,i  #aah? ,,congress  #a/ ,session  ,h4 
,r4 #ihd  ,,9 ,,! ,,h\se ,,(            
,,repres5tatives  ,febru>y #aj1         
#bjbc,mr4 ,lev9 7= himself1 ,mrs4       
,rodg]s ( ,wa%+ton1 ,mr4 ,pappas1 & ,mr4
 ,f9/ad7 introduc$ ! foll[+ bill2 :i* 0 
ref]r$ to ! ,committee on ,vet]ans'     
,affairs  ,a ,,bill  ,to am5d title #ch1
 ,unit$ ,/ates ,code1 to au?orize !     
,secret>y ( ,vet]ans ,affairs to aw>d   
grants to ,/ates to improve outrea* to  
vet]ans1 & = o!r purposes4  #a4 ,%ort   
title ,?is ,act may be cit$ z !         
,commitm5t to ,vet]an ,support &        
,outrea* ,act4  #b4 ,au?ority =         
,secret>y ( ,vet]ans ,affairs to aw>d   
grants to ,/ates & ,indian ,tribes to   
improve outrea* to vet]ans  7a7 ,9 g5]al
 ,*apt] #fc ( title #ch1 ,unit$ ,/ates  
,code1 is am5d$-- 7#a7 by r$esignat+    
sections #fcjg & #fcjh & sections #fcjh 
& #fcji1 respectively2 &  7#b7 by ins]t+
 aft] section #fcjf ! foll[+ new section
 #fcjg3  #fcjg4 ,grants to ,/ates &     
,indian ,tribes to improve outrea* to   

vet]ans  7a7 ,purpose ,x is ! purpose ( 
?is section to provide = assi/ance by ! 
,secret>y to ,/ates & ,indian ,tribes to
 c>ry out programs t-- 7#a7 improve     
outrea* & assi/ance to vet]ans & !      
sp\ses1 *ildr51 & p>5ts ( vet]ans1 to   
ensure t su* individuals are fully in=m$
 ab\t any vet]ans & vet]ans-relat$      
b5efits & programs 7includ+ vet]ans     
programs ( a ,/ate or ,indian ,tribe7 = 
:i* !y may be eligible2 &  7#b7         
facilitate opportunities = su*          
individuals to receive compet5t1        
qualifi$ s]vices 9 ! prep>ation1        
pres5tation1 & prosecution ( vet]ans    
b5efits claims4  7b7 ,au?ority ,!       
,secret>y may aw>d grants "u ?is section
 to ,/ates & ,indian ,tribes-- 7#a7 to  
c>ry out1 coord9ate1 improve1 or o!rwise
 enhance outrea* activities2  7#b7 to   
increase ! numb] ( c\nty or ,tribal     
vet]ans s]vice (fic]s s]v+ 9 ! ,/ate or 
,indian ,tribe by hir+ new1 additional  
su* (fic]s2 or  7#c7 to exp&1 c>ry out1 
coord9ate1 improve1 or o!rwise enhance  

exi/+ programs1 activities1 & s]vices ( 
! exi/+ organization ( ! ,/ate or       
,indian ,tribe t has be5 recogniz$ by ! 
,dep>tm5t ( ,vet]ans ,affairs pursuant  
to section #eijb1 9 ! prep>ation1       
pres5tation1 & prosecution ( claims =   
vet]ans b5efits ?r\gh repres5tatives :o 
hold positions z c\nty or ,tribal       
vet]ans s]vice (fic]s4  7c7 ,application
  7#a7 ,to be eligible = a grant "u ?is 
section1 a ,/ate or ,indian ,tribe %all 
submit to ! ,secret>y an application    
!re= at su* "t1 9 su* mann]1 & conta9+  
su* in=mation z ! ,secret>y may require4
  7#b7 ,ea* application submitt$ "u     
p>agraph 7#a7 %all include ! foll[+3    
7,a7 ,a detail$ plan = ! use ( ! grant4 
7,b7 ,a description ( ! programs ?r\gh  
:i* ! ,/ate or ,indian ,tribe w meet !  
outcome measures develop$ by ! ,secret>y
 "u subsection 7i74  7,c7 ,a description
 ( h[ ! ,/ate or ,indian ,tribe w       
di/ribute grant am\nts equitably among  
c\nties 7or ,tribal l&s1 z ! case may   
be7 ) v>y+ levels ( urbanization4  7,d7 

,a plan = h[ ! grant w be us$ to meet ! 
unique ne$s ( ,am]ican ,indian or       
,alaska ,native vet]ans1 eld]ly vet]ans1
 wom5 vet]ans1 & vet]ans f o!r und]s]v$ 
communities4  7d7 ,di/ribution ,!       
,secret>y %all seek to ensure t grants  
aw>d$ "u ?is section are equitably      
di/ribut$ among ,/ates & ,indian ,tribes
 ) v>y+ levels ( urbanization4  7e7     
,priority ,! ,secret>y %all prioritize  
aw>d+ grants "u ?is section t w s]ve !  
foll[+ areas3 7#a7 ,areas ) a critical  
%ortage ( c\nty or ,tribal vet]ans      
s]vice (fic]s4  7#b7 ,areas ) high rates
 (-- 7,a7 suicide among vet]ans2 or     
7,b7 ref]rals to ! ,vet]ans ,crisis     
,l9e4  7f7 ,use ( c\nty or ,tribal      
vet]ans s]vice (fic]s ,a ,/ate or       
,indian ,tribe t receives a grant "u ?is
 section to c>ry out an activity        
describ$ 9 subsection 7b77#a7 may only  
c>ry out ! activity ?r\gh-- 7#a7 a c\nty
 or ,tribal vet]ans s]vice (fic] ( !    
,/ate or ,indian ,tribe2 or  7#b7 if !  
,/ate or ,indian ,tribe does n h a c\nty

 or ,tribal vet]ans s]vice (fic]1 or if 
! c\nty or ,tribal vet]ans s]vice (fic]s
 ( ! ,/ate or ,indian ,tribe cov] only a
 portion ( t ,/ate or ,indian ,tribe1 an
 appropriate entity ( a ,/ate1 local1 or
 ,tribal gov]nm5t1 z det]m9$ by !       
,secret>y4  7g7 ,requir$ activities ,any
 grant aw>d$ "u ?is section %all be     
us$-- 7#a7 to exp& exi/+ programs1      
activities1 & s]vices2  7#b7 to hire &  
ma9ta9 new1 additional c\nty or ,tribal 
vet]ans s]vice (fic]s2 or  7#c7 = travel
 & transportation to facilitate c>ry+   
out p>agraph 7#a7 or 7#b74  7h7 ,o!r    
p]missible activities ,a grant "u ?is   
section may be us$ to provide education 
& tra9+1 includ+ on-!-job tra9+1 =      
,/ate1 c\nty1 local1 & ,tribal gov]nm5t 
employees :o provide 7or :5 tra9$ w     
provide7 vet]ans outrea* s]vices 9 ord] 
= ^? employees to obta9 & ma9ta9        
accr$itation 9 accordance ) proc$ures   
approv$ by ! ,secret>y4  7i7 ,outcome   
measures  7#a7 ,! ,secret>y %all develop
 & provide to ea* ,/ate or ,indian      

,tribe t receives a grant "u ?is section
 writt5 guidance on ! foll[+3 7,a7      
,outcome measures4  7,b7 ,policies ( !  
,dep>tm5t4  7#b7 ,9 develop+ outcome    
measures "u p>agraph 7#a71 ! ,secret>y  
%all consid] ! foll[+ goals3 7,a7       
,increas+ ! use ( vet]ans &             
vet]ans-relat$ b5efits1 p>ticul>ly among
 vuln]able populations4  7,b7 ,increas+ 
! numb] ( c\nty & ,tribal vet]ans s]vice
 (fic]s recogniz$ by ! ,secret>y = !    
repres5tation ( vet]ans "u *apt] #ei (  
?is title4  7j7 ,track+ requirem5ts     
7#a7 ,) respect to ea* grant aw>d$ "u   
?is section1 ! ,secret>y %all track !   
use ( vet]ans b5efits among ! population
 s]v$ by ! grant1 includ+ ! av]age p]iod
 ( "t betwe5 ! date on :i* a vet]an or  
o!r eligible claimant applies = su* a   
b5efit & ! date on :i* ! vet]an or o!r  
eligible claimant receives ! b5efit1    
disaggregat$ by type ( b5efit4  7#b7 ,n 
less frequ5tly ?an annually dur+ ! life 
( ! grant program e/abli%$ "u ?is       
section1 ! ,secret>y %all submit to     

,congress a report on-- 7,a7 ! in=mation
 track$ "u p>agraph 7#a72  7,b7 h[ !    
grants aw>d$ "u ?is section s]ve !      
unique ne$s ( ,am]ican ,indian or       
,alaska ,native vet]ans1 eld]ly vet]ans1
 wom5 vet]ans1 & vet]ans f o!r und]s]v$ 
communities2 &  7,c7 o!r in=mation      
provid$ by ,/ates & ,indian ,tribes     
pursuant to ! grant report+ requirem5ts4
  7k7 ,p]=mance review  7#a7 ,!         
,secret>y %all-- 7,a7 review ! p]=mance 
( ea* ,/ate or ,indian ,tribe t receives
 a grant "u ?is section2 &  7,b7 make   
in=mation reg>d+ su* p]=mance publicly  
available4  7l7 ,rem$iation plan  7#a7  
,9 ! case ( a ,/ate or ,indian ,tribe t 
receives a grant "u ?is section & does n
 meet ! outcome measures develop$ by !  
,secret>y "u subsection 7i71 ! ,secret>y
 %all require ! ,/ate or ,indian ,tribe 
to submit a rem$iation plan "u :i* !    
,/ate or ,indian ,tribe %all describe h[
 & :5 x plans to meet su* outcome       
measures4  7#b7 ,! ,secret>y may n aw>d 
a subsequ5t grant "u ?is section to a   

,/ate or ,indian ,tribe describ$ 9      
p>agraph 7#a7 unless ! ,secret>y        
approves ! rem$iation plan submitt$ by !
 ,/ate ( ,indian ,tribe4  7m7 ,maximum  
am\nt ,! am\nt ( a grant aw>d$ "u ?is   
section may n exce$ #aj p]c5t ( am\nts  
made available = grants "u ?is section =
 ! fiscal ye> 9 :i* ! grant is aw>d$4   
7n7 ,supplem5t1 n supplant ,any grant   
aw>d$ "u ?is section %all be us$ to     
supplem5t & n supplant ,/ate & local    
fund+ t is o!rwise available4  7o7      
,def9itions ,9 ?is section3 7#a7 ,! t]m 
c\nty or ,tribal vet]ans s]vice (fic]   
includes a local equival5t vet]ans      
s]vice (fic]4  7#b7 ,! t]m ,indian      
,tribe has ! mean+ giv5 su* t]m 9       
section #d ( ! ,indian                  
,self-,det]m9ation & ,education         
,assi/ance ,act 7#be ,u4,s4,c4 #ecjd74  
7#c7 ,! t]m ,/ate includes ! ,di/rict ( 
,columbia1 ! ,commonweal? ( ,pu]to      
,rico1 ! ,commonweal? ( ! ,nor!rn       
,m>iana ,isl&s1 & any t]ritory or       
possession ( ! ,unit$ ,/ates4  7#d7 ,!  

t]m ,vet]ans ,crisis ,l9e means !       
toll-free hotl9e = vet]ans e/abli%$ "u  
section #agbj;,f7h7 ( ?is title4  4  7b7
 ,cl]ical am5dm5t ,! table ( sections at
 ! beg9n+ ( *apt] #fc ( su* title is    
am5d$ by /rik+ ! items relat+ to        
sections #fcjg & #fcjh & ins]t+ ! foll[+
 new items3  #fcjg4 ,grants to ,/ates & 
,indian ,tribes to improve outrea* to   
vet]ans4#fcjh4 ,outrea* = eligible      
dep5d5ts4#fcji4 ,bi5nial report to      
,congress4  4  7c7 ,au?orization (      
appropriations ,!re is au?oriz$ to be   
appropriat$ to ! ,secret>y ( ,vet]ans   
,affairs = ea* ( fiscal ye>s #bjbd ?r\gh
 #bjbh1 #ej1jjj1jjj to c>ry out section 
#fcjg ( title #ch1 ,unit$ ,/ates ,code1 
z add$ by subsection 7a74  7d7          
,au?orization ( additional full-,"t     
equival5t employee ,dur+ fiscal ye>s    
#bjbd ?r\gh #bjbh1 ! ,secret>y (        
,vet]ans ,affairs may hire two or m     
additional full-"t equival5t employees 9
 ! ,(fice ( ! ,g5]al ,c\nsel ( !        
,dep>tm5t ( ,vet]ans ,affairs1 z comp>$ 

to ! numb] ( full-"t equival5t employees
 t w\ld o!rwise be au?oriz$ = su* (fice1
 to c>ry out duties "u ! accr$itation1  
discipl9e1 & fees program4