,,ii  #aah? ,,congress  #b;d ,session   
,s4 #djfa  ,,9 ,,! ,,s5ate ,,( ,,!      
,,unit$ ,,/ates  ,m>* #bb1 #bjbd,ms4    
,ros5 7= h]self & ,mrs4 ,fis*]7         
introduc$ ! foll[+ bill2 :i* 0 read     
twice & ref]r$ to ! ,committee on       
,vet]ans' ,affairs  ,a ,,bill  ,to      
require ! ,secret>y ( ,vet]ans ,affairs 
to ma9ta9 a toll-free telephone helpl9e 
= vet]ans & o!r eligible individuals to 
use to obta9 in=mation ab\t ! b5efits & 
s]vices provid$ by ! ,dep>tm5t (        
,vet]ans ,affairs1 & = o!r purposes4    
#a4 ,%ort title ,?is ,act may be cit$ z 
! ,vet]ans ,assi/ance ,helpl9e ,act (   
#bjbd4  #b4 ,telephone helpl9e =        
assi/ance = vet]ans & o!r eligible      
individuals  7a7 ,ma9t5ance ( helpl9e   
7#a7 ,9 g5]al ,! ,secret>y %all ma9ta9 a
 toll-free telephone helpl9e t a cov]$  
individual may use to obta9 in=mation   
ab\t1 or ?r\gh :i* a cov]$ individual   
may be direct$ to1 any s]vice or b5efit 
provid$ "u a law adm9i/]$ by !          
,secret>y4  7#b7 ,contract = direction (

 calls au?oriz$ ,! ,secret>y may ent]   
into a contract ) a ?ird p>ty to direct 
calls made to ! toll-free helpl9e       
ma9ta9$ pursuant to p>agraph 7#a7 to !  
appropriate (fice reg>d+ a s]vice or    
b5efit describ$ 9 t p>agraph4  7#c7     
,live individual requir$ ,! ,secret>y   
%all ensure t a cov]$ individual us+ !  
telephone helpl9e ma9ta9$ pursuant to   
p>agraph 7#a7 has ! option to speak ) a 
live individual4  7b7 ,def9itions ,9 ?is
 section3 7#a7 ,cov]$ individual ,! t]m 
cov]$ individual means-- 7,a7 a vet]an2 
7,b7 an individual act+ on behalf ( a   
vet]an2 or  7,c7 an individual1 o!r ?an 
a vet]an1 :o is eligible to receive a   
b5efit or s]vice "u a law adm9i/]$ by ! 
,secret>y4  7#b7 ,secret>y ,! t]m       
,secret>y means ! ,secret>y ( ,vet]ans  
,affairs4  7#c7 ,vet]an ,! t]m vet]an   
has ! mean+ giv5 ! t]m 9 section        
#bjjb7;b7 ( title #ch1 ,unit$ ,/ates    
,code4