,,ii  #aacth ,,congress  #ast ,session  
,s4 #aeeh  ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of     
,,the ,,united ,,states  ,september #bg1
 #bjac,mr4 ,begich 7for himself and ,mr4
 ,brown7 introduced the following bill2 
which was read twice and referred to the
 ,committee on ,veterans' ,affairs  ,a  
,,bill  ,to require the ,secretary of   
,veterans ,affairs to carry out a       
program of outreach for veterans1 and   
for other purposes4  #a4 ,short title   
,this ,act may be cited as the ,veterans
 ,outreach ,enhancement ,act of #bjac4  
#b4 ,program of outreach to veterans    
7a7 ,program required ,the ,secretary of
 ,veterans ,affairs shall establish a   
program of outreach to veterans for the 
purpose described in subsection 7b74    
7b7 ,purpose ,the purpose described in  
this subsection is to increase the      
following3 7#a7 ,the access and use by  
veterans of ,federal1 ,state1 and local 
programs providing compensation and     
other benefits for service in the ,armed
 ,forces4  7#b7 ,awareness of such      

programs by veterans and their          
eligibility for such programs4  7c7     
,duration ,the program required by      
subsection 7a7 shall be carried out     
during the five-year period beginning on
 the date of the enactment of this ,act4
  7d7 ,agreements ,to carry out projects
 and activities  7#a7 ,agreements with  
,federal and ,state agencies ,in        
carrying out the program required by    
subsection 7a71 the ,secretary of       
,veterans ,affairs may enter into       
agreements with other ,federal and      
,state agencies to carry out projects   
under the jurisdiction of such agencies 
to further the purpose described in     
subsection 7b74  7#b7 ,agreements with  
applicable authorities and commissions  
,in carrying out the program required by
 subsection 7a71 the ,secretary may     
enter into agreements with applicable   
authorities and commissions to provide  
technical assistance1 award grants1     
enter into contracts1 or otherwise      
provide amounts to persons or entities  

for projects and activities that-- 7,a7 
increase outreach to1 awareness by1 and 
use by veterans of programs described in
 subsection 7b77#a72  7,b7 provide      
incentives for ,state and local         
governments and veterans service        
organizations to assist veterans in     
utilizing facilities and resources      
available to veterans through the       
,department of ,veterans ,affairs2  7,c7
 provide incentives for ,state and local
 governments and veterans service       
organizations to assist veterans in     
utilizing resources available through   
government and veterans service         
organizations for veterans2  7,d7       
educate communities and ,state and local
 governments about the employment rights
 of veterans1 including the employment  
and reemployment of members of the      
uniformed services under chapter #dc of 
title #ch1 ,united ,states ,code2  7,e7 
provide technical assistance to         
businesses owned by veterans2 and  7,f7 
encourage and assist nonprofit          

organizations1 businesses1 and          
institutions of higher education to     
carry out programs of assistance        
designed for veterans4  7#c7 ,applicable
 authorities and commissions ,for       
purposes of the program required by     
subsection 7a71 the applicable          
authorities and commissions are the     
following3 7,a7 ,the ,appalachian       
,regional ,commission1 established under
 section #adcja7;a7 of title #dj1       
,united ,states ,code4  7,b7 ,the ,delta
 ,regional ,authority1 established under
 section #chb;,b7a7 of the ,consolidated
 ,farm and ,rural ,development ,act 7#g 
,u4,s4,c4 #bjji;aa-#a7;a774  7,c7 ,the  
,denali ,commission1 established under  
section #cjc of the ,denali ,commission 
,act of #aiih 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #caba      
note74  7,d7 ,the ,northern ,great      
,plains ,regional ,authority1           
established under section #chc;,b7a7 of 
the ,consolidated ,farm and ,rural      
,development ,act 7#g ,u4,s4,c4         
#bjji;bb-#a7;a774  7,e7 ,the ,southeast 

,crescent ,regional ,commission1 the    
,southwest ,border ,regional            
,commission1 and the ,northern ,border  
,regional ,commission established under 
section #aecja7;a7 of title #dj1 ,united
 ,states ,code4  7,f7 ,entities         
described in subparagraph 7,g7 that     
serve ,native ,americans1 ,alaska       
,natives1 or native ,hawaiians 7as such 
terms are defined in section #cgfe of   
title #ch1 ,united ,states ,code74  7,g7
 ,commissions and development boards    
that are-- 7i7 not chartered by the     
,federal ,government2  7ii7 selected by 
the ,secretary for purposes of the      
program2 and  7iii7 located in areas    
that present extraordinary challenges to
 veterans1 as determined by the         
,secretary1 including the following3    
7,i7 ,areas in severe economic distress4
  7,,ii7 ,areas with underdeveloped     
infrastructure4  7,,iii7 ,areas with    
unusual geographic characteristics1 such
 as separation from the mainland4  7e7  
,information1 advice1 and technical     

assistance ,in carrying out the program 
required by subsection 7a71 the         
,secretary of ,veterans ,affairs may    
provide1 or contract with public or     
private organizations to provide1       
information1 advice1 and technical      
assistance to nonprofit organizations   
that provide services to communities in 
order to increase the number of veterans
 receiving such services4  7f7 ,report  
on outreach activities of ,department of
 ,veterans ,affairs  7#a7 ,in general   
,not later than four years after the    
date of the enactment of this ,act1 the 
,secretary shall submit to ,congress a  
comprehensive report on the activities  
of the ,department of ,veterans ,affairs
 regarding outreach to veterans4  7#b7  
,elements ,the report required by       
paragraph 7#a7 shall include the        
following3 7,a7 ,a description of all of
 the activities of the ,department      
regarding outreach to veterans carried  
out since the date of the enactment of  
this ,act1 including the activities of  

the ,department carried out under the   
program required by subsection 7a74     
7,b7 ,an assessment of the effectiveness
 of the activities described in         
subparagraph 7,a74  7g7 ,veterans       
service organization defined ,in this   
section1 the term veterans service      
organization means any organization     
recognized by the ,secretary of         
,veterans ,affairs for the              
representation of veterans under section
 #eijb of title #ch1 ,united ,states    
,code4  7h7 ,authorization of           
appropriations ,there are authorized to 
be appropriated to carry out the program
 required by subsection 7a7-- 7#a7      
#g1jjj1jjj for fiscal year #bjad2 and   
7#b7 #ce1jjj1jjj for the period of      
fiscal years #bjae through #bjai4