,i #aafth ,,congress #ast ,session ,h4 ,r4 #bgia ,,in ,,the ,,house ,,of ,,representatives ,may #af1 #bjai,ms4 ,haaland 7for herself1 ,mr4 ,gallagher1 ,mr4 ,cole1 ,mr4 ,cisneros1 ,ms4 ,norton1 ,mr4 ,cook1 ,mr4 ,case1 ,mr4 ,o',halleran1 ,mr4 ,crow1 and ,ms4 ,kendra ,s4 ,horn of ,oklahoma7 introduced the following bill2 which was referred to the ,committee on ,veterans' ,affairs ,a ,,bill ,to establish the ,department of ,veterans ,affairs ,advisory ,committee on ,tribal and ,indian ,affairs1 and for other purposes4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,department of ,veterans ,affairs ,tribal ,advisory ,committee ,act of #bjai4 #b4 ,department of ,veterans ,affairs ,advisory ,committee on ,tribal and ,indian ,affairs 7a7 ,in general ,subchapter ,,iii of chapter #e of title #ch1 ,united ,states ,code1 is amended by adding at the end the following new section3 #edg4 ,advisory ,committee on ,tribal and ,indian ,affairs 7a7 ,establishment 7#a7 ,the ,secretary shall establish an advisory committee to provide advice and guidance to the ,secretary on matters relating to ,indian tribes1 tribal organizations1 and ,native ,american veterans4 7#b7 ,the advisory committee established under paragraph 7#a7 shall be known as the ,advisory ,committee on ,tribal and ,indian ,affairs 7in this section referred to as the ,committee74 7#c7 ,the ,committee shall facilitate1 but not supplant1 government-to-government consultation between the ,department and ,indian tribes or tribal organizations4 7#d7 ,the ,secretary shall consult with ,indian tribes or tribal organizations in developing a charter for the ,committee4 7b7 ,membership 7#a7 ,the ,committee shall be composed of #ae voting members selected by the ,secretary from among individuals nominated by ,indian tribes or tribal organizations for purposes of this section4 7#b7 ,in selecting members under paragraph 7#a71 the ,secretary shall ensure that-- 7,a7 each of the #ab service areas of the ,indian ,health ,service is represented in the membership of the ,committee2 and 7,b7 not fewer than half of the members are veterans1 unless the ,secretary determines that an insufficient number of qualified veterans were nominated under paragraph 7#a74 7#c7 ,no member of the ,committee may be an employee of the ,federal ,government4 7c7 ,terms2 vacancies 7#a7 ,a member of the ,committee shall be appointed for a term of two years4 7#b7 ,the ,secretary shall fill a vacancy in the ,committee in the same manner as the original appointment within #ahj days4 7d7 ,meetings 7#a7 ,the ,committee shall meet in-person with the ,secretary1 or the ,secretary's designee1 not less frequently than twice each year and hold monthly conference calls as necessary4 7#b7 7,a7 ,representatives of relevant ,federal agencies may attend meetings of the ,committee and provide information to the ,committee4 7,b7 ,one representative of the ,office of ,tribal ,government ,relations of the ,department shall attend at each meeting of the ,committee4 7,c7 ,representatives attending meetings under this paragraph shall not be considered voting members of the ,committee4 7e7 ,subcommittees 7#a7 ,the ,committee may establish subcommittees4 7#b7 ,the ,secretary may1 in consultation with the ,committee1 appoint a member to a subcommittee established under paragraph 7#a7 who is not a member of the ,committee4 7#c7 ,such subcommittees may enhance the function of the ,committee1 but may not supersede the authority of the ,committee or provide direct advice or work products to the ,department4 7f7 ,duties ,the duties of the ,committee are as follows3 7#a7 ,to advise the ,secretary on ways the ,department can improve the programs and services of the ,department to better serve ,native ,american veterans4 7#b7 ,to identify for the ,department evolving issues of relevance to ,indian tribes1 tribal organizations1 and ,native ,american veterans relating to programs and services of the ,department4 7#c7 ,to propose clarifications1 recommendations1 and solutions to address issues raised at tribal1 regional1 and national levels1 especially regarding the ,annual ,tribal ,consultation ,report4 7#d7 ,to provide a forum for ,indian tribes1 tribal organizations1 and the ,department to discuss issues and proposals for changes to ,department regulations1 policies1 and procedures4 7#e7 ,to identify priorities and provide advice on appropriate strategies for tribal consultation on issues at the tribal1 regional1 or national levels4 7#f7 ,to ensure that pertinent issues are brought to the attention of ,indian tribes and tribal organizations in a timely manner1 so that tribal feedback can be obtained4 7#g7 ,to encourage the ,secretary to work with other ,federal agencies and ,congress so that ,native ,american veterans are not denied the full benefit of their status as both ,native ,americans and veterans4 7#h7 ,to highlight contributions of ,native ,american veterans in the ,armed ,forces4 7#i7 ,to update the consultation policy of the ,department on tribal matters4 7g7 ,reports 7#a7 ,not less frequently than once each year1 the ,committee shall submit to the ,secretary and the appropriate committees of ,congress such recommendations as the ,committee may have for legislative or administrative action for the upcoming year4 7#b7 ,not later than #ij days after the date on which the ,secretary receives a recommendation under paragraph 7#a71 the ,secretary shall submit to the appropriate committees of ,congress a written response to the recommendation4 7#c7 ,not less frequently than once every two years1 the ,committee shall submit to the ,secretary and the appropriate committees of ,congress a report describing the activities of the ,committee during the previous two years4 7#d7 ,the ,secretary shall make publicly available on an ,internet website of the ,department-- 7,a7 each recommendation the ,secretary receives under paragraph 7#a72 7,b7 each response the ,secretary submits under paragraph 7#b72 and 7,c7 each report the ,secretary receives under paragraph 7#c74 7h7 ,committee personnel matters ,each member of the ,committee shall be compensated at a rate equal to the daily equivalent of the annual rate of basic pay prescribed for level ,,iv of the ,executive ,schedule under section #ecae of title #e for each day 7including travel time7 during which such member is engaged in the performance of duties of the ,committee4 7i7 ,federal ,advisory ,committee ,act exemption ,section #ad of the ,federal ,advisory ,committee ,act 7#e ,u4,s4,c4 ,app47 shall not apply to the ,committee4 7j7 ,definitions ,in this section3 7#a7 ,the term appropriate committees of ,congress means-- 7,a7 the ,committee on ,veterans' ,affairs and the ,committee on ,indian ,affairs of the ,senate2 and 7,b7 the ,committee on ,veterans' ,affairs of the ,house of ,representatives4 7#b7 ,the term ,indian tribe has the meaning given such term in section #d of the ,indian ,self-,determination and ,education ,assistance ,act 7#be ,u4,s4,c4 #ecjd74 7#c7 ,the term ,native ,american veteran has the meaning given such term in section #cgfe of this title4 7#d7 ,the term tribal organization has the meaning given such term in section #cgfe of this title and includes an ,urban ,indian organization 7as defined in section #d of the ,indian ,health ,care ,improvement ,act 7#be ,u4,s4,c4 #afjc774 4 7b7 ,deadline for establishment ,the ,secretary of ,veterans ,affairs shall establish the advisory committee required by section #edg of title #ch1 ,united ,states ,code1 as added by subsection 7a71 not later than #ahj days after the date of the enactment of this ,act4 7c7 ,deadline for initial appointments ,not later than #ij days after the date on which the ,secretary establishes the advisory committee required by such section1 the ,secretary of ,veterans ,affairs shall appoint members under subsection 7b77#a7 of such section4 7d7 ,initial meeting ,not later than #ij days after the date on which the ,secretary establishes the advisory committee required by such section1 such advisory committee shall hold its first meeting4 7e7 ,clerical amendment ,the table of sections at the beginning of chapter #e of such title is amended by inserting after the item relating to section #edf the following new item3 #edg4 ,advisory ,committee on ,tribal and ,indian ,affairs4 4