,,ii  #aag? ,,congress  #a/ ,session    
,s4 #aaih  ,,9 ,,! ,,s5ate ,,( ,,!      
,,unit$ ,,/ates  ,april #ae1 #bjba,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 am5d 
title #ch1 ,unit$ ,/ates ,code1 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 ( #bjba4  
#b4 ,f9d+s ,congress f9ds ! foll[+3 7#a7
 ,9 #bjba1 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 & 
vet]ans 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 ,solid ,/>t     
program ( ! ,dep>tm5t ( ,vet]ans        
,affairs  7a7 ,9 g5]al ,*apt] #fc (     
title #ch1 ,unit$ ,/ates ,code1 is am5d$
 by add+ at ! end ! foll[+ new sub*apt]3
  ,,ii ,o!r outrea* programs &          
activities  #fcbj4 ,solid ,/>t program  
7a7 ,purposes ,! purposes ( ?is section 
are-- 7#a7 to build ! capacity ( !      
,dep>tm5t 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  7b7          
,activities ( ! ,solid ,/>t program     
7#a7 ,! ,secret>y1 9 coord9ation ) !    
,secret>y ( ,def5se1 %all c>ry out !    
,solid ,/>t program ( ! ,dep>tm5t 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 ?ree times )9 ! 
fir/ ye> aft] sep>ation ( ! vet]an 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$ ,=ces2  7,f7 provid+ wom5 vet]ans 
) in=mation t is tailor$ to _! specific 
heal? c>e & b5efit ne$s2  7,g7 z        
feasible1 provid+ in=mation on access to
 ,/ate & local res\rces1 includ+ ,vet   
,c5t]s & vet]ans s]vice organizations2 &
  7,h7 ga!r+ & analyz+ data assess+ !   
effectiv5ess ( ! ,solid ,/>t program4   
7#b7 ,! ,secret>y1 9 coord9ation ) !    
,secret>y ( ,def5se1 may c>ry out !     
,solid ,/>t program by-- 7,a7 enc\rag+  
memb]s ( ! ,arm$ ,=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 z feasible4  7#c7 ,9 ?is 
subsection3 7,a7 ,! t]m ,vet ,c5t] has !
 mean+ giv5 t t]m 9 section #agab;,a7h7 
( ?is title4  7,b7 ,! t]m vet]ans s]vice
 organization means an organization     
recogniz$ by ! ,secret>y = !            
repres5tation ( vet]ans "u section #eijb
 ( ?is title4  7c7 ,obligations ( am\nts
 ,subject to ! availability (           
appropriations1 ! ,secret>y may n1 9 a  
fiscal ye>1 obligate an am\nt to c>ry   
out ! ,solid ,/>t program t is less ?an 
! total am\nt obligat$ 9 ! previ\s      
fiscal ye> to c>ry out ! program1 unless
 ! ,secret>y det]m9es t increas$        
effici5cies ( ! program w>rant !        
obligation ( a less] am\nt4  4  7b7     
,con=m+ am5dm5ts ,*apt] #fc ( su* title1
 z am5d$ by subsection 7a71 is fur!r    
am5d$-- 7#a7 by ins]t+ be=e section     
#fcja ! foll[+3  ,i ,outrea* s]vices    
program  2  &  7#b7 9 sections #fcja1   
#fcjc1 #fcjd1 #fcje1 #fcjf1 & #fcjg1 by 
/rik+ ?is *apt] ea* place x appe>s &    

ins]t+ ?is sub*apt]4  7c7 ,cl]ical      
am5dm5ts ,! table ( cont5ts at ! beg9n+ 
( *apt] #fc ( su* title is am5d$-- 7#a7 
by ins]t+ be=e ! item relat+ to section 
#fcja ! foll[+ new item3 ,sub*apt]      
,i--,outrea* s]vices program2  &  7#b7  
by add+ at ! end ! foll[+ new items3    
,sub*apt] ,,ii--,o!r outrea* programs & 
activities#fcbj4 ,solid ,/>t program4  4