). 
(E) The results of the surveys conducted 
under subsection (a). 
(F) A review of the resources and program-
ming offered to woman veterans under such sec-
tion. 
(G) An assessment of such other areas as the 
Comptroller General considers appropriate. 
SEC. 5107. PROGRAMS ON ASSISTANCE FOR CHILD CARE 
FOR CERTAIN VETERANS. 
(a) ASSISTANCE FOR CHILD CARE FOR CERTAIN VET-
ERANS RECEIVING HEALTH CARE.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Subchapter I of chapter 17 of 
title 38, United States Code, is amended by adding 
at the end the following new section: 
‘‘§ 1709C. Assistance for child care for certain vet-
erans receiving health care 
‘‘(a) PROGRAM REQUIRED.—The Secretary shall carry 
out a program to provide, subject to subsection (b), assist-
ance to qualified veterans described in subsection (c) to ob-
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† HR 7105 EAS 
tain child care so that such veterans can receive health care 
services described in subsection (c)(2). 
‘‘(b) LIMITATION ON PERIOD OF PAYMENTS.—Assist-
ance may be provided to a qualified veteran under this sec-
tion for receipt of child care only during the period that 
the qualified veteran— 
‘‘(1) receives the types of health care services de-
scribed in subsection (c)(2) at a facility of the De-
partment; and 
‘‘(2) requires travel to and return from such fa-
cility for the receipt of such health care services. 
‘‘(c) QUALIFIED VETERANS.—For purposes of this sec-
tion, a qualified veteran is a veteran who— 
‘‘(1) is the primary caretaker of a child or chil-
dren; and 
‘‘(2)(A) receives from the Department— 
‘‘(i) regular mental health care services; 
‘‘(ii) intensive mental health care services; 
or 
‘‘(iii) such other intensive health care serv-
ices that the Secretary determines that provision 
of assistance to the veteran to obtain child care 
would improve access to such health care services 
by the veteran; or
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‘‘(B) is in need of regular or intensive mental 
health care services from the Department, and but for 
lack of child care services, would receive such health 
care services from the Department. 
‘‘(d) LOCATIONS.—Not later than five years after the 
date of the enactment of the Deborah Sampson Act of 2020, 
the Secretary shall carry out the program at each medical 
center of the Department. 
‘‘(e) FORMS OF CHILD CARE ASSISTANCE.—(1) Child 
care assistance under this section may include the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘(A) Stipends for the payment of child care of-
fered by a licensed child care center (either directly 
or through a voucher program) that shall be, to the 
extent practicable, modeled after the Department of 
Veterans Affairs Child Care Subsidy Program estab-
lished pursuant to section 630 of the Treasury and 
General Government Appropriations Act, 2002 (Pub-
lic Law 107–67; 115 Stat. 552). 
‘‘(B) Direct provision of child care at an on-site 
facility of the Department. 
‘‘(C) Payments to private child care agencies. 
‘‘(D) Collaboration with facilities or programs of 
other Federal agencies.
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‘‘(E) Such other forms of assistance as the Sec-
retary considers appropriate. 
‘‘(2) In providing child care assistance under this sec-
tion, the child care needs of the local area shall be consid-
ered and the head of each medical center may select the type 
of care that is most appropriate or feasible for such medical 
center. 
‘‘(3) In the case that child care assistance under this 
section is provided as a stipend under paragraph (1)(A), 
such stipend shall cover the full cost of such child care.’’. 
(2) CONFORMING AMENDMENT.—Section 205(e) 
of the Caregivers and Veterans Omnibus Health Serv-
ices Act of 2010 (Public Law 111–163; 38 U.S.C. 
1710 note) is amended by striking ‘‘September 30, 
2020’’ and inserting ‘‘the date of the enactment of the 
Deborah Sampson Act of 2020’’. 
(3) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sec-
tions at the beginning of chapter 17 of such title is 
amended by inserting after the item relating to sec-
tion 1709B the following new item: 
‘‘1709C. Assistance for child care for certain veterans receiving health care,’’. 
(b) PILOT PROGRAM ON ASSISTANCE FOR CHILD CARE 
FOR
CERTAIN
VETERANS
RECEIVING
READJUSTMENT 
COUNSELING
AND
RELATED
MENTAL
HEALTH
SERV-
ICES.—
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† HR 7105 EAS 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Veterans Af-
fairs shall carry out a pilot program to assess the fea-
sibility and advisability of providing, subject to para-
graph (2), assistance to qualified veterans described 
in paragraph (3) to obtain child care so that such 
veterans can receive readjustment counseling and re-
lated mental health services. 
(2) LIMITATION ON PERIOD OF PAYMENTS.—As-
sistance may be provided to a qualified veteran under 
the pilot program for receipt of child care only during 
the period that the qualified veteran receives readjust-
ment counseling and related health care services at a 
Vet Center. 
(3) QUALIFIED VETERANS.—For purposes of this 
subsection, a qualified veteran is a veteran who— 
(A) is the primary caretaker of a child or 
children; and 
(B)(i) receives from the Department regular 
readjustment counseling and related mental 
health services; or 
(ii) is in need of regular readjustment coun-
seling and related mental health services from 
the Department, and but for lack of child care 
services, would receive such counseling and serv-
ices from the Department.
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(4) LOCATIONS.—The Secretary shall carry out 
the pilot program in not fewer than three Readjust-
ment Counseling Service Regions selected by the Sec-
retary for purposes of the pilot program. 
(5) FORMS OF CHILD CARE ASSISTANCE.— 
(A) IN
GENERAL.—Child care assistance 
under the pilot program may include the fol-
lowing: 
(i) Stipends for the payment of child 
care offered by a licensed child care center 
(either directly or through a voucher pro-
gram) that shall be, to the extent prac-
ticable, modeled after the Department of 
Veterans Affairs Child Care Subsidy Pro-
gram established pursuant to section 630 of 
the Treasury and General Government Ap-
propriations Act, 2002 (Public Law 107– 
67; 115 Stat. 552). 
(ii) Payments to private child care 
agencies. 
(iii) Collaboration with facilities or 
programs of other Federal agencies. 
(iv) Such other forms of assistance as 
the Secretary considers appropriate.
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(B) LOCAL AREA.—In providing child care 
assistance under the pilot program, the child 
care needs of the local area shall be considered 
and the head of each Vet Center may select the 
type of care that is most appropriate or feasible 
for such Vet Center. 
(C) USE
OF
STIPEND.—In the case that 
child care assistance under the pilot program is 
provided as a stipend under subparagraph 
(A)(i), such stipend shall cover the full cost of 
such child care. 
(6) DURATION.—The pilot program shall be car-
ried out during the two-year period beginning on the 
date of the commencement of the pilot program. 
(7) REPORT.— 
(A) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 180 days 
after the completion of the pilot program, the 
Secretary shall submit to Congress a report on 
the pilot program. 
(B) ELEMENTS.—The report required by 
subparagraph (A) shall include the findings and 
conclusions of the Secretary regarding the pilot 
program, and shall include such recommenda-
tions for the continuation or expansion of the
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pilot program as the Secretary considers appro-
priate. 
(8) VET CENTER DEFINED.—In this subsection, 
the term ‘‘Vet Center’’ has the meaning given that 
term in section 1712A(h) of title 38, United States 
Code. 
SEC. 5108. AVAILABILITY OF PROSTHETICS FOR WOMEN 
VETERANS FROM DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS 
AFFAIRS. 
(a) ACCESS AT EACH MEDICAL FACILITY.—Section 
1714(a) of title 38, United States Code, is amended— 
(1) by striking ‘‘(a) Any veteran’’ and inserting 
‘‘(a)(1) Any veteran’’; and 
(2) by adding at the end the following new para-
graph: 
‘‘(2) In furnishing prosthetic appliances under para-
graph (1), the Secretary shall ensure women veterans are 
able to access clinically appropriate prosthetic appliances 
through each medical facility of the Department.’’. 
(b) REPORT.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than one year after 
the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of 
Veterans Affairs shall submit to the Committee on 
Veterans’ Affairs of the Senate and the Committee on 
Veterans’ Affairs of the House of Representatives a re-
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† HR 7105 EAS 
port on the availability from the Department of Vet-
erans Affairs of prosthetics made for women veterans, 
including an assessment of the availability of such 
prosthetics at medical facilities of the Department. 
(2) ELEMENTS.—The report required by para-
graph (1) shall include— 
(A) a list of all devices classified by the De-
partment as prosthetic devices, including a 
breakdown of whether a device is considered gen-
der-neutral or gender-specific; 
(B) for gender-neutral devices, a breakdown 
of sizing; 
(C) the average time it takes for a woman 
veteran to receive a prosthetic device after it is 
prescribed, disaggregated by Veterans Integrated 
Service Network and medical center of the De-
partment; 
(D) the total number of women veterans uti-
lizing the Department for prosthetic services, 
disaggregated by facility of the Department; 
(E) an assessment of efforts by the Depart-
ment on research, development, and employment 
of additive manufacture technology (commonly 
referred to as 3D printing) to provide prosthetic 
items for women veterans;
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† HR 7105 EAS 
(F) the results of a survey with a represent-
ative sample of not fewer than 50,000 veterans 
(of which women shall be overrepresented) in an 
amputee care program on satisfaction with pros-
thetics furnished or procured by the Department 
that replace appendages or their function; and 
(G) such other information as the Secretary 
considers appropriate. 
SEC. 5109. REQUIREMENT TO IMPROVE DEPARTMENT OF 
VETERANS AFFAIRS WOMEN VETERANS CALL 
CENTER. 
The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall enhance the ca-
pabilities of the women veterans call center of the Depart-
ment of Veterans Affairs to respond to requests by women 
veterans for assistance with accessing health care and bene-
fits furnished under the laws administered by the Secretary. 
SEC. 5110. STUDY ON INFERTILITY SERVICES FURNISHED 
AT DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS. 
(a) STUDY REQUIRED.—The Secretary of Veterans Af-
fairs shall conduct a study on the infertility services offer-
ings at the Department of Veterans Affairs. 
(b) ELEMENTS.—The study conducted under sub-
section (a) shall include the following: 
(1) An assessment of the following:
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(A) The availability of infertility services at 
facilities of the Department and through laws 
administered by the Secretary for the provision 
of non-Department care. 
(B) The demand for such services from eli-
gible individuals. 
(2) Identification of potential challenges in ac-
cessing infertility services for eligible individuals. 
(3) An analysis of Department resources for the 
furnishing of infertility services, including analysis of 
Department workforce and non-Department pro-
viders. 
(4) Development of recommendations for the im-
provement of infertility services under laws adminis-
tered by the Secretary to improve eligible individuals’ 
access, delivery of services, and health outcomes. 
(c) REPORT.—Not later than one year after the date 
of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to 
the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the Senate and the 
Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the House of Representa-
tives a report on the study conducted under subsection (a). 
(d) ELIGIBLE INDIVIDUAL DEFINED.—In this section, 
the term ‘‘eligible individual’’ means an individual who is 
a veteran who is eligible for and enrolled in the health care
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† HR 7105 EAS 
system of the Department under section 1705(a) of title 38, 
United States Code. 
SEC. 5111. SENSE OF CONGRESS ON ACCESS TO FACILITIES 
OF DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS BY 
RESERVISTS FOR COUNSELING AND TREAT-
MENT RELATING TO MILITARY SEXUAL TRAU-
MA. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—It is the sense of Congress that 
members of the reserve components of the Armed Forces, in-
cluding members of the National Guard, should be able to 
access all health care facilities of the Department of Vet-
erans Affairs, not just Vet Centers, to receive counseling and 
treatment relating to military sexual trauma. 
(b) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
(1) MILITARY
SEXUAL
TRAUMA.—The term 
‘‘military sexual trauma’’ has the meaning given such 
term in section 1164(c) of title 38, United States 
Code, as added by section 5501(a) of this title. 
(2) VET CENTER.—The term ‘‘Vet Center’’ has 
the meaning given that term in section 1712A(h) of 
such title.
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Subtitle B—Increasing Staff 
Cultural Competency 
SEC. 5201. STAFFING OF WOMEN’S HEALTH PRIMARY CARE 
PROVIDERS AT MEDICAL FACILITIES OF DE-
PARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS. 
The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall ensure that 
each medical facility of the Department of Veterans Affairs 
has not fewer than one full-time or part-time women’s 
health primary care provider whose duties include, to the 
extent possible, providing training to other health care pro-
viders of the Department on the needs of women veterans. 
SEC. 5202. ADDITIONAL FUNDING FOR PRIMARY CARE AND 
EMERGENCY CARE CLINICIANS IN WOMEN 
VETERANS HEALTH CARE MINI-RESIDENCY 
PROGRAM. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—There is authorized to be appro-
priated to the Secretary of Veterans Affairs $1,000,000 for 
each fiscal years 2021 through 2025 to provide opportuni-
ties for participation in the Women Veterans Health Care 
Mini-Residency Program of the Department of Veterans Af-
fairs for primary care and emergency care clinicians. 
(b) TREATMENT OF AMOUNTS.—The amounts author-
ized to be appropriated under subsection (a) shall be in ad-
dition to amounts otherwise made available to the Secretary 
for the purposes set forth in such subsection.
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† HR 7105 EAS 
SEC. 5203. ESTABLISHMENT OF WOMEN VETERAN TRAINING 
MODULE FOR NON-DEPARTMENT OF VET-
ERANS AFFAIRS HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than one year after the 
date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans 
Affairs shall establish and make available to community 
providers a training module that is specific to women vet-
erans. 
(b) TRAINING
MATERIALS
PROVIDED.—Under the 
training module established and made available to commu-
nity providers under subsection (a), the Secretary shall pro-
vide to community providers the same training materials 
relating to treatment of women veterans that is provided 
to health care providers of the Department of Veterans Af-
fairs to ensure that all health care providers treating women 
veterans have access to the same materials to support com-
petency throughout the community. 
(c) ADMINISTRATION
OF TRAINING MODULE.—The 
Secretary shall administer the training module established 
under subsection (a) to community providers through an 
internet website of the Department. 
(d) ANNUAL REPORT.—Not later than one year after 
the establishment of the training module under subsection 
(a), and annually thereafter, the Secretary shall submit to 
Congress a report on—
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† HR 7105 EAS 
(1) the utilization by community providers of the 
training module; and 
(2) the effectiveness of the training module. 
(e) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
(1) COMMUNITY PROVIDER.—The term ‘‘commu-
nity provider’’ means a non-Department of Veterans 
Affairs 
health 
care 
provider 
who 
provides 
preauthorized health care to veterans under the laws 
administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs. 
(2) PREAUTHORIZED HEALTH CARE.—The term 
‘‘preauthorized health care’’ means health care pro-
vided to a veteran that is authorized by the Secretary 
before being provided. 
SEC. 5204. STUDY ON STAFFING OF WOMEN VETERAN PRO-
GRAM MANAGER PROGRAM AT MEDICAL CEN-
TERS OF DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AF-
FAIRS AND TRAINING OF STAFF. 
(a) STUDY.—The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall 
conduct a study on the use of the Women Veteran Program 
Manager program of the Department of Veterans Affairs to 
determine— 
(1) if the program is appropriately staffed at 
each medical center of the Department;
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† HR 7105 EAS 
(2) whether each medical center of the Depart-
ment is staffed with a Women Veteran Program Man-
ager; and 
(3) whether it would be feasible and advisable to 
have a Women Veteran Program Ombudsman at each 
medical center of the Department. 
(b) REPORT.—Not later than 270 days after the date 
of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to 
the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the Senate and the 
Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the House of Representa-
tives a report on the study conducted under subsection (a). 
(c) TRAINING.—The Secretary shall ensure that all 
Women Veteran Program Managers and Women Veteran 
Program Ombudsmen receive the proper training to carry 
out their duties. 
SEC. 5205. STUDY ON WOMEN VETERAN COORDINATOR 
PROGRAM. 
(a) STUDY AND REPORT REQUIRED.—Not later than 
180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the 
Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall— 
(1) complete a study on the Women Veteran Co-
ordinator program of the Veterans Benefits Adminis-
tration of the Department of Veterans Affairs; and 
(2) submit to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs 
of the Senate and the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs
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† HR 7105 EAS 
of the House of Representatives a report on the find-
ings of the Secretary with respect to the study com-
pleted under paragraph (1). 
(b) ELEMENTS.—The study required by subsection 
(a)(1) shall identify the following: 
(1) If the program described in such subsection 
is appropriately staffed at each regional benefits office 
of the Department. 
(2) Whether each regional benefits office of the 
Department is staffed with a Women Veteran Coordi-
nator. 
(3) The position description of the Women Vet-
eran Coordinator. 
(4) Whether an individual serving in the Women 
Veteran Coordinator position concurrently serves in 
any other position, and if so, the allocation of time 
the individual spends in each such position. 
(5) A description of the metrics the Secretary 
uses to determine the job performance and effective-
ness of the Women Veteran Coordinator. 
SEC. 5206. STAFFING IMPROVEMENT PLAN FOR PEER SPE-
CIALISTS OF DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AF-
FAIRS WHO ARE WOMEN. 
(a) ASSESSMENT OF CAPACITY.—
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† HR 7105 EAS 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 90 days after 
the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of 
Veterans Affairs, in consultation with the Inspector 
General of the Department of Veterans Affairs, shall 
commence an assessment of the capacity of peer spe-
cialists of the Department of Veterans Affairs who are 
women. 
(2) ELEMENTS.—The assessment required by 
paragraph (1) shall include an assessment of the fol-
lowing: 
(A) The geographical distribution of peer 
specialists of the Department who are women. 
(B) The geographical distribution of women 
veterans. 
(C) The number and proportion of women 
peer specialists who specialize in peer counseling 
on mental health or suicide prevention. 
(D) The number and proportion of women 
peer specialists who specialize in peer counseling 
on non-mental health related matters. 
(b) REPORT.—Not later than one year after the assess-
ment required by subsection (a) has commenced, the Sec-
retary shall submit to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs 
of the Senate and the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of
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† HR 7105 EAS 
the House of Representatives a report detailing the findings 
of the assessment. 
(c) STAFFING IMPROVEMENT PLAN.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 180 days after 
submitting the report under subsection (b), the Sec-
retary, in consultation with the Inspector General, 
shall submit to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of 
the Senate and the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of 
the House of Representatives a plan, based on the re-
sults of the assessment required by subsection (a), to 
hire additional qualified peer specialists who are 
women, with special consideration for areas that lack 
peer specialists who are women. 
(2) ELEMENTS.—The peer specialist positions 
included in the plan required by paragraph (1)— 
(A) shall be non-volunteer, paid positions; 
and 
(B) may be part-time positions.
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Subtitle C—Eliminating 
Harassment and Assault 
SEC. 5301. EXPANSION OF COVERAGE BY DEPARTMENT OF 
VETERANS AFFAIRS OF COUNSELING AND 
TREATMENT FOR SEXUAL TRAUMA. 
(a) EXPANSION OF ELIGIBILITY FOR COUNSELING AND 
TREATMENT.—Section 1720D of title 38, United States 
Code, is amended— 
(1) in subsection (a)— 
(A) in paragraph (1), by striking ‘‘active 
duty, active duty for training, or inactive duty 
training’’ and inserting ‘‘duty, regardless of duty 
status or line of duty determination (as that 
term is used in section 12323 of title 10)’’; and 
(B) in paragraph (2)(A), by striking ‘‘ac-
tive duty, active duty for training, or inactive 
duty training’’ and inserting ‘‘duty, regardless of 
duty status or line of duty determination (as 
that term is used in section 12323 of title 10)’’; 
(2) by striking ‘‘veteran’’ each place it appears 
and inserting ‘‘former member of the Armed Forces’’; 
(3) by striking ‘‘veterans’’ each place it appears 
and inserting ‘‘former members of the Armed Forces’’; 
and
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† HR 7105 EAS 
(4) by adding at the end the following new sub-
section: 
‘‘(g) In this section, the term ‘former member of the 
Armed Forces’ includes the following: 
‘‘(1) A veteran. 
‘‘(2) An individual described in section 1720I(b) 
of this title.’’. 
(b) INCLUSION
OF
TREATMENT
FOR
PHYSICAL 
HEALTH CONDITIONS.—Such section is further amended— 
(1) in subsection (a)— 
(A) in paragraph (1)— 
(i) by inserting ‘‘, to include care for 
physical health conditions, as appropriate,’’ 
after ‘‘counseling and appropriate care and 
services’’; 
(ii) by striking ‘‘overcome psycho-
logical trauma’’ and inserting ‘‘treat a con-
dition’’; and 
(iii) by striking ‘‘mental health profes-
sional’’ and inserting ‘‘health care profes-
sional’’; and 
(B) in paragraph (2)(A), by striking ‘‘over-
come psychological trauma’’ and inserting ‘‘treat 
a condition’’; and 
(2) in subsection (d)—
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† HR 7105 EAS 
(A) in paragraph (1), by inserting ‘‘and 
other health care professionals’’ after ‘‘mental 
health professionals’’; and 
(B) in paragraph (2)(A), by inserting ‘‘and 
other health care professionals’’ after ‘‘mental 
health professionals’’. 
SEC. 5302. ASSESSMENT OF EFFECTS OF INTIMATE PART-
NER VIOLENCE ON WOMEN VETERANS BY AD-
VISORY COMMITTEE ON WOMEN VETERANS. 
Section 542(c)(1) of title 38, United States Code, is 
amended— 
(1) in subparagraph (B), by striking ‘‘and’’ at 
the end; 
(2) by redesignating subparagraph (C) as sub-
paragraph (D); and 
(3) by inserting after subparagraph (B) the fol-
lowing new subparagraph (C): 
‘‘(C) an assessment of the effects of intimate 
partner violence on women veterans; and’’. 
SEC. 5303. ANTI-HARASSMENT AND ANTI-SEXUAL ASSAULT 
POLICY OF DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AF-
FAIRS. 
(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:
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† HR 7105 EAS 
‘‘§ 533. Anti-harassment and anti-sexual assault pol-
icy 
‘‘(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—(1) The Secretary, acting 
through the Office of Assault and Prevention of the Veterans 
Health Administration, shall establish a comprehensive pol-
icy to end harassment and sexual assault, including sexual 
harassment and gender-based harassment, throughout the 
Department. 
‘‘(2) The policy required by paragraph (1) shall in-
clude the following: 
‘‘(A) A process for employees and contractors of 
the Department to respond to reported incidents of 
harassment and sexual assault committed by any 
non-Department individual within a facility of the 
Department, including with respect to accountability 
or disciplinary measures. 
‘‘(B) A process for employees and contractors of 
the Department to respond to reported incidents of 
harassment and sexual assault of any non-Depart-
ment individual within a facility of the Department. 
‘‘(C) A process for any non-Department indi-
vidual to report harassment and sexual assault de-
scribed in subparagraph (A), including an option for 
confidential reporting, and for the Secretary to re-
spond to and address such reports.
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† HR 7105 EAS 
‘‘(D) Clear mechanisms for non-Department in-
dividuals to readily identify to whom and how to re-
port incidents of harassment and sexual assault com-
mitted by another non-Department individual. 
‘‘(E) Clear mechanisms for employees and con-
tractors of the Department to readily identify to 
whom and how to report incidents of harassment and 
sexual assault and how to refer non-Department indi-
viduals with respect to reporting an incident of har-
assment or sexual assault. 
‘‘(F) A process for, and mandatory reporting re-
quirement applicable to, any employee or contractor 
of the Department who witnesses harassment or sex-
ual assault described in subparagraph (A) or (B) 
within a facility of the Department, regardless of 
whether the individual affected by such harassment or 
sexual assault wants to report such harassment or 
sexual assault. 
‘‘(G) The actions possible, including disciplinary 
actions, for employees or contractors of the Depart-
ment who fail to report incidents of harassment and 
sexual assault described in subparagraph (A) or (B) 
that the employees or contractors witness. 
‘‘(H) On an annual or more frequent basis, 
mandatory training for employees and contractors of
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† HR 7105 EAS 
the Department regarding how to report and address 
harassment and sexual assault described in subpara-
graphs (A) and (B), including bystander intervention 
training. 
‘‘(I) On an annual or more frequent basis, the 
distribution of the policy under this subsection and 
anti-harassment and anti-sexual assault educational 
materials by mail or email to each individual receiv-
ing a benefit under a law administered by the Sec-
retary. 
‘‘(J) The prominent display of anti-harassment 
and anti-sexual assault messages in each facility of 
the Department, including how non-Department indi-
viduals may report harassment and sexual assault de-
scribed in subparagraphs (A) and (B) at such facility 
and the points of contact under subsection (b). 
‘‘(K) The posting on internet websites of the De-
partment, including the main internet website regard-
ing benefits of the Department and the main internet 
website regarding health care of the Department, of 
anti-harassment and anti-sexual assault banners spe-
cifically addressing harassment and sexual assault de-
scribed in subparagraphs (A) and (B). 
‘‘(b) POINTS OF CONTACT.—The Secretary shall des-
ignate, as a point of contact to receive reports of harassment
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† HR 7105 EAS 
‘‘(A) a remediation plan for facilities that expe-
rience five or more incidents of sexual harassment, 
sexual assault, or combination thereof, during any 
single fiscal year; and 
‘‘(B) taking appropriate actions under chapter 7 
or subchapter V of chapter 74 of this title. 
‘‘(d) DATA.—The Secretary shall ensure that the in- 
take process for veterans at medical facilities of the Depart-
ment includes a survey to collect the following information: 
‘‘(1) Whether the veteran feels safe at the facility 
and whether any events occurred at the facility that 
affect such feeling. 
‘‘(2) Whether the veteran wants to be contacted 
later by the Department with respect to such safety 
issues. 
‘‘(e) WORKING GROUP.—(1) The Secretary shall estab-
lish a working group to assist the Secretary in imple-
menting policies to carry out this section. 
‘‘(2) The working group established under paragraph 
(1) shall consist of representatives from— 
‘‘(A) veterans service organizations; 
‘‘(B) State, local, and Tribal veterans agencies; 
and 
‘‘(C) other persons the Secretary determines ap-
propriate.
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† HR 7105 EAS 
‘‘(3) The working group established under paragraph 
(1) shall develop, and the Secretary shall carry out— 
‘‘(A) an action plan for addressing changes at 
the local level to reduce instances of harassment and 
sexual assault; 
‘‘(B) standardized media for veterans service or-
ganizations and other persons to use in print and on 
the internet with respect to reducing harassment and 
sexual assault; and 
‘‘(C) bystander intervention training for vet-
erans. 
‘‘(4) The working group established under paragraph 
(1) shall not be subject to the requirements of the Federal 
Advisory Committee Act (5 U.S.C. App.). 
‘‘(f) ANNUAL REPORTS.—(1) The Secretary shall sub-
mit to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the Senate and 
the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the House of Rep-
resentatives an annual report on harassment and sexual as-
sault described in subparagraphs (A) and (B) of subsection 
(a)(2) in facilities of the Department. 
‘‘(2) Each report submitted under paragraph (1) shall 
include the following: 
‘‘(A) Results of harassment and sexual assault 
programming, including the End Harassment pro-
gram.
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† HR 7105 EAS 
‘‘(B) Results of studies from the Women’s Health 
Practice-Based Research Network of the Department 
relating to harassment and sexual assault. 
‘‘(C) Data collected on incidents of sexual har-
assment and sexual assault. 
‘‘(D) A description of any actions taken by the 
Secretary during the year preceding the date of the 
report to stop harassment and sexual assault at facili-
ties of the Department. 
‘‘(E) An assessment of the implementation of the 
training required in subsection (a)(2)(H). 
‘‘(F) A list of resources the Secretary determines 
necessary to prevent harassment and sexual assault at 
facilities of the Department. 
‘‘(g) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
‘‘(1) The term ‘non-Department individual’ 
means any individual present at a facility of the De-
partment who is not an employee or contractor of the 
Department. 
‘‘(2) The term ‘sexual harassment’ means unso-
licited verbal or physical contact of a sexual nature 
which is threatening in character.’’. 
(b) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sections at 
the beginning of such chapter is amended by adding after 
the item relating to section 532 the following new item: 
‘‘533. Anti-harassment and anti-sexual assault policy.’’.
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† HR 7105 EAS 
(c) DEFINITION OF SEXUAL HARASSMENT.—Section 
1720D(f) of such title is amended by striking ‘‘repeated,’’. 
(d) DEADLINE.—The Secretary shall commence car-
rying out section 533 of such title, as added by subsection 
(a), not later than 180 days after the date of enactment 
of this Act. 
SEC. 5304. PILOT PROGRAM ON ASSISTING VETERANS WHO 
EXPERIENCE INTIMATE PARTNER VIOLENCE 
OR SEXUAL ASSAULT. 
(a) PILOT PROGRAM REQUIRED.—The Secretary of 
Veterans Affairs shall carry out a pilot program to assess 
the feasibility and advisability of assisting former members 
of the Armed Forces who have experienced or are experi-
encing intimate partner violence or sexual assault in access-
ing benefits from the Department of Veterans Affairs, in-
cluding coordinating access to medical treatment centers, 
housing assistance, and other benefits from the Department. 
(b) DURATION.—The Secretary shall carry out the 
pilot program under subsection (a) during the two-year pe-
riod beginning on the date of the commencement of the pilot 
program. 
(c) COLLABORATION.—The Secretary shall carry out 
the pilot program under subsection (a) in collaboration 
with—
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† HR 7105 EAS 
(1) intimate partner violence shelters and pro-
grams; 
(2) rape crisis centers; 
(3) State intimate partner violence and sexual 
assault coalitions; and 
(4) such other health care or other service pro-
viders that serve intimate partner violence or sexual 
assault victims as determined by the Secretary, par-
ticularly those providing emergency services or hous-
ing assistance. 
(d) AUTHORIZED ACTIVITIES.—In carrying out the 
pilot program under subsection (a), the Secretary may con-
duct the following activities: 
(1) Training for community-based intimate 
partner violence or sexual assault service providers 
on— 
(A) identifying former members of the 
Armed Forces who have been victims of, or are 
currently experiencing, intimate partner violence 
or sexual assault; 
(B) coordinating with local service pro-
viders of the Department; and 
(C) connecting former members of the 
Armed Forces with appropriate housing, mental
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† HR 7105 EAS 
health, medical, and other financial assistance or 
benefits from the Department. 
(2) Assistance to service providers to ensure ac-
cess of veterans to intimate partner violence and sex-
ual assault emergency services, particularly in under-
served areas, including services for Native American 
veterans (as defined in section 3765 of title 38, 
United States Code). 
(3) Such other outreach and assistance as the 
Secretary determines necessary for the provision of 
assistance under subsection (a). 
(e) INTIMATE PARTNER VIOLENCE AND SEXUAL AS-
SAULT OUTREACH COORDINATORS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—In order to effectively assist 
veterans who have experienced intimate partner vio-
lence or sexual assault, the Secretary may establish 
local coordinators to provide outreach under the pilot 
program required by subsection (a). 
(2) LOCAL
COORDINATOR
KNOWLEDGE.—The 
Secretary shall ensure that each coordinator estab-
lished under paragraph (1) is knowledgeable about— 
(A) the dynamics of intimate partner vio-
lence and sexual assault, including safety con-
cerns, legal protections, and the need for the pro-
vision of confidential services;
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(B) the eligibility of veterans for services 
and benefits from the Department that are rel-
evant to recovery from intimate partner violence 
and sexual assault, particularly emergency hous-
ing assistance, mental health care, other health 
care, and disability benefits; and 
(C) local community resources addressing 
intimate partner violence and sexual assault. 
(3) LOCAL COORDINATOR ASSISTANCE.—Each co-
ordinator established under paragraph (1) shall assist 
intimate partner violence shelters and rape crisis cen-
ters in providing services to veterans. 
(f) REPORT.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 180 days after 
the completion of the pilot program under subsection 
(a), the Secretary shall submit to Congress a report 
on the pilot program. 
(2) CONTENTS.—The report required by para-
graph (1) shall include the following: 
(A) The findings and conclusions of the Sec-
retary with respect to the pilot program. 
(B) Such recommendations for continuing 
or expanding the pilot program as the Secretary 
considers appropriate. 
(g) DEFINITIONS.—In this section:
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(1) INTIMATE PARTNER.— 
(A) IN
GENERAL.—The term ‘‘intimate 
partner’’ means a person with whom one has a 
close personal relationship that may be charac-
terized by the partners’ emotional connectedness, 
regular contact, ongoing physical contact and 
sexual behavior, identity as a couple, and famili-
arity and knowledge about each other’s lives. 
(B) CLOSE PERSONAL RELATIONSHIPS.—In 
this paragraph, the term ‘‘close personal rela-
tionships’’ includes the following: 
(i) A relationship between married 
spouses. 
(ii) A relationship between common- 
law spouses. 
(iii) A relationship between civil union 
spouses. 
(iv) A relationship between domestic 
partners. 
(v) A relationship between dating part-
ners. 
(vi) A relationship between ongoing 
sexual partners. 
(2) INTIMATE
PARTNER
VIOLENCE.—The term 
‘‘intimate partner violence’’ includes physical vio-
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lence, sexual violence, stalking, and psychological ag-
gression, including coercive tactics by a current or 
former intimate partner. 
SEC. 5305. STUDY AND TASK FORCE ON VETERANS EXPERI-
ENCING INTIMATE PARTNER VIOLENCE OR 
SEXUAL ASSAULT. 
(a) NATIONAL BASELINE STUDY.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than one year after 
the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of 
Veterans Affairs, in consultation with the Attorney 
General, shall conduct a national baseline study to 
examine the scope of the problem of intimate partner 
violence and sexual assault among veterans and 
spouses and intimate partners of veterans. 
(2) MATTERS
INCLUDED.—The study under 
paragraph (1) shall— 
(A) include a literature review of all rel-
evant research on intimate partner violence and 
sexual assault among veterans and spouses and 
intimate partners of veterans; 
(B) examine the prevalence of the experience 
of intimate partner violence among— 
(i) women veterans; 
(ii) veterans who are minority group 
members (as defined in section 544 of title
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38, United States Code, and including other 
minority populations as the Secretary de-
termines appropriate); 
(iii) urban and rural veterans; 
(iv) veterans who are enrolled in a 
program under section 1720G of title 38, 
United States Code; 
(v) veterans who are in intimate rela-
tionships with other veterans; and 
(vi) veterans who are described in more 
than one clause of this subparagraph; 
(C) examine the prevalence of the perpetra-
tion of intimate partner violence by veterans; 
and 
(D) include recommendations to address the 
findings of the study. 
(3) REPORT.—Not later than 30 days after the 
date on which the Secretary completes the study 
under paragraph (1), the Secretary shall submit to 
the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the Senate and 
the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the House of 
Representatives a report on such study. 
(b) TASK FORCE.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 90 days after 
the date on which the Secretary completes the study
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under subsection (a), the Secretary, in consultation 
with the Attorney General and the Secretary of 
Health and Human Services, shall establish a na-
tional task force (in this section referred to as the 
‘‘Task Force’’) to develop a comprehensive national 
program, including by integrating facilities, services, 
and benefits of the Department of Veterans Affairs 
into existing networks of community-based intimate 
partner violence and sexual assault services, to ad-
dress intimate partner violence and sexual assault 
among veterans. 
(2) LEADERSHIP.—The Secretary of Veterans Af-
fairs shall lead the Task Force in collaboration with 
the Attorney General and the Secretary of Health and 
Human Services. 
(c) CONSULTATION WITH STAKEHOLDERS.—In car-
rying out this section, the Task Force shall consult with— 
(1) representatives from veteran service organiza-
tions and military service organizations; 
(2) representatives from not fewer than three na-
tional organizations or State coalitions with dem-
onstrated expertise in intimate partner violence pre-
vention, response, or advocacy; and 
(3) representatives from not fewer than three na-
tional organizations or State coalitions, particularly
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those representing underserved and ethnic minority 
communities, with demonstrated expertise in sexual 
assault prevention, response, or advocacy. 
(d) DUTIES.—The duties of the Task Force shall in-
clude the following: 
(1) To review existing services and policies of the 
Department and develop a comprehensive national 
program to be carried out by the Secretary of Vet-
erans Affairs, in collaboration with the heads of rel-
evant Federal agencies, to address intimate partner 
violence and sexual assault prevention, response, and 
treatment. 
(2) To review the feasibility and advisability of 
establishing an expedited process to secure emergency, 
temporary benefits, including housing or other bene-
fits, for veterans who are experiencing intimate part-
ner violence or sexual assault. 
(3) To review and make recommendations re-
garding the feasibility and advisability of establishing 
dedicated, temporary housing assistance for veterans 
experiencing intimate partner violence or sexual as-
sault. 
(4) To identify any requirements regarding inti-
mate partner violence assistance or sexual assault re-
sponse and services that are not being met by the De-