,i #aaith ,,congress #ast ,session ,h4 ,r4 #bigj ,,in ,,the ,,house ,,of ,,representatives ,april #ag1 #bjbe,mr4 ,yakym introduced the following bill2 which was referred to the ,committee on ,veterans' ,affairs ,a ,,bill ,to amend title #ch1 ,united ,states ,code1 to make certain improvements to the laws relating to advocacy for veterans who receive health care and other benefits furnished by the ,department of ,veterans ,affairs1 and for other purposes4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,national ,veterans ,advocate ,act of #bjbe4 #b4 ,independent ,office of the ,national ,veterans' ,advocate in ,department of ,veterans ,affairs 7a7 ,in general ,section #gcji;,a of title #ch1 ,united ,states ,code1 is amended-- 7#a7 by striking the section heading and inserting the following new section heading3 #gcji;,a4 ,office of the ,national ,veterans' ,advocate 2 7#b7 in subsection 7a7-- 7,a7 by striking within the ,office of the ,under ,secretary for ,health2 7,b7 by striking an office and inserting an independent office2 and 7,c7 by striking ,office of ,patient ,advocacy and inserting ,office of the ,national ,veterans' ,advocate2 7#c7 by striking patient advocate each place it appears and inserting veteran advocate2 7#d7 in subsection 7b7-- 7,a7 by striking paragraph 7#a7 and inserting the following new paragraph 7#a73 7#a7 ,the ,office of the ,national ,veterans' ,advocate shall be under the supervision and direction of an official to be known as the 8,national ,veterans' ,advocate04 ,the ,national ,veterans' ,advocate shall report directly to the ,secretary and shall be entitled to compensation at the same rate as the highest rate of basic pay established for the ,senior ,executive ,service under section #echb of title #e1 ,united ,states ,code4 2 and 7,b7 in paragraph 7#b7-- 7i7 by striking ,office of ,patient ,advocacy and inserting ,office of the ,national ,veterans' ,advocate2 7ii7 by striking by the ,under ,secretary for ,health and inserting by the ,secretary2 and 7iii7 by striking shall report directly to the ,under ,secretary for ,health and inserting shall be independent of the ,secretary2 7#e7 by striking ,director each place it appears and inserting ,national ,veterans' ,advocate2 7#f7 in subsection 7c7-- 7,a7 by striking the subsection heading and inserting 7c7 ,functions4--2 7,b7 in paragraph 7#a7-- 7i7 by striking function and inserting functions2 7ii7 by striking is and inserting are2 and 7iii7 by inserting before the period at the end the following3 and to monitor ,department processes and make recommendations to ,congress on how to improve the ,department's efficiency and care for veterans2 7,c7 in paragraph 7#b7-- 7i7 in subparagraph 7,b71 by striking and after the semicolon2 7ii7 in subparagraph 7,c71 by striking the period and inserting a semicolon2 and 7iii7 by adding at the end the following new subparagraphs3 7,d7 identify areas in which veterans have problems in dealings with the ,department2 7,e7 to the extent possible1 propose changes in the administrative practices of the ,department to mitigate problems identified under subparagraph 7,d72 and 7,f7 identify potential legislative changes which may be appropriate to mitigate such problems4 2 7,d7 in paragraph 7#c7-- 7i7 in subparagraph 7,a71 by striking and after the semicolon2 7ii7 by redesignating subparagraph 7,b7 as subparagraph 7,c72 7iii7 by inserting after subparagraph 7,a7 the following new subparagraph 7,b73 7,b7 fill out forms to relating to casework problem that facilitate the rapid assignment of a local veteran advocate caseworker who can directly interface with the veteran if needed2 and 2 and 7iv7 in subparagraph 7,c71 as redesignated by clause 7ii71 by inserting or forms after complaint both times it appears2 7,e7 by adding at the end the following new paragraphs3 7#d7 ,the ,office shall have the authority to manage casework issues across the ,department4 7#e7 7,a7 ,not later than ,march #cj and ,september #cj of each year1 the ,national ,veterans' ,advocate shall submit to the ,committees on ,veterans' ,affairs of the ,senate and ,house of ,representatives a report on the operations of the ,office of the ,national ,veterans' ,advocate4 ,each such report shall include-- 7i7 a description of the activities of the ,office carried out pursuant so subsection 7c77#b77;,d7 through 7,f72 and 7ii7 independent legislative recommendations for the improvement of health outcomes for veterans1 the quality of health care and benefits provided by the ,department1 and the cost efficiency of the ,department4 7,b7 ,recommendations included in a report under this paragraph may not be reviewed by the ,secretary or by any other official of the ,department prior to submission4 7,c7 ,each report under this paragraph shall be transmitted to the ,secretary and made publicly available on the website the ,national ,veterans' ,advocate4 7#f7 ,the ,office shall have a designated publicly accessible website that includes access to the information technology system required under paragraph 7#c74 2 7#g7 in subsection 7d7-- 7,a7 in the subsection heading1 by striking ,patient advocacy and inserting ,veteran advocacy2 and 7,b7 by adding at the end the following new paragraph3 7#ae7 ,in coordination with the recommendation team1 to identify problems experienced within the ,department in the course of providing hospital care1 medical services1 and nursing home care and burial and interment benefits to veterans and to develop recommendations to address such problems4 2 7#h7 in subsection 7e7-- 7,a7 by striking shall ensure that such training is consistent throughout the ,department4 and inserting shall--2 7,b7 by adding at the end the following new subparagraphs3 7,a7 develop the curriculum for such training in coordination with the ,under ,secretary for ,benefits1 the ,under ,secretary for ,health1 the ,director of each of the ,veterans ,integrated ,service ,networks1 and veterans service organizations2 7,b7 ensure that each veteran advocate is required to receive such training on an annual basis2 7,c7 ensure that such training includes up-to-date information on ,department policy1 crisis management1 health care1 and such other matters as the ,secretary determines appropriate2 and 7,d7 ensure that such training is consistent throughout the ,department4 2 7#i7 by redesignating subsection 7f7 as subsection 7l72 and 7#aj7 by inserting after subsection 7e7 the following new subsections3 7f7 ,deputy ,national ,veterans' ,advocates 7#a7 ,there is in each ,veterans ,integrated ,service ,network 7hereinafter referred to as a ,,visn7 a ,deputy ,national ,veterans' ,advocate who shall have responsibility for managing the employees of the ,office with primary responsibility for casework4 7#b7 ,the ,deputy ,national ,veterans' ,advocate for a ,,visn shall ensure that for the geographic area served by that ,,visn1 the ,department employs at least one veteran advocate for every #ab1jjj veterans who reside in such area and are enrolled in the patient enrollment system under section #agje of this title4 7g7 ,office employees ,the ,office of the ,national ,veterans' ,advocate shall have employees in the ,washington1 ,d4,c41 office in the ,department4 ,such employees shall carry out the responsibilities under subsection 7c77#b77;,d7 through 7,f71 coordinate with ,deputy ,national ,veterans' ,advocates and veteran advocates1 and carry out such other responsibilities as the ,national ,veterans' ,advocate determines appropriate4 7h7 ,casework request portal ,the ,national ,veterans' ,advocate shall establish1 on the website of the ,national ,veterans' ,advocate1 a casework request portal that veterans can use to request assistance with casework4 7i7 ,outreach ,the ,secretary shall conduct outreach to veterans receiving benefits under the laws administrated by the ,secretary to provide information to such veterans about the ,office and the assistance available to veterans through the ,office4 7j7 ,coordination ,to improve policies ,the ,secretary1 the ,national ,veterans' ,advocate1 the ,under ,secretary for ,health1 and the ,under ,secretary for ,benefits shall-- 7#a7 work closely together on a continual basis to improve the policies of the ,department without the necessity for congressional action2 and 7#b7 communicate frequently to ensure such improvement4 7k7 ,authorization of appropriations ,there is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section #be1jjj1jjj for each of fiscal years #bjbf through #bjcj4 4 7b7 ,clerical amendment ,the table of sections at the beginning of chapter #gc of such title is amended by striking the item relating to section #gcji;,a and inserting the following new item3 #gcji;,a4 ,office of the ,national ,veterans' ,advocate4 4