I 
108TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 3612
To amend title 38, United States Code, to improve the outreach activities 
of the Department of Veterans Affairs, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
NOVEMBER 21, 2003
Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas (for herself, Mr. FROST, Mr. BELL, 
and Mr. OWENS) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
Committee on Veterans’ Affairs 
A BILL 
To amend title 38, United States Code, to improve the 
outreach activities of the Department of Veterans Af-
fairs, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Veterans Outreach Im-
provement Act of 2003’’. 
SEC. 2. DEFINITION OF OUTREACH. 
Section 101 of title 38, United States Code, is 
amended by adding at the end the following new para-
graph:
‘‘(34) The term ‘outreach’ means the act or process 
of reaching out in a systematic manner to proactively pro-
vide information, services, and benefits counseling to vet-
erans, and to the spouses, children, and parents of vet-
erans who may be eligible to receive benefits under the 
laws administered by the Secretary, to ensure that such 
individuals are fully informed about, and assisted in apply-
ing for, any benefits and programs under such laws.’’. 
SEC. 3. AUTHORITIES AND REQUIREMENTS FOR ENHANCE-
MENT OF OUTREACH OF ACTIVITIES DEPART-
MENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Chapter 5 of title 38, United 
States Code, is amended by adding at the end the fol-
lowing new subchapter: 
‘‘SUBCHAPTER IV—OUTREACH 
‘‘§ 561. Outreach activities: funding 
‘‘(a) The Secretary shall establish a separate account 
for the funding of the outreach activities of the Depart-
ment, and shall establish within such account a separate 
subaccount for the funding of the outreach activities of 
each element of the Department specified in subsection 
(c). 
‘‘(b) In the budget justification materials submitted 
to Congress in support of the Department budget for any 
fiscal year (as submitted with the budget of the President
under section 1105(a) of title 31), the Secretary shall in-
clude a separate statement of the amount requested for 
such fiscal year for activities as follows: 
‘‘(1) For outreach activities of the Department 
in aggregate. 
‘‘(2) For outreach activities of each element of 
the Department specified in subsection (c). 
‘‘(c) The elements of the Department specified in this 
subsection are as follows: 
‘‘(1) The Veterans Health Administration. 
‘‘(2) The Veterans Benefits Administration. 
‘‘(3) The National Cemetery Administration. 
‘‘§ 562. Outreach activities: coordination of activities 
within Department 
‘‘(a) The Secretary shall establish and maintain pro-
cedures for ensuring the effective coordination of the out-
reach activities of the Department between and among the 
following: 
‘‘(1) The Office of the Secretary. 
‘‘(2) The Office of Public Affairs. 
‘‘(3) The Veterans Health Administration. 
‘‘(4) The Veterans Benefits Administration. 
‘‘(5) The National Cemetery Administration. 
‘‘(b) The Secretary shall—
‘‘(1) periodically review the procedures main-
tained under subsection (a) for the purpose of ensur-
ing that such procedures meet the requirement in 
that subsection; and 
‘‘(2) make such modifications to such proce-
dures as the Secretary considers appropriate in light 
of such review in order to better achieve that pur-
pose. 
‘‘§ 563. Outreach activities: cooperative activities 
with States; grants to States for improve-
ment of outreach 
‘‘(a) It is the purpose of this section to assist States 
in carrying out programs that offer a high probability of 
improving outreach and assistance to veterans, and to the 
spouses, children, and parents of veterans who may be eli-
gible to receive veterans’ or veterans’-related benefits, to 
ensure that such individuals are fully informed about, and 
assisted in applying for, any veterans’ and veterans’-re-
lated benefits and programs (including under State vet-
erans’ programs). 
‘‘(b) The Secretary shall ensure that outreach and as-
sistance is provided under programs referred to in sub-
section (a) in locations proximate to populations of vet-
erans and other individuals referred to in that subsection,
State, other public entities in such State, or private non-
profit organizations in such State for such purposes. 
‘‘(e) Amounts available for the Department for out-
reach in the account under section 561 of this title shall 
be available for activities under this section, including 
grants under subsection (d).’’. 
(b) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sections 
at the beginning of chapter 5 of such title is amended by 
adding at the end the following new items:
‘‘SUBCHAPTER IV—OUTREACH 
‘‘561. Outreach activities: funding. 
‘‘562. Outreach activities: coordination of activities within Department. 
‘‘563. Outreach activities: cooperative activities with States; grants to States for 
improvement of outreach.’’.
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