Veterans and Family Information Act
Bill: H.R.2093 | Sponsor: Rep. Jeffries, Hakeem S. (D-NY)
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security

Summary:
Veterans and Family Information Act
This bill requires the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to make all of its fact sheets available in English, Spanish, Tagalog, and each of the 10 most commonly spoken languages not listed. The bill also requires the VA to establish a publicly available website that provides links to all VA fact sheets. Finally, the VA must report to Congress regarding the utilization of such fact sheets as well as the details of the Language Access Plan of the VA.

[117th Congress Public Law 62]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]



[[Page 135 STAT. 1482]]

Public Law 117-62
117th Congress

                                 An Act


 
 To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to make all fact sheets of 
 the Department of Veterans Affairs available in English, Spanish, and 
      Tagalog, and other commonly spoken languages, and for other 
            purposes. <<NOTE: Nov. 22, 2021 -  [H.R. 2093]>> 

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled, <<NOTE: Veterans and 
Family Information Act. 38 USC 101 note.>> 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Veterans and Family Information 
Act''.
SEC. 2. <<NOTE: 38 USC 6303 note.>>  FACT SHEETS.

    (a) Languages.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall make 
available versions of all fact sheets of the Department of Veterans 
Affairs in--
            (1) English;
            (2) Spanish;
            (3) Tagalog; and
            (4) each of the 10 most commonly spoken languages, other 
        than English, in the United States that are not otherwise 
        covered by paragraphs (2) and (3).

    (b) Website.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall establish and 
maintain a publicly available website of the Department of Veterans 
Affairs that contains links to all fact sheets of the Veterans Benefits 
Administration, Veterans Health Administration, and of the National 
Cemetery Administration. The website shall be accessible by a clearly 
labeled hyperlink on the homepage of the Department.
    (c) Report.--Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment 
of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall submit a report to 
Congress regarding fact sheets described in subsection (a) and details 
of the Language Access Plan of the Department of Veteran Affairs. The 
report shall include the following:
            (1) <<NOTE: Determination.>>  What the Secretary determines 
        constitutes a fact sheet of the Department for purposes of this 
        Act.
            (2) How such fact sheets are utilized and distributed other 
        than on and through the website of the Department.
            (3) How such Language Access Plan is communicated to 
        veterans, family members of veterans, and caregivers.
            (4) The roles and responsibilities of patient advocates in 
        the coordination of care for veterans with limited English 
        proficiency, family members of such veterans, and caregivers.

[[Page 135 STAT. 1483]]

            (5) Other demographic information that the Secretary 
        determines appropriate regarding veterans with limited English 
        proficiency.

    Approved November 22, 2021.

LEGISLATIVE HISTORY--H.R. 2093:
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CONGRESSIONAL RECORD, Vol. 167 (2021):
            June 15, considered and passed House.
            Nov. 2, considered and passed Senate.

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