,,ib  ,union ,cal5d> ,no4 #dhd  #aac?   
,,congress  #b;d ,session  ,h4 ,r4 #diga
  ,report ,no4 #aac-fde  ,,9 ,,! ,,h\se 
,,( ,,repres5tatives  ,june #be1 #bjad  
,mr4 ,o',r\rke 7= himself1 ,mr4 ,flores1
 ,ms4 ,gabb>d1 ,mr4 ,hors=d1 ,mr4       
,israel1 ,mr4 ,jolly1 ,mr4 ,mi*aud1 ,mr4
 ,pallone1 ,mr4 ,swalwell ( ,cali=nia1  
,ms4 ,hanabusa1 ,ms4 ,hahn1 & ,mr4      
,?ompson ( ,cali=nia7 introduc$ ! foll[+
 bill2 :i* 0 ref]r$ to ! ,committee on  
,vet]ans' ,affairs  ,decemb] #c1 #bjad  
,additional sponsors3 ,mr4 ,hurt1 ,mrs4 
,negrete ,mc,leod1 ,ms4 ,br[nley (      
,cali=nia1 ,ms4 ,titus1 ,mr4 ,b>b]1     
,mrs4 ,kirkpatrick1 ,mr4 ,al ,gre5 (    
,texas1 ,mr4 ,g5e ,gre5 ( ,texas1 ,mr4  
,g>cia1 ,mr4 ,scott ( ,virg9ia1 ,mr4    
,cook1 ,mr4 ,yoho1 ,mr4 ,ruiz1 ,mrs4    
,walorski1 ,mr4 ,walz1 ,mr4 ,pe>ce1 ,mr4
 ,lewis1 ,mr4 ,jones1 ,ms4 ,s9ema1 ,mr4 
,huffman1 & ,ms4 ,ku/]  ,decemb] #c1    
#bjad ,report$ ) an am5dm5t1 committ$ to
 ! ,committee ( ! ,:ole ,h\se on ! ,/ate
 ( ! ,union1 & ord]$ to be pr9t$ ,/rike 

out all aft] ! enact+ clause & ins]t !  
"p pr9t$ 9 italic ,= text ( introduc$   
bill1 see copy ( bill z introduc$ on    
,june #be1 #bjad  ,a ,,bill  ,to direct 
! ,secret>y ( ,vet]ans ,affairs to      
conduct annual surveys ( vet]ans on     
exp]i5ces obta9+ hospital c>e & m$ical  
s]vices f m$ical facilities ( !         
,dep>tm5t ( ,vet]ans ,affairs1 & = o!r  
purposes4  #a4 ,%ort title ,?is ,act may
 be cit$ z ! ,ask ,vet]ans ,act4  #b4   
,survey ( vet]an exp]i5ces ) ,dep>tm5t (
 ,vet]ans ,affairs m$ical c>e  7a7 ,9   
g5]al ,! ,secret>y ( ,vet]ans ,affairs  
%all seek to ent] into a contract ) a   
non-gov]nm5t entity ) significant       
exp]i5ce conduct+ sci5tifically         
v]ifiable surveys & rese>* to conduct an
 annual survey ( a /ati/ically          
significant sample ( vet]ans :o reside 9
 ! geographic area s]v$ by ea* ( !      
m$ical facilities ( ! ,dep>tm5t (       
,vet]ans ,affairs to det]m9e ! nature ( 
! exp]i5ces ( su* vet]ans 9 obta9+      
hospital c>e & m$ical s]vices furni%$ by

 ! ,secret>y at ea* su* m$ical facility4
 ,ea* su* survey %all be conduct$ us+   
sci5tific & v]ifiable me?ods4 ,su*      
contract %all provide t ! non-gov]nm5t  
entity %all conduct su* annual surveys  
dur+ ! five-ye> p]iod beg9n+ on ! date  
on :i* ! ,secret>y ent]s into ! contract
 ) ! non-gov]nm5t entity4  7b7 ,cont5ts 
,! contract ent]$ into "u subsection 7a7
 %all provide t ea* survey conduct$     
pursuant to ! contract %all be specific 
to a m$ical facility ( ! ,dep>tm5t &    
%all include que/ions relat+ to !       
exp]i5ces ( vet]ans 9 reque/+ & receiv+ 
appo9tm5ts = hospital c>e & m$ical      
s]vices furni%$ by ! ,secret>y at t     
m$ical facility1 includ+ que/ions relat+
 to ea* ( ! foll[+3  7#a7 ,! vet]an's   
ability to obta9 hospital c>e & m$ical  
s]vices at ! facility 9 a timely mann]4 
7#b7 ,! p]iod ( "t betwe5 ! date on :i* 
! vet]an reque/s an appo9tm5t at !      
facility & ! date on :i* ! appo9tm5t is 
s*$ul$4  7#c7 ,! frequ5cy ) :i* s*$ul$  
appo9tm5ts are cancell$ by ! facility4  

7#d7 ,! quality ( hospital c>e or m$ical
 s]vices ! vet]an has receiv$ at !      
facility4  7c7 ,consultation ,! contract
 ent]$ into "u subsection 7a7 %all      
provide t 9 design+ & conduct+ ! surveys
 = ea* m$ical facility ( ! ,dep>tm5t    
pursuant to su* contract1 ! non-gov]nm5t
 entity %all consult ) vet]ans s]vice   
organizations4  7d7 ,c]tification ,!    
contract ent]$ into "u subsection 7a7   
%all provide t--  7#a7 be=e conduct+ a  
survey pursuant to ! contract1 !        
non-gov]nm5t entity %all submit !       
propos$ survey to ! ,comptroll] ,g5]al  
:o %all assess :e!r ! survey is         
sci5tifically valid & :e!r ! propos$    
sample size ( vet]ans to be survey$ is  
/ati/ically significant2 &  7#b7 !      
non-gov]nm5t entity may n conduct su* a 
survey until ! ,comptroll] ,g5]al       
provides su* a c]tification = ! survey4 
7e7 ,submittal ( results & public       
availability ( in=mation ,n lat] ?an #cj
 days aft] ! completion ( ! surveys     
conduct$ pursuant to a contract ent]$   

into "u subsection 7a7 = a ye>1 !       
,secret>y %all make ! results ( !       
surveys publicly available on ! ,int]net
 website ( ! ,dep>tm5t4  7f7 ,pap]work  
r$uction ,sub*apt] ,i ( *apt] #ce (     
title #dd1 ,unit$ ,/ates ,code %all n   
apply to ?is section4  7g7 ,deadl9e =   
implem5tation ,! ,secret>y %all ent]    
into a contract "u subsection 7a7 = ea* 
m$ical facility ( ! ,dep>tm5t by n lat] 
?an #ahj days aft] ! date ( ! enactm5t (
 ?is ,act4  #c4 ,m5tal heal? treatm5t = 
vet]ans :o s]v$ 9 classifi$ missions    
7a7 ,s5se ( ,congress ,x is ! s5se (    
,congress t vet]ans :o exp]i5ce         
combat-relat$ m5tal heal? w\nds %\ld h  
imm$iate1 appropriate1 & consi/5t access
 to compreh5sive m5tal heal? c>e4  7b7  
,9 g5]al ,sub*apt] ,,ii ( *apt] #ag (   
title #ch1 ,unit$ ,/ates ,code1 is am5d$
 by add+ at ! end ! foll[+ section3     
#agbj;,h4 ,m5tal heal? treatm5t =       
vet]ans :o s]v$ 9 classifi$ missions    
7a7 ,e/abli%m5t ( /&>ds  7#a7 ,!        
,secret>y %all e/abli% /&>ds & proc$ures

 to ensure t ea* cov]$ vet]an may access
 m5tal heal? c>e provid$ by ! ,secret>y 
9 a mann] t fully accommodates !        
obligation ( ! vet]an to n improp]ly    
disclose classifi$ in=mation4  7#b7 ,!  
,secret>y %all dissem9ate guidance to   
employees ( ! ,vet]ans ,heal?           
,adm9i/ration1 includ+ m5tal heal?      
pr(essionals1 on ! /&>ds & proc$ures    
e/abli%$ "u p>agraph 7#a7 & h[ to be/   
engage cov]$ vet]ans dur+ ! c\rse (     
m5tal heal? treatm5t ) respect to       
classifi$ in=mation4  7b7 ,id5tification
 ,9 c>ry+ out ?is section1 ! ,secret>y  
%all ensure t a vet]an may elect to     
id5tify z a cov]$ vet]an on an          
appropriate =m4  7c7 ,def9itions ,9 ?is 
section3  7#a7 ,! t]m classifi$         
in=mation means any in=mation or mat]ial
 t has be5 det]m9$ by an (ficial ( !    
,unit$ ,/ates pursuant to law1 an       
,executive ord]1 or regulation to       
require protection aga9/ unau?oriz$     
disclosure = reasons ( national         
security4  7#b7 ,! t]m cov]$ vet]an     

means a vet]an :o--  7,a7 is enroll$ 9 !
 heal? c>e sy/em e/abli%$ "u section    
#agje7;a7 ( ?is title2  7,b7 is seek+   
m5tal heal? treatm5t2 &  7,c7 9 ! c\rse 
( s]v+ 9 ! ,arm$ ,=ces1 p>ticipat$ 9 a  
s5sitive mission or s]v$ 9 a s5sitive   
unit4  7#c7 ,! t]m s5sitive mission     
means a mission ( ! ,arm$ ,=ces t1 at ! 
"t at :i* a cov]$ vet]an seeks treatm5t1
 is classifi$4  7#d7 ,! t]m s5sitive    
unit has ! mean+ giv5 t t]m 9 section   
#acj;b7c77#d7 ( title #aj4  4  7c7      
,cl]ical am5dm5t ,! table ( sections at 
! beg9n+ ( su* *apt] is am5d$ by add+   
aft] ! item relat+ to section #agbj;,g !
 foll[+ new item3  #agbj;,h4 ,m5tal     
heal? treatm5t = vet]ans :o s]v$ 9      
classifi$ missions4  4  #d4 ,bo>d (     
,vet]ans' ,appeals video he>+s ,section 
#gajg ( title #ch1 ,unit$ ,/ates ,code1 
is am5d$--  7#a7 9 subsection 7d71 by   
am5d+ p>agraph 7#a7 to read z foll[s3   
7#a7  7,a7 ,^u reque/ = a he>+1 ! ,bo>d 
%all det]m9e1 = purposes ( s*$ul+ ! he>+
 = ! e>lie/ possible date1 :e!r a he>+  

be=e ! ,bo>d w be held at its pr9cipal  
location or at a facility ( ! ,dep>tm5t 
or o!r appropriate ,f$]al facility      
locat$ )9 ! area s]v$ by a regional     
(fice ( ! ,dep>tm5t4 ,! ,bo>d %all also 
det]m9e :e!r to provide a he>+ ?r\gh !  
use ( ! facilities & equipm5t describ$ 9
 subsection 7e77#a7 or by ! appellant   
p]sonally appe>+ be=e a ,bo>d memb] or  
panel4  7,b7 ,! ,bo>d %all notify !     
appellant ( ! det]m9ations ( ! location 
& type ( he>+ made "u subp>agraph 7,a74 
,^u notification1 ! appellant may reque/
 a diff]5t location or type ( he>+ z    
describ$ 9 su* subp>agraph4 ,if s       
reque/$1 ! ,bo>d %all grant su* reque/ &
 ensure t ! he>+ is s*$ul$ at ! e>lie/  
possible date )\t any undue delay or o!r
 prejudice to ! appellant4  2 &  7#b7 9 
subsection 7e71 by am5d+ p>agraph 7#b7  
to read z foll[s3  7#b7 ,any he>+       
provid$ ?r\gh ! use ( ! facilities &    
equipm5t describ$ 9 p>agraph 7#a7 %all  
be conduct$ 9 ! same mann] z1 & %all be 
consid]$ ! equival5t (1 a p]sonal he>+4 

4  ,decemb] #c1 #bjad ,report$ ) an     
am5dm5t1 committ$ to ! ,committee ( !   
,:ole ,h\se on ! ,/ate ( ! ,union1 &    
ord]$ to be pr9t$