Title: Veterans Collaboration Act
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security

Summary:
Veterans Collaboration Act
This bill directs the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to carry out a two-year pilot program in states with the highest veteran populations to promote collaboration between the VA and nonprofit organizations and institutions of higher learning.
The VA shall emphasize collaboration with: (1) veterans service organizations that provide personnel with appropriate credentials to assist veterans in filing disability compensation claims and appeals with the VA, and (2) educational institutions that provide veterans with pro bono legal assistance.

[Congressional Bills 115th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 1798 Introduced in House (IH)]

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115th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 1798

   To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to carry out a pilot 
 program to promote and encourage collaboration between the Department 
  of Veterans Affairs and nonprofit organizations and institutions of 
  higher learning that provide administrative assistance to veterans.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             March 29, 2017

   Mr. Wittman (for himself, Ms. Shea-Porter, and Mr. Ryan of Ohio) 
 introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on 
                           Veterans' Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
   To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to carry out a pilot 
 program to promote and encourage collaboration between the Department 
  of Veterans Affairs and nonprofit organizations and institutions of 
  higher learning that provide administrative assistance to veterans.

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

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Veterans Collaboration Act''.

SEC. 2. PILOT PROGRAM ON COLLABORATION WITH NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS.

    (a) In General.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall carry out 
a two-year pilot program to promote and encourage collaboration between 
the Department of Veterans Affairs and nonprofit organizations and 
institutions of higher learning. In carrying out the pilot program, the 
Secretary shall emphasize collaboration with--
            (1) veterans service organizations that provide personnel 
        with appropriate credentials to assist veterans in filing 
        claims and appeals with the Department for disability 
        compensation; and
            (2) educational institutions that provide pro bono legal 
        assistance to veterans.
    (b) Metrics.--The Secretary shall establish metrics to determine 
which organizations and institutions provide the best service to 
veterans and seek to encourage such organizations and institutions to 
participate in the pilot program.
    (c) Location.--The Secretary shall carry out the pilot program in 
States with the highest veteran populations, as determined by the 
Secretary.
    (d) Use of Social Media.--In carrying out the pilot program, the 
Secretary shall use social media to promote the collaboration efforts 
carried out under the pilot program and to notify veterans of such 
collaborations. Quarterly reports will be provided to members of the 
Veterans' Affairs Committee that document the reach of the social media 
efforts and the number of veterans who use the program.
    (e) Reports.--Not later than 30 days after the end of a fiscal 
quarter, the Secretary shall submit to the Committees on Veterans' 
Affairs of the Senate and the House of Representatives a report on the 
pilot program, including the use of social media under subsection (d) 
and the number of veterans who receive administrative assistance from 
organizations and institutions through the program.
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