lcalvobartolome/proxann_data huggingface dataset:
Topic: Defense — Other
Subject: Armed forces and national security
Date: 2015-01-22 00:00:00

Increasing the Department of Veterans Affairs Accountability to Veterans Act of 2015

Requires the reduction of the federal annuities of individuals removed from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Senior Executive Service (SES) if they are convicted of a felony that influenced their performance while employed in such position.

Authorizes the VA Secretary to order the reduction of the federal annuities of individuals who were convicted of such a felony and were subject to removal or transfer from the VA SES, but who left the VA before final action was taken.

Reduces such annuities by excluding the covered service performed after the activity that subjects such an individual to transfer or removal occurs.

Requires the performance appraisal system for VA SES employees to provide for five specified annual summary ratings of levels of performance. Provides that in any given year no more than: (1) 10% of such employees may receive the outstanding level of performance, and (2) 20% of such employees may receive the exceeds-fully-successful level of performance.

Requires the Secretary to take any complaint or report from an appropriate person or entity related to any facility or program managed by an SES employee into account in evaluating that employee's performance.

 Directs the Secretary, at least once every five years, to reassign each SES employee to a position at a different location that does not include the supervision of the same personnel or programs. Allows the Secretary to waive such requirement if the Secretary submits to Congress notice of, and the reasons for, such waiver.

Directs the Secretary to contract with a nongovernmental entity for a review of the management training program for VA SES employees.

Prohibits the Secretary from placing a VA SES employee on administrative leave, or any other type of paid non-duty status, for more than a total of 14 days during any 365-day period. Allows the Secretary to waive such prohibition with respect to such an employee if the Secretary provides Congress with a detailed explanation of the reasons the employee was placed on such leave or status and the reasons for extending that placement.
Topic: Defense — Other
Subject: Armed forces and national security
Date: 2015-01-22 00:00:00

Efficient Service for Veterans Act

Directs the Secretary of Veterans Affairs (VA) and the Secretary of Defense to jointly ensure that certain VA readjustment counseling centers have access to the Defense Personnel Record Image Retrieval system and the Veterans Affairs/Department of Defense Identity Repository system.
Topic: Defense — Other
Subject: Armed forces and national security
Date: 2015-01-22 00:00:00

Veterans Health Administration Management Improvement Act

Directs the Comptroller General (GAO) to: (1) conduct a five-year management review of the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA); and (2) submit annual reports to Congress on the matters reviewed, including recommendations for improving the VHA's management.

Directs the VA Secretary to establish a five-year pilot program to improve the VHA's management and accountability that:

 gives VHA employees an opportunity to learn, implement, and identify successful means of advancing the VHA's management and the delivery of care and services; and improves the management and delivery of care and services at VA medical facilities by implementing the GAO's recommendations, and any other appropriate recommendations, regarding the VHA's planning and evaluation capabilities. Requires the Secretary, during such pilot program, to: (1) establish an annual performance plan that uses logic modeling and risk assessment to coordinate the VA's operations with its goals; and (2) prepare an annual organization evaluation plan for the VHA that is informed by the GAO's recommendations.

Establishes a VA Office of the Management and Accountability Ombudsman to:

 assist the Secretary in conducting the pilot program; conduct inspections of VHA medical facilities, including non-VA facilities that provide VA contract care; and work with the Secretary and VHA employees in identifying and resolving problems with the VHA's management, administration, and delivery of care. Directs the GAO to review each budget the President submits to Congress during 2015-2020 to evaluate the proposed budget for VA health care.

Establishes a Veterans' Bill of Rights regarding health care, which is to be prominently displayed in each VA medical facility and about which the Secretary shall conduct outreach to veterans and ensure that VA employees receive training.
Topic: Defense — Other
Subject: Armed forces and national security
Date: 2015-01-22 00:00:00

Establishes an Appeals Task Force to evaluate the backlog of appeals of claims within the Board of Veterans' Appeals and the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims (Court).

Requires the Task Force to study: (1) the anticipated surge in appeals of claims; and (2) possible improvements to the appeals process, including whether substantive and structural changes to the overall appeals process are required.

Directs the Task Force to submit to the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, the Chairman of the Board of Veterans' Appeals, and the Court a feasible, timely, and cost effective plan to eliminate the backlog of appeals based on the remedies and solutions it identifies. Requires the Secretary, Chairman, and Court to: (1) fully consider those remedies and solutions, (2) implement those the Secretary deems appropriate, and (3) submit to Congress justification for failing to implement any such remedy or solution.
Topic: Defense — Other
Subject: Armed forces and national security
Date: 2015-01-27 00:00:00

Honoring Our WWII Merchant Mariners Act of 2015

Establishes in the Treasury the Merchant Mariner Equity Compensation Fund from which the Secretary of Veterans Affairs is to make one payment of $25,000 to each individual who, between December 7, 1941, and December 31, 1946, was a documented member of the U.S. merchant marine (including the Army Transport Service and the Naval Transport Service) serving as a crewmember of a vessel that was operated in U.S. waters by the War Shipping Administration or the Office of Defense Transportation and under contract to, or the property of, the United States. Requires such individuals to: (1) apply for such benefit within one year after the enactment of this Act, and (2) not have received benefits under the Servicemen's Readjustment Act of 1944.

Requires the Secretary to include, in annual budget documents submitted to Congress, detailed information on the Fund's operation.
Topic: Defense — Other
Subject: Armed forces and national security
Date: 2015-01-27 00:00:00

Veterans Affairs Retaliation Prevention Act of 2015

Authorizes a Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) employee to file a whistleblower complaint with his or her immediate supervisor. Gives that supervisor two business days to determine and notify the employee as to whether there is a reasonable likelihood that the complaint discloses a violation of any law, rule, or regulation, gross mismanagement, a gross waste of funds, an abuse of authority, or substantial and specific danger to public health and safety. Requires that supervisor to include in the employee notification specific actions that the supervisor will take to address a complaint deemed reasonably valid.

Authorizes an employee whose supervisor fails to make a timely determination regarding the complaint or address the complaint to the employee's satisfaction, to file such complaint with the next-level supervisor, who shall make a determination regarding the complaint in accordance with the procedures this Act requires the immediate supervisor to follow.

Authorizes an employee to file a whistleblower complaint with the VA Secretary if the employee has filed such complaint with each level of supervisors between the employee and the Secretary in accordance with such procedures.

Requires each employee who receives a positive determination from a supervisor regarding a complaint to be: (1) informed by the Secretary of the employee's ability to volunteer for a transfer, and (2) given transfer preference.

Directs the Secretary to carry out the following adverse actions against VA employees who are determined to have committed a prohibited personnel action relating to whistleblower complaints: (1) not less than a 14-day suspension, and not more than removal, for a first offense, and (2) removal for a second offense. Gives employees no more than five days following notification of such a proposed adverse action to dispute it.

Requires the Secretary to charge an offending employee a fee that takes into account the costs borne by the federal government due to such prohibited personnel action.

Requires the Secretary, when evaluating a supervisor's performance, to take into account any failure to follow this Act's procedures or any commission of a prohibited personnel action relating to a whistleblower complaint. Denies awards or bonuses to supervisors found to have committed such prohibited personnel actions.

Directs the Secretary to: (1) provide each VA employee with annual training regarding whistleblower complaints; (2) provide annual training on merit system protection that the Special Counsel certifies as satisfactory; and (3) publish on the VA's website and prominently display at VA facilities the rights of an employee to file, and to petition Congress regarding, a whistleblower complaint.
Topic: Defense — Other
Subject: Armed forces and national security
Date: 2015-01-27 00:00:00

Veterans Access to Community Care Act of 2015

Directs the Secretary of Veterans Affairs (VA) to use the Secretary's existing authority to furnish health care to veterans at non-VA facilities to provide health care at non-VA facilities to veterans who reside more than 40 miles driving distance from the closest VA medical facility providing the care they seek.
Topic: Defense — Other
Subject: Armed forces and national security
Date: 2015-01-27 00:00:00

Directs the Secretary of Veterans Affairs (VA) to use the Secretary's existing authority to furnish health care to veterans at non-VA facilities to provide health care at non-VA facilities to veterans who reside more than 40 miles driving distance from the closest VA medical facility providing the care they seek.
Topic: Defense — Other
Subject: Armed forces and national security
Date: 2015-01-28 00:00:00

Help Hire our Heroes Act

Amends the VOW to Hire Heroes Act of 2011 to extend, from March 31, 2014, to 180 days after this Act's enactment, the veterans retraining assistance program.

Amends the Internal Revenue Code to transfer funds for such program from the Leaking Underground Storage Tank Trust Fund.
Topic: Defense — Other
Subject: Crime and law enforcement
Date: 2015-01-28 00:00:00

Servicemember Assistance for Lawful Understanding, Treatment, and Education Act or the SALUTE Act

Amends the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 to authorize the Attorney General to award grants for developing, implementing, or enhancing veterans' treatment courts or expanding operational mental health or drug courts to serve veterans to ensure that such courts effectively integrate substance abuse treatment, mental health treatment, sanctions and incentives, and transitional services, in a judicially supervised court setting with jurisdiction over offenders who are veterans.

Authorizes the Attorney General to award such grants to states, state courts, local courts, local governments, and Indian tribal governments for court programs that involve

 continuing judicial supervision over offenders who are veterans with substance abuse or mental health problems; coordination with appropriate federal, state, or local prosecutors; coordination with the Veterans Health Administration; and the integrated administration of other sanctions and services, including substance abuse and mental health treatment, supervised release involving the possibility of prosecution, confinement, or incarceration based on non-compliance with program requirements or failure to show satisfactory progress, and offender management. Prohibits the use of grant funds to provide judicial supervision over, treatment of, or other services to violent offenders.

Directs the Comptroller General to conduct a study to assess the effectiveness and impact of such grant program.
Topic: Defense — Other
Subject: Armed forces and national security
Date: 2015-02-02 00:00:00

Makes eligible for beneficiary travel through the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) a veteran whose travel to a specialized outpatient or residential program at a VA facility is in connection with treatment or care for military sexual trauma.
Topic: Defense — Other
Subject: Armed forces and national security
Date: 2015-02-04 00:00:00

Veterans Access to Speedy Review Act

Requires the Board of Veterans' Appeals, for purposes of scheduling a veteran's appeal hearing at the earliest possible date, to determine whether to provide such hearing: (1) at its principal location or at another Department of Veterans Affairs facility or other federal facility, and (2) through the use of videoconferencing or by an appellant's personal appearance.

Requires the Board to notify the appellant of such decisions. Allows the appellant to request a different location or type of hearing. Requires the Board to grant such request and ensure that the hearing is scheduled at the earliest possible date.
Topic: Defense — Other
Subject: Armed forces and national security
Date: 2015-02-05 00:00:00

Express Appeals Act

Directs the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to: (1) carry out a five-year pilot program to provide the option of an alternative appeals process to determine appeals of claims for disability compensation more quickly, and (2) inform claimants about such program.

Describes appeals filed under the pilot program as "fully developed appeals."

Authorizes a claimant to elect to file a fully developed appeal by filing with the Secretary: (1) a notice of disagreement along with the claimant's written election to have the appeal determined under the pilot program, (2) all evidence that the claimant believes is needed for the appeal, and (3) a statement of the argument in support of the claim. Requires the Secretary to transfer jurisdiction over a fully developed appeal directly to the Board of Veterans' Appeals.

Requires a claimant to make such election: (1) at any time during the traditional appeal process if the claimant has filed a traditional appeal before the pilot program commences, or (2) when the claimant files the notice of disagreement if the claimant has not filed a traditional appeal.

Directs the Secretary to inform a claimant who seeks to change a traditional appeal to a fully developed appeal as to whether any time will be saved. Allows a claimant who elects to file a fully developed appeal to elect to revert to a traditional appeal at any time.

Requires the Board of Veterans' Appeals to: (1) maintain fully developed appeals on a separate docket; (2) hear fully developed appeals in the order received; (3) decide not more than one fully developed appeal for each four traditional appeals decided, though this ratio may be adjusted for fairness purposes beginning one year after the pilot program begins; and (4) decide, to the extent practicable, each fully developed appeal within one year of a claimant's filing the notice of disagreement.

Sets forth provisions regarding: (1) the effects of new evidence submitted or additional information needed after a fully developed appeal is filed, and (2) a prohibition against the Board providing hearings for fully developed appeals.

Directs the Board to establish an office to develop federal records, independent medical opinions, and new medical exams that the Board deems necessary to decide a fully developed appeal.
Topic: Defense — Other
Date: 2015-02-05 00:00:00

Authorizes the President to award the Medal of Honor to James Megellas for acts of valor on January 28, 1945, during the Battle of the Bulge in World War II.
Topic: Defense — Other
Subject: Armed forces and national security
Date: 2015-02-10 00:00:00

Veterans Employment and Training Service Longitudinal Study Act of 2015

Directs the Secretary of Labor to enter into a contract with a non-governmental entity to conduct a longitudinal study of a statistically valid sample of each of the following groups of individuals over a period of at least five years: (1) veterans who have received intensive job counseling, training, and placement services; (2) veterans who did not receive intensive services but who otherwise received services; and (3) veterans who did not seek or receive services.

Requires the study to include the collection of specified information for each individual who participates in the study, including:

 the average number of months served on active duty, the distribution of disability ratings, unemployment benefits received, the average number of months employed and average individual and household annual income, employment status, whether the individual believes that any service received helped the individual to become employed, use of educational assistance, participation in a vocational rehabilitation program, conditions of discharge or release from the Armed Forces, and demographic information. Directs the Secretary to submit annual reports on the outcomes of the study that include any information the Secretary determines is necessary to determine long-term outcomes of the individuals in such groups.
Topic: Defense — Other
Subject: Armed forces and national security
Date: 2015-02-12 00:00:00

Requires the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to provide collaborative recovery coordinator training at a qualified nursing or medical school selected by the VA, to lead the systematic evidence review of care coordination and a consensus conference to build the model on evidence-based guidelines. Designates such school to lead: (1) the literature review and development of evidence-based guidelines for recovery coordination, training modules for care coordination, and software that is compatible with VA systems for recovery coordination; and (2) a consensus conference on evidence-based care coordination.

Directs the VA to: (1) subcontract with an appropriate entity for the development of care coordination software, (2) carry out a conference for recovery coordinator tool validation, and (3) carry out a software pilot program.

Authorizes the qualified nursing or medical school to train 45 recovery coordinators.

Directs the VA and the Department of Defense (DOD), in carrying out the Federal Recovery Coordination Program, to jointly develop, and enter a memorandum to carry out, a plan to ensure that:

 the Program is operated jointly by the Secretaries; the administration of the Program is not delegated to an individual outside the respective office of each Secretary; the Program assists members of the Armed Forces with severe or catastrophic injuries or illnesses who are unlikely to return to active duty and who will most likely be medically separated and members and veterans whose individual circumstances (including illness, injury, mental health, family situation, and unique benefit needs) cause difficulties in transitioning to civilian life; the VA Secretary and the Secretaries of the military departments refer members and veterans to the Program at the earliest possible time; and each federal agency provides a Federal Recovery Coordinator of the Program with the information, coordination, and cooperation necessary for the Coordinator to assist participating members and veterans.
Topic: Defense — Other
Subject: Armed forces and national security
Date: 2015-02-12 00:00:00

Requires the Secretary of Veterans Affairs (VA) to provide trained guide dogs to veterans who are blind by reason of a service-connected disability, are enrolled for VA hospital care and medical services, and elect to receive such a dog.
Topic: Defense — Other
Subject: Armed forces and national security
Date: 2015-02-12 00:00:00

Amends the Veterans Access, Choice, and Accountability Act of 2014 to extend indefinitely the requirement that the Secretary of Veterans Affairs (VA) furnish hospital care and medical services through non-VA facilities to veterans who reside: (1) in a state without a VA medical facility that provides hospital care, emergency medical services, and surgical care; and (2) more than 20 miles from such a facility.
Topic: Defense — Other
Subject: Armed forces and national security
Date: 2015-02-13 00:00:00

Children of Military Service Members Commemorative Lapel Pin Act

Requires a lapel button, to be known as the children of military service members commemorative lapel button, to be designed, as approved by the Department of Defense (DOD), to identify and recognize child dependents of members of the Armed Forces who serve on active duty for more than 30 days. Expresses the sense of Congress that DOD should expedite the design and manufacture of the button, as well as mechanisms to facilitate its issuance.

Makes such button available retroactively to the child of any member satisfying such eligibility conditions before the enactment of this Act.

Requires DOD to notify members with qualifying service since September 11, 2001, of the availability of the button.
Topic: Defense — Other
Subject: Armed forces and national security
Date: 2015-02-13 00:00:00

Veterans Air Travel Streamlining Act of 2015

Requires: (1) the Administrator of the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) to waive the application fee for veterans with a service-connected disability rated at 50% or more who apply to participate in TSA's Pre-check program, and (2) the Administrator and the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to establish a system to verify such a veteran's disability rating and whether such veteran's disability is service-connected.
Topic: Defense — Other
Subject: Armed forces and national security
Date: 2015-02-13 00:00:00

Deems Milton Holland (who, while a sergeant major of the 5th Regiment, United States Colored Infantry, was awarded the Medal of Honor for gallantry during the Civil War) to have held the grade of captain in the regular Army, effective as of September 29, 1864, and continuing until his separation from the Army.

Prohibits any entitlement to bonuses, gratuity, pay, or allowances because of  such posthumous commission.