,i  #aacth ,,congress  #ast ,session    
,h4 ,r4 #adib  ,,in ,,the ,,house ,,of  
,,representatives  ,april #aa1 #bjac    
,mr4 ,mc,dermott 7for himself1 ,mr4     
,blumenauer1 ,mrs4 ,capps1 ,mr4 ,farr1  
,ms4 ,norton1 ,mr4 ,jones1 ,mr4 ,rush1  
,ms4 ,wilson of ,florida1 ,mr4 ,ryan of 
,ohio1 ,ms4 ,sinema1 ,mr4 ,enyart1 ,mr4 
,cicilline1 ,ms4 ,bordallo1 ,mr4        
,lowenthal1 ,mr4 ,vargas1 ,mr4          
,grijalva1 ,ms4 ,lee of ,california1 and
 ,mr4 ,mc,nerney7 introduced the        
following bill2 which was referred to   
the ,committee on ,veterans' ,affairs1  
and in addition to the ,committee on    
,armed ,services1 for a period to be    
subsequently determined by the ,speaker1
 in each case for consideration of such 
provisions as fall within the           
jurisdiction of the committee concerned 
,a ,,bill  ,to establish the ,commission
 on ,america and its ,veterans4  #a4    
,establishment of ,commission ,there is 
established an independent commission in
 the executive branch to be known as the

 ,commission on ,america and its        
,veterans 7referred to in this ,act as  
the ,commission74  #b4 ,findings        
,congress finds the following3  7#a7    
,after more than a decade of war1 and   
much work to help members of the ,armed 
,forces returning home from the         
battlefield1 the ,united ,states needs a
 wider and more thorough process for    
welcoming members back1 taking care of  
their needs1 and reintegrating them into
 society4  7#b7 ,many initiatives exist 
that provide help for the men and women 
who have fought1 but there are gaps in  
our support for veterans that need to be
 addressed4  7#c7 ,the ,united ,states  
has waged wars1 but not all are involved
 in fighting those wars1 and the ,united
 ,states needs to be more deeply and    
regularly connected with members and    
their experiences in war and returning  
from war4  7#d7 ,veterans contribute    
mightily to the society of the ,united  
,states but many veterans endure ongoing
 psychological trauma1 challenges with  

employment1 crime and dislocation1 and  
veterans' families and communities are  
also faced with the after-effects of war
 in ways that need to be publicly       
addressed4  7#e7 ,the ,nation needs a   
whole-of-society approach to improving  
the veteran's position in society1 and  
improving how we welcome veterans when  
they return1 and improving veterans'    
experience when they come back1 and do  
so in a way that helps veterans1 their  
families1 and their communities4  #c4   
,duties of ,commission  7a7 ,in general 
,the ,commission shall--  7#a7 not later
 than ,january #ca1 #bjad1 submit to the
 ,president and ,congress a report      
suggesting ceremonies and events to be  
held throughout the ,united ,states to  
acknowledge the wars recently fought and
 for the heroism displayed by members of
 the ,armed ,forces and the costs in    
lives and injuries paid by members1     
families1 and communities2  7#b7 not    
later than ,december #ca1 #bjad1 submit 
to the ,president and ,congress a report

 on the findings1 conclusions1 and      
legislative or other recommendations of 
the ,commission with respect to any     
deficiency in how the ,united ,states   
welcomes back members of the ,armed     
,forces returning home1 including--     
7,a7 by studying the entirety of the    
reintegration experience on the member1 
the family of the member1 and the       
community of the member to identify any 
such deficiencies that can be addressed 
to make such reintegration a complete   
and positive experience2 and  7,b7 with 
a particular emphasis on the effects of 
post-traumatic stress and the other     
social and health issues of members and 
veterans2  7#c7 not later than #abj days
 after the date of the enactment of this
 ,act1 begin convening conversations    
throughout the ,united ,states--  7,a7  
on the effect of war on members1 the    
families of members1 and the communities
 of members2 and  7,b7 addressing the   
reintegration experience and the gap    
between the military1 veterans1 and     

civilian life2 and  7#d7 beginning on   
the date that is #ahj days after the    
date of the enactment of this ,act1 and 
at regular intervals thereafter during  
the life of the ,commission1 including a
 final report at the end of such life1  
submit to the ,secretary of ,veterans   
,affairs recommendations regarding the  
,office of ,armed ,services and         
,veterans ,public ,outreach established 
under section #i1 including how to best 
conduct an ongoing interaction between  
members of the ,armed ,forces1 veterans1
 and civilians1 particularly with young 
people1 in which members and veterans   
share their stories and the effect of   
their service and reintegration         
experience directly with civilians and  
for recorded history4  7b7 ,interim     
reports ,the ,commission may submit to  
the ,president and ,congress interim    
reports containing such findings1       
conclusions1 and recommendations as have
 been agreed to by a majority of        
,commission members4  #d4 ,composition  

of ,commission  7a7 ,members ,the       
,commission shall be composed of #ah    
members as follows3  7#a7 ,one member1  
who shall serve as chairman of the      
,commission1 shall be appointed by the  
,president4  7#b7 ,one member1 who shall
 serve as vice chairman of the          
,commission1 shall be appointed by the  
,speaker of the ,house of               
,representatives4  7#c7 ,four members   
shall be appointed by the majority      
leader of the ,senate4  7#d7 ,four      
members shall be appointed by the       
,speaker of the ,house of               
,representatives 7in addition to the one
 member appointed under paragraph 7#b774
  7#e7 ,four members shall be appointed 
by the minority leader of the ,senate4  
7#f7 ,four members shall be appointed by
 the minority leader of the ,house of   
,representatives4  7b7 ,qualifications  
7#a7 ,expertise ,members of the         
,commission shall be appointed from     
among individuals who have personally   
and professionally experienced the      

effects of war on the ,armed ,forces1   
families1 and society4  7#b7            
,nongovernmental appointees ,members of 
the ,commission may not be an officer or
 employee of the ,federal ,government4  
7#c7 ,veterans included ,not less than  
one member of the ,commission appointed 
under each of paragraphs 7#c7 through   
7#f7 of subsection 7a7 shall be a       
veteran4  7#d7 ,deadline for appointment
 ,members of the ,commission shall be   
appointed not later than #cj days after 
the date of the enactment of this ,act4 
7c7 ,vacancies ,except as provided in   
subsection 7e77#c7 with respect to a    
quorum1 any vacancy in the ,commission  
shall not affect its powers4 ,a vacancy 
in the ,commission shall be filled in   
the manner in which the original        
appointment was made4  7d7 ,compensation
  7#a7 ,pay ,except as provided by      
paragraph 7#b71 members of the          
,commission shall serve without pay4    
7#b7 ,travel expenses ,each member shall
 receive travel expenses1 including per 

diem in lieu of subsistence1 in         
accordance with applicable provisions   
under subchapter ,i of chapter #eg of   
title #e1 ,united ,states ,code1        
including section #egjc4  7e7 ,initial  
meeting2 rules of procedure2 quorum     
7#a7 ,initial meeting ,the ,commission  
shall hold the initial meeting of the   
,commission not later than #fj days     
after the date of the enactment of this 
,act4  7#b7 ,meetings ,after the initial
 meeting under paragraph 7#a71 the      
,commission shall meet at the call of   
the chairman or a majority of members4  
7#c7 ,quorum ,ten members of the        
,commission shall constitute a quorum   
but a lesser number may hold hearings4  
7#d7 ,rules of procedure ,the           
,commission may establish rules for the 
conduct of the business of the          
,commission1 if such rules are not      
inconsistent with this ,act or other    
applicable law4  #e4 ,powers of         
,commission  7a7 ,hearings ,for the     
purpose of carrying out this ,act1 the  

,commission 7or on the authority of the 
,commission1 any subcommittee1 member1  
or designated staff thereof71 may hold  
such hearings and sit and act at such   
times and places1 take such testimony1  
receive such evidence1 and administer   
such oaths as the ,commission considers 
appropriate4 ,the ,commission shall hold
 not less than one hearing in each of   
the several ,states and the ,district of
 ,columbia and may hold hearings in any 
commonwealth1 territory1 or possession  
of the ,united ,states as the           
,commission determines appropriate4  7b7
 ,contracting ,to the extent or in the  
amounts provided in advance in          
appropriation ,acts1 the ,commission may
 enter into contracts to enable the     
,commission to carry out the            
responsibilities of the ,commission     
under this ,act4  7c7 ,information from 
federal agencies ,the ,commission may   
secure directly from any department or  
agency of the ,united ,states           
information necessary to enable it to   

carry out this ,act4 ,upon request of   
the chairman of the ,commission1 the    
chairman of any subcommittee created by 
a majority of the ,commission1 or any   
member designated by a majority of the  
,commission1 the head of that department
 or agency shall furnish that           
information to the ,commission4  7d7    
,assistance from federal agencies  7#a7 
,general services administration ,upon  
the request of the ,commission1 the     
,administrator of ,general ,services    
shall provide to the ,commission1 on a  
reimbursable basis1 the administrative  
support services and other services     
necessary for the ,commission to carry  
out the responsibilities of the         
,commission under this ,act4  7#b7      
,other departments and agencies ,in     
addition to the assistance described in 
paragraph 7#a71 the head of any         
department or agency of the ,united     
,states may provide to the ,commission  
such services1 funds1 facilities1 staff1
 and other support services as they may 

determine advisable and as may be       
authorized by law4  7e7 ,gifts ,the     
,commission may accept1 use1 and dispose
 of gifts1 bequests1 or devises of      
services or property1 both real and     
personal1 for the purpose of aiding or  
facilitating the work of the            
,commission4 ,gifts1 bequests1 or       
devises of money and proceeds from sales
 of other property received as gifts1   
bequests1 or devises shall be deposited 
in the ,treasury and shall be available 
for disbursement upon order of the      
chairman1 vice chairman1 or designee4   
7f7 ,mails ,the ,commission may use the 
,united ,states mails in the same manner
 and under the same conditions as other 
departments and agencies of the ,united 
,states4  #f4 ,staff  7a7 ,in general   
7#a7 ,appointment and compensation ,the 
chairman1 in accordance with rules      
agreed upon by the ,commission1 shall   
appoint and fix the compensation of a   
staff director and such other personnel 
as may be necessary to enable the       

,commission to carry out the            
responsibilities of the ,commission1    
without regard to the provisions of     
title #e1 ,united ,states ,code1        
governing appointments in the           
competitive service1 and without regard 
to the provisions of chapter #ea and    
subchapter ,,iii of chapter #ec of such 
title relating to classification and    
,general ,schedule pay rates1 except    
that no rate of pay fixed under this    
subsection may exceed the equivalent of 
that payable for a position at level    
,,iii of the ,executive ,schedule under 
section #ecaf of title #e1 ,united      
,states ,code4  7#b7 ,personnel as      
federal employees ,the executive        
director and any employee of the        
,commission 7not including members      
appointed under section #d7;a77 shall be
 employees under section #baje of title 
#e1 ,united ,states ,code1 for purposes 
of chapters #fc1 #ha1 #hc1 #hd1 #he1    
#hg1 #hi1 and #ij of that title4  7b7   
,detailees ,any employee of the ,federal

 ,government may be detailed by the head
 of the department or agency of the     
employee to the ,commission without     
reimbursement from the ,commission1 and 
such detailee shall retain the rights1  
status1 and privileges of the detailee's
 regular employment without             
interruption4  7c7 ,expert and          
consultant services ,the ,commission may
 procure the services of experts and    
consultants in accordance with section  
#caji of title #e1 ,united ,states      
,code1 but at rates not to exceed the   
daily rate paid a person occupying a    
position at level ,,iv of the ,executive
 ,schedule under section #ecae of title 
#e1 ,united ,states ,code4  7d7         
,volunteer ,services ,notwithstanding   
section #acdb of title #ca1 ,united     
,states ,code1 the ,commission may      
accept and use voluntary and            
uncompensated services as the           
,commission determines necessary4  #g4  
,nonapplicability of ,federal ,advisory 
,committee ,act  7a7 ,in general ,the   

,federal ,advisory ,committee ,act 7#e  
,u4,s4,c4 ,app47 shall not apply to the 
,commission4  7b7 ,public meetings and  
release of public versions of reports   
,the ,commission shall--  7#a7 hold     
public hearings and meetings to the     
extent appropriate2 and  7#b7 release   
public versions of the reports required 
under section #c4  7c7 ,public hearings 
,any public hearings of the ,commission 
shall be conducted in a manner          
consistent with the protection of       
information provided to or developed for
 or by the ,commission as required by   
any applicable law1 regulation1 or      
,executive order4  #h4 ,termination  7a7
 ,termination  7#a7 ,in general ,the    
,commission shall terminate on ,may #ca1
 #bjaf4  7#b7 ,administrative activities
 before termination ,the ,commission may
 use the #fj-;day period preceding the  
date on which it terminates under       
paragraph 7#a7 for the purpose of       
concluding its activities1 including    
providing testimony to committees of    

,congress concerning its reports and    
disseminating the final report4  #i4    
,establishment of ,office of ,armed     
,services and ,veterans ,public         
,outreach  7a7 ,establishment ,the      
,secretary of ,veterans ,affairs shall  
establish within the ,department of     
,veterans ,affairs an ,office of ,armed 
,services and ,veterans ,public         
,outreach 7in this section referred to  
as the ,office74  7b7 ,duties ,the      
,office shall work with the ,armed      
,forces1 veterans service organizations1
 the private and public sectors1        
nonprofit organizations1 local          
educational agencies1 and other         
organizations to help match veterans and
 members of the ,armed ,forces with     
civilian audiences in order for private 
and nonprofit organizations to conduct  
ongoing interactions between members1   
veterans1 and civilians1 particularly   
with young people1 in which members and 
veterans share their stories and the    
effect of their service and             

reintegration experience directly with  
civilians and for recorded history4     
#aj4 ,funding ,this ,act shall not be   
construed to increase the amount of     
appropriations that are authorized to be
 appropriated for any fiscal year4  #aa4
 ,veteran defined ,in this section1 the 
term veteran has the meaning given that 
term in section #aja7b7 of title #ch1   
,united ,states ,code4