,,ii  #aag? ,,congress  #a/ ,session    
,s4 #cbhd  ,,9 ,,! ,,s5ate ,,( ,,!      
,,unit$ ,,/ates  ,novemb] #cj1 #bjba,ms4
 ,ros5 7= h]self & ,mrs4 ,fis*]7        
introduc$ ! foll[+ bill2 :i* 0 read     
twice & ref]r$ to ! ,committee on       
,vet]ans' ,affairs  ,a ,,bill  ,to      
require ! ,secret>y ( ,vet]ans ,affairs 
to e/abli% a toll-free telephone helpl9e
 = vet]ans & o!r eligible individuals to
 use to obta9 in=mation ab\t ! b5efits &
 s]vices provid$ by ! ,dep>tm5t (       
,vet]ans ,affairs1 & = o!r purposes4    
#a4 ,%ort title ,?is ,act may be cit$ z 
! ,vet]ans ,assi/ance ,helpl9e ,act (   
#bjba4  #b4 ,telephone helpl9e =        
assi/ance = vet]ans & o!r eligible      
individuals  7a7 ,e/abli%m5t ( helpl9e  
7#a7 ,9 g5]al ,! ,secret>y %all e/abli% 
a toll-free telephone helpl9e t a cov]$ 
individual may use to obta9 in=mation   
ab\t1 or ?r\gh :i* a cov]$ individual   
may be direct$ to1 any s]vice or b5efit 
provid$ "u a law adm9i/]$ by !          
,secret>y1 includ+ any s]vice provid$ by

 ! ,dep>tm5t ( ,vet]ans ,affairs 9 !    
area 9 :i* ! cov]$ individual is locat$4
  7#b7 ,contract = direction ( calls    
au?oriz$ ,! ,secret>y may1 9 coord9ation
 ) ! ,commission1 ent] into a contract )
 an ?ird-p>ty to direct calls made to ! 
toll-free helpl9e e/abli%$ "u p>agraph  
7#a7 to ! appropriate p]son reg>d+ a    
s]vice or b5efit describ$ 9 t p>agraph4 
7#c7 ,live individual requir$ ,!        
,secret>y1 9 coord9ation ) !            
,commission1 %all ensure t a cov]$      
individual us+ ! telephone helpl9e      
e/abli%$ "u p>agraph 7#a7 speaks ) a    
live individual r ?an a record+4  7b7   
,/udy & report requir$ ,n lat] ?an "o   
ye> aft] ! date ( ! enactm5t ( ?is ,act1
 ! ,secret>y %all1 9 coord9ation ) !    
,commission-- 7#a7 complete a /udy to   
assess ! feasibility & advisability (   
designat+ a cov]$ dial+ code = !        
purposes ( rea*+ ! toll-free telephone  
helpl9e e/abli%$ "u subsection 7a77#a72 
&  7#b7 submit to ! ,committee on       
,vet]ans' ,affairs ( ! ,s5ate & !       

,committee on ,vet]an's ,affairs ( !    
,h\se ( ,repres5tatives a report on !   
f9d+s ( ! ,commission ) respect to !    
/udy complet$ "u subp>agraph 7,a74  7c7 
,def9itions ,9 ?is section3 7#a7        
,commission ,! t]m ,commission means !  
,f$]al ,communications ,commission4     
7#b7 ,cov]$ dial+ code ,! t]m cov]$     
dial+ code means a simple1              
easy-to-rememb]1 #c-;digit dial+ code4  
7#c7 ,cov]$ individual ,! t]m cov]$     
individual means-- 7,a7 a vet]an2  7,b7 
an individual act+ on behalf ( a vet]an2
 or  7,c7 an individual1 o!r ?an a      
vet]an1 :o is eligible to receive a     
b5efit or s]vice "u a law adm9i/]$ by ! 
,secret>y4  7#d7 ,secret>y ,! t]m       
,secret>y means ! ,secret>y ( ,vet]ans  
,affairs4  7#e7 ,vet]an ,! t]m vet]an   
has ! mean+ giv5 ! t]m 9 section #aja ( 
title #ch1 ,unit$ ,/ates ,code4