,,ii #aahth ,,congress #b;d ,session ,h4 ,r4 #gcdb ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of ,,the ,,united ,,states ,september #ah1 #bjbd,received ,,an ,,act ,to establish the ,veterans ,advisory ,committee on ,equal ,access1 and for other purposes4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,veterans ,accessibility ,advisory ,committee ,act of #bjbd4 #b4 ,veterans ,advisory ,committee on ,equal ,access 7a7 ,establishment 7#a7 ,in general ,not later than #ahj days after the date of the enactment of this ,act1 the ,secretary of ,veterans ,affairs shall establish within the ,department of ,veterans ,affairs an advisory committee on matters relating to accessibility of the ,department for individuals with disabilities4 7#b7 ,designation ,the advisory committee established by paragraph 7#a7 shall be known as the ,veterans ,advisory ,committee on ,equal ,access 7in this section the ,advisory ,committee74 7b7 ,membership 7#a7 ,voting members ,the ,advisory ,committee shall be composed of #ae voting members1 appointed by the ,secretary of ,veterans ,affairs4 ,in appointing such members1 the ,secretary shall ensure the following3 7,a7 ,four are veterans with disabilities1 including mobility impairment1 hearing1 visual1 and mental or cognitive disabilities4 7,b7 ,four are experts on issues described in subsection 7f77#a77;,a7 or the provisions of law set forth under subsection 7f77#a77;,b74 7,c7 ,two are employees of the ,department1 one from the ,section #ejh ,office and one from the ,architectural ,accessibility ,program1 who oversee the compliance of the ,department with ,federal accessibility laws4 7,d7 ,five are representatives nominated by national veterans service organizations that advocate for veterans with physical1 sensory1 mental1 or cognitive disabilities4 7#b7 ,ex officio members ,the ,advisory ,committee shall also include four ex officio members 7or their designees73 7,a7 ,the ,under ,secretary for ,health4 7,b7 ,the ,under ,secretary for ,benefits4 7,c7 ,the ,under ,secretary for ,memorial ,affairs4 7,d7 ,the chairperson of the ,architectural and ,transportation ,barriers ,compliance ,board 7known as the ,access ,board74 7c7 ,terms2 vacancies 7#a7 ,terms ,a member of the ,advisory ,committee shall be appointed for a term of two years4 ,the ,secretary may reappoint members to the ,advisory ,committee for such additional two-year terms as the ,secretary determines appropriate4 7#b7 ,vacancies ,the ,secretary shall fill a vacancy in the ,advisory ,committee in the same manner as the original appointment not later than #ahj days after such vacancy occurs4 7d7 ,meetings 7#a7 ,frequency ,the ,advisory ,committee shall meet not less frequently than twice each year4 7#b7 ,subcommittees ,the ,advisory ,committee may form subcommittees1 which shall meet as often as required4 7#c7 ,quorum ,a majority of the members of the ,advisory ,committee shall constitute a quorum4 7e7 ,chairperson ,members of the ,advisory ,committee shall select a ,chairperson from among the members of the ,advisory ,committee4 ,if the position of ,chairperson becomes vacant1 the members of the ,advisory ,committee shall select a new ,chairperson not later than #cj days after the date on which the position became vacant4 7f7 ,duties 7#a7 ,requirement to consult and seek advice ,on a regular basis1 the ,secretary shall consult with and seek the advice of the ,advisory ,committee-- 7,a7 on improving the accessibility of the ,department for individuals with disabilities1 including improving-- 7i7 the accessibility of information of the ,department1 including electronic information2 7ii7 the accessibility of the services and benefits furnished by the ,department2 7iii7 the accessibility of the facilities of the ,department2 7iv7 the accessibility of facilities of health care providers furnishing care or services under the ,veterans ,community ,care ,program under section #agjc of title #ch1 ,united ,states ,code2 and 7v7 the acquisition process of the ,department to ensure that products and services1 including information technology and information and communication technology 7as defined in the standards issued by the ,architectural and ,transportation ,barriers ,compliance ,board pursuant to section #ejh of the ,rehabilitation ,act of #aigc 7#bi ,u4,s4,c4 #gid;d771 are accessible when purchased2 and 7,b7 for ensuring the compliance of the ,department with provisions of law relating to disability and accessibility1 including-- 7i7 the ,americans with ,disabilities ,act of #aiij 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #abahd et seq472 7ii7 sections #ejd and #ejh of the ,rehabilitation ,act of #aigc 7#bi ,u4,s4,c4 #gia1 #gid1 and #gid;d72 7iii7 the ,plain ,writing ,act of #bjaj 7#e ,u4,s4,c4 #cja note72 7iv7 the #bast ,century ,integrated ,digital ,experience ,act 7#dd ,u4,s4,c4 #ceja note72 7v7 the ,architectural ,barriers ,act of #aifh 7,public ,law #ij-dhj72 and 7vi7 such other provisions of ,federal law as may be that ensure equal access to ,federal facilities1 benefits1 or services for individuals with disabilities4 7#b7 ,provision of advice ,in providing advice to the ,secretary1 the ,advisory ,committee shall1 focusing on the areas of greatest need for the ,department-- 7,a7 assess the disability access needs of veterans1 the public1 and ,department employees for full access to the ,department's information1 services1 and benefits by reviewing relevant information1 such as filed complaints by people with disabilities or physical assessments of the ,department's facilities2 7,b7 provide assessments of accessibility at the ,department and the compliance of the ,department with applicable provisions of law relating to disability and accessibility2 and 7,c7 provide advice on improving accessibility at the ,department1 including the accessibility of all-- 7i7 communications1 including internal and public facing2 7ii7 services and benefits2 and 7iii7 facilities4 7#c7 ,reports 7,a7 ,reports to the ,secretary ,not later than two years after the date of the first meeting of the ,advisory ,committee1 and not less frequently than once every two years thereafter1 the ,advisory ,committee shall submit to the ,secretary a report that1 focusing on areas of greatest need for the ,department-- 7i7 identifies and assesses access barriers affecting veterans1 the public1 and employees of the ,department2 7ii7 determines the extent to which the programs and activities of the ,department address the barriers identified in clause 7i71 including compliance of the ,department with provisions of law relating to accessibility law and reporting2 7iii7 provides recommendations and access priorities to improve the accessibility of the ,department's services1 benefits1 information1 technology1 and facilities2 7iv7 provides a description of access improvements and assesses the ,department's implementation of recommendations from previous reports of the ,advisory ,committee1 including any unmet recommendations that remain necessary for improving accessibility for the ,department2 and 7v7 provides any recommendations for legislation1 administrative action1 or other actions that the ,advisory ,committee determines appropriate4 7,b7 ,reports to ,congress and ,federal agencies 7i7 ,in general ,not later than #ij days after the receipt of a report required under subparagraph 7,a71 the ,secretary shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees a copy of such report and any comments and recommendations of the ,secretary concerning such report that the ,secretary determines appropriate4 7ii7 ,availability to the public ,the ,secretary shall publish on a publicly accessible website of the ,department such report and such comments and recommendations as may have been submitted along with such report4 7iii7 ,appropriate congressional committees ,in this subparagraph1 the term appropriate congressional committees means-- 7,i7 the ,committees on ,veterans' ,affairs of the ,senate and ,house of ,representatives2 7,,ii7 the ,special ,committee on ,aging of the ,senate2 and 7,,iii7 the ,committee on ,education and the ,workforce of the ,house of ,representatives4 7g7 ,advisory ,committee personnel and resource matters 7#a7 ,compensation of members ,a member of the ,commission who is not an officer or employee of the ,federal ,government shall not be compensated for the performance of the duties of the ,advisory ,committee4 7#b7 ,travel expenses ,a member of the ,advisory ,committee shall be allowed travel expenses1 including per diem in lieu of subsistence1 at rates authorized for employees of agencies under subchapter ,i of chapter #eg of title #e1 ,united ,states ,code1 while away from their homes or regular places of business in the performance of services for the ,advisory ,committee4 7#c7 ,resources ,the ,secretary shall ensure that such personnel1 funding1 and other resources are made available to the ,advisory ,committee as the ,secretary determines appropriate to carry out the duties of the ,advisory ,committee4 7#d7 ,information ,the ,secretary shall furnish to the ,advisory ,committee such information as the ,advisory ,committee may request from the ,secretary1 subject to applicable provisions of law4 7h7 ,termination of ,advisory ,committee ,the ,advisory ,committee shall terminate on the date that is #aj years after the date of the enactment of this ,act4 #c4 ,abolition of inactive advisory committee ,not later than #ahj days after the date of the enactment of this ,act and before establishing the ,veterans ,advisory ,committee on ,equal ,access under section #b1 the ,secretary of ,veterans ,affairs shall-- 7#a7 abolish an advisory committee of the ,department of ,veterans ,affairs that-- 7,a7 was not established by an ,act of ,congress2 and 7,b7 is inactive2 7#b7 consolidate two advisory committees described in paragraph 7#a72 or 7#c7 submit to the ,committees on ,veterans' ,affairs of the ,senate and ,house of ,representatives a recommendation to abolish an advisory committee of the ,department that-- 7,a7 was established by an ,act of ,congress2 and 7,b7 is inactive4 #d4 ,modification of certain housing loan fees ,the loan fee table in section #cgbi7;b77#b7 of title #ch1 ,united ,states ,code1 is amended by striking ,november #ae1 #bjca each place it appears and inserting ,november #bi1 #bjca4 ,passed the ,house of ,representatives ,september #ag1 #bjbd4,kevin ,f4 ,mc,cumber1,clerk4