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

Q: SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Student Non-Discrimination Act of 
2011''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS AND PURPOSES.

    (a) Findings.--The Congress finds the following:
            (1) Public school students who are lesbian, gay, bisexual 
        or transgender (LGBT), or are perceived to be LGBT, or who 
        associate with LGBT people, have been and are subjected to 
        pervasive discrimination, including harassment, bullying, 
        intimidation and violence, and have been deprived of equal 
        educational opportunities, in schools in every part of our 
        Nation.
            (2) While discrimination, including harassment, bullying, 
        intimidation and violence, of any kind is harmful to students 
        and to our education system, actions that target students based 
        on sexual orientation or gender identity represent a distinct 
        and especially severe problem.
            (3) Numerous social science studies demonstrate that 
        discrimination, including harassment, bullying, intimidation 
        and violence, at school has contributed to high rates of 
        absenteeism, dropout, adverse health consequences, and academic 
        underachievement among LGBT youth.
            (4) When left unchecked, discrimination, including 
        harassment, bullying, intimidation and violence, in schools 
        based on sexual orientation or gender identity can lead, and 
        has lead to, life-threatening violence and to suicide.
            (5) Public school students enjoy a variety of 
        constitutional rights, including rights to equal protection, 
        privacy, and free expression, which are infringed when school 
        officials engage in discriminatory treatment or are indifferent 
        to discrimination, including harassment, bullying, intimidation 
        and violence, on the basis of sexual orientation or gender 
        identity.
            (6) While Federal statutory protections expressly address 
        discrimination on the basis of race, color, sex, religion, 
        disability, and national origin, Federal civil rights statutes 
        do not expressly include ``sexual orientation'' or ``gender 
        identity''. As a result, students and parents have often had 
        limited legal recourse to redress for discrimination on the 
        basis of sexual orientation or gender identity.
    (b) Purposes.--The purposes of this Act are--
            (1) to ensure that all students have access to public 
        education in a safe environment free from discrimination, 
        including harassment, bullying, intimidation and violence, on 
        the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity;
            (2) to provide a comprehensive Federal prohibition of 
        discrimination in public schools based on actual or perceived 
        sexual orientation or gender identity;
            (3) to provide meaningful and effective remedies for 
        discrimination in public schools based on actual or perceived 
        sexual orientation or gender identity;
            (4) to invoke congressional powers, including but not 
        limited to the power to enforce the 14th Amendment to the 
        Constitution and to provide for the general welfare pursuant to 
        section 8 of article I of the Constitution and the power to 
        enact all laws necessary and proper for the execution of the 
        foregoing powers pursuant to section 8 of article I of the 
        Constitution, in order to prohibit discrimination in public 
        schools on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity; 
        and
            (5) to allow the Department of Education to effectively 
        combat discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender 
        identity in public schools through regulation and enforcement, 
        as the Department has issued regulations under and enforced 
        title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 and other 
        nondiscrimination laws in a manner that effectively addresses 
        discrimination.

SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.

    For purposes of this Act:
            (1) Program or activity.--The terms ``program or activity'' 
        and ``program'' have same meanings given such terms as applied 
        under section 606 of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (42 U.S.C. 
        2000d-4a) to the operations of public entities under paragraph 
        (2)(B) of such section.
            (2) Gender identity.--The term ``gender identity'' means 
        the gender-related identity, appearance, or mannerisms or other 
        gender-related characteristics of an individual, with or 
        without regard to the individual's designated sex at birth.
            (3) Harassment.--The term ``harassment'' means conduct that 
        is sufficiently severe, persistent, or pervasive to limit a 
        student's ability to participate in or benefit from a public 
        school education program or activity, or to create a hostile or 
        abusive educational environment at a public school, including 
        acts of verbal, nonverbal, or physical aggression, 
        intimidation, or hostility, if such conduct is based on--
                    (A) a student's actual or perceived sexual 
                orientation or gender identity; or
                    (B) the actual or perceived sexual orientation or 
                gender identity of a person or persons with whom a 
                student associates or has associated.
            (4) Public schools.--The term ``public schools'' means 
        public elementary and secondary schools, including local 
        educational agencies, educational service agencies, and State 
        educational agencies, as defined in section 9101 of the 
        Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965.
            (5) Sexual orientation.--The term ``sexual orientation'' 
        means homosexuality, heterosexuality, or bisexuality.
            (6) Student.--The term ``student'' means an individual who 
        is enrolled in a public school or who, regardless of official 
        enrollment status, attends classes or participates in a public 
        school's programs or educational activities.

SEC. 4. PROHIBITION AGAINST DISCRIMINATION; EXCEPTIONS.

    (a) In General.--No student shall, on the basis of actual or 
perceived sexual orientation or gender identity of such individual or 
of a person with whom the student associates or has associated, be 
excluded from participation in, or be denied the benefits of, or be 
subjected to discrimination under any program or activity receiving 
Federal financial assistance.
    (b) Harassment.--For purposes of this Act, discrimination includes, 
but is not limited to, harassment of a student on the basis of actual 
or perceived sexual orientation or gender identity of such student or 
of a person with whom the student associates or has associated.
    (c) Retaliation Prohibited.--
            (1) Prohibition.--No person shall be excluded from 
        participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to 
        discrimination, retaliation, or reprisal under any program or 
        activity receiving Federal financial assistance based on his or 
        her opposition to conduct made unlawful by this Act.
            (2) Definition.--For purposes of this subsection, 
        ``opposition to conduct made unlawful by this Act'' includes, 
        but is not limited to--
                    (A) opposition to conduct reasonably believed to be 
                made unlawful by this Act,
                    (B) any formal or informal report, whether oral or 
                written, to any governmental entity, including public 
                schools and employees thereof, regarding conduct made 
                unlawful by this Act or reasonably believed to be made 
                unlawful by this Act,
                    (C) participation in any investigation, proceeding, 
                or hearing related to conduct made unlawful by this Act 
                or reasonably believed to be made unlawful by this Act, 
                and
                    (D) assistance or encouragement provided to any 
                other person in the exercise or enjoyment of any right 
                granted or protected by this Act,
        if in the course of that expression, the person involved does 
        not purposefully provide information known to be false to any 
        public school or other governmental entity regarding a 
        violation, or alleged violation, of this Act.

SEC. 5. FEDERAL ADMINISTRATIVE ENFORCEMENT; REPORT TO CONGRESSIONAL 
              COMMITTEES.

    Each Federal department and agency which is empowered to extend 
Federal financial assistance to any education program or activity, by 
way of grant, loan, or contract other than a contract of insurance or 
guaranty, is authorized and directed to effectuate the provisions of 
section 4 of this Act with respect to such program or activity by 
issuing rules, regulations, or orders of general applicability which 
shall be consistent with achievement of the objectives of the Act 
authorizing the financial assistance in connection with which the 
action is taken. No such rule, regulation, or order shall become 
effective unless and until approved by the President. Compliance with 
any requirement adopted pursuant to this section may be effected--
            (1) by the termination of or refusal to grant or to 
        continue assistance under such program or activity to any 
        recipient as to whom there has been an express finding on the 
        record, after opportunity for hearing, of a failure to comply 
        with such requirement, but such termination or refusal shall be 
        limited to the particular political entity, or part thereof, or 
        other recipient as to whom such a finding has been made, and 
        shall be limited in its effect to the particular program, or 
        part thereof, in which such noncompliance has been so found, or
            (2) by any other means authorized by law,
except that no such action shall be taken until the department or 
agency concerned has advised the appropriate person or persons of the 
failure to comply with the requirement and has determined that 
compliance cannot be secured by voluntary means. In the case of any 
action terminating, or refusing to grant or continue, assistance 
because of failure to comply with a requirement imposed pursuant to 
this section, the head of the Federal department or agency shall file 
with the committees of the House and Senate having legislative 
jurisdiction over the program or activity involved a full written 
report of the circumstances and the grounds for such action. No such 
action shall become effective until 30 days have elapsed after the 
filing of such report.

SEC. 6. CAUSE OF ACTION.

    (a) Cause of Action.--Subject to subsection (c) of this section, an 
aggrieved individual may assert a violation of this Act in a judicial 
proceeding. Aggrieved persons may be awarded all appropriate relief, 
including but not limited to equitable relief, compensatory damages, 
cost of the action, and remedial action.
    (b) Rule of Construction.--This section shall not be construed to 
preclude an aggrieved individual from obtaining other remedies under 
any other provision of law or to require such individual to exhaust any 
administrative complaint process or notice-of-claim requirement before 
seeking redress under this section.
    (c) Statute of Limitations.--For actions brought pursuant to this 
section, the statute of limitations period shall be determined in 
accordance with section 1658(a) of title 28 of the United States Code. 
The tolling of any such limitations period shall be determined in 
accordance with the law governing actions under section 1979 of the 
Revised Statutes (42 U.S.C. 1983) in the forum State.

SEC. 7. STATE IMMUNITY.

    (a) State Immunity.--A State shall not be immune under the 11th 
Amendment to the Constitution of the United States from suit in Federal 
court for a violation of this Act.
    (b) Waiver.--A State's receipt or use of Federal financial 
assistance for any program or activity of a State shall constitute a 
waiver of sovereign immunity, under the 11th Amendment to the 
Constitution or otherwise, to a suit brought by an aggrieved individual 
for a violation of section 4 of this Act.
    (c) Remedies.--In a suit against a State for a violation of this 
Act, remedies (including remedies both at law and in equity) are 
available for such a violation to the same extent as such remedies are 
available for such a violation in the suit against any public or 
private entity other than a State.

SEC. 8. ATTORNEY'S FEES.

    Section 722(b) of the Revised Statutes (42 U.S.C. 1988(b)) is 
amended by inserting ``the Student Nondiscrimination Act of 2011,'' 
after ``Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act of 
2000,''.

SEC. 9. EFFECT ON OTHER LAWS.

    (a) Federal and State Nondiscrimination Laws.--Nothing in this Act 
shall be construed to preempt, invalidate, or limit rights, remedies, 
procedures, or legal standards available to victims of discrimination 
or retaliation under any other Federal law or law of a State or 
political subdivision of a State, including title VI of the Civil 
Rights Act of 1964 (42 U.S.C. 2000d et seq.), title IX of the Education 
Amendments of 1972 (20 U.S.C. 1681 et seq.), section 504 of the 
Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (29 U.S.C. 794), the Americans with 
Disabilities Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 12101 et seq.), or section 1979 of 
the Revised Statutes (42 U.S.C. 1983). The obligations imposed by this 
Act are in addition to those imposed by title IX of the Education 
Amendments of 1972 (20 U.S.C. 1681 et seq.), title VI of the Civil 
Rights Act of 1964 (42 U.S.C. 2000d et seq.), and the Americans with 
Disabilities Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 12101 et seq.).
    (b) Free Speech and Expression Laws and Religious Student Groups.--
Nothing in this Act shall be construed to alter legal standards 
regarding, or affect the rights available to individuals or groups 
under, other Federal laws that establish protections for freedom of 
speech and expression, such as legal standards and rights available to 
religious and other student groups under the 1st Amendment to the 
Constitution and the Equal Access Act (20 U.S.C. 4071 et seq.).

SEC. 10. SEVERABILITY.

    If any provision of this Act, or any application of such provision 
to any person or circumstance, is held to be unconstitutional, the 
remainder of this Act, and the application of the provision to any 
other person or circumstance shall not be affected.

SEC. 11. EFFECTIVE DATE.

    This Act shall take effect 60 days after the date of the enactment 
of this Act and shall not apply to conduct occurring before the 
effective date of this Act.

A: Student Non-Discrimination Act of 2011 - Prohibits public school students from being excluded from participating in, or subject to discrimination under, any federally-assisted educational program on the basis of their actual or perceived sexual orientation or gender identity or that of their associates.

Considers harassment to be a form of discrimination.

Prohibits retaliation against anyone for opposing conduct they reasonably believe to be unlawful under this Act.

Authorizes federal departments and agencies to enforce these prohibitions by cutting off the educational assistance of recipients found to be violating them.

Allows an aggrieved individual to assert a violation of this Act in a judicial proceeding and recover reasonable attorney's fees should they prevail.

Deems a state's receipt of federal educational assistance for a program to constitute a waiver of sovereign immunity for conduct prohibited under this Act regarding such program.
****
Q: SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Energy and Water Research 
Integration Act''.

SEC. 2. ENERGY AND WATER RESEARCH AND ASSESSMENT.

    (a) In General.--The Secretary of Energy shall assess each of the 
energy research, development, and demonstration programs and projects 
of the Department of Energy and identify those programs and projects 
into which it is appropriate to integrate water considerations. In 
carrying out this section the Secretary shall, as appropriate--
            (1) seek to advance energy and energy efficiency 
        technologies and practices that would--
                    (A) minimize freshwater withdrawal and consumption;
                    (B) increase water use efficiency; and
                    (C) utilize nontraditional water sources with 
                efforts to improve the quality of that water;
            (2) consider the effects climate variability and change may 
        have on water supplies and quality for energy generation and 
        fuel production; and
            (3) improve understanding of the energy required to provide 
        water supplies and the water required to provide reliable 
        energy supplies throughout the United States.
    (b) Strategic Plan.--
            (1) In general.--Not later than 6 months after the date of 
        enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Energy shall develop a 
        Strategic Plan (in this section referred to as the ``Strategic 
        Plan'') outlining the research, development, and demonstration 
        needs for the programs and projects identified under subsection 
        (a), in accordance with subsections (a) through (c) of this 
        section, as appropriate.
            (2) Milestones and specific considerations.--In carrying 
        out the development and updating of the Strategic Plan in 
        accordance with this subsection, the Secretary shall evaluate 
        and, as appropriate, establish technical milestones for--
                    (A) new advanced cooling technologies for energy 
                generation and fuel production technologies;
                    (B) performance improvement of existing cooling 
                technologies and cost reductions associated with using 
                those technologies;
                    (C) innovative water reuse, recovery, and treatment 
                in energy generation and fuel production;
                    (D) technology development for carbon capture and 
                storage systems that utilize efficient water use design 
                strategies;
                    (E) technologies that are life-cycle cost 
                effective;
                    (F) systems analysis and modeling of issues 
                relating to the energy required to provide water 
                supplies and the water required to provide reliable 
                energy supplies throughout the United States;
                    (G) technologies to treat and utilize produced 
                waters discharged from oil, natural gas, coalbed 
                methane, and mining activities;
                    (H) advanced materials for the use of 
                nontraditional water sources for energy generation and 
                fuel production;
                    (I) biomass production and utilization and the 
                impact on hydrologic systems;
                    (J) technologies that reduce impacts on water from 
                energy resource development;
                    (K) increases in energy efficiency of water 
                distribution and collection systems;
                    (L) technologies for energy generation from water 
                distribution and collection systems; and
                    (M) any other area of the energy-water nexus that 
                the Secretary considers appropriate.
            (3) Interagency collaboration and nonduplication.--In 
        carrying out the development and updating of the Strategic Plan 
        in accordance with this subsection, the Secretary shall, where 
        appropriate, work collaboratively with other Federal agencies 
        operating related programs and avoid duplication.
            (4) Intra-agency coordination and nonduplication.--In 
        carrying out the development and updating of the Strategic Plan 
        in accordance with this subsection, the Secretary shall 
        coordinate and avoid duplication of activities across programs 
        and projects of the Department of Energy, including with those 
        of the National laboratories.
            (5) Relevant information and recommendations.--In carrying 
        out the development and updating of the Strategic Plan in 
        accordance with this subsection, the Secretary shall consider 
        and incorporate, as appropriate, relevant information and 
        recommendations, including those of the National Water 
        Availability and Use Assessment Program under section 9508(d) 
        of the Omnibus Public Land Management Act of 2009 (42 U.S.C. 
        10368(d)).
            (6) Nongovernmental participation.--In carrying out the 
        development and updating of the Strategic Plan in accordance 
        with this subsection, the Secretary shall consult and 
        coordinate with a diverse group of representatives from 
        research and academic institutions and industry who have 
        expertise in technologies and practices relating to the energy 
        required to provide water supplies and the water required to 
        provide reliable energy supplies throughout the United States.
            (7) Submission to congress.--Not later than 9 months after 
        the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit 
        to Congress the Strategic Plan.
            (8) Updating the strategic plan.--Not later than 3 years 
        after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall 
        utilize relevant information produced by Federal Government 
        agencies, academia, and industry to update the Strategic Plan, 
        and submit a report to Congress describing the changes from the 
        initial Strategic Plan.
    (c) Implementation.--
            (1) In general.--The Secretary of Energy shall implement 
        the Strategic Plan, as appropriate, in carrying out energy 
        research, development, and demonstration programs of the 
        Department of Energy.
            (2) Application to projects.--Not later than 3 months after 
        the submission of the report to Congress in subsection (b)(7)), 
        the Secretary shall as appropriate apply the Strategic Plan to 
        projects--
                    (A) identified as the most energy and water 
                intensive; and
                    (B) with the most potential to achieve the purposes 
                of this section.
            (3) Delay or disruption.--In carrying out this subsection, 
        the Secretary shall ensure that no program or project of the 
        Department is unnecessarily delayed or disrupted.
    (d) Reports.--Not later than 2 years after the date of enactment of 
this Act, and at least once every 2 years thereafter, the Secretary 
shall transmit to Congress a report on its findings and activities 
under this section.
    (e) Additional Activities.--The Secretary may provide for such 
additional research, development, and demonstration activities as may 
be appropriate to integrate water considerations into the research, 
development, and demonstration activities of the Department as 
described in subsection (a).
    (f) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be 
appropriated to the Secretary of Energy for carrying out this section 
$60,000,000 for each of the fiscal years 2011 through 2015.

SEC. 3. ENERGY-WATER ARCHITECTURE COUNCIL.

    (a) In General.--The Secretary of Energy, in coordination with 
other relevant Federal agencies, shall establish an Energy-Water 
Architecture Council to promote and enable improved energy and water 
resource data collection, reporting, and technological innovation. The 
Council shall consist of--
            (1) representation from each Federal agency that conducts 
        research related to energy and water resource data; and
            (2) non-Federal members, including representatives of 
        research and academic institutions and industry, who have 
        expertise in technologies and practices relating to the energy 
        required to provide water supplies and the water required to 
        provide reliable energy supplies throughout the United States.
    (b) Functions.--The Council shall--
            (1) make recommendations on the development of data 
        collection and data communication standards and protocols to 
        agencies and entities currently engaged in collecting the data 
        for the energy required to provide water supplies and the water 
        required to provide reliable energy supplies throughout the 
        United States;
            (2) recommend ways to make improvements to Federal water 
        use data to increase understanding of trends in energy 
        generation and fuel production;
            (3) recommend best practices for utilizing information from 
        existing monitoring networks to provide nationally uniform 
        water and energy use and infrastructure data; and
            (4) conduct annual technical workshops, including at least 
        one regional workshop annually, to facilitate information 
        exchange among Federal, State, and private sector experts on 
        technologies that encourage the conservation and efficient use 
        of water and energy.
    (c) Reports.--Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of 
this Act, and at least once every 2 years thereafter, the Council, 
through the Secretary of Energy, shall transmit to the Congress a 
report on its findings and activities under this section.
    (d) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be 
appropriated to the Secretary of Energy for carrying out this section 
$5,000,000 for each of the fiscal years 2011 through 2015.

SEC. 4. LIMITATION ON FEDERAL REGULATIONS.

    Nothing in this Act shall be construed to allow the establishment 
of regulations by the Federal Government that would infringe or impair 
the use of water by State, tribal, or local governments.

SEC. 5. MANDATES.

    Nothing in this Act shall be construed to require State, tribal, or 
local governments to take any action that may result in an increased 
financial burden to such governments by restricting the use of water by 
such governments.

SEC. 6. COORDINATION AND NONDUPLICATION.

    To the maximum extent practicable, the Secretary of Energy shall 
coordinate activities under this Act with other programs of the 
Department of Energy and other Federal research programs.

            Passed the House of Representatives December 1, 2009.

            Attest:

                                            LORRAINE C. MILLER,

                                                                 Clerk.

A: Energy and Water Research Integration Act - (Sec. 2) Directs the Secretary of Energy to identify each of the Department of Energy's (DOE's) energy research, development, and demonstration programs and projects into which it is appropriate to integrate water considerations. Requires the Secretary to: (1) seek to advance energy and energy efficiency technologies and practices that would minimize freshwater withdrawal and consumption, increase water use efficiency, and utilize nontraditional water sources with efforts to improve water quality; and (2) consider the effects climate variability and change may have on water supplies and quality for energy generation and fuel production; and (3) improve understanding of the energy required to provide water supplies and the water required to provide reliable energy supplies throughout the United States.

Requires the Secretary to develop, submit to Congress within nine months, and update every three years a Strategic Plan outlining the research, development, and demonstration needs of such programs and projects. Requires the Secretary to evaluate and establish technical milestones for: (1) new advanced cooling technologies for energy generation and fuel production technologies; (2) performance improvement and cost reductions of cooling technologies; (3) innovative water reuse, recovery, and treatment in energy generation and fuel production; (4) technology development for carbon capture and storage systems that utilize efficient water use design strategies; (5) technologies that are life-cycle cost effective; (6) systems analysis and modeling of issues relating to the energy required to provide water supplies and the water required to provide reliable energy supplies; (7) technologies to treat and utilize produced waters discharged from oil, natural gas, coal-bed methane, and mining activities; (8) advanced materials for the use of nontraditional water sources for energy generation and fuel production; (9) biomass production and utilization and the impact on hydrologic systems; (10) technologies that reduce impacts on water from energy resource development; (11) increases in energy efficiency of water distribution and collection systems; and (12) technologies for energy generation from such systems.

 Requires the Secretary to: (1) implement the Strategic Plan in carrying out DOE energy research, development, and demonstration programs; and (2) report to Congress every two years on findings and activities under this Act. Authorizes appropriations.

(Sec. 3) Directs the Secretary to establish an Energy-Water Architecture Council to promote and enable improved energy and water resource data collection, reporting, and technological innovation. Requires the Council to: (1) make recommendations on the development of data collection and communication standards and protocols to entities engaged in collecting data for the energy required to provide water supplies and the water required to provide reliable energy supplies throughout the United States; (2) recommend ways to make improvements to federal water use data to increase understanding of trends in energy generation and fuel production; (3) recommend best practices for utilizing information from monitoring networks to provide nationally uniform water and energy use and infrastructure data; and (4) conduct annual technical workshops to facilitate information exchange among federal, state, and private sector experts on technologies that encourage the conservation and efficient use of water and energy.

(Sec. 4) Provides that nothing in this Act shall be construed to: (1) allow the establishment of regulations by the federal government that would infringe or impair the use of water by state, tribal, or local governments; and (2) require state, tribal, or local governments to take any action that may result in an increased financial burden by restricting their water use.

(Sec. 6) Directs the Secretary to coordinate activities under this Act with other DOE programs and other federal research programs.
****
Q: SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

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

SEC. 2. SURVEY OF VETERAN EXPERIENCES WITH DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS 
              AFFAIRS MEDICAL CARE.

    (a) In General.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall seek to 
enter into a contract with a non-government entity with significant 
experience conducting scientifically verifiable surveys and research to 
conduct an annual survey of a statistically significant sample of 
veterans who reside in the geographic area served by each of the 
medical facilities of the Department of Veterans Affairs to determine 
the nature of the experiences of such veterans in obtaining hospital 
care and medical services furnished by the Secretary at each such 
medical facility. Each such survey shall be conducted using scientific 
and verifiable methods. Such contract shall provide that the non-
government entity shall conduct such annual surveys during the five-
year period beginning on the date on which the Secretary enters into 
the contract with the non-government entity.
    (b) Contents.--The contract entered into under subsection (a) shall 
provide that each survey conducted pursuant to the contract shall be 
specific to a medical facility of the Department and shall include 
questions relating to the experiences of veterans in requesting and 
receiving appointments for hospital care and medical services furnished 
by the Secretary at that medical facility, including questions relating 
to each of the following:
            (1) The veteran's ability to obtain hospital care and 
        medical services at the facility in a timely manner.
            (2) The period of time between the date on which the 
        veteran requests an appointment at the facility and the date on 
        which the appointment is scheduled.
            (3) The frequency with which scheduled appointments are 
        cancelled by the facility.
            (4) The quality of hospital care or medical services the 
        veteran has received at the facility.
    (c) Consultation.--The contract entered into under subsection (a) 
shall provide that in designing and conducting the surveys for each 
medical facility of the Department pursuant to such contract, the non-
government entity shall consult with veterans service organizations.
    (d) Certification.--The contract entered into under subsection (a) 
shall provide that--
            (1) before conducting a survey pursuant to the contract, 
        the non-government entity shall submit the proposed survey to 
        the Comptroller General who shall assess whether the survey is 
        scientifically valid and whether the proposed sample size of 
        veterans to be surveyed is statistically significant; and
            (2) the non-government entity may not conduct such a survey 
        until the Comptroller General provides such a certification for 
        the survey.
    (e) Submittal of Results and Public Availability of Information.--
Not later than 30 days after the completion of the surveys conducted 
pursuant to a contract entered into under subsection (a) for a year, 
the Secretary shall make the results of the surveys publicly available 
on the Internet website of the Department.
    (f) Paperwork Reduction.--Subchapter I of chapter 35 of title 44, 
United States Code shall not apply to this section.
    (g) Deadline for Implementation.--The Secretary shall enter into a 
contract under subsection (a) for each medical facility of the 
Department by not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment 
of this Act.

SEC. 3. MENTAL HEALTH TREATMENT FOR VETERANS WHO SERVED IN CLASSIFIED 
              MISSIONS.

    (a) Sense of Congress.--It is the sense of Congress that veterans 
who experience combat-related mental health wounds should have 
immediate, appropriate, and consistent access to comprehensive mental 
health care.
    (b) In General.--Subchapter II of chapter 17 of title 38, United 
States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following section:
``Sec. 1720H. Mental health treatment for veterans who served in 
              classified missions
    ``(a) Establishment of Standards.--(1) The Secretary shall 
establish standards and procedures to ensure that each covered veteran 
may access mental health care provided by the Secretary in a manner 
that fully accommodates the obligation of the veteran to not improperly 
disclose classified information.
    ``(2) The Secretary shall disseminate guidance to employees of the 
Veterans Health Administration, including mental health professionals, 
on the standards and procedures established under paragraph (1) and how 
to best engage covered veterans during the course of mental health 
treatment with respect to classified information.
    ``(b) Identification.--In carrying out this section, the Secretary 
shall ensure that a veteran may elect to identify as a covered veteran 
on an appropriate form.
    ``(c) Definitions.--In this section:
            ``(1) The term `classified information' means any 
        information or material that has been determined by an official 
        of the United States pursuant to law, an Executive order, or 
        regulation to require protection against unauthorized 
        disclosure for reasons of national security.
            ``(2) The term `covered veteran' means a veteran who--
                    ``(A) is enrolled in the health care system 
                established under section 1705(a) of this title;
                    ``(B) is seeking mental health treatment; and
                    ``(C) in the course of serving in the Armed Forces, 
                participated in a sensitive mission or served in a 
                sensitive unit.
            ``(3) The term `sensitive mission' means a mission of the 
        Armed Forces that, at the time at which a covered veteran seeks 
        treatment, is classified.
            ``(4) The term `sensitive unit' has the meaning given that 
        term in section 130b(c)(4) of title 10.''.
    (c) Clerical Amendment.--The table of sections at the beginning of 
such chapter is amended by adding after the item relating to section 
1720G the following new item:

``1720H. Mental health treatment for veterans who served in classified 
                            missions.''.

SEC. 4. BOARD OF VETERANS' APPEALS VIDEO HEARINGS.

    Section 7107 of title 38, United States Code, is amended--
            (1) in subsection (d), by amending paragraph (1) to read as 
        follows:
    ``(1)(A) Upon request for a hearing, the Board shall determine, for 
purposes of scheduling the hearing for the earliest possible date, 
whether a hearing before the Board will be held at its principal 
location or at a facility of the Department or other appropriate 
Federal facility located within the area served by a regional office of 
the Department. The Board shall also determine whether to provide a 
hearing through the use of the facilities and equipment described in 
subsection (e)(1) or by the appellant personally appearing before a 
Board member or panel.
    ``(B) The Board shall notify the appellant of the determinations of 
the location and type of hearing made under subparagraph (A). Upon 
notification, the appellant may request a different location or type of 
hearing as described in such subparagraph. If so requested, the Board 
shall grant such request and ensure that the hearing is scheduled at 
the earliest possible date without any undue delay or other prejudice 
to the appellant.''; and
            (2) in subsection (e), by amending paragraph (2) to read as 
        follows:
    ``(2) Any hearing provided through the use of the facilities and 
equipment described in paragraph (1) shall be conducted in the same 
manner as, and shall be considered the equivalent of, a personal 
hearing.''.

A:
Ask Veterans Act - Directs the Secretary of Veterans Affairs (VA) to contract with an experienced non-government entity to conduct an annual survey, over a five-year period, of a statistically significant sample of veterans who reside in the geographic area served by each VA medical facility to determine the experiences of such veterans in obtaining hospital care and medical services at such facility. Requires those surveys to include questions relating to:  the veteran's ability to obtain hospital care and medical services at the facility in a timely manner, the time that expires between the date the veteran requests an appointment and the date on which the appointment is scheduled, the frequency with which scheduled appointments are cancelled, and the quality of hospital care or medical services the veteran receives.  Requires the non-government entity to consult with veterans service organizations in designing and conducting the surveys. Prohibits the non-government entity from conducting a survey before the Comptroller General (GAO) certifies the survey as scientifically valid and the proposed sample size of veterans as statistically significant. Directs the Secretary to make the results of the surveys publicly available on the VA's Internet website.
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