,,ii  #aaf? ,,congress  #b;d ,session   
,s4 #dgbd  ,,9 ,,! ,,s5ate ,,( ,,!      
,,unit$ ,,/ates  ,septemb] #bd1         
#bjbj,ms4 ,hassan 7= h]self1 ,mr4       
,cram]1 & ,mr4 ,cassidy7 introduc$ !    
foll[+ bill2 :i* 0 read twice & ref]r$  
to ! ,committee on ,vet]ans' ,affairs   
,a ,,bill  ,to improve & exp& ! ,solid  
,/>t program ( ! ,dep>tm5t ( ,vet]ans   
,affairs1 & = o!r purposes4  #a4 ,%ort  
title ,?is ,act may be cit$ z ! ,solid  
,/>t ,act ( #bjbj4  #b4 ,f9d+s ,congress
 f9ds ! foll[+3 7#a7 ,9 #bjbj1 vet]ans  
cont9ue to die by suicide at high] rates
 ?an civilians4 ,_m ( ^? vet]ans h no   
ties to ! ,dep>tm5t ( ,vet]ans ,affairs1
 limit+ ! ability ( ! ,dep>tm5t to help 
9 times ( crisis4  7#b7 ,! fir/ ye> aft]
 sep>at+ f ! milit>y is a critical "t 9 
! transition to civilian life = a memb] 
( ! ,arm$ ,=ces4 ,_m *anges occur dur+ t
 transition1 f c>e] & location *anges to
 %ifts 9 f9ancial circum/ances & heal?  
c>e cov]age4  #c4 ,s5se ( ,congress ,x  
is ! s5se ( ,congress t ! ,unit$ ,/ates 

mu/ /rive to bett] s]ve memb]s ( ! ,arm$
 ,=ces & vet]ans :o are transition+ to  
civilian life by-- 7#a7 provid+         
up-to-date in=mation & access to        
res\rces t su* memb]s ( ! ,arm$ ,=ces   
may n be aw>e (2  7#b7 support+ !       
critical "t ( transition by ensur+ t    
m5tal heal? ne$s are met 9 a timely     
mann]2 &  7#c7 assi/+ memb]s ( ! ,arm$  
,=ces & vet]ans 9 access+ newly         
available s]vices4  #d4 ,purposes ,!    
purposes ( ?is ,act are-- 7#a7 to build 
! capacity ( ! ,dep>tm5t ( ,vet]ans     
,affairs to effici5tly & effectively    
respond to ! qu]ies & ne$s ( vet]ans :o 
h rec5tly sep>at$ f ! ,arm$ ,=ces2 &    
7#b7 to sy/emically integrate &         
coord9ate ef=ts to assi/ vet]ans1       
includ+ ef=ts-- 7,a7 to proactively rea*
 out to newly sep>at$ vet]ans to in=m !m
 ( _! eligibility = programs ( & b5efits
 provid$ by ! ,dep>tm5t2 &  7,b7 to     
connect vet]ans 9 crisis to res\rces t  
address _! imm$iate ne$s4  #e4          
,activities ( ! ,solid ,/>t program ( ! 

,dep>tm5t ( ,vet]ans ,affairs  7a7      
,requir$ activities ,! ,secret>y (      
,vet]ans ,affairs1 9 coord9ation ) !    
,secret>y ( ,def5se1 %all c>ry out !    
,solid ,/>t program ( ! ,dep>tm5t (     
,vet]ans ,affairs by-- 7#a7 collect+    
up-to-date contact in=mation dur+       
transition classes or sep>ation c\nsel+ 
= all memb]s ( ! ,arm$ ,=ces :o are     
sep>at+ f ! ,arm$ ,=ces1 :ile expla9+ ! 
exi/5ce & purpose ( ! ,solid ,/>t       
program2  7#b7 call+ ea* vet]an1        
reg>dless ( sep>ation type or           
*>act]ization ( s]vice1 n less ?an twice
 )9 ! fir/ ye> aft] sep>ation f ! ,arm$ 
,=ces2  7#c7 provid+ in=mation ab\t !   
,solid ,/>t program on ! website ( !    
,dep>tm5t & 9 mat]ials ( ! ,dep>tm5t1   
especially transition booklets & o!r    
res\rces2  7#d7 ensur+ calls are truly  
tailor$ to ! ne$s ( ea* vet]an's unique 
situation by conduct+ quality assurance 
te/s2 &  7#e7 prioritiz+ outrea* to     
vet]ans :o h access$ m5tal heal?        
res\rces prior to sep>ation f ! ,arm$   

,=ces4  7b7 ,au?oriz$ activities ,!     
,secret>y ( ,vet]ans ,affairs1 9        
coord9ation ) ! ,secret>y ( ,def5se1 may
 c>ry out ! ,solid ,/>t program by--    
7#a7 enc\rag+ memb]s ( ! ,arm$ ,=ces :o 
are transition+ to civilian life to     
au?orize alt]nate po9ts ( contact :o c  
be rea*$ %\ld ! memb] be unavailable    
dur+ ! fir/ ye> foll[+ ! sep>ation ( !  
memb] f ! ,arm$ ,=ces2  7#b7 foll[+ up  
miss$ phone calls ) tailor$ mail+s to   
ensure ! vet]an /ill receives simil>    
in=mation2 &  7#c7 /riv+ to rea* out to 
vet]ans :o sep>at$ prior to ! initiation
 ( ! ,solid ,/>t program to provide     
simil> s]vices to ^? vet]ans1 :5        
feasible4  #f4 ,assessm5t by ,gov]nm5t  
,acc\ntability ,(fice ( ,solid ,/>t     
program ( ! ,dep>tm5t ( ,vet]ans        
,affairs  7a7 ,assessm5t  7#a7 ,9 g5]al 
,beg9n+ on ! date t is "o ye> aft] !    
date ( ! enactm5t ( ?is ,act1 !         
,comptroll] ,g5]al ( ! ,unit$ ,/ates    
%all c>ry out an assessm5t ( ! ,solid   
,/>t program ( ! ,dep>tm5t ( ,vet]ans   

,affairs4  7#b7 ,elem5ts ,! assessm5t   
requir$ by p>agraph 7#a7 %all analyze ! 
foll[+3 7,a7 ,h[ _m vet]ans h be5       
contact$ ?r\gh ! ,solid ,/>t program    
s9ce ! e/abli%m5t ( ! program z comp>$  
to h[ _m vet]ans h n be5 rea*$4  7,b7   
,:e!r fe$back on ! ,solid ,/>t program  
indicates t ! program is work+4  7,c7   
,:e!r ! ,solid ,/>t program is meet+ !  
purposes describ$ 9 section #d4  7,d7   
,improvem5ts t c\ld be made to ! ,solid 
,/>t program4  7b7 ,report ,n lat] ?an  
#abj days aft] ! date describ$ 9        
subsection 7a77#a71 ! ,comptroll] ,g5]al
 %all-- 7#a7 complete ! assessm5t       
requir$ by su* subsection2 &  7#b7      
submit a report on ! f9d+s ( ! assessm5t
 to-- 7,a7 ! ,committee on ,vet]ans     
,affairs' & ! ,committee on ,arm$       
,s]vices ( ! ,s5ate2 &  7,b7 !          
,committee on ,vet]ans ,affairs' & !    
,committee on ,arm$ ,s]vices ( ! ,h\se (
 ,repres5tatives4  #g4 ,au?orization (  
appropriations ,!re are au?oriz$ to be  
appropriat$ to c>ry out ?is ,act !      

great] (-- 7#a7 su* sums z may be       
necess>y = ea* fiscal ye> to c>ry out   
?is ,act2 or  7#b7 ! am\nt exp5d$ by !  
,dep>tm5t ( ,vet]ans ,affairs dur+      
fiscal ye> #bjbj to c>ry out activities 
( ! ,solid ,/>t program4