To amend title 38, United States Code, to establish the Advisory Committee on Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer Veterans.
Bill: H.R.4845 | Sponsor: Rep. Pappas, Chris (D-NH)
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security

Summary:
This bill establishes the Advisory Committee on Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer Veterans to consult with the Department of Veterans Affairs regarding the administration of benefits for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) veterans, reports and studies pertaining to LGBTQ veterans, and the needs of such veterans with respect to compensation, health care, rehabilitation, outreach, and other benefits and programs.

To amend title 38, United States Code, to establish the Advisory 
 Committee on Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer Veterans.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. ESTABLISHMENT OF ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON LESBIAN, GAY, 
              BISEXUAL, TRANSGENDER, AND QUEER VETERANS.

    (a) Establishment.--Subchapter III of chapter 5 of title 38, United 
States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new section:
``Sec. 548. Advisory Committee on Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, 
              and Queer Veterans
    ``(a) Establishment.--There is in the Department the Advisory 
Committee on Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer Veterans 
(in this section referred to as `the Committee').
    ``(b) Membership.--(1) The Committee shall consist of members 
appointed by the Secretary from the general public, including--
            ``(A) representatives of LGBTQ veterans;
            ``(B) individuals who are recognized authorities in fields 
        pertinent to the needs of LGBTQ veterans, including the 
        specific health-care needs of LGBTQ veterans;
            ``(C) representatives of LGBTQ veterans with service-
        connected disabilities, including at least one lesbian, gay, or 
        bisexual veteran with a service-connected disability, and at 
        least one transgender veteran with a service-connected 
        disability;
            ``(D) veterans who are minority group members, as defined 
        in section 544 of this title; and
            ``(E) LGBTQ veterans who are recently separated from 
        service in the Armed Forces, including veterans who were 
        involuntarily separated from the Armed Forces due to being 
        LGBTQ.
    ``(2) The Committee shall include, as ex officio members--
            ``(A) the Secretary of Labor (or the designee of the 
        Secretary of Labor after consultation with the Assistant 
        Secretary of Labor for Veterans' Employment);
            ``(B) the Secretary of Defense (or the designee of the 
        Secretary of Defense);
            ``(C) the Under Secretary for Health (or the designee of 
        such Under Secretary); and
            ``(D) the Under Secretary for Benefits (or the designee of 
        such Under Secretary).
    ``(3) The Secretary may invite representatives of other Federal 
departments and agencies to participate in the meetings and other 
activities of the Committee.
    ``(4) The Secretary shall determine the number, terms of service, 
and pay and allowances of members of the Committee appointed by the 
Secretary, except that a term of service of any such member may not 
exceed three years. The Secretary may reappoint any such member for 
additional terms of service.
    ``(5) The Committee shall meet as often as the Secretary determines 
necessary or appropriate, but not less often than twice each fiscal 
year.
    ``(c) Consultation.--The Secretary shall consult regularly with and 
seek the advice of the Committee with respect to the administration of 
benefits by the Secretary for LGBTQ veterans, reports and studies 
pertaining to LGBTQ veterans and the needs of LGBTQ veterans with 
respect to compensation, health care, rehabilitation, outreach, and 
other benefits and programs administered by the Secretary, including 
the Center for Women Veterans and Center for Minority Veterans.
    ``(d) Reporting.--(1) Not later than July 1 of each even-numbered 
year, the Committee shall submit to the Secretary a report on the 
programs and activities of the Department that pertain to LGBTQ 
veterans. Each such report shall include--
            ``(A) an assessment of the needs of LGBTQ veterans with 
        respect to compensation, health care, rehabilitation, outreach, 
        and other benefits and programs administered by the Secretary;
            ``(B) a review of the programs and activities of the 
        Department designed to meet such needs; and
            ``(C) such recommendations (including recommendations for 
        administrative and legislative action) as the Committee 
        determines appropriate.
    ``(2) The Secretary shall, not later than 60 days after receiving 
each report under paragraph (1), submit to the Congress a copy of the 
report, together with any comments concerning the report that the 
Secretary determines appropriate.
    ``(3) The Committee may also submit to the Secretary such other 
reports and recommendations the Committee determines appropriate.
    ``(4) The Secretary shall submit, with each annual report submitted 
to Congress pursuant to section 529 of this title, a summary of all 
reports and recommendations of the Committee received by the Secretary 
since the previous such annual report.
    ``(e) LGBTQ Defined.--In this section, the term `LGBTQ' means 
lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or queer.''.
    (b) Clerical Amendment.--The table of sections at the beginning of 
such chapter is amended by adding after the item relating to section 
547 the following new item:

``548. Advisory Committee on Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and 
                            Queer Veterans.''.
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