Veterans Identification Card Act 2015
PL 114-31 (H.R.91), enacted 07/20/2015

129 STAT. 428 
PUBLIC LAW 114–31—JULY 20, 2015 
Public Law 114–31 
114th Congress 
An Act 
To amend title 38, United States Code, to direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs 
to issue, upon request, veteran identification cards to certain veterans. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Veterans Identification Card 
Act 2015’’. 
SEC. 2. VETERANS IDENTIFICATION CARD. 
(a) FINDINGS.—Congress makes the following findings: 
(1) Effective on the day before the date of the enactment 
of this Act, veteran identification cards were issued to veterans 
who have either completed the statutory time-in-service 
requirement for retirement from the Armed Forces or who 
have received a medical-related discharge from the Armed 
Forces. 
(2) Effective on the day before the date of the enactment 
of this Act, a veteran who served a minimum obligated time 
in service, but who did not meet the criteria described in 
paragraph (1), did not receive a means of identifying the vet-
eran’s status as a veteran other than using the Department 
of Defense form DD–214 discharge papers of the veteran. 
(3) Goods, services, and promotional activities are often 
offered by public and private institutions to veterans who dem-
onstrate proof of service in the military, but it is impractical 
for a veteran to always carry Department of Defense form 
DD–214 discharge papers to demonstrate such proof. 
(4) A general purpose veteran identification card made 
available to veterans would be useful to demonstrate the status 
of the veterans without having to carry and use official Depart-
ment of Defense form DD–214 discharge papers. 
(5) On the day before the date of the enactment of this 
Act, the Department of Veterans Affairs had the infrastructure 
in place across the United States to produce photographic 
identification cards and accept a small payment to cover the 
cost of these cards. 
(b) PROVISION OF VETERAN IDENTIFICATION CARDS.—Chapter 
57 of title 38, United States Code, is amended by adding after 
section 5705 the following new section: 
38 USC 5706 
note. 
Veterans 
Identification 
Card Act of 2015. 
38 USC 101 note. 
July 20, 2015 
[H.R. 91] 
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129 STAT. 429 
PUBLIC LAW 114–31—JULY 20, 2015 
‘‘§ 5706. Veterans identification card 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall issue 
an identification card described in subsection (b) to each veteran 
who— 
‘‘(1) requests such card; 
‘‘(2) presents a copy of Department of Defense form DD– 
214 or other official document from the official military per-
sonnel file of the veteran that describes the service of the 
veteran; and 
‘‘(3) pays the fee under subsection (c)(1). 
‘‘(b) IDENTIFICATION CARD.—An identification card described 
in this subsection is a card issued to a veteran that— 
‘‘(1) displays a photograph of the veteran; 
‘‘(2) displays the name of the veteran; 
‘‘(3) explains that such card is not proof of any benefits 
to which the veteran is entitled to; 
‘‘(4) contains an identification number that is not a social 
security number; and 
‘‘(5) serves as proof that such veteran— 
‘‘(A) served in the Armed Forces; and 
‘‘(B) has a Department of Defense form DD–214 or 
other official document in the official military personnel 
file of the veteran that describes the service of the veteran. 
‘‘(c) COSTS
OF CARD.—(1) The Secretary shall charge a fee 
to each veteran who receives an identification card issued under 
this section, including a replacement identification card. 
‘‘(2)(A) The fee charged under paragraph (1) shall equal such 
amount as the Secretary determines is necessary to issue an identi-
fication card under this section. 
‘‘(B) In determining the amount of the fee under subparagraph 
(A), the Secretary shall ensure that the total amount of fees collected 
under paragraph (1) equals an amount necessary to carry out 
this section, including costs related to any additional equipment 
or personnel required to carry out this section. 
‘‘(C) The Secretary shall review and reassess the determination 
under subparagraph (A) during each five-year period in which the 
Secretary issues an identification card under this section. 
‘‘(3) Amounts collected under this subsection shall be deposited 
in an account of the Department available to carry out this section. 
Amounts so deposited shall be— 
‘‘(A) merged with amounts in such account; 
‘‘(B) available in such amounts as may be provided in 
appropriation Acts; and 
‘‘(C) subject to the same conditions and limitations as 
amounts otherwise in such account. 
‘‘(d) EFFECT OF CARD ON BENEFITS.—(1) An identification card 
issued under this section shall not serve as proof of any benefits 
that the veteran may be entitled to under this title. 
‘‘(2) A veteran who is issued an identification card under this 
section shall not be entitled to any benefits under this title by 
reason of possessing such card. 
‘‘(e) ADMINISTRATIVE
MEASURES.—(1) The Secretary shall 
ensure that any information collected or used with respect to an 
identification card issued under this section is appropriately 
secured. 
‘‘(2) The Secretary may determine any appropriate procedures 
with respect to issuing a replacement identification card. 
Review. 
Assessment. 
Determination. 
Fees. 
38 USC 5706. 
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129 STAT. 430 
PUBLIC LAW 114–31—JULY 20, 2015 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY—H.R. 91: 
CONGRESSIONAL RECORD, Vol. 161 (2015): 
May 18, considered and passed House. 
June 22, considered and passed Senate, amended. 
July 7, House concurred in Senate amendment. 
‘‘(3) In carrying out this section, the Secretary shall coordinate 
with the National Personnel Records Center. 
‘‘(4) The Secretary may conduct such outreach to advertise 
the identification card under this section as the Secretary considers 
appropriate. 
‘‘(f) CONSTRUCTION.—This section shall not be construed to 
affect identification cards otherwise provided by the Secretary to 
veterans enrolled in the health care system established under sec-
tion 1705(a) of this title.’’. 
(c) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sections at the begin-
ning of such chapter is amended by inserting after the item relating 
to section 5705 the following new item: 
‘‘5706. Veterans identification card.’’. 
(d) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendments made by this Act shall 
take effect on the date that is 60 days after the date of the enact-
ment of this Act. 
Approved July 20, 2015. 
38 USC 5706 
note. 
38 USC 
prec. 5701. 
Coordination. 
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