In this task, you are given text for US Congressional and California state bills, your task is to generate a summary for this bill.

Ex Input:
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Puppies Assisting Wounded 
Servicemembers Act of 2017'' or the ``PAWS Act of 2017''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    Congress makes the following findings:
            (1) According to the analysis of veteran suicide published 
        by the Department of Veterans Affairs in August 2016 and titled 
        ``Suicide Among Veterans and Other Americans''--
                    (A) an average of 20 veterans died by suicide each 
                day in 2014;
                    (B) mental health disorders, including major 
                depression and other mood disorders, have been 
                associated with increased risk for suicide;
                    (C) since 2001, the proportion of users of the 
                Veterans Health Administration with mental health 
                conditions or substance use disorders has increased 
                from approximately 27 percent in 2001 to more than 40 
                percent in 2014; and
                    (D) overall, suicide rates are highest among 
                patients with mental health and substance use disorder 
                diagnoses who are in treatment and lower among those 
                who received a mental health diagnoses but were not at 
                risk enough to require enhanced care from a mental 
                health provider.
            (2) The Department of Veterans Affairs must be more 
        effective in its approach to reducing the burden of veteran 
        suicide connected to mental health disorders, including post-
        traumatic stress disorder, and a pilot program and study to 
        assess the benefits of pairing service dogs with veterans 
        suffering from mental health disorders would allow the 
        Department to better determine the efficacy of using service 
        dogs as a nontraditional therapy to ensure the well-being of 
        veterans.
            (3) Pairing a service dog with a veteran costs 
        approximately $25,000, including with respect to training of 
        the service dog as well as training of the veteran with the 
        service dog.

SEC. 3. DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS PILOT PROGRAM TO PROVIDE GRANTS 
              FOR THE PROVISION OF SERVICE DOGS TO CERTAIN VETERANS 
              WITH SEVERE POST-TRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER.

    (a) Grants.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall carry out a 
pilot program under which the Secretary provides a $25,000 grant to an 
eligible organization for each veteran referred to that organization 
for a service dog pairing.
    (b) Benefits Provided.--
            (1) In general.--An organization that receives a grant 
        under subsection (a) shall provide the following for each 
        service dog and veteran participating in the pilot program:
                    (A) Coverage of a commercially available veterinary 
                health insurance policy to maintain the health of the 
                dog and keep the dog functioning in the prescribed role 
                for the life of the dog.
                    (B) Hardware, or repairs or replacements for 
                hardware, that are clinically determined to be required 
                by the dog to perform the tasks necessary to assist the 
                veteran with the diagnosed disorder of the veteran.
                    (C) Payments for travel expenses for the veteran to 
                obtain the dog, calculated in the same manner as 
                similar travel expenses provided pursuant to section 
                111 of title 38, United States Code.
            (2) Other travel expenses.--If a veteran is required to 
        replace a service dog provided pursuant to a grant under this 
        section, the Secretary shall pay for the travel expenses 
        described in paragraph (1)(C) required to obtain a new service 
        dog pursuant to subsection (c)(3), regardless of any other 
        benefits the veteran is receiving for the first service dog 
        under this section.
    (c) Eligible Organizations.--To be eligible to receive a grant 
under this section, an organization shall--
            (1) be a nonprofit organization that provides trained 
        service dogs--
                    (A) that--
                            (i) is certified by Assistance Dogs 
                        International;
                            (ii) on average, provides one-on-one 
                        training for each service dog and recipient for 
                        30 hours or more over 90 days or more;
                            (iii) provides a wellness verification from 
                        a licensed veterinarian for each service dog;
                            (iv) provides an in-house residential 
                        facility, or other accommodations nearby, in 
                        which service dog recipients stay for a minimum 
                        of 10 days while receiving at least 30 hours of 
                        training with their new service dog;
                            (v) ensures all service dogs pass the 
                        American Kennel Club Community Canine test and 
                        the ADI Public Access Test prior to permanent 
                        placement with a recipient; and
                            (vi) provides follow-up support service for 
                        the life of the service dog, to include a 
                        contact plan between the veteran and 
                        organization to allow--
                                    (I) the veteran to reach out for 
                                and receive adequate help with the 
                                service dog; and
                                    (II) the organization to 
                                communicate with the veteran to ensure 
                                that the service dog is being properly 
                                cared for; or
                    (B) that meets the Association of Service Dog 
                Providers for Military Veterans Service Dog Agency 
                Standards that cater to the unique needs of veterans 
                with post-traumatic stress disorder;
            (2) agree to cover all costs in excess of the grant amount 
        to guarantee the benefits listed under subsection (b)(1);
            (3) agree to reaccept or replace the service dog the 
        organization provided to the veteran, if necessary, as 
        determined by the organization and the veteran; and
            (4) submit to the Secretary an application containing such 
        information, certification, and assurances as the Secretary may 
        require.
    (d) Eligible Veterans.--
            (1) In general.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall 
        review and approve veterans eligible to participate under this 
        section and shall refer approved veterans to eligible 
        organizations. The period beginning on the date on which a 
        veteran applies to participate under this section and the date 
        on which the Secretary makes an approval determination may not 
        exceed 90 days.
            (2) Initial eligibility.--For purposes of this section, an 
        eligible veteran is a veteran who is enrolled in the patient 
        enrollment system of the Department of Veterans Affairs under 
        section 1705 of title 38, United States Code, and--
                    (A) has been treated and has completed an 
                established evidence-based treatment for post-traumatic 
                stress disorder yet remains diagnosed with post-
                traumatic stress disorder by a qualified health care 
                provider as rated on the post-traumatic stress disorder 
                checklist (PCL-5);
                    (B) the health care provider or clinical team of 
                the Department of Veterans Affairs that is treating the 
                veteran for such disorder determines based upon medical 
                judgment that the veteran may potentially benefit from 
                a service dog; and
                    (C) agrees to successfully complete training 
                provided by an eligible organization pursuant to 
                subsection (c).
            (3) Ongoing eligibility.--To remain eligible to participate 
        in the pilot program, a veteran shall see the health care 
        provider or clinical team of the Department of Veterans Affairs 
        treating the veteran for such a disorder at least every six 
        months to determine, based on a clinical evaluation of 
        efficacy, whether the veteran continues to benefit from a 
        service dog.
            (4) Other cases.--If at any point, the veteran is no longer 
        able or willing to care for the service dog, the organization 
        that provided the service dog and the veteran shall determine 
        the appropriate recourse to ensure the safety of both the 
        veteran and the service dog.
    (e) Relationship to Department of Veterans Affairs Benefits.--The 
provision of a service dog to a veteran under this section is in 
addition to any other hospital care or medical service furnished by the 
Department for that veteran for post-traumatic stress disorder, and an 
improvement in symptoms as a result of the provision of a service dog 
shall not affect the eligibility of the veteran for any other benefit 
under the laws administered by the Secretary.
    (f) Metrics.--In carrying out this section, the Secretary shall--
            (1) develop metrics and other appropriate means to measure, 
        with respect to veterans participating in the pilot program, 
        the improvement in psychosocial function and therapeutic 
        compliance of such veterans and changes with respect to the 
        dependence on prescription narcotics and psychotropic 
        medication of such veterans; and
            (2) establish processes to document and track the progress 
        of such veterans under the pilot program in terms of the 
        benefits and improvements noted as a result of the pilot 
        program.
    (g) GAO Briefing and Study.--
            (1) Briefing.--Not later than one year after the date on 
        which the Secretary commences the pilot program under 
        subsection (a), the Comptroller General of the United States 
        shall provide to the Committees on Veterans' Affairs of the 
        House of Representatives and the Senate a briefing on the 
        methodology established for the pilot program.
            (2) Report.--Not later than 270 days after the date on 
        which the pilot program terminates, the Comptroller General 
        shall submit to the committees specified in paragraph (1) a 
        report on the pilot program. Such report shall include an 
        evaluation of the approach and methodology used for the pilot 
        program with respect to--
                    (A) helping veterans with severe post-traumatic 
                stress disorder return to civilian life;
                    (B) relevant metrics, including reduction in 
                metrics such as reduction in scores under the post-
                traumatic stress disorder checklist (PCL-5), 
                improvement in psychosocial function, and therapeutic 
                compliance; and
                    (C) reducing the dependence of participants on 
                prescription narcotics and psychotropic medication.
    (h) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be 
appropriated for the period of fiscal year 2018 through fiscal year 
2023, $10,000,000 to carry out the pilot program under this section.
    (i) Offset.--The amounts otherwise authorized to be appropriated 
for Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Human Resources and 
Administration for the period of fiscal year 2018 through fiscal year 
2023 shall be reduced by $10,000,000.
    (j) Termination.--The authority to carry out a pilot program under 
this section shall terminate on the date that is five years after the 
date of the enactment of this Act. An eligible veteran in possession of 
a service dog furnished under the pilot program as of the termination 
of the pilot program may keep the service dog after the termination of 
the program for the life of the dog.

Ex Output:
Puppies Assisting Wounded Servicemembers Act of 2017 or the PAWS Act of 2017 This bill directs the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to carry out a five-year pilot program under which it provides grants to eligible nonprofit organizations to provide service dogs to veterans who suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder after completing other evidence-based treatment. An organization that receives a grant shall provide for each participating service dog and veteran:  coverage by a commercially available veterinary health insurance policy, hardware clinically determined to be required by the dog to perform the tasks necessary to assist the veteran, payments for travel expenses to obtain the dog, and  travel expenses required to obtain a replacement service dog.  To be eligible for a grant, an organization must: (1) agree to cover all costs in excess of the grant amount to guarantee such benefits, (2) be certified by Assistance Dogs International, (3) provide one-on-one training for each service dog and recipient for 30 hours or more over 90 days or more, and (4) provide an in-house residential facility or other accommodations nearby in which service dog recipients stay for a minimum of 10 days while receiving at least 30 hours of training.  The VA shall develop metrics to measure the improvement in psychosocial function and therapeutic compliance and changes independence on prescription narcotics and psychotropic medication of veterans participating in the program. The Government Accountability Office must report to Congress on the methodology used for the pilot program.


Ex Input:
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Secret Service Protective Privilege 
Act of 1999''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS AND PURPOSES.

    (a) Findings.--Congress makes the following findings:
            (1) The physical safety of the Nation's top elected 
        officials is a public good of transcendent importance.
            (2) By virtue of the critical importance of the Office of 
        the President, the President and those in direct line of the 
        Presidency are subject to unique and mortal jeopardy--jeopardy 
        that in turn threatens profound disruption to our system of 
        representative government and to the security and future of the 
        Nation.
            (3) The physical safety of visiting heads of foreign states 
        and foreign governments is also a matter of paramount 
        importance. The assassination of such a person while on 
        American soil could have calamitous consequences for our 
        foreign relations and national security.
            (4) Given these grave concerns, Congress has provided for 
        the Secret Service to protect the President and those in direct 
        line of the Presidency, and has directed that these officials 
        may not waive such protection. Congress has also provided for 
        the Secret Service to protect visiting heads of foreign states 
        and foreign governments.
            (5) The protective strategy of the Secret Service depends 
        critically on the ability of its personnel to maintain close 
        and unremitting physical proximity to the protectee.
            (6) Secret Service personnel must remain at the side of the 
        protectee on occasions of confidential conversations and, as a 
        result, may overhear top secret discussions, diplomatic 
        exchanges, sensitive conversations, and matters of personal 
        privacy.
            (7) The necessary level of proximity can be maintained only 
        in an atmosphere of complete trust and confidence between the 
        protectee and his or her protectors.
            (8) If a protectee has reason to doubt the confidentiality 
        of actions or conversations taken in sight or hearing of Secret 
        Service personnel, the protectee may seek to push the 
        protective envelope away or undermine it to the point at which 
        it could no longer be fully effective.
            (9) The possibility that Secret Service personnel might be 
        compelled to testify against their protectees could induce 
        foreign nations to refuse Secret Service protection in future 
        state visits, making it impossible for the Secret Service to 
        fulfill its important statutory mission of protecting the life 
        and safety of foreign dignitaries.
            (10) A privilege protecting information acquired by Secret 
        Service personnel while performing their protective function in 
        physical proximity to a protectee will preserve the security of 
        the protectee by lessening the incentive of the protectee to 
        distance Secret Service personnel in situations in which there 
        is some risk to the safety of the protectee.
            (11) Recognition of a protective function privilege for the 
        President and those in direct line of the Presidency, and for 
        visiting heads of foreign states and foreign governments, will 
        promote sufficiently important interests to outweigh the need 
        for probative evidence.
            (12) Because Secret Service personnel retain law 
        enforcement responsibility even while engaged in their 
        protective function, the privilege must be subject to a crime/
        treason exception.
    (b) Purposes.--The purposes of this Act are--
            (1) to facilitate the relationship of trust and confidence 
        between Secret Service personnel and certain protected 
        officials that is essential to the ability of the Secret 
        Service to protect these officials, and the Nation, from the 
        risk of assassination; and
            (2) to ensure that Secret Service personnel are not 
        precluded from testifying in a criminal investigation or 
        prosecution about unlawful activity committed within their view 
        or hearing.

SEC. 3. ESTABLISHMENT OF PROTECTIVE FUNCTION PRIVILEGE.

    (a) Admissibility of Information Acquired by Secret Service 
Personnel While Performing Their Protective Function.--Chapter 203 of 
title 18, United States Code, is amended by inserting after section 
3056 the following:
``Sec. 3056A. Testimony by Secret Service personnel; protective 
              function privilege
    ``(a) Definitions.--In this section:
            ``(1) Protectee.--The term `protectee' means--
                    ``(A) the President;
                    ``(B) the Vice President (or other officer next in 
                the order of succession to the Office of President);
                    ``(C) the President-elect;
                    ``(D) the Vice President-elect; and
                    ``(E) visiting heads of foreign states or foreign 
                governments who, at the time and place concerned, are 
                being provided protection by the United States Secret 
                Service.
            ``(2) Secret service personnel.--The term `Secret Service 
        personnel' means any officer or agent of the United States 
        Secret Service.
    ``(b) General Rule of Privilege.--Subject to subsection (c), 
testimony by Secret Service personnel or former Secret Service 
personnel regarding information affecting a protectee that was acquired 
during the performance of a protective function in physical proximity 
to the protectee shall not be received in evidence or otherwise 
disclosed in any trial, hearing, or other proceeding in or before any 
court, grand jury, department, officer, agency, regulatory body, or 
other authority of the United States, a State, or a political 
subdivision thereof.
    ``(c) Exceptions.--There is no privilege under this section--
            ``(1) with respect to information that, at the time the 
        information was acquired by Secret Service personnel, was 
        sufficient to provide reasonable grounds to believe that a 
        crime had been, was being, or would be committed; or
            ``(2) if the privilege is waived by the protectee or the 
        legal representative of a protectee or deceased protectee.
    ``(d) Concurrent Privileges.--The proximity of Secret Service 
personnel to a protectee engaged in a privileged communication with 
another shall not, by itself, defeat an otherwise valid claim of 
privilege.''.
    (b) Technical and Conforming Amendment.--The analysis for chapter 
203 of title 18, United States Code, is amended by inserting after the 
item relating to section 3056 the following:

``3056A. Testimony by Secret Service personnel; protective function 
                            privilege.''.

SEC. 4. APPLICATION.

    This Act and the amendments made by this Act shall apply to any 
proceeding commenced on or after the date of enactment of this Act.

Ex Output:
Secret Service Protective Privilege Act of 1999 - Amends the Federal criminal code to prohibit testimony by Secret Service personnel or former personnel regarding information affecting a protectee (defined as the President, Vice President, and specified other officials) that was acquired during the performance of a protective function in physical proximity to the protectee from being received in evidence or otherwise disclosed in any proceeding in or before any court, grand jury, department, officer, agency, regulatory body, or other authority of the United States, a State, or a political subdivision thereof. 
Makes exceptions: (1) with respect to information that, at the time it was acquired by Secret Service personnel, was sufficient to provide reasonable grounds to believe that a crime had been, was being, or would be committed; or (2) if the privilege is waived by the protectee or the legal representative of a protectee or deceased protectee. 
Specifies that the proximity of Secret Service personnel to a protectee engaged in a privileged communication with another shall not, by itself, defeat an otherwise valid claim of privilege.


Ex Input:
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Semipostal Authorization Act''.

SEC. 2. AUTHORITY TO ISSUE SEMIPOSTALS.

    (a) In General.--Chapter 4 of title 39, United States Code, is 
amended by adding at the end the following:

``Sec. 416. Authority to issue semipostals

    ``(a) Definitions.--For purposes of this section--
        ``(1) the term `semipostal' means a postage stamp which is 
    issued and sold by the Postal Service, at a premium, in order to 
    help provide funding for a cause described in subsection (b); and
        ``(2) the term `agency' means an Executive agency within the 
    meaning of section 105 of title 5.
    ``(b) Discretionary Authority.--The Postal Service is hereby 
authorized to issue and sell semipostals under this section in order to 
advance such causes as the Postal Service considers to be in the 
national public interest and appropriate.
    ``(c) Rate of Postage.--The rate of postage on a semipostal issued 
under this section shall be established by the Governors, in accordance 
with such procedures as they shall by regulation prescribe (in lieu of 
the procedures under chapter 36), except that--
        ``(1) the rate established for a semipostal under this section 
    shall be equal to the rate of postage that would otherwise 
    regularly apply, plus a differential of not to exceed 25 percent; 
    and
        ``(2) no regular rates of postage or fees for postal services 
    under chapter 36 shall be any different from what they otherwise 
    would have been if this section had not been enacted.
The use of any semipostal issued under this section shall be voluntary 
on the part of postal patrons.
    ``(d) Amounts Becoming Available.--
        ``(1) In general.--The amounts becoming available from the sale 
    of a semipostal under this section shall be transferred to the 
    appropriate agency or agencies under such arrangements as the 
    Postal Service shall by mutual agreement with each such agency 
    establish.
        ``(2) Identification of appropriate causes and agencies.--
    Decisions concerning the identification of appropriate causes and 
    agencies to receive amounts becoming available from the sale of a 
    semipostal under this section shall be made in accordance with 
    applicable regulations under subsection (e).
        ``(3) Determination of amounts.--
            ``(A) In general.--The amounts becoming available from the 
        sale of a semipostal under this section shall be determined in 
        a manner similar to that provided for under section 414(c)(2) 
        (as in effect on July 1, 2000).
            ``(B) Administrative costs.--Regulations under subsection 
        (e) shall specifically address how the costs incurred by the 
        Postal Service in carrying out this section shall be computed, 
        recovered, and kept to a minimum.
        ``(4) Other funding not to be affected.--Amounts which have or 
    may become available from the sale of a semipostal under this 
    section shall not be taken into account in any decision relating to 
    the level of appropriations or other Federal funding to be 
    furnished to an agency in any year.
        ``(5) Recovery of costs.--Before transferring to an agency in 
    accordance with paragraph (1) any amounts becoming available from 
    the sale of a semipostal over any period, the Postal Service shall 
    ensure that it has recovered the full costs incurred by the Postal 
    Service in connection with such semipostal through the end of such 
    period.
    ``(e) Regulations.--
        ``(1) In general.--Except as provided in subsection (c), the 
    Postal Service shall prescribe any regulations necessary to carry 
    out this section, including provisions relating to--
            ``(A) which office or other authority within the Postal 
        Service shall be responsible for making the decisions described 
        in subsection (d)(2);
            ``(B) what criteria and procedures shall be applied in 
        making those decisions; and
            ``(C) what limitations shall apply, if any, relating to the 
        issuance of semipostals (such as whether more than one 
        semipostal may be offered for sale at the same time).
        ``(2) Notice and comment.--Before any regulation is issued 
    under this section, a copy of the proposed regulation shall be 
    published in the Federal Register, and an opportunity shall be 
    provided for interested parties to present written and, where 
    practicable, oral comment. All regulations necessary to carry out 
    this section shall be issued not later than 30 days before the date 
    on which semipostals are first made available to the public under 
    this section.
    ``(f) Annual Reports.--
        ``(1) In general.--The Postmaster General shall include in each 
    report rendered under section 2402, with respect to any period 
    during any portion of which this section is in effect, information 
    concerning the operation of any program established under this 
    section.
        ``(2) Specific requirement.--If any semipostal ceases to be 
    offered during the period covered by such a report, the information 
    contained in that report shall also include--
            ``(A) the commencement and termination dates for the sale 
        of such semipostal;
            ``(B) the total amount that became available from the sale 
        of such semipostal; and
            ``(C) of that total amount, how much was applied toward 
        administrative costs.
    For each year before the year in which a semipostal ceases to be 
    offered, any report under this subsection shall include, with 
    respect to that semipostal (for the year covered by such report), 
    the information described in subparagraphs (B) and (C).
    ``(g) Termination.--This section shall cease to be effective at the 
end of the 10-year period beginning on the date on which semipostals 
are first made available to the public under this section.''.
    (b) Reports by Agencies.--Each agency that receives any funding in 
a year under section 416 of title 39, United States Code (as amended by 
this section) shall submit a written report under this subsection, with 
respect to such year, to the congressional committees with jurisdiction 
over the United States Postal Service. Each such report shall include--
        (1) the total amount of funding received by such agency under 
    such section 416 during the year;
        (2) an accounting of how any funds received by such agency 
    under such section 416 were allocated or otherwise used by such 
    agency in such year; and
        (3) a description of any significant advances or 
    accomplishments in such year that were funded, in whole or in part, 
    out of amounts received by such agency under such section 416.
    (c) Reports by the General Accounting Office.--
        (1) Interim report.--The General Accounting Office shall submit 
    to the President and each House of Congress an interim report on 
    the operation of the program established under section 416 of title 
    39, United States Code (as amended by this section) not later than 
    4 years after semipostals are first made available to the public 
    under such section.
        (2) Final report.--The General Accounting Office shall transmit 
    to the President and each House of Congress a final report on the 
    operation of the program established under such section 416, not 
    later than 6 months before the date on which it is scheduled to 
    expire. The final report shall contain a detailed statement of the 
    findings and conclusions of the General Accounting Office, together 
    with any recommendations it considers appropriate.
    (d) Clerical Amendment.--The table of sections for chapter 4 of 
title 39, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the 
following:
``416. Authority to issue semipostals.''.

    (e) Effective Date.--The program under section 416 of title 39, 
United States Code (as amended by this section) shall be established 
within 6 months after the date of the enactment of this Act.

SEC. 3. EXTENSION OF AUTHORITY TO ISSUE SEMIPOSTALS FOR BREAST CANCER 
              RESEARCH.

    (a) In General.--Section 414(g) of title 39, United States Code, is 
amended to read as follows:
    ``(g) This section shall cease to be effective after July 29, 2002, 
or the end of the 2-year period beginning on the date of the enactment 
of the Semipostal Authorization Act, whichever is later.''.
    (b) Reporting Requirement.--No later than 3 months and no earlier 
than 6 months before the date as of which section 414 of title 39, 
United States Code (as amended by this section) is scheduled to expire, 
the Comptroller General of the United States shall submit to the 
Congress a report on the operation of such section. Such report shall 
be in addition to the report required by section 2(b) of Public Law 
105-41, and shall address at least the same matters as were required to 
be included in that earlier report.

                               Speaker of the House of Representatives.

                            Vice President of the United States and    
                                               President of the Senate.

Ex Output:

Extends the Stamp Out Breast Cancer Authorization Act until July 29, 2002, or the end of the second year after enactment of this Act, whichever is later.