,i  #aahth ,,congress  #ast ,session    
,h4 ,r4 #eaeb  ,,in ,,the ,,house ,,of  
,,representatives  ,august #d1 #bjbc    
,mr4 ,neguse introduced the following   
bill2 which was referred to the         
,committee on ,armed ,services1 and in  
addition to the ,committee on ,veterans'
 ,affairs1 for a period to be           
subsequently determined by the ,speaker1
 in each case for consideration of such 
provisions as fall within the           
jurisdiction of the committee concerned 
,a ,,bill  ,to direct the ,secretary of 
,defense to establish a program to      
ensure1 under certain conditions1 that  
members of the ,armed ,forces are       
automatically enrolled in benefits and  
services under the laws administered by 
the ,secretary of ,veterans ,affairs for
 which such members are eligible4  #a4  
,program of ,department of ,defense to  
enroll certain members of the ,armed    
,forces in benefits and services under  
the laws administered by the ,secretary 
of ,veterans ,affairs  7a7 ,in general  

,not later than two years after the date
 of the enactment of this ,act1 the     
,secretary of ,defense1 in coordination 
with the ,secretary of ,veterans        
,affairs1 shall carry out a program to--
 7#a7 identify covered benefits1 if any1
 for which each covered member of an    
,armed ,force is eligible to enroll2    
7#b7 notify each covered member of the  
relevant covered benefits identified    
under subparagraph 7,a72 and  7#c7      
expect as provided in subsection 7e71   
ensure such covered member is enrolled  
in such covered benefits4  7b7          
,notification to ,secretary of ,veterans
 ,affairs ,with respect to any covered  
member of an ,armed ,force the          
,secretary of ,defense determines is    
eligible for enrollment in a covered    
benefit1 such ,secretary shall1 not     
later than #ij days before the date on  
which such covered member is separated  
from service1 submit to the ,secretary  
of ,veterans ,affairs a notification    
that includes-- 7#a7 the name1 contact  

information1 and military service       
details of such covered member2  7#b7   
the anticipated date on which such      
covered member will be separated from   
service2 and  7#c7 a description of any 
military occupational specialty and     
training such covered member received   
during service4  7c7 ,outreach required 
,not later than #fj days after any date 
on which the ,secretary of ,veterans    
,affairs receives a notification under  
subsection 7b71 such ,secretary shall   
contact the covered member of an ,armed 
,force described in such notification   
and provide materials and resources     
relating to covered benefits4  7d7      
,information sharing ,the ,secretary of 
,defense1 in coordination with the      
,secretary of ,veterans ,affairs1 shall 
establish procedures to--  7#a7 share   
necessary information to facilitate the 
automatic enrollment process under      
subsection 7a72 and  7#b7 ensure the    
secure and confidential transfer of data
 during any such sharing of necessary   

information4  7e7 ,opt-,out provision   
,the decision to enroll in a covered    
benefit pursuant to subsection 7a7 shall
 be at the election of the relevant     
covered member of an ,armed ,force4  7f7
 ,working group  7#a7 ,in general ,the  
,secretary of ,defense1 in consultation 
with the ,secretary of ,veterans        
,affairs1 shall establish a working     
group to address potential barriers and 
challenges in implementing the automatic
 enrollment process4 ,the working group 
shall consist of representatives from   
the ,department of ,defense1 the        
,department of ,veterans ,affairs1 and  
other relevant stakeholders as          
determined by such ,secretaries4  7#b7  
,duties ,the working group shall be     
responsible for-- 7,a7 identifying      
potential barriers to implementation1   
such as legal1 technological1 or        
administrative challenges2 and  7,b7    
developing strategies and               
recommendations to overcome such        
potential barriers and ensure the       

successful implementation of automatic  
enrollments4  7#c7 ,report ,not later   
than #ahj days after the date on which  
such ,secretaries establish the working 
group under paragraph 7#a71 the head of 
such working group shall submit to      
,congress a report that includes        
findings1 recommendations1 and proposed 
timelines for implementation4  7g7 ,,gao
 report on notice of automatic          
enrollment ,not later than #ahj days    
after the date of the enactment of this 
,act1 the ,comptroller ,general of the  
,united ,states shall submit to         
,congress a report containing the       
results of a study to determine the best
 methods for the ,secretary of ,defense 
to provide notice under subsection      
7a77#b74 ,in making such determination1 
the ,comptroller ,general shall consider
 needs of veterans based on-- 7#a7 age2 
7#b7 residence in urban areas2 and  7#c7
 residence in rural areas4  7h7         
,definitions ,in this section3 7#a7 ,the
 term covered benefit means a benefit or

 service under the laws administered by 
the ,secretary of ,veterans ,affairs4   
7#b7 ,the term covered member of an     
,armed ,force means a member of the     
,armed ,forces participating in the     
,transition ,assistance ,program of the 
,department of ,defense under section   
#aadb and #aadd of title #aj1 ,united   
,states ,code4