,,ii  #aahth ,,congress  #b;d ,session  
,s4 #djfa  ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of     
,,the ,,united ,,states  ,march #bb1    
#bjbd,ms4 ,rosen 7for herself and ,mrs4 
,fischer7 introduced the following bill2
 which was read twice and referred to   
the ,committee on ,veterans' ,affairs   
,a ,,bill  ,to require the ,secretary of
 ,veterans ,affairs to maintain a       
toll-free telephone helpline for        
veterans and other eligible individuals 
to use to obtain information about the  
benefits and services provided by the   
,department of ,veterans ,affairs1 and  
for other purposes4  #a4 ,short title   
,this ,act may be cited as the ,veterans
 ,assistance ,helpline ,act of #bjbd4   
#b4 ,telephone helpline for assistance  
for veterans and other eligible         
individuals  7a7 ,maintenance of        
helpline  7#a7 ,in general ,the         
,secretary shall maintain a toll-free   
telephone helpline that a covered       
individual may use to obtain information
 about1 or through which a covered      

individual may be directed to1 any      
service or benefit provided under a law 
administered by the ,secretary4  7#b7   
,contract for direction of calls        
authorized ,the ,secretary may enter    
into a contract with a third party to   
direct calls made to the toll-free      
helpline maintained pursuant to         
paragraph 7#a7 to the appropriate office
 regarding a service or benefit         
described in that paragraph4  7#c7 ,live
 individual required ,the ,secretary    
shall ensure that a covered individual  
using the telephone helpline maintained 
pursuant to paragraph 7#a7 has the      
option to speak with a live individual4 
7b7 ,definitions ,in this section3 7#a7 
,covered individual ,the term covered   
individual means-- 7,a7 a veteran2  7,b7
 an individual acting on behalf of a    
veteran2 or  7,c7 an individual1 other  
than a veteran1 who is eligible to      
receive a benefit or service under a law
 administered by the ,secretary4  7#b7  
,secretary ,the term ,secretary means   

the ,secretary of ,veterans ,affairs4   
7#c7 ,veteran ,the term veteran has the 
meaning given the term in section       
#bjjb7;b7 of title #ch1 ,united ,states 
,code4