,,ii  #aahth ,,congress  #ast ,session  
,s4 #aab  ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of ,,the
 ,,united ,,states  ,january #bf1       
#bjbc,mr4 ,braun 7for himself1 ,ms4     
,hassan1 ,mr4 ,rubio1 and ,mr4 ,booker7 
introduced the following bill2 which was
 read twice and referred to the         
,committee on ,veterans' ,affairs  ,a   
,,bill  ,to amend title #ch1 ,united    
,states ,code1 to strengthen benefits   
for children of ,vietnam veterans born  
with spina bifida1 and for other        
purposes4  #a4 ,benefits for certain    
children of ,vietnam veterans and       
certain other veterans  7a7 ,definitions
 ,section #ahca of title #ch1 ,united   
,states ,code1 is amended-- 7#a7 by     
redesignating paragraphs 7#b7 and 7#c7  
as paragraphs 7#d7 and 7#e71            
respectively2 and  7#b7 by inserting    
after paragraph 7#a7 the following new  
paragraphs3  7#b7 ,the term covered     
child means a child who is eligible for 
health care and benefits under this     
chapter4  7#c7 ,the term covered veteran

 means an individual whose children are 
eligible for health care and benefits   
under this chapter4  4  7b7 ,in general 
,subchapter ,,iv of chapter #ah of title
 #ch1 ,united ,states ,code1 is amended 
by adding at the end the following new  
sections3  #ahce4 ,advisory council  7a7
 ,in general ,the ,secretary shall      
establish an advisory council on health 
care and benefits for covered children4 
7b7 ,membership ,the advisory council   
established under subsection 7a7 shall  
be composed of ,federal employees4  7c7 
,duties ,the advisory council           
established under subsection 7a7 shall  
solicit feedback from covered children  
and covered veterans on the health care 
and benefits provided under this chapter
 and communicate such feedback to the   
,secretary4  #ahcf4 ,care and           
coordination teams  7a7 ,in general ,the
 ,secretary shall establish care and    
coordination teams for covered children4
  7b7 ,outreach ,a care and coordination
 team established under subsection 7a7  

shall attempt to contact each covered   
child-- 7#a7 not less frequently than   
once every #ahj days1 to ensure the     
continued care of the child and assist  
with any changes in care needed due to a
 changed situation of the child2 and    
7#b7 as soon as practicable after the   
identification of a condition listed in 
the report required by subsection 7c74  
7c7 ,report ,not later than #ahj days   
after the date of the enactment of this 
section1 the ,secretary shall submit to 
the ,committee on ,veterans' ,affairs of
 the ,senate and the ,committee on      
,veterans' ,affairs of the ,house of    
,representatives a report setting forth 
a list of conditions that will trigger  
outreach to covered children under      
subsection 7b77#b74  #ahcg4 ,duration of
 health care and benefits provided ,the 
,secretary shall provide a covered child
 with health care and benefits under    
this chapter-- 7#a7 for the duration of 
the life of the child2 and  7#b7        
notwithstanding any death of a parent of

 the child that precedes the death of   
the child4  #ahch4 ,biennial report ,not
 less frequently than once every two    
years1 the ,secretary shall submit to   
,congress a report setting forth the    
following3 7#a7 ,the number of covered  
children receiving health care or       
benefits under this chapter as of the   
date on which the report is submitted4  
7#b7 ,the number of covered children for
 which the ,department is paying for or 
providing a social worker as of such    
date4  7#c7 ,metrics on outreach        
conducted under section #ahcf7;b7 of    
this title4  4  7c7 ,memorandum of      
understanding ,not later than #ij days  
after the date of the enactment of this 
,act1 the ,under ,secretary for         
,benefits of the ,department of         
,veterans ,affairs and the ,under       
,secretary for ,health of the           
,department shall enter into a          
memorandum of understanding-- 7#a7 to   
better assist covered children 7as      
defined in section #ahca of title #ch1  

,united ,states ,code1 as amended by    
subsection 7a772 and  7#b7 to establish 
conditions to be included in the report 
required by section #ahcf7;c7 of title  
#ch1 ,united ,states ,code1 as added by 
subsection 7b74  7d7 ,implementation    
7#a7 ,advisory council ,not later than  
#bgj days after the date of the         
enactment of this ,act1 the ,secretary  
of ,veterans ,affairs shall establish   
the advisory council required under     
section #ahce of title #ch1 ,united     
,states ,code1 as added by subsection   
7b74  7#b7 ,care and coordination teams 
,not later than one year after the date 
of the enactment of this ,act1 the      
,secretary of ,veterans ,affairs shall  
establish the care and coordination     
teams required under section #ahcf of   
such title1 as added by subsection 7b74 
7e7 ,clerical amendment ,the table of   
sections at the beginning of chapter #ah
 of title #ch1 ,united ,states ,code1 is
 amended by adding at the end the       
following new items3  #ahce4 ,advisory  

council4#ahcf4 ,care and coordination   
teams4#ahcg4 ,duration of health care   
and benefits provided4#ahch4 ,biennial  
report4  4