Title: Sergeant Daniel Somers Network of Support Act
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security

Summary:
Sergeant Daniel Somers Network of Support Act
This bill provides a means of disseminating information to personal contacts of Armed Forces members about the experiences and challenges of military service. Specifically, it requires the Department of Defense (DOD) to seek an agreement with the American Red Cross for the conduct of a pilot program to encourage new Armed Forces members to designate up to 15 persons with whom certain information regarding their military service would be shared. This includes information concerning aspects of daily life in the military and its challenges, particularly during and after deployment in a contingency operation; availability of services to help members and dependents to cope with experiences; and benefits provided by DOD.
The bill provides privacy protections and mechanisms to modify the contact information or opt out of the program.

[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 2727 Introduced in House (IH)]

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116th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 2727

To establish a pilot program to improve information sharing between the 
 Department of Defense and designated relatives and friends of members 
    of the Armed Forces regarding the experiences and challenges of 
 military service, particularly during and after overseas deployments, 
                        and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                              May 14, 2019

   Mr. Peters (for himself, Mr. Banks, and Mrs. Davis of California) 
 introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on 
 Armed Services, and in addition to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, 
for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case 
for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of 
                        the committee concerned

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To establish a pilot program to improve information sharing between the 
 Department of Defense and designated relatives and friends of members 
    of the Armed Forces regarding the experiences and challenges of 
 military service, particularly during and after overseas deployments, 
                        and for other purposes.

    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 ``Sergeant Daniel Somers Network of 
Support Act''.

SEC. 2. PILOT PROGRAM TO IMPROVE INFORMATION SHARING BETWEEN DEPARTMENT 
              OF DEFENSE AND DESIGNATED RELATIVES AND FRIENDS OF 
              MEMBERS OF THE ARMED FORCES REGARDING THE EXPERIENCES AND 
              CHALLENGES OF MILITARY SERVICE.

    (a) Pilot Program Described.--
            (1) Purpose.--Not later than one year after the date of the 
        enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall seek to 
        enter into an agreement with the American Red Cross to carry 
        out a pilot program under which--
                    (A) the American Red Cross--
                            (i) encourages a member of the Armed 
                        Forces, upon the enlistment or appointment of 
                        such member, to designate up to 15 persons to 
                        whom information regarding the military service 
                        of such member shall be disseminated using 
                        contact information obtained under paragraph 
                        (5); and
                            (ii) provides such persons, within 30 days 
                        after the date on which such persons were 
                        designated under clause (i), the option to 
                        elect to receive such information regarding 
                        military service; and
                    (B) the Secretary of Defense disseminates, not less 
                frequently than quarterly, such information to such 
                persons who elect to receive such information under 
                subparagraph (A)(ii).
            (2) Types of information.--The types of information to be 
        disseminated by the Secretary of Defense to persons who elect 
        to receive information under the pilot program shall include 
        information regarding--
                    (A) aspects of daily life and routine experienced 
                by members of the Armed Forces;
                    (B) the challenges and stresses of military 
                service, particularly during and after deployment as 
                part of a contingency operation;
                    (C) the services available to members of the Armed 
                Forces and the dependents of such members to cope with 
                the experiences and challenges of military service;
                    (D) benefits administered by the Secretary of 
                Defense for members of the Armed Forces and the 
                dependents of such members;
                    (E) a toll-free telephone number through which such 
                persons who elect to receive information under the 
                pilot program may request information regarding the 
                program; and
                    (F) such other information as the Secretary of 
                Defense, in consultation with members of the Armed 
                Forces and such persons who elect to receive 
                information under the pilot program, determines to be 
                appropriate.
            (3) Privacy of information.--In carrying out the pilot 
        program under paragraph (1), the Secretary of Defense may not 
        disseminate information under paragraph (2) in violation of 
        laws and regulations pertaining to the privacy of members of 
        the Armed Forces, including requirements pursuant to--
                    (A) section 552a of title 5, United States Code; 
                and
                    (B) the Health Insurance Portability and 
                Accountability Act of 1996 (Public Law 104-191).
            (4) Notice and modifications.--In carrying out the pilot 
        program under paragraph (1), the Secretary of Defense shall, 
        with respect to a member of the Armed Forces--
                    (A) ensure that such member is notified of the 
                ability to modify designations made by the member under 
                paragraph (1)(A); and
                    (B) upon the request of a member, authorize the 
                member to modify such designations at any time.
            (5) Contact information.--In making a designation under the 
        pilot program, a member of the Armed Forces shall provide 
        necessary contact information, specifically including an email 
        address, to facilitate the dissemination of information 
        regarding the military service of the member.
            (6) Opt-out of program.--In carrying out the pilot program 
        under paragraph (1), the Secretary of Defense shall, with 
        respect to a person who has elected to receive information 
        under such pilot program, cease disseminating such information 
        to that person upon request of such person.
    (b) Survey and Report on Pilot Program.--
            (1) Survey.--Not later than two years after the date on 
        which the pilot program commences, the Secretary of Defense, in 
        consultation with the American Red Cross, shall administer a 
        survey to persons who elected to receive information under the 
        pilot program, for the purpose of receiving feedback regarding 
        the quality of information disseminated under this section, 
        including whether such information appropriately reflects the 
        military career progression of members of the Armed Forces.
            (2) Report.--Not later than three years after the date on 
        which the pilot program commences, the Secretary of Defense 
        shall submit to the congressional defense committees a report 
        on the pilot program which includes--
                    (A) the results of the survey administered under 
                paragraph (1);
                    (B) a determination as to whether the pilot program 
                should be made permanent; and
                    (C) recommendations as to modifications necessary 
                to improve the program if made permanent.
            (3) Congressional defense committees defined.--The term 
        ``congressional defense committees'' has the meaning given that 
        term in section 101 of title 10, United States Code.
    (c) Termination of Pilot Program.--The pilot program shall 
terminate upon submission of the report required by subsection (b)(2).
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