,i  #aaf? ,,congress  #b;d ,session  ,h4
 ,r4 #ghgi  ,,9 ,,! ,,h\se ,,(          
,,repres5tatives  ,july #cj1 #bjbj,mrs4 
,lee ( ,nevada 7= h]self1 ,mr4 ,banks1  
,mr4 ,/eil1 & ,ms4 ,torres ,small ( ,new
 ,mexico7 introduc$ ! foll[+ bill2 :i* 0
 ref]r$ to ! ,committee on ,vet]ans'    
,affairs  ,a ,,bill  ,to direct !       
,secret>y ( ,vet]ans ,affairs to e/abli%
 a grant program to exp& & improve !    
provision ( teleheal? s]vices to        
vet]ans4  #a4 ,%ort title ,?is ,act may 
be cit$ z ! ,,va ,teleheal? ,expansion  
,act4  #b4 ,grant program to exp&       
teleheal? f ,dep>tm5t ( ,vet]ans        
,affairs  7a7 ,9 g5]al ,! ,secret>y (   
,vet]ans ,affairs %all ent] into        
p>tn]%ips1 & exp& exi/+ p>tn]%ips1 )    
entities t repres5t or s]ve vet]ans1    
nonpr(it organizations1 private         
bus9esses1 & o!r int]e/$ p>ties = !     
expansion ( teleheal? capabilities & !  
provision ( teleheal? s]vices to vet]ans
 ?r\gh ! aw>d ( grants "u subsection    
7c74 ,su* teleheal? s]vices %all be     

provid$ by heal? c>e provid]s ( !       
,dep>tm5t ( ,vet]ans ,affairs or ?r\gh !
 ,vet]ans ,community ,c>e ,program "u   
section #agjc ( title #ch1 ,unit$ ,/ates
 ,code4  7b7 ,pref]5ce ,:5 select+      
entities ) :i* to ent] into or to exp& a
 p>tn]%ip "u subsection 7a71 ! ,secret>y
 %all give pref]5ce to entities t-- 7#a7
 repres5t vet]ans 9 rural or highly     
rural areas 7z det]m9$ ?r\gh ! use ( !  
,rural-,urban ,commut+ ,areas cod+ sy/em
 ( ! ,dep>tm5t ( ,agriculture72 or  7#b7
 op]ate 9 a m$ically und]s]v$ community 
7z def9$ 9 section #gii;,b ( ! ,public  
,heal? ,s]vice ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4      
#biep774  7c7 ,aw>d ( grants  7#a7 ,9   
g5]al ,9 c>ry+ out p>tn]%ips ent]$ into 
or exp&$ "u ?is section ) entities      
describ$ 9 subsection 7a71 ! ,secret>y  
%all aw>d grants to ^? entities4  7#b7  
,maximum am\nt ( grants ,! am\nt ( a    
grant aw>d$ "u ?is subsection may n     
exce$ #ge1jjj 9 "o ye>4  7#c7 ,use (    
grants  7,a7 ,9 g5]al ,grants aw>d$ to  
an entity "u ?is subsection may be us$ =

 "o or m ( ! foll[+3 7i7 ,pur*as+ or    
upgrad+ h>dw>e or s(tw>e necess>y = !   
provision ( secure & private teleheal?  
s]vices4  7ii7 ,upgrad+ security        
protocols = consi/5cy ) ! security      
requirem5ts ( ! ,dep>tm5t4  7iii7 ,tra9+
 ( employees1 includ+ paym5t ( ^?       
employees = complet+ t tra9+1 ) respect 
to-- 7,i7 milit>y & vet]an cultural     
compet5ce1 if ! entity is n an          
organization t repres5ts vet]ans2       
7,,ii7 appropriate processes = h&l+     
em]g5cies t occur dur+ teleheal?2       
7,,iii7 equipm5t requir$ to provide     
teleheal? s]vices2 or  7,,iv7 any o!r   
unique tra9+ ne$s = ! provision (       
teleheal? s]vices to vet]ans4  7iv7     
,upgrad+ exi/+ infra/ructure own$ or    
leas$ by ! entity to make rooms m       
conducive to teleheal? c>e1 includ+--   
7,i7 additions or modifications to w9d[s
 or walls 9 an exi/+ room1 or o!r       
alt]ations z ne$$ to create a new1      
private room2  7,,ii7 s\ndpro(+ ( an    
exi/+ room2  7,,iii7 new electrical or  

int]net outlets 9 an exi/+ room2 or     
7,,iv7 ae/hetic or o!r enhancem5ts to   
e/abli% a m suitable !rapeutic          
environm5t4  7v7 ,upgrad+ exi/+         
infra/ructure to comply ) ! ,am]icans ) 
,disabilities ,act ( #aiij 7#db         
,u4,s4,c4 #abaja et seq474  7vi7        
,upgrad+ infra/ructure or int]net       
s]vices4  7,b7 ,exclusion ,grants may n 
be us$ = ! pur*ase ( new prop]ty or =   
major con/ruction projects1 z det]m9$ by
 ! ,secret>y4  7d7 ,agreem5t on         
teleheal? access po9ts  7#a7 ,9 g5]al   
,an entity describ$ 9 subsection 7a7 t  
seeks to e/abli% a teleheal? access po9t
 = vet]ans b does n require grant fund+ 
"u ?is section to d s may ent] into an  
agreem5t ) ! ,dep>tm5t = ! e/abli%m5t ( 
su* an access po9t4  7#b7 ,inspection to
 det]m9e adequacy ( facilities ,!       
,secret>y %all inspect any su* access   
po9t to det]m9e :e!r ! access po9t is   
private1 secure1 & accessible to        
vet]ans4  7e7 ,assessm5t ( b>ri]s to    
access  7#a7 ,9 g5]al ,n lat] ?an #ah   

mon?s aft] ! date ( ! enactm5t ( ?is    
,act1 ! ,secret>y %all complete an      
assessm5t ( b>ri]s fac$ by vet]ans 9    
access+ teleheal? s]vices4  7#b7        
,elem5ts ,! assessm5t requir$ by        
p>agraph 7#a7 %all include ! foll[+3    
7,a7 ,an assessm5t ( curr5t & pot5tial  
future b>ri]s1 includ+-- 7i7 co/2  7ii7 
access to broadb& int]net infra/ructure 
& te*nology2  7iii7 digital compet5cy2 &
  7iv7 discrim9ation 7includ+ cultural1 
language1 or m$ical discrim9ation74     
7,b7 ,a description ( h[ ! ,secret>y    
plans to address ! b>ri]s describ$ 9    
subp>agraph 7,a74  7,c7 ,su* o!r matt]s 
relat$ access by vet]ans to teleheal?   
:ile n on prop]ty ( ! ,dep>tm5t !       
,secret>y det]m9es relevant4  7#c7      
,report ,n lat] ?an #abj days aft] !    
completion ( ! assessm5t requir$ by     
p>agraph 7#a71 ! ,secret>y %all submit  
to ! ,committee on ,vet]ans' ,affairs ( 
! ,s5ate & ! ,committee on ,vet]ans'    
,affairs ( ! ,h\se ( ,repres5tatives a  
report on ! assessm5t1 includ+ any      

recomm5dations = legislative or         
adm9i/rative action bas$ on ! results ( 
! assessm5t4