,,ii #aag? ,,congress #b;d ,session ,s4 #dada ,,9 ,,! ,,s5ate ,,( ,,! ,,unit$ ,,/ates ,may #d1 #bjbb,ms4 ,hirono 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 e/abli% 9 ! ,dep>tm5t ( ,vet]ans ,affairs an ,advisory ,committee on ,unit$ ,/ates ,outly+ ,areas & ,freely ,associat$ ,/ates1 & = o!r purposes4 #a4 ,dep>tm5t ( ,vet]ans ,affairs ,advisory ,committee on ,unit$ ,/ates ,outly+ ,areas & ,freely ,associat$ ,/ates 7a7 ,e/abli%m5t ( ,advisory ,committee 7#a7 ,9 g5]al ,sub*apt] ,,iii ( *apt] #e ( title #ch1 ,unit$ ,/ates ,code1 is am5d$ by add+ at ! end ! foll[+ new section3 #edh4 ,advisory ,committee on ,unit$ ,/ates ,outly+ ,areas & ,freely ,associat$ ,/ates 7a7 ,e/abli%m5t 7#a7 ,! ,secret>y %all e/abli% an advisory committee to provide advice & guidance to ! ,secret>y on matt]s relat+ to cov]$ vet]ans4 7#b7 ,! advisory committee e/abli%$ "u p>agraph 7#a7 %all be kn[n z ! ,advisory ,committee on ,unit$ ,/ates ,outly+ ,areas & ,freely ,associat$ ,/ates4 7b7 ,duties ,! duties ( ! ,committee %all be ! foll[+3 7#a7 ,to advise ! ,secret>y on matt]s relat+ to cov]$ vet]ans1 includ+ h[ ! ,secret>y c improve ! programs & s]vices ( ! ,dep>tm5t to bett] s]ve su* vet]ans4 7#b7 ,to id5tify = ! ,secret>y evolv+ issues ( relevance to cov]$ vet]ans4 7#c7 ,to propose cl>ifications1 recomm5dations1 & solutions to address issues rais$ by cov]$ vet]ans4 7#d7 ,to provide a =um = cov]$ vet]ans1 vet]ans s]vice organizations s]v+ cov]$ vet]ans1 & ! ,dep>tm5t to discuss issues & proposals = *anges to regulations1 policies1 & proc$ures ( ! ,dep>tm5t4 7#e7 ,to id5tify priorities = & provide advice to ! ,secret>y on appropriate /rategies = consultation ) vet]ans s]vice organizations s]v+ cov]$ vet]ans4 7#f7 ,to enc\rage ! ,secret>y to "w ) o!r dep>tm5ts & ag5cies ( ! ,f$]al ,gov]nm5t & ,congress to ensure cov]$ vet]ans are provid$ ! full b5efits ( _! /atus z cov]$ vet]ans4 7#g7 ,to highlight contributions ( cov]$ vet]ans 9 ! ,arm$ ,=ces4 7#h7 ,to conduct o!r duties z det]m9$ appropriate by ! ,secret>y4 7c7 ,memb]%ip 7#a7 ,! ,committee %all be compris$ ( #ae vot+ memb]s appo9t$ by ! ,secret>y4 7#b7 ,9 appo9t+ memb]s pursuant to p>agraph 7#a71 ! ,secret>y %all ensure ! foll[+3 7,a7 ,at lea/ "o memb] is appo9t$ to repres5t cov]$ vet]ans 9 ea* ( ! foll[+ areas3 7i7 ,am]ican ,samoa4 7ii7 ,guam4 7iii7 ,pu]to ,rico4 7iv7 ,! ,commonweal? ( ! ,nor!rn ,m>iana ,isl&s4 7v7 ,! ,virg9 ,isl&s ( ! ,unit$ ,/ates4 7vi7 ,! ,f$]at$ ,/ates ( ,micronesia4 7vii7 ,! ,republic ( ! ,m>%all ,isl&s4 7viii7 ,! ,republic ( ,palau4 7,b7 ,n few] ?an half ( ! memb]s appo9t$ are cov]$ vet]ans1 unless ! ,secret>y det]m9es t an insuffici5t numb] ( qualifi$ cov]$ vet]ans are available4 7,c7 ,ea* memb] appo9t$ resides 9 an area specifi$ 9 subp>agraph 7,a74 7#c7 ,9 appo9t+ memb]s pursuant to p>agraph 7#a71 ! ,secret>y may consult ) any ,memb] ( ,congress :o repres5ts an area specifi$ 9 p>agraph 7#b77;,a74 7d7 ,t]ms2 vacancies 7#a7 ,a memb] ( ! ,committee %all be appo9t$ = a t]m ( two ye>s4 7#b7 ,n lat] ?an #ahj days aft] receiv+ notice ( a vacancy 9 ! ,committee1 ! ,secret>y %all fill ! vacancy 9 ! same mann] z ! orig9al appo9tm5t4 7e7 ,meet+ =mat & frequ5cy 7#a7 ,except z provid$ 9 p>agraph 7#b71 ! ,committee %all meet 9-p]son ) ! ,secret>y n less frequ5tly ?an twice ea* ye> & hold mon?ly conf]5ce calls z necess>y4 7#b7 ,meet+s held "u p>agraph 7#a7 may be conduct$ virtually dur+ a public heal? em]g5cy decl>$ by ! ,secret>y ( ,heal? & ,human ,s]vices pursuant to section #cai ( ! ,public ,heal? ,s]vice ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #bdg;d7 or any r5ewal ( su* decl>ation4 7f7 ,additional repres5tation 7#a7 ,repres5tatives ( relevant dep>tm5ts & ag5cies ( ! ,f$]al ,gov]nm5t may att5d meet+s ( ! ,committee & provide in=mation to ! ,committee4 7#b7 ,"o repres5tative ( ! ,dep>tm5t %all att5d ea* meet+ ( ! ,committee4 7#c7 ,repres5tatives att5d+ meet+s "u ?is subsection-- 7,a7 %all n be consid]$ vot+ memb]s ( ! ,committee2 & 7,b7 may n receive additional comp5sation = s]vices p]=m$ ) respect to ! ,committee4 7g7 ,subcommittees 7#a7 ,! ,committee may e/abli% subcommittees4 7#b7 ,! ,secret>y may1 9 consultation ) ! ,committee1 appo9t a memb] to a subcommittee e/abli%$ "u p>agraph 7#a7 :o is n a memb] ( ! ,committee4 7#c7 ,a subcommittee e/abli%$ "u p>agraph 7#a7 may enhance ! function ( ! ,committee1 b may n sup]s$e ! au?ority ( ! ,committee or provide direct advice or "w products to ! ,secret>y4 7h7 ,reports 7#a7 ,n less frequ5tly ?an once ea* ye>1 ! ,committee %all submit to ! ,secret>y & ! appropriate committees ( ,congress a report conta9+ su* recomm5dations z ! ,committee may h = legislative or adm9i/rative action4 7#b7 ,n lat] ?an #ij days aft] ! date on :i* ! ,secret>y receives a report "u p>agraph 7#a71 ! ,secret>y %all submit to ! appropriate committees ( ,congress a writt5 response to ! report aft]-- 7,a7 giv+ ! ,committee an opportunity to review su* writt5 response2 & 7,b7 includ+ 9 su* writt5 response any comm5ts ! ,committee consid]s appropriate4 7#c7 ,n less frequ5tly ?an once e two ye>s1 ! ,committee %all submit to ! ,secret>y & ! appropriate committees ( ,congress a report describ+ ! activities ( ! ,committee dur+ ! previ\s two ye>s4 7#d7 ,! ,secret>y %all make publicly available on an int]net website ( ! ,dep>tm5t-- 7,a7 ea* report ! ,secret>y receives "u p>agraph 7#a72 7,b7 ea* writt5 response ! ,secret>y submits "u p>agraph 7#b72 & 7,c7 ea* report ! ,secret>y receives "u p>agraph 7#c74 7i7 ,committee p]sonnel matt]s ,a memb] ( ! ,committee %all be all[$ travel exp5ses1 includ+ p] diem 9 lieu ( subsi/5ce1 at rates au?oriz$ = an employee ( an ag5cy "u sub*apt] ,i ( *apt] #eg ( title #e :ile away f ! home or regul> place ( bus9ess ( ! memb] 9 ! p]=mance ( ! duties ( ! ,committee4 7j7 ,consultation ,9 c>ry+ out ?is section1 ! ,secret>y %all consult ) vet]ans s]vice organizations s]v+ cov]$ vet]ans4 7k7 ,f$]al ,advisory ,committee ,act exemption ,section #ad ( ! ,f$]al ,advisory ,committee ,act 7#e ,u4,s4,c4 ,app47 %all n apply to ! ,committee4 7l7 ,def9itions ,9 ?is section3 7#a7 ,! t]m appropriate committees ( ,congress means-- 7,a7 ! ,committee on ,vet]ans' ,affairs ( ! ,s5ate2 & 7,b7 ! ,committee on ,vet]ans' ,affairs ( ! ,h\se ( ,repres5tatives4 7#b7 ,! t]m ,committee means ! ,advisory ,committee on ,unit$ ,/ates ,outly+ ,areas & ,freely ,associat$ ,/ates e/abli%$ "u subsection 7a74 7#c7 ,! t]m cov]$ vet]an means a vet]an resid+ 9 an area specifi$ 9 subsection 7c77#b77;,a74 7#d7 ,! t]m vet]ans s]vice organization s]v+ cov]$ vet]ans means any organization t-- 7,a7 s]ves ! int]e/s ( cov]$ vet]ans2 7,b7 has cov]$ vet]ans 9 sub/antive & policymak+ positions )9 ! organization2 & 7,c7 has demon/rat$ exp]i5ce work+ ) cov]$ vet]ans4 4 7#b7 ,cl]ical am5dm5t ,! table ( sections at ! beg9n+ ( *apt] #e ( su* title is am5d$ by ins]t+ aft] ! item relat+ to section #edg ! foll[+ new item3 #edh4 ,advisory ,committee on ,unit$ ,/ates ,outly+ ,areas & ,freely ,associat$ ,/ates4 4 7b7 ,deadl9e = e/abli%m5t ,n lat] ?an #ahj days aft] ! date ( ! enactm5t ( ?is ,act1 ! ,secret>y ( ,vet]ans ,affairs %all e/abli% ! advisory committee requir$ by section #edh ( title #ch1 ,unit$ ,/ates ,code1 z add$ by subsection 7a77#a7 ( ?is section4 7c7 ,deadl9e = initial appo9tm5ts ,n lat] ?an #ij days aft] ! date on :i* ! ,secret>y e/abli%es ! advisory committee requir$ by su* section #edh1 ! ,secret>y %all appo9t ! memb]s ( su* advisory committee4 7d7 ,initial meet+ ,n lat] ?an #abj days aft] ! date on :i* ! ,secret>y e/abli%es ! advisory committee requir$ by su* section #edh1 su* advisory committee %all hold its fir/ meet+4