,i  #aaf? ,,congress  #b;d ,session  ,h4
 ,r4 #hiai  ,,9 ,,! ,,h\se ,,(          
,,repres5tatives  ,decemb] #i1 #bjbj,mr4
 ,cunn+ham introduc$ ! foll[+ bill2 :i* 
0 ref]r$ to ! ,committee on ,vet]ans'   
,affairs  ,a ,,bill  ,to direct !       
,secret>y ( ,vet]ans ,affairs to        
consolidate & upgrade ! mail managem5t  
sy/ems ( ! ,dep>tm5t ( ,vet]ans         
,affairs1 & = o!r purposes4  #a4 ,%ort  
title ,?is ,act may be cit$ z ! ,ensur+ 
,va/ly ,improv$ ,p]=mance 7e,v,i,p7 =   
,mail ,s]vice = our ,vet]ans ,act or !  
e,v,i,p ,mail ,s]vice = ,vet]ans ,act4  
#b4 ,mail /rategy & mod]nization  7a7   
,develop /rategy  7#a7 ,9 g5]al ,n lat] 
?an #ahj days aft] ! date ( ! enactm5t (
 ?is ,act1 ! ,secret>y ( ,vet]ans       
,affairs %all develop a /rategy to      
improve ! pr9t+ & mail+ op]ations ( !   
,dep>tm5t ( ,vet]ans ,affairs4  7#b7    
,exclusion ,! /rategy describ$ 9        
p>agraph 7#a7 does n apply to ! mail+ ( 
prescription & ov]-!-c\nt] drugs4  7b7  
,/rategy goals ,! ,secret>y %all include

 9 ! /rategy "u subsection 7a7 plans =  
improv+ ! pr9t+ & mail+ op]ations ( !   
,dep>tm5t1 includ+ plans = ! foll[+3    
7#a7 ,consolidate ! pr9t+ & mail+       
op]ations ( ! ,dep>tm5t-- 7,a7 su* t !  
op]ations are p]=m$ at n m ?an f\r      
locations1 except t ! ,vet]ans ,heal?   
,adm9i/ration & ! ,vet]ans ,b5efits     
,adm9i/ration are ea* prim>ily s]vic$ by
 n m ?an two ( ! locations2  7,b7 to    
enable production co/ effici5cies2 &    
7,c7 to improve ! timel9ess ( s5d+ mail4
  7#b7 ,ensure ea* ( ! locations        
describ$ 9 p>agraph 7#a77;,a7 has !     
capacity to (fset s]vice disruptions at 
ano!r su* location1 & enable ! ex*ange (
 mail volume betwe5 su* locations =     
purposes ( su* (fsett+ & = balanc+ !    
mail volume = :i* ea* su* location is   
responsible4  7#c7 ,update ! pr9t+ &    
mail+ practices ( ! ,dep>tm5t to        
decrease mail+ co/s1 includ+ increas+ ! 
use ( automation disc\nts (f]$ by !     
,unit$ ,/ates ,po/al ,s]vice4  7#d7     
,improve ! accuracy ( mail data ma9ta9$ 

by ! ,dep>tm5t4  7#e7 ,improve ! track+ 
( mail )9 ! ,dep>tm5t4  7#f7 ,p]=m h\se 
hold+ on a m consi/5t basis4  7#g7 ,set 
,dep>tm5twide /&>ds1 includ+ m9imum     
requirem5ts & t>get goals1 = appropriate
 mail data metrics4  7#h7 ,improve !    
accuracy ( address in=mation held by !  
,dep>tm5t = p]sons to :om ! ,dep>tm5t   
s5ds mail4  7c7 ,pilot program ,!       
,secret>y may c>ry out a pilot program  
to te/ ! feasibility & efficacy ( !     
/rategy develop$ "u subsection 7a74  7d7
 ,implem5tation  7#a7 ,9 g5]al ,n lat]  
?an #ahj days aft] ! ,secret>y has      
develop$ ! /rategy "u subsection 7a71 ! 
,secret>y %all implem5t ! /rategy except
 z provid$ 9 p>agraphs 7#b7 & 7#c74     
7#b7 ,consolidation ,subject to p>agraph
 7#c71 n lat] ?an #bd mon?s aft] !      
,secret>y has develop$ ! /rategy "u     
subsection 7a7 ! ,secret>y %all implem5t
 ! /rategy ) respect to ! goals describ$
 9 p>agraphs 7#a7 & 7#b7 ( subsection   
7b74  7#c7 ,ext5sion 9 case ( pilot     
program ,if ! ,secret>y c>ries out a    

pilot program "u subsection 7c71 n lat] 
?an #cf mon?s aft] ! ,secret>y has      
develop$ ! /rategy "u subsection 7a7 !  
,secret>y %all implem5t ! /rategy4  7e7 
,report  7#a7 ,cont5ts ,n lat] ?an !    
date describ$ 9 p>agraph 7#b71 !        
,secret>y %all submit to ! ,committees  
on ,vet]ans' ,affairs ( ! ,s5ate & !    
,h\se ( ,repres5tatives a report on--   
7,a7 ! effect ( ! /rategy develop$ "u   
subsection 7a71 z implem5t$1 on !       
reliability & timel9ess ( correspond5ce 
betwe5 ! ,dep>tm5t & vet]ans & _!       
dep5dants2  7,b7 ! co/ sav+s result+ f !
 implem5tation ( ! /rategy2  7,c7 !     
improvem5ts implem5t$ "u ! /rategy to ! 
h>dw>e & s(tw>e us$ = pr9t+ & mail+     
op]ations ( ! ,dep>tm5t1 includ+ any su*
 improvem5ts t w be implem5t$2 &  7,d7  
:e!r ! ,dep>tm5t is process+ a          
significant volume ( mail correspond5ce 
volumes outside ( ! locations describ$ 9
 subsection 7b77#a77;,a74  7#b7 ,tim+ ,!
 date describ$ 9 ?is p>agraph is-- 7,a7 
two ye>s aft] ! date ( ! enactm5t ( ?is 

,act2 or  7,b7 if ! ,secret>y c>ries out
 a pilot program "u subsection 7c71 ?ree
 ye>s aft] ! date ( ! enactm5t ( ?is    
,act4  7f7 ,def9itions ,9 ?is section3  
7#a7 ,! t]m h\se hold+ means consolidat+
 into a s+le piece ( mail all mail t is 
s5t on ! same day f ! same location to !
 same int5d$ recipi5t at "o address4    
7#b7 ,! t]m mail data means metrics     
relat+ to pr9t+ & mail+ op]ations1      
includ+ ! quantity ( mail1 co/s1 &      
address errors4  7#c7 ,! t]m pr9t+ &    
mail+ op]ations means ! processes1      
p]sonnel1 facilities1 & mat]ials & o!r  
res\rces involv$ 9 ! production1 h&l+1 &
 transmission ( electronic & physical   
mail1 & ! managem5t !re(4