,i #aah? ,,congress #a/ ,session ,h4 ,r4 #aecj ,,9 ,,! ,,h\se ,,( ,,repres5tatives ,m>* #aj1 #bjbc,mr4 ,luttrell 7= himself & ,mr4 ,pappas7 introduc$ ! foll[+ bill2 :i* 0 ref]r$ to ! ,committee on ,vet]ans' ,affairs ,a ,,bill ,to am5d title #ch1 ,unit$ ,/ates ,code1 to improve ! requirem5t to publi% disability b5efit que/ionnaire =ms ( ,dep>tm5t ( ,vet]ans ,affairs1 & = o!r purposes4 #a4 ,%ort title2 table ( cont5ts ,?is ,act may be cit$ z ! ,vet]ans ,b5efits ,improvem5t ,act4 #b4 ,improv+ requirem5t to publi% disability b5efit que/ionnaire =ms ( ,dep>tm5t ( ,vet]ans ,affairs ,section #eaja7;d7 ( title #ch1 ,unit$ ,/ates ,code1 is am5d$-- 7#a7 9 p>agraph 7#a77;,a71 by ins]t+ 1 includ+ 7except z provid$ 9 p>agraph 7#d77;,a77 all disability b5efit que/ionnaire =ms available to p]sonnel ( ! ,vet]ans ,heal? ,adm9i/ration & contract$ p]sonnel = ! completion ( comp5sation & p5sion exam9ations be=e ! semicolon2 & 7#b7 by add+ at ! end ! foll[+ new p>agraph3 7#d7 7,a7 ,! ,secret>y may exclude f publication "u clauses 7i7 & 7ii7 ( p>agraph 7#a77;,a7 any =m describ$ 9 subp>agraph 7,b7 ( ?is p>agraph t ! ,secret>y det]m9es c\ld n reasonably be complet$ to a cl9ically acceptable /&>d by someone n an employee or a contractor ( ! ,dep>tm5t4 7,b7 ,a =m describ$ 9 ?is subp>agraph is a =m t-- 7i7 0 9 effect aft] ,janu>y #a1 #bjbb2 & 7ii7 has n be5 publi%$ "u p>agraph 7#a74 7,c7 ,= ea* =m exclud$ "u subp>agraph 7,a71 ! ,secret>y %all-- 7i7 li/ ! =m on ! same int]net website z ! =ms publi%$ "u p>agraph 7#a77;,a7 ) an indication t ! =m has be5 exclud$2 & 7ii7 provide ) su* li/+ a ju/ification = su* exclusion4 4 #c4 ,report on improv+ m$ical disability exam9ations = vet]ans :o live abroad ,n lat] ?an "o ye> aft] ! date ( ! enactm5t ( ?is ,act1 ! ,secret>y ( ,vet]ans ,affairs1 aft] consult+ ) ! ,secret>y ( ,/ate & ! ,commission] ( ! ,social ,security ,adm9i/ration1 %all submit to ! ,committee on ,vet]ans' ,affairs ( ! ,s5ate & ! ,committee on ,vet]ans' ,affairs ( ! ,h\se ( ,repres5tatives a report on ! ef=ts ( ! ,secret>y to provide reimbursem5t = a vet]an's travel to a facility ( ! ,dep>tm5t ( ,vet]ans ,affairs or a facility ( a ,dep>tm5t-contract$ provid]1 reg>dless ( :e!r ! facility is inside or outside ! ,unit$ ,/ates1 :5 su* travel is incid5t to a s*$ul$ comp5sation & p5sion exam9ation4 #d4 ,dep>tm5t ( ,vet]ans ,affairs requirem5t = communication by contractors provid+ cov]$ m$ical disability exam9ations ) p]sons appo9t$ by a p[] ( attorney = prep>ation1 pres5tation1 & prosecution ( claims 7a7 ,9 g5]al ,9 ea* contract ent]$ into by ! ,secret>y ( ,vet]ans ,affairs aft] ! date ( ! enactm5t ( ?is ,act = ! provision by a contractor ( a cov]$ m$ical disability exam9ation1 ! ,secret>y %all include a requirem5t t e communication f a contractor to a claimant reg>d+ ! s*$ul+ ( a cov]$ m$ical disability exam9ation be contemporane\sly transmitt$ to ! p]son or organization appo9t$ by a p[] ( attorney execut$ "u sections #eijb1 #eijc1 & #eijd ( title #ch1 ,unit$ ,/ates ,code1 = ! prep>ation1 pres5tation1 & prosecution ( claims4 7b7 ,def9ition ,9 ?is section1 ! t]m cov]$ m$ical disability exam9ation means a m$ical exam9ation t ! ,secret>y det]m9es necess>y = ! purposes ( adjudicat+ a b5efit "u *apt] #aa or #ae ( title #ch1 ,unit$ ,/ates ,code4 #e4 ,dep>tm5t ( ,vet]ans ,affairs outrea* reg>d+ contact in=mation = contractors provid+ cov]$ m$ical disability exam9ations ,n lat] ?an #abj days aft] ! date ( enactm5t ( ?is ,act1 ! ,secret>y ( ,vet]ans ,affairs %all1 9 p>tn]%ip ) vet]ans s]vice organizations & su* o!r /akehold]s z ! ,secret>y consid]s relevant & appropriate1 implem5t an in=mative outrea* program = vet]ans reg>d+ ! foll[+3 7#a7 ,contact in=mation = contractors provid+ cov]$ m$ical disability exam9ations1 includ+ ! telephone numb]s f :i* su* contractors may contact vet]ans4 7#b7 ,! requirem5t = vet]ans to provide p]sonally id5tifiable in=mation :5 contact$ by su* contractors 9 ord] to v]ify _! id5tity4 #f4 ,report on support+ gov]nm5tal vet]ans s]vice (fic]s 7a7 ,report ,n lat] ?an "o ye> aft] ! date ( ! enactm5t ( ?is ,act & aft] consult+ vet]ans s]vice organizations & su* o!r /akehold]s z ! ,secret>y ( ,vet]ans ,affairs consid]s relevant & appropriate1 ! ,secret>y %all submit to ! ,committee on ,vet]ans' ,affairs ( ! ,s5ate & ! ,committee on ,vet]ans' ,affairs ( ! ,h\se ( ,repres5tatives a report on improv+ ! support by ! ,dep>tm5t ( ,vet]ans ,affairs ( gov]nm5tal vet]ans s]vice (fic]s4 7b7 ,elem5ts ,! report submitt$ "u subsection 7a7 %all include ! foll[+3 7#a7 ,an assessm5t ( ! feasibility1 advisability1 & curr5t te*nical limitations ( provid+ gov]nm5tal vet]ans s]vice (fic]s enhanc$ access to c]ta9 ,dep>tm5t sy/ems to bett] s]ve vet]ans ^? gov]nm5tal s]vice (fic]s may n h au?orization to repres5t4 7#b7 ,an assessm5t z to :e!r ! ,dep>tm5t w\ld b5efit f ! e/abli%m5t or designation ( an (fice or work+ gr\p )9 ! ,dep>tm5t to s]ve z an int]gov]nm5tal liaison betwe5 ! ,dep>tm5t & gov]nm5tal vet]ans s]vice (fic]s4 7#c7 ,any o!r recomm5dations to improve h[ ! ,dep>tm5t monitors1 coord9ates )1 or provides support to gov]nm5tal vet]ans s]vice (fic]s4 7c7 ,def9itions ,9 ?is section3 7#a7 ,! t]m gov]nm5tal vet]ans s]vice (fic] means an employee ( a ,/ate1 c\nty1 municipal1 or ,tribal gov]nm5t-- 7,a7 :o is recogniz$ by ! ,secret>y ( ,vet]ans ,affairs z a repres5tative ( a vet]ans s]vice organization to s]ve z a vet]ans s]vice (fic]2 & 7,b7 ^: prim>y responsibilities include prep>+1 pres5t+1 & prosecut+ b5efit claims be=e ! ,dep>tm5t ( ,vet]ans ,affairs4 7#b7 ,! t]m vet]ans s]vice organization means an organization recogniz$ by ! ,secret>y = ! repres5tation ( vet]ans "u section #eijb ( title #ch1 ,unit$ ,/ates ,code4