,,ii  #aafth ,,congress  #b;d ,session  
,s4 #ejgb  ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of     
,,the ,,united ,,states  ,december #ai1 
#bjbj,mr4 ,reed 7for himself and ,mr4   
,tester7 introduced the following bill2 
which was read twice and referred to the
 ,committee on ,veterans' ,affairs  ,a  
,,bill  ,to improve ,vet ,centers of the
 ,department of ,veterans ,affairs1 and 
for other purposes4  #a4 ,short title   
,this ,act may be cited as the ,vet     
,center ,improvement ,act of #bjbj4  #b4
 ,definitions ,in this ,act3 7#a7 ,vet  
,center ,the term ,vet ,center has the  
meaning given that term in section      
#agab;,a7h7 of title #ch1 ,united       
,states ,code4  7#b7 ,veterans service  
organization ,the term veterans service 
organization means any organization     
recognized by the ,secretary of         
,veterans ,affairs for the              
representation of veterans under section
 #eijb of title #ch1 ,united ,states    
,code4  #c4 ,productivity expectations  
for readjustment counselors of ,vet     

,centers  7a7 ,evaluation of            
productivity expectations ,not later    
than one year after the date of the     
enactment of this ,act1 the ,secretary  
of ,veterans ,affairs shall evaluate    
productivity expectations for           
readjustment counselors of ,vet         
,centers1 including by obtaining        
systematic feedback from counselors on  
such expectations1 including with       
respect to following3 7#a7 ,any         
potential effects of productivity       
expectations1 whether positive or       
negative1 on client care4  7#b7         
,distances readjustment counselors may  
travel to appointments1 especially with 
respect to serving rural veterans4  7#c7
 ,the possibility that some veterans may
 not want to use nor benefit from       
telehealth or group counseling4  7#d7   
,availability and access of veteran     
populations to broadband and telehealth4
  7#e7 ,any effect on readjustment      
counselors1 including with respect to   
recruitment1 retention1 and welfare4    

7#f7 ,whether productivity expectations 
provide incentives or pressure to       
inaccurately report client visits4  7#g7
 ,whether directors and readjustment    
counselors of ,vet ,centers need        
additional training or guidance on how  
productivity expectations are           
calculated4  7#h7 ,such other criteria  
as the ,secretary considers appropriate4
  7b7 ,systematic feedback  7#a7 ,in    
general ,the ,secretary shall-- 7,a7    
make every effort to ensure that all    
readjustment counselors of ,vet ,centers
 are given the opportunity to provide   
feedback on the items under subsection  
7a72  7,b7 collect and safely store the 
feedback obtained under subsection 7a7--
 7i7 in an anonymized manner1 in order  
to protect the privacy of each          
respondent2 and  7ii7 in a manner that  
allows for evaluation by third parties  
of the feedback1 such as audit of the   
feedback by the ,government             
,accountability ,office2 and  7,c7      
provide the feedback obtained under     

subsection 7a7 in an anonymized manner  
to the working group established under  
section #e4  7#b7 ,government           
,accountability ,office audit ,not less 
frequently than once each year during   
the five-year period beginning on the   
date of the enactment of this ,act1 the 
,comptroller ,general of the ,united    
,states shall audit the feedback        
obtained from readjustment counselors of
 ,vet ,centers under subsection 7a74    
7c7 ,implementation of changes ,not     
later than #ij days after the date of   
the completion of the evaluation        
required by subsection 7a71 the         
,secretary shall implement any needed   
changes to the productivity expectations
 described in such subsection in order  
to ensure-- 7#a7 quality of care and    
access to care for veterans2 and  7#b7  
the welfare of readjustment counselors4 
7d7 ,report to ,congress ,not later than
 #ahj days after the date of the        
completion of the evaluation required by
 subsection 7a71 the ,secretary shall   

submit to ,congress a report on-- 7#a7  
the findings of the evaluation2 and     
7#b7 any planned or implemented changes 
described in subsection 7c74  7e7 ,plan 
for reassessment and implementation     
7#a7 ,plan ,not later than one year     
after the date of the enactment of this 
,act1 the ,secretary shall develop and  
implement a plan for-- 7,a7 reassessing 
productivity expectations for           
readjustment counselors of ,vet         
,centers1 in consultation with such     
counselors2 and  7,b7 implementing any  
needed changes to such expectations1 as 
the ,secretary determines appropriate4  
7#b7 ,reassessments ,under the plan     
required by paragraph 7#a71 the         
,secretary shall conduct a reassessment 
described in such paragraph not less    
frequently than once each year4  #d4    
,staffing models for ,vet ,centers  7a7 
,in general ,not later than one year    
after the date of the enactment of this 
,act1 the ,secretary of ,veterans       
,affairs shall develop and implement a  

staffing model for ,vet ,centers that   
incorporates key practices in the design
 of staffing models4  7b7 ,elements ,in 
developing the staffing model under     
subsection 7a71 the ,secretary shall--  
7#a7 involve key stakeholders1 including
 readjustment counselors1 outreach      
specialists1 and directors of ,vet      
,centers2  7#b7 incorporate key work    
activities and the frequency and time   
required to conduct such activities2    
7#c7 ensure the quality of data used in 
the model to provide assurance that     
staffing estimates are reliable2 and    
7#d7 incorporate-- 7,a7 risk factors1   
including case complexity1 geography1   
and availability1 advisability1 and     
willingness of veterans to use          
telehealth or group counseling2 and     
7,b7 such other factors as the          
,secretary considers appropriate4  7c7  
,plan for assessments and updates ,not  
later than one year after the date of   
the enactment of this ,act1 the         
,secretary shall develop a plan for--   

7#a7 assessing and updating the staffing
 model developed and implemented under  
subsection 7a7 not less frequently than 
once every four years2 and  7#b7        
implementing any needed changes to such 
model1 as the ,secretary determines     
appropriate4  #e4 ,working group of     
readjustment counselors1 outreach       
specialists1 and directors of ,vet      
,centers  7a7 ,in general ,in conducting
 the evaluation of productivity         
expectations described in section #c and
 developing the staffing model described
 in section #d1 the ,secretary of       
,veterans ,affairs shall establish a    
working group to assess-- 7#a7 the      
efficacy1 impact1 and composition of    
performance metrics for such            
expectations with respect to-- 7,a7     
quality of care and access to care for  
veterans2 and  7,b7 the welfare of      
readjustment counselors and other       
employees of ,vet ,centers2 and  7#b7   
key considerations for the development  
of a staffing model for ,vet ,centers1  

including-- 7,a7 quality of care and    
access to care for veterans and other   
individuals eligible for care through   
,vet ,centers2 and  7,b7 recruitment1   
retention1 and welfare of employees of  
,vet ,centers4  7b7 ,membership ,the    
working group established under         
subsection 7a7 shall be composed of     
readjustment counselors1 outreach       
specialists1 and directors of ,vet      
,centers4  7c7 ,feedback2               
recommendations ,the working group      
established under subsection 7a7 shall  
provide to the ,secretary-- 7#a7        
feedback from readjustment counselors1  
outreach specialists1 and directors of  
,vet ,centers2 and  7#b7 recommendations
 on how to improve-- 7,a7 quality of    
care and access to care for veterans2   
and  7,b7 the welfare of readjustment   
counselors and other employees of ,vet  
,centers4  #f4 ,improvements of hiring  
practices at ,vet ,centers  7a7         
,standardization of position            
descriptions  7#a7 ,in general ,not     

later than one year after the date of   
the enactment of this ,act1 the         
,secretary of ,veterans ,affairs shall  
standardize descriptions of position    
responsibilities at ,vet ,centers4  7#b7
 ,reporting requirement ,in each of the 
first two annual reports submitted under
 section #gcji7;e7 of title #ch1 ,united
 ,states ,code1 after the date of the   
enactment of this ,act1 the ,secretary  
shall include a description of the      
actions taken by the ,secretary to carry
 out paragraph 7#a74  7b7 ,expansion of 
reporting requirements on readjustment  
counseling ,to include actions ,to      
reduce staffing vacancies and time ,to  
hire ,section #gcji7;e7 of title #ch1   
,united ,states ,code1 is amended by    
adding at the end the following new     
subparagraph3  7,d7 ,a description of   
actions taken by the ,secretary to      
reduce-- 7i7 vacancies in counselor     
positions in the ,readjustment          
,counseling ,service2 and  7ii7 the time
 it takes to hire such counselors4  4   

#g4 ,report by ,government              
,accountability ,office on ,vet ,center 
infrastructure and future investments   
7a7 ,in general ,not later than one year
 after the date of the enactment of this
 ,act1 the ,comptroller ,general of the 
,united ,states shall submit to         
,congress a report on physical          
infrastructure and future investments   
with respect to ,vet ,centers4  7b7     
,elements ,the report required by       
subsection 7a7 shall include the        
following3 7#a7 ,an assessment of-- 7,a7
 the condition of the physical          
infrastructure of all assets of ,vet    
,centers1 whether owned or leased by the
 ,department of ,veterans ,affairs2 and 
7,b7 the short-1 medium-1 and long-term 
plans of the ,department to maintain and
 upgrade the physical infrastructure of 
,vet ,centers to address the operational
 needs of ,vet ,centers as of the date  
of the date of the submittal of the     
report and future needs4  7#b7 ,an      
assessment of management and strategic  

planning for the physical infrastructure
 of ,vet ,centers1 including whether the
 ,department should buy or lease        
existing or additional locations in     
areas with stable or growing populations
 of veterans4  7#c7 ,an assessment of   
whether1 as of the date of the submittal
 of the report1 ,vet ,center buildings1 
mobile ,vet ,centers1 community access  
points1 and similar infrastructure are  
sufficient to care for veterans or if   
such infrastructure is negatively       
affecting care due to limited space for 
veterans and ,vet ,center personnel or  
other factors4  7#d7 ,an assessment of  
the areas with the greatest need for    
investments in-- 7,a7 improved physical 
infrastructure1 including upgraded ,vet 
,centers2 or  7,b7 additional physical  
infrastructure for ,vet ,centers1       
including new ,vet ,centers owned or    
leased by the ,department4  7#e7 ,a     
description of the authorities and      
resources that may be required for the  
,secretary to make such investments4    

7#f7 ,a review of all annual reports    
submitted under #gcji7;e7 of title #ch1 
,united ,states ,code before the date of
 the submittal of the report under      
subsection 7a74  #h4 ,pilot program to  
combat food insecurity among veterans   
and family members of veterans  7a7 ,in 
general ,not later than one year after  
the date of the enactment of this ,act1 
the ,secretary of ,veterans ,affairs    
shall establish a pilot program to award
 grants to eligible entities to support 
partnerships that address food          
insecurity among veterans and family    
members of veterans who receive services
 through ,vet ,centers or other         
facilities of the ,department of        
,veterans ,affairs as determined by the 
,secretary4  7b7 ,eligible entities ,for
 purposes of the pilot program1 an      
eligible entity is-- 7#a7 a nonprofit   
organization2  7#b7 a veterans service  
organization2  7#c7 a public agency2    
7#d7 a community-based organization2 or 
7#e7 an institution of higher education4

  7c7 ,locations ,in carrying out the   
pilot program1 the ,secretary shall     
award at least one grant to at least one
 eligible entity in each ,state1 if the 
,secretary determines that there is such
 an entity in a ,state that has applied 
for1 and meets requirements for the     
award of1 such a grant4  7d7 ,minimum   
program requirements ,any grant awarded 
under this section shall be used-- 7#a7 
to carry out a collaboration between one
 or more public agencies and one or more
 ,vet ,centers or other facilities of   
the ,department for five years2  7#b7 to
 increase participation in nutrition    
counseling programs and provide         
educational materials and counseling to 
veterans and family members of veterans 
to address food insecurity and healthy  
diets among those individuals2  7#c7 to 
increase access to and enrollment in    
,federal assistance programs1 including 
the supplemental nutrition assistance   
program under the ,food and ,nutrition  
,act of #bjjh 7#g ,u4,s4,c4 #bjaa et    

seq471 the special supplemental         
nutrition program for women1 infants1   
and children established by section #ag 
of the ,child ,nutrition ,act of #aiff  
7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #aghf71 and the          
low-income home energy assistance       
program established under the           
,low-,income ,home ,energy ,assistance  
,act of #aiha 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #hfba et   
seq471 and any other assistance program 
that the ,secretary deems advisable4    
7e7 ,application ,an eligible entity    
seeking a grant under the pilot program 
shall submit to the ,secretary an       
application therefor at such time1 in   
such manner1 and containing such        
information as the ,secretary may       
require4  7f7 ,selection ,the ,secretary
 shall select eligible entities that    
submit applications under subsection 7e7
 for the award of grants under the pilot
 program using a competitive process    
that takes into account the following3  
7#a7 ,capacity of the applicant entity  
to serve veterans and family members of 

veterans4  7#b7 ,demonstrated need of   
the population the applicant entity     
would serve4  7#c7 ,demonstrated need of
 the applicant entity for assistance    
from the grants4  7#d7 ,such other      
criteria as the ,secretary considers    
appropriate4  7g7 ,report ,not later    
than #ahj days after the date of the    
enactment of this ,act1 the ,secretary  
shall submit to the appropriate         
committees of ,congress a report on the 
status of the implementation of this    
section4  7h7 ,government               
,accountability ,office report  7#a7 ,in
 general ,not later than one year after 
the date on which the pilot program     
terminates1 the ,comptroller ,general of
 the ,united ,states shall submit to    
,congress a report evaluating the       
effectiveness of the activities carried 
out under this section in reducing food 
insecurity among veterans and family    
members of veterans4  7#b7 ,elements    
,the report required by paragraph 7#a7  
shall include the following3 7,a7 ,a    

summary of the activities conducted     
under this section4  7,b7 ,an assessment
 of the effectiveness of the grants     
awarded under this section4  7,c7 ,best 
practices regarding the use of          
partnerships to improve the             
effectiveness of public benefit programs
 to address food insecurity among       
veterans and family members of veterans4
  7,d7 ,an assessment of the feasiblity 
and advisability of extending the term  
of the pilot program4  7i7 ,definitions 
,in this section3 7#a7 ,appropriate     
committees of ,congress ,the term       
appropriate committees of ,congress     
means-- 7,a7 the ,committee on          
,veterans' ,affairs and the ,committee  
on ,appropriations of the ,senate2 and  
7,b7 the ,committee on ,veterans'       
,affairs and the ,committee on          
,appropriations of the ,house of        
,representatives4  7#b7 ,institution of 
higher education ,the term institution  
of higher education has the meaning     
given that term in section #aja of the  

,higher ,education ,act of #aife 7#bj   
,u4,s4,c4 #ajja74  7#c7 ,public agency  
,the term public agency means a         
department1 agency1 other unit1 or      
instrumentality of ,federal1 ,state1 or 
local government4  7#d7 ,state ,the term
 ,state means each ,state and ,territory
 of the ,united ,states and the         
,district of ,columbia4  7#e7 ,veteran  
,the term veteran means an individual   
who served in the ,armed ,forces1       
including an individual who served in a 
reserve component of the ,armed ,forces1
 and who was discharged or released     
therefrom1 regardless of the conditions 
of such discharge or release4