,,ii  #aafth ,,congress  #b;d ,session  
,s4 #cbea  ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of     
,,the ,,united ,,states  ,february #d1  
#bjbj,ms4 ,rosen 7for herself1 ,mrs4    
,capito1 ,mrs4 ,fischer1 and ,mr4       
,peters7 introduced the following bill2 
which was read twice and referred to the
 ,committee on ,commerce1 ,science1 and 
,transportation  ,a ,,bill  ,to require 
the ,federal ,communications            
,commission1 in coordination with the   
,secretary of ,veterans ,affairs1 to    
designate a simple1 easy-to-remember    
dialing code for veterans and other     
eligible individuals to use to obtain   
information about the benefits and      
services provided by the ,department of 
,veterans ,affairs1 and for other       
purposes4  #a4 ,short title ,this ,act  
may be cited as the ,veterans           
,assistance ,helpline ,act4  #b4        
,telephone helpline for assistance for  
veterans and other eligible individuals 
7a7 ,definitions ,in this section--     
7#a7 the term ,commission means the     

,federal ,communications ,commission2   
7#b7 the term covered dialing code means
 a simple1 easy-to-remember1 #c-;digit  
dialing code2  7#c7 the term covered    
individual means-- 7,a7 a veteran2  7,b7
 an individual acting on behalf of a    
veteran2 or  7,c7 an individual1 other  
than a veteran1 who is eligible to      
receive a benefit or service under a law
 administered by the ,secretary2  7#d7  
the term ,secretary means the ,secretary
 of ,veterans ,affairs2 and  7#e7 the   
term veteran has the meaning given the  
term in section #aja of title #ch1      
,united ,states ,code4  7b7             
,establishment of helpline  7#a7 ,in    
general ,the ,commission1 in            
coordination with the ,secretary1 and   
after conducting the study required     
under subsection 7c71 shall designate a 
covered dialing code for the purposes of
 a toll-free telephone helpline that a  
covered individual may use to obtain    
information about1 or through which a   
covered individual may be directed to1  

any service or benefit provided under a 
law administered by the ,secretary1     
including any service provided by the   
,department of ,veterans ,affairs in the
 area in which the covered individual is
 located4  7#b7 ,contract for direction 
of calls ,the ,commission1 in           
coordination with the ,secretary1 may   
enter into a contract with an outside   
entity to direct calls made to the      
telephone helpline established under    
paragraph 7#a7 to the appropriate person
 regarding a service or benefit         
described in that paragraph4  7#c7 ,live
 individual ,the ,commission1 in        
coordination with the ,secretary1 shall 
ensure that a covered individual using  
the telephone helpline established under
 paragraph 7#a7 speaks with a live      
individual rather than a recording4  7c7
 ,study required  7#a7 ,in general ,the 
,commission1 in coordination with the   
,secretary1 shall conduct a study to    
determine which covered dialing code is 
most appropriate for the designation    

required under subsection 7b77#a74  7#b7
 ,requirements ,in conducting the study 
required under paragraph 7#a71 the      
,commission1 in coordination with the   
,secretary1 shall--  7,a7 consider all  
covered dialing codes1 including the    
codes that are used for other purposes2 
7,b7 give preference to any code with   
which covered individuals are likely to 
be familiar2 and  7,c7 consult with the 
,north ,american ,numbering ,council4   
7#c7 ,deadline for completion ,the      
,commission1 in coordination with the   
,secretary1 shall complete the study    
required under paragraph 7#a7 not later 
than the date that is #ahj days after   
the date of enactment of this ,act4     
7#d7 ,no additional funds authorized ,no
 additional funds are authorized to be  
appropriated to carry out this          
subsection and this subsection shall be 
carried out using amounts otherwise     
authorized4