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

Input: Consider Input: SECTION 1. PHYSICAL EDUCATION FOR PROGRESS.

    Title X of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 
U.S.C. 8001 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following:

               ``PART L--PHYSICAL EDUCATION FOR PROGRESS

``SEC. 10999A. SHORT TITLE.

    ``This part may be cited as the `Physical Education for Progress 
Act'.

``SEC. 10999B. PURPOSE.

    ``The purpose of this part is to award grants and contracts to 
local educational agencies to enable the local educational agencies to 
initiate, expand, and improve physical education programs for all 
kindergarten through 12th grade students.

``SEC. 10999C. FINDINGS.

    ``Congress makes the following findings:
            ``(1) Physical education is essential to the development of 
        growing children.
            ``(2) Physical education helps improve the overall health 
        of children by improving their cardiovascular endurance, 
        muscular strength and power, and flexibility, and by enhancing 
        weight regulation, bone development, posture, skillful moving, 
        active lifestyle habits, and constructive use of leisure time.
            ``(3) Physical education helps improve the self esteem, 
        interpersonal relationships, responsible behavior, and 
        independence of children.
            ``(4) Children who participate in high quality daily 
        physical education programs tend to be more healthy and 
        physically fit.
            ``(5) The percentage of young people who are overweight has 
        more than doubled in the 30 years preceding 1999.
            ``(6) Low levels of activity contribute to the high 
        prevalence of obesity among children in the United States.
            ``(7) Obesity related diseases cost the United States 
        economy more than $100,000,000,000 every year.
            ``(8) Inactivity and poor diet cause at least 300,000 
        deaths a year in the United States.
            ``(9) Physically fit adults have significantly reduced risk 
        factors for heart attacks and stroke.
            ``(10) Children are not as active as they should be and 
        fewer than 1 in 4 children get 20 minutes of vigorous activity 
        every day of the week.
            ``(11) The Surgeon General's 1996 Report on Physical 
        Activity and Health, and the Centers for Disease Control and 
        Prevention, recommend daily physical education for all students 
        in kindergarten through grade 12.
            ``(12) Twelve years after Congress passed House Concurrent 
        Resolution 97, 100th Congress, agreed to December 11, 1987, 
        encouraging State and local governments and local educational 
        agencies to provide high quality daily physical education 
        programs for all children in kindergarten through grade 12, 
        little progress has been made.
            ``(13) Every student in our Nation's schools, from 
        kindergarten through grade 12, should have the opportunity to 
        participate in quality physical education. It is the unique 
        role of quality physical education programs to develop the 
        health-related fitness, physical competence, and cognitive 
        understanding about physical activity for all students so that 
        the students can adopt healthy and physically active 
        lifestyles.
            ``(14) Every student in our Nation's schools should have 
        the opportunity to achieve the goals established by Healthy 
        People 2000 and Healthy People 2010.

``SEC. 10999D. PROGRAM AUTHORIZED.

    ``The Secretary is authorized to award grants to, and enter into 
contracts with, local educational agencies to pay the Federal share of 
the costs of initiating, expanding, and improving physical education 
programs for kindergarten through grade 12 students by--
            ``(1) providing equipment and support to enable students to 
        actively participate in physical education activities;
            ``(2) developing or enhancing physical education curricula 
        to meet national goals for physical education developed by the 
        Secretary in consultation with the National Association for 
        Sport and Physical Education; and
            ``(3) providing funds for staff and teacher training and 
        education.

``SEC. 10999E. APPLICATIONS; PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS.

    ``(a) Applications.--Each local educational agency desiring a grant 
or contract under this part shall submit to the Secretary an 
application that contains a plan to initiate, expand, or improve 
physical education programs in the schools served by the agency in 
order to make progress toward meeting--
            ``(1) the goals described in subsection (b); or
            ``(2) State standards for physical education.
    ``(b) Goals.--The goals referred to in subsection (a) are as 
follows:
            ``(1) Physical education programs shall facilitate 
        achievement of the national goals for physical education 
        described in section 10999D(2), and the curriculum of the 
        programs may provide--
                    ``(A) fitness education and assessment to help 
                children understand, improve, or maintain their 
                physical well-being;
                    ``(B) instruction in a variety of motor skills and 
                physical activities designed to enhance the physical, 
                mental, and social or emotional development of every 
                child;
                    ``(C) development of cognitive concepts about motor 
                skill and physical fitness that support a lifelong 
                healthy lifestyle;
                    ``(D) opportunities to develop positive social and 
                cooperative skills through physical activity 
                participation; and
                    ``(E) instruction in healthy eating habits and good 
                nutrition.
            ``(2) Teachers of physical education shall be afforded the 
        opportunity for professional development to stay abreast of the 
        latest research, issues, and trends in the field of physical 
        education.
    ``(c) Special Rule.--For the purpose of this part, extracurricular 
activities such as team sports and Reserve Officers' Training Corps 
(ROTC) program activities shall not be considered as part of the 
curriculum of a physical education program assisted under this part.

``SEC. 10999F. PROPORTIONALITY.

    ``The Secretary shall ensure that grants awarded and contracts 
entered into under this part shall be equitably distributed between 
local educational agencies serving urban and rural areas, and between 
local educational agencies serving large and small numbers of students.

``SEC. 10999G. PRIVATE SCHOOL STUDENTS AND HOME-SCHOOLED STUDENTS.

    ``An application for funds under this part, consistent with the 
number of home-schooled children or children enrolled in private 
elementary schools, middle schools, and secondary schools located in 
the school district of a local educational agency, may provide for the 
participation of such children and their teachers in the activities 
assisted under this part.

``SEC. 10999H. REPORT REQUIRED FOR CONTINUED FUNDING.

    ``As a condition to continue to receive grant or contract funding 
after the first year of a multiyear grant or contract under this part, 
the administrator of the grant or contract for the local educational 
agency shall submit to the Secretary an annual report that describes 
the activities conducted during the preceding year and demonstrates 
that progress has been made toward achieving goals described in section 
10999E(b) or meeting State standards for physical education.

``SEC. 10999I. REPORT TO CONGRESS.

    ``The Secretary shall submit a report to Congress not later than 
June 1, 2003, that describes the programs assisted under this part, 
documents the success of such programs in improving physical fitness, 
and makes such recommendations as the Secretary determines appropriate 
for the continuation and improvement of the programs assisted under 
this part.

``SEC. 10999J. ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS.

    ``Not more than 5 percent of the grant or contract funds made 
available to a local educational agency under this part for any fiscal 
year may be used for administrative costs.

``SEC. 10999K. FEDERAL SHARE; SUPPLEMENT NOT SUPPLANT.

    ``(a) Federal Share.--The Federal share under this part may not 
exceed--
            ``(1) 90 percent of the total cost of a project for the 
        first year for which the project receives assistance under this 
        part; and
            ``(2) 75 percent of such cost for the second and each 
        subsequent such year.
    ``(b) Supplement not Supplant.--Funds made available under this 
part shall be used to supplement and not supplant other Federal, State, 
and local funds available for physical education activities.

``SEC. 10999L. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    ``There are authorized to be appropriated $30,000,000 for fiscal 
year 2000, $70,000,000 for fiscal year 2001, and $100,000,000 for each 
of the fiscal years 2002 through 2004, to carry out this part. Such 
funds shall remain available until expended.''.

Output: Requires such grants and contracts to be used for: (1) providing equipment and support to enable students to actively participate in physical education activities; (2) developing or enhancing physical education curricula to meet national goals developed by the Secretary; and (3) providing funds for staff and teacher training and education.
Requires LEA assistance applications for such assistance to contain plans for helping school physical education programs make progress toward meeting State standards for physical education or specified goals. Prohibits extracurricular activities such as team sports and Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC) program activities from consideration as part of the curriculum of a physical education program assisted under this Act.
Authorizes appropriations.


Input: Consider Input: SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Independent Ethics Commission Act of 
2007''.

SEC. 2. ESTABLISHMENT OF INDEPENDENT ETHICS COMMISSION.

    (a) Establishment.--There is established an independent ethics 
commission within the House of Representatives to be known as the 
Independent Ethics Committee (in this Act referred to as the 
``Commission'').
    (b) Membership and Terms of Office.--(1) The Commission shall 
consist of 9 commissioners, 4 appointed by the Speaker and 4 by the 
minority leader of the House, and one selected by the affirmative vote 
of two-thirds of the 8 appointed commissioners for a term of 5 years. 
No commissioner may serve for more than 5 years.
    (2) Commissioners shall be appointed for terms of 5 years, except 
that of the commissioners first appointed, 2 appointed by the Speaker 
and 2 by the minority leader shall be for 3-year terms and 2 appointed 
by the Speaker and 2 by the minority leader shall be for 4-year terms 
as designated by the Speaker and the minority leader at the time of 
appointment.
    (c) Qualifications.--Only former Federal judges shall be eligible 
for appointment to the Commission.
            (1) Disqualifications for appointments.--
                    (A) Lobbying.--No individual who has been a 
                lobbyist registered under the Lobbying Disclosure Act 
                of 1995 or engages in, or is otherwise employed in, 
                lobbying of the Congress or who is an agent of a 
                foreign principal registered under the Foreign Agents 
                Registration Act within the 4-year period immediately 
                preceding appointment shall be eligible for appointment 
                to, or service on, the Commission.
                    (B) Incompatible office.--No member of the 
                Commission appointed under subsection (b) may be a 
                Member of the House of Representatives or Senator.
            (2) Vacancies.--A vacancy on the Commission shall be filled 
        in the manner in which the original appointment was made.
    (d) Compensation.--Members shall each be entitled to receive the 
daily equivalent of the maximum annual rate of basic pay in effect for 
Level III of the Executive Schedule for each day (including travel 
time) during which they are engaged in the actual performance of duties 
vested in the Commission.
    (e) Quorum.--A majority of the members of the Commission shall 
constitute a quorum.
    (f) Meetings.--The Commission shall meet at the call a majority of 
its members.

SEC. 3. DUTIES OF COMMISSION.

    (a) Duties.--The Commission is authorized--
            (1) to receive, monitor, and oversee financial disclosure 
        and other reports filed by Members of the House and officers 
        and employees of the House under the Ethics in Government Act 
        of 1978, and reports filed by registered lobbyists under the 
        Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995;
            (2) to investigate any alleged violation, by a Member, 
        officer, or employee of the House of Representatives, of any 
        rule or other standard of conduct applicable to the conduct of 
        such Member, officer, or employee under House rules in the 
        performance of his duties or the discharge of his 
        responsibilities;
            (3) to present a case of probable ethics violations to the 
        Committee on Standards of Official Conduct of the House of 
        Representatives;
            (4) to make recommendations to the Committee on Standards 
        of Official Conduct of the House of Representatives that it 
        report to the appropriate Federal or State authorities any 
        substantial evidence of a violation by a Member, officer, or 
        employee of the House of Representatives of any law applicable 
        to the performance of his duties or the discharge of his 
        responsibilities, which may have been disclosed in an 
        investigation by the Office;
            (5) to provide information and informal guidance to 
        Members, officers and employees of the House of Representatives 
        regarding any rules and other standards of conduct applicable 
        to such individuals in their official capacities, and develop 
        and carry out periodic educational briefings for Members, 
        officers, and employees of the House of Representatives on 
        those laws, rules, regulations, or other standards; and
            (6) to give consideration to the request of any Member, 
        officer, or employee of the House of Representatives for a 
        formal advisory opinion or other formal ruling, subject to the 
        review of the Committee on Standards of Official Conduct of the 
        House of Representatives, as applicable, with respect to the 
        general propriety of any current or proposed conduct of such 
        Member, officer, or employee and, with appropriate deletions to 
        assure the privacy of the individual concerned, to publish such 
        opinion for the guidance of other Members, officers, and 
        employees of the House of Representatives.

SEC. 4. POWERS OF COMMISSION.

    (a) Hearings and Evidence.--The Commission may for the purpose of 
carrying out this Act--
            (1) hold such hearings and sit and act at such times and 
        places, take such testimony, receive such evidence, administer 
        such oaths; and
            (2) subject to subsection (b), require, by subpoena or 
        otherwise, the attendance and testimony of such witnesses and 
        the production of such books, records, correspondence, 
        memoranda, papers, and documents, as the Commission may 
        determine advisable.
    (b) Subpoenas.--A subpoena may be issued only with a majority of 
the Commission.
    (c) Obtaining Information.--Upon request of the Commission, the 
head of any agency or instrumentality of the Government shall furnish 
information deemed necessary by the Commission to enable it to carry 
out its duties.
    (d) Referrals to the Department of Justice.--Whenever the 
Commission has reason to believe that a violation of the Lobbying 
Disclosure Act of 1995 may have occurred, that matter may be referred 
to the Department of Justice for it to investigate.
    (e) General Audits.--The Commission shall have the authority to 
conduct general audits of filings under the Lobbying Disclosure Act of 
1995.

SEC. 5. INVESTIGATIONS AND INTERACTION WITH THE HOUSE COMMITTEE ON 
              STANDARDS OF OFFICIAL CONDUCT.

    (a) Notification.--Whenever the Commission determines that there 
are sufficient grounds to conduct an investigation--
            (1) the Commission shall notify the Committee on Standards 
        of Official Conduct of this determination;
            (2) the applicable committee may overrule the determination 
        of the Commission if, within 10 legislative days--
                    (A) the committee by an affirmative, roll-call vote 
                of two-thirds of the full committee votes to overrule 
                the determination of the Commission;
                    (B) the committee issues a public report detailing 
                its reasoning for overruling the Commission;
                    (C) the vote of each member of the committee on 
                such roll-call vote is included in the report;
                    (D) dissenting members are allowed to issue their 
                own report detailing their reasons for disagreeing with 
                the majority vote; and
                    (E) if the committee votes to overrule the 
                determination of the Commission pursuant to 
                subparagraph (B), the Commission may publish and make 
                available to the general public a report detailing the 
                reasons that the Commission concluded there were 
                sufficient grounds to conduct an investigation.
    (b) Conducting Investigations.--(1) If the Commission determines 
that there are sufficient grounds to conduct an investigation and his 
determination is not overruled under subsection (a)(5), the Commission 
shall conduct an investigation to determine if probable cause exists 
that a violation occurred.
    (2) As part of an investigation, the Commission may--
            (A) administer oaths;
            (B) issue subpoenas;
            (C) compel the attendance of witnesses and the production 
        of papers, books, accounts, documents, and testimony; and
            (D) take the deposition of witnesses.
    (3) If a person disobeys or refuses to comply with a subpoena, or 
if a witness refuses to testify to a matter, he may be held in contempt 
of Congress.
    (c) Presentation of Case to House Committee on Standards of 
Official Conduct.--(1) If the Commission determines, upon conclusion of 
an investigation, that probable cause exists that an ethics violation 
has occurred, the Commission shall notify the Committee on Standards of 
Official Conduct of the House of Representatives of this determination.
    (2) The committee may overrule the determination of the Commission 
if, within 10 legislative days--
            (A) the committee by an affirmative, roll-call vote of two-
        thirds of the full committee votes to overrule the 
        determination of the Commission;
            (B) the committee issues a public report detailing its 
        reasoning for overruling the Commission;
            (C) the vote of each member of the committee on such roll-
        call vote is included in the report; and
            (D) dissenting members are allowed to issue their own 
        report detailing their reasons for disagreeing with the 
        majority vote.
    (3) If the committee votes to overrule the determination of the 
Commission pursuant to paragraph (2), the Commission may publish and 
make available to the general public a report detailing the reasons 
that he concluded there were sufficient grounds to present such case to 
the committee.
    (4)(A) If the Commission determines there is probable cause that an 
ethics violation has occurred and the Commission's determination is not 
overruled, the Commission shall present the case and evidence to the 
Committee on Standards of Official Conduct of the House of 
Representatives to hear and make a determination pursuant to its rules.
    (B) The committee shall vote upon whether the individual who is the 
subject of the investigation has violated any rules or other standards 
of conduct applicable to that individual in his official capacity. Such 
votes shall be a roll-call vote of the full committee, a quorum being 
present. The committee shall issue a public report which shall include 
the vote of each member of the committee on such roll-call vote. 
Dissenting members may issue their own report detailing their own 
reasons for disagreeing with the majority vote.
    (d) Sanctions.--Whenever the Committee on Standards of Official 
Conduct of the House of Representatives finds that an ethics violation 
has occurred the Commission shall recommend appropriate sanctions to 
the committee and whether a matter should be referred to the Department 
of Justice for investigation.

SEC. 6. PROCEDURAL RULES.

    (a) Majority Approval.--No report or recommendation relating to the 
official conduct of a Member, officer, or employee of the House of 
Representatives shall be made by the Commission, and no investigation 
of such conduct shall be undertaken by the Commission, unless approved 
by the affirmative vote of a majority of the members of the Commission.
    (b) Investigations.--Except in the case of an investigation 
undertaken by the Commission on its own initiative, the Commission may 
undertake an investigation relating to the official conduct of an 
individual Member, officer, or employee of the House of Representatives 
only--
            (1) upon receipt of a complaint, in writing and under oath, 
        made by or submitted to a Member of the House of 
        Representatives and transmitted to the Commission by such 
        Member, or
            (2) upon receipt of a complaint from the chairman of the 
        Committee on Standards of Official Conduct of the House of 
        Representatives, in writing and under oath, made by that 
        committee.
    (c) Prohibition of Certain Investigations.--No investigation shall 
be undertaken by the Commission of any alleged violation of a law, 
rule, regulation, or standard of conduct not in effect at the time of 
the alleged violation.
    (d) Disclosure.--No information or testimony received, or the 
contents of a complaint or the fact of its filing, shall be publicly 
disclosed by any member of the Commission or staff of the Commission 
unless specifically authorized in each instance by a vote of the 
Commission.

SEC. 7. STAFF OF COMMISSION.

    The Commission may appoint and fix the compensation of such staff 
as the Commission considers necessary to perform its duties. The 
Commission shall be appointed jointly by the Speaker and minority 
leader and shall be paid at a rate not to exceed the rate of basic pay 
payable for Level III of the Executive Schedule.

SEC. 8. AMENDMENTS TO THE RULES OF THE HOUSE TO CHANGE THE DUTIES OF 
              THE COMMITTEE ON STANDARDS OF OFFICIAL CONDUCT.

    (a) House Rules Amendments.--Clause 3 of rule XI of the Rules of 
the House of Representatives is amended as follows:
            (1) In paragraph (a), strike subparagraphs (1), (2), and 
        (3), and redesignate subparagraphs (4), (5), and (6), as 
        subparagraphs (1), (2), and (3), respectively.
            (2)(A) Paragraph (b)(1) is amended by striking ``(A)'', by 
        striking ``a resolution, report, recommendation, or'' and 
        inserting ``an'', and by striking ``, or, except as provided in 
        subparagraph (2), undertake an investigation'', and by striking 
        subdivision (B).
            (B) Paragraph (b) is further amended by striking 
        subparagraphs (2), (3), (4), and (5) and by redesignating 
        subparagraphs (6) and (7) as subparagraphs (2) and (3), 
        respectively.
            (3) Strike paragraphs (j) (k), (l), (m), (n), (o), (p), and 
        (q).
    (b) Conforming Amendments.--Section 803 of the Ethics Reform Act of 
1989 (2 U.S.C. 29d) is amended by striking subsections (c) and (d).

SEC. 9. ACTION ON COMMISSION RECOMMENDATIONS.

    (a) Printing of Reports in Congressional Record.--Upon receipt by 
the Committee on Standards of Official Conduct of the House of 
Representatives of any report of the Commission, the Speaker of the 
House of Representatives shall have the report printed in the 
Congressional Record.
    (b) House Consideration of Independent Ethics Commission 
Recommendations.--Within 14 calendar days after a report referred to in 
subsection (a) is printed in the Congressional Record, that portion of 
the report recommending action by the House of Representatives 
respecting any alleged violation, by a Member, officer, or employee of 
the House of Representatives, of any law, rule, regulation, or other 
standard of conduct applicable to the conduct of such Member, officer, 
or employee in the performance of his duties or the discharge of his 
responsibilities shall be introduced (by request) in the House by the 
Speaker of the House, for himself and the minority leader of the House 
in the form of a resolution. This resolution shall constitute a 
question of privilege under rule IX of the Rules of the House of 
Representatives. Any Member favoring the resolution may call it up as a 
question of privilege but only on the third day after the calendar date 
upon which such Member announces to the House his intention to do so.

SEC. 10. EFFECTIVE DATE.

    This Act shall take effect upon the date of its enactment, except 
that sections 3, 4, and 8 shall not take effect immediately prior to 
noon January 3, 2009.

Output: Independent Ethics Commission Act of 2007 - Establishes within the House of Representatives an Independent Ethics Commission composed only of former federal judges.


Input: Consider Input: SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Providing Real Outreach for Veterans 
Act of 2008'' or the ``PRO-VETS Act of 2008''.

SEC. 2. SHARING INFORMATION TO IMPROVE VETERANS' ACCESS TO BENEFITS.

    (a) Agreement on Data Transfer.--
            (1) In general.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall 
        enter an agreement with the Secretary of Defense providing for 
        the transfer of data to the Secretary of Veterans Affairs in 
        accordance with this section for the purpose of providing 
        members of the Armed Forces and veterans with individualized 
        information about veterans benefits each member and veteran may 
        be eligible for.
            (2) Contents of agreement.--
                    (A) Specific criteria for identification of data.--
                The agreement shall specify criteria to identify data 
                of the Department of Defense, including personnel data 
                and data contained in an electronic medical record 
                system, that the Secretary of Defense and the Secretary 
                of Veterans Affairs agree could be used by the 
                Secretary of Veterans Affairs--
                            (i) to determine the eligibility of a 
                        member of the Armed Forces or veteran for 
                        veterans benefits; and
                            (ii) as an indicator of a likelihood that a 
                        member of the Armed Forces or veteran is 
                        eligible for veterans benefits.
                    (B) Electronic data transfer method.--The agreement 
                shall contain a description of an efficient electronic 
                method to be used for the transfer of data identified 
                in accordance with the criteria specified under 
                subparagraph (A) under the agreement.
                    (C) Transfer of data.--Under the agreement, the 
                Secretary of Defense shall transfer data identified in 
                accordance with the criteria under subparagraph (A) to 
                the Secretary of Veterans Affairs as follows:
                            (i) In the case of a member of the Armed 
                        Forces who is scheduled for discharge or 
                        separation from service, at the time the 
                        Secretary of Defense first learns of the 
                        scheduled discharge or separation, but not 
                        later than one month after the date of 
                        discharge or separation.
                            (ii) In the case of a member of the Armed 
                        Forces or veteran not covered under clause (i), 
                        at such time as is specified under the 
                        agreement, but subject to subsection (e).
    (b) Identification of Benefits Available.--
            (1) Generation of initial list.--Not later than 7 days 
        after the date the Secretary of Veterans Affairs receives data 
        concerning a member of the Armed Forces or veteran under the 
        agreement under subsection (a), the Secretary shall compile a 
        list with respect to the member or veteran of all veterans 
        benefits for which the member or veteran may be eligible based 
        on the data. The list shall be divided into--
                    (A) benefits for which the member or veteran has a 
                high probability of being eligible; and
                    (B) all other benefits for which the member or 
                veteran may be eligible.
            (2) Updated benefits list.--The Secretary shall update the 
        list under paragraph (1) with respect to a member of the Armed 
        Forces or veteran on an annual basis using any information that 
        the Department of Veterans Affairs may possess about the member 
        or veteran.
    (c) Notification of Available Benefits.--
            (1) Initial notification.--Upon compiling the list of 
        benefits under subsection (b)(1)(A) with respect to a member of 
        the Armed Forces or veteran, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs 
        shall send a notice of the benefits to the member or veteran or 
        the legal representative of the member or veteran. The notice 
        shall also contain an explanation of each such benefit and a 
        summary of any application requirements and procedures that the 
        member or veteran must comply with to be eligible to receive 
        the benefit.
            (2) Subsequent notifications.--
                    (A) Second notice.--If a member of the Armed Forces 
                or veteran provided a notice under paragraph (1) does 
                not apply for any benefit listed in the notice by the 
                end of the 60-day period beginning on the date that the 
                Secretary sent the notice, the Secretary shall send a 
                second notice to the member or veteran or the legal 
                representative of the member or veteran. The notice 
                shall contain the same information as the notice sent 
                to the member, veteran, or legal representative under 
                paragraph (1).
                    (B) Subsequent annual notices.--If a member of the 
                Armed Forces or veteran provided a notice under 
                subparagraph (A) does not apply for any benefit listed 
                in the notice by the end of the year beginning on the 
                date that the Secretary sent the notice, the Secretary 
                shall send a subsequent notice to the member or veteran 
                or the legal representative of the member or veteran. 
                The notice shall contain information on the veterans 
                benefits for which the member or veteran has a high 
                probability of being eligible based on the updated list 
                under subsection (b)(2) with respect to the member or 
                veteran.
            (3) Notices based on changed circumstances.--
                    (A) In general.--The Secretary shall send a notice 
                to the member or veteran or the legal representative of 
                the member or veteran if, based on data available to 
                the Secretary, the Secretary identifies a member of the 
                Armed Forces or veteran as having a high probability of 
                being eligible for a veterans benefit and--
                            (i) the member or veteran has not applied 
                        for the benefit;
                            (ii) the Secretary has not sent the member 
                        or veteran a notice under this subsection with 
                        respect to the benefit; and
                            (iii) the Secretary has not informed the 
                        member or veteran of the benefit under 
                        subsection (d)(2) or any other provision of 
                        law.
                    (B) Contents.--The notice under subparagraph (A) 
                shall contain information on the benefit for which the 
                veteran has a high probability of being eligible, an 
                explanation of such benefit, and a summary of any 
                application requirements and procedures that the member 
                or veteran must comply with to be eligible to receive 
                the benefit.
            (4) Option to decline further notices.--
                    (A) In general.--The Secretary shall provide each 
                member of the Armed Forces and veteran that is sent a 
                notice under this subsection with the option to decline 
                further notices under this subsection.
                    (B) Notice of option.--Each notice under this 
                subsection shall include information concerning the 
                option to decline further notices under this 
                subsection.
                    (C) Prohibition of further notices.--If a member of 
                the Armed Forces or veteran declines further notices 
                under this paragraph, the Secretary may not send any 
                notices under this section to the member or veteran 
                after the date the member or veteran declines further 
                notices.
            (5) Method of delivery of notices.--
                    (A) In general.--Subject to subparagraph (B), all 
                notices under this subsection shall be sent--
                            (i) by mail; and
                            (ii) electronically, if the Secretary has 
                        electronic contact information for the member, 
                        veteran, or legal representative of the member 
                        or veteran.
                    (B) Option on method of delivery of notices.--The 
                Secretary shall provide each member and veteran with 
                the opportunity to be sent notices under this 
                subsection solely--
                            (i) by mail; or
                            (ii) through electronic methods, such as 
                        email.
    (d) Application Process.--
            (1) Streamlined application process.--
                    (A) In general.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs 
                shall use the data received under subsection (a) and 
                any additional relevant data that the Department of 
                Veterans Affairs has in its possession to reduce the 
                amount of information that a member of the Armed Forces 
                or veteran must provide when the member or veteran 
                applies to the Department for veterans benefits. The 
                use of such data may include prepopulating a paper or 
                Web-based application form to be used by the member or 
                veteran with the data.
                    (B) Confirmation.--The Secretary may require that a 
                member of the Armed Forces or veteran confirm or verify 
                any data that the Department of Veterans Affairs uses 
                under subparagraph (A) to determine the eligibility of 
                the member or veteran for veterans benefits.
            (2) Evaluation of eligibility.--
                    (A) Review of list.--When evaluating a member of 
                the Armed Forces or veteran for eligibility for 
                veterans benefits, the Secretary shall review the list 
                of benefits for the member or veteran compiled under 
                subsection (b).
                    (B) Disclosure of information.--If the Secretary 
                determines that the member or veteran has a high 
                probability of being eligible for a benefit so listed 
                for which the member or veteran did not apply, the 
                Secretary shall inform the member or veteran of the 
                benefit and of the opportunity to apply for the 
                benefit.
                    (C) Record of disclosure.--If the Secretary informs 
                a member or veteran of a benefit under subparagraph 
                (B), the Secretary shall keep a record, for a period of 
                not less than 5 years, that contains, at a minimum,--
                            (i) the date on which the Secretary 
                        informed the member or veteran of such benefit;
                            (ii) the name of the member or veteran; and
                            (iii) a general description of the 
                        information provided to the member or veteran 
                        by the Secretary.
            (3) Notice of denial.--Not later than 30 days after the 
        date a member of the Armed Forces or veteran is determined not 
        eligible for a veterans benefit for which the member or veteran 
        has applied, the Secretary shall provide notice to the member 
        or veteran of the determination. The notice shall include an 
        explanation of the reason for the determination.
    (e) Transition Period.--Not later than 5 years after the date of 
enactment of this Act, for all veterans discharged from the Armed 
Forces prior to the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of 
Defense shall transfer to the Department of Veterans Affairs all data 
that exists in electronic systems of the Department of Defense on the 
date of the transfer and that meet the criteria specified in subsection 
(a)(2)(A).
    (f) Relation to Other Law.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall 
implement this section in a manner that does not conflict with the 
processes, procedures, and standards for the transition of recovering 
members of the Armed Forces from care and treatment through the 
Department of Defense to care, treatment, and rehabilitation through 
the Department of Veterans Affairs under section 1614 of the Wounded 
Warrior Act (title XVI of Public Law 110-181; 10 U.S.C. 1071 note).
    (g) Privacy.--
            (1) In general.--The Secretary of Defense shall provide a 
        member of the Armed Forces or a veteran the opportunity to 
        decline authorization for the transfer under subsection (a) of 
        some or all of the data associated with the member or veteran.
            (2) Consent presumed.--If a member of the Armed Forces or 
        veteran does not decline an authorization under paragraph (1), 
        the member or veteran shall be treated as having authorized the 
        transfer of data under subsection (a) until any date on which 
        the member or veteran declines the authorization of the 
        transfer.
            (3) Prohibition of data transfer.--Data associated with a 
        member of the Armed Forces or a veteran may not be transferred 
        under subsection (a) after any date on which the member or 
        veteran declines the authorization of such transfer under 
        paragraph (1).
            (4) Construction.--
                    (A) Health insurance portability and accountability 
                act.--Nothing in this section shall be construed as 
                waiving regulations promulgated under section 264(c) of 
                the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act 
                of 1996 (Public Law 104-191).
                    (B) Privacy act.--Transfers of data to the 
                Secretary of Veterans Affairs under the agreement under 
                subsection (a) shall be treated as a routine use of a 
                record for purposes of section 552a of title 5, United 
                States Code.
    (h) Definitions.--For purposes of this section:
            (1) Veteran.--The term ``veteran'' has the meaning given 
        such term under section 101 of title 38, United States Code.
            (2) Armed forces.--The term ``Armed Forces'' shall have the 
        meaning given the term ``armed forces'' under section 101 of 
        title 10, United States Code.
            (3) Veterans benefits.--The term ``veterans benefits'' 
        means benefits under laws administered by the Secretary of 
        Veterans Affairs.


Output: Providing Real Outreach for Veterans Act of 2008 or PRO-VETS Act of 2008 - Directs the Secretary of Veterans Affairs (Secretary) to enter into an agreement with the Secretary of Defense for the transfer of data to the Secretary for providing members of the Armed Forces and veterans with individualized information concerning veterans' benefits that each member and veteran may be eligible for. Requires the Secretary, after receiving such data, to: (1) compile a list of all benefits for which each member or veteran may be eligible; (2) notify the member or veteran (or their legal representative) of such benefits; and (3) provide a second notification if the member or veteran does not apply for a listed benefit within 60 days, as well as annual notifications thereafter. Requires additional notifications based on changed circumstances. Allows each member or veteran the option to decline further notifications.

Directs the Secretary to use transferred data to reduce the amount of information that a member or veteran must provide when applying for benefits.

Requires the Secretary of Defense to provide a member or veteran the opportunity to decline authorization for the transfer of information under this Act.