,i #aai? ,,congress #a/ ,session ,h4 ,r4 #bigj ,,9 ,,! ,,h\se ,,( ,,repres5tatives ,april #ag1 #bjbe,mr4 ,yakym introduc$ ! foll[+ bill2 :i* 0 ref]r$ to ! ,committee on ,vet]ans' ,affairs ,a ,,bill ,to am5d title #ch1 ,unit$ ,/ates ,code1 to make c]ta9 improvem5ts to ! laws relat+ to advocacy = vet]ans :o receive heal? c>e & o!r b5efits furni%$ by ! ,dep>tm5t ( ,vet]ans ,affairs1 & = o!r purposes4 #a4 ,%ort title ,?is ,act may be cit$ z ! ,national ,vet]ans ,advocate ,act ( #bjbe4 #b4 ,indep5d5t ,(fice ( ! ,national ,vet]ans' ,advocate 9 ,dep>tm5t ( ,vet]ans ,affairs 7a7 ,9 g5]al ,section #gcji;,a ( title #ch1 ,unit$ ,/ates ,code1 is am5d$-- 7#a7 by /rik+ ! section head+ & ins]t+ ! foll[+ new section head+3 #gcji;,a4 ,(fice ( ! ,national ,vet]ans' ,advocate 2 7#b7 9 subsection 7a7-- 7,a7 by /rik+ )9 ! ,(fice ( ! ,"u ,secret>y = ,heal?2 7,b7 by /rik+ an (fice & ins]t+ an indep5d5t (fice2 & 7,c7 by /rik+ ,(fice ( ,pati5t ,advocacy & ins]t+ ,(fice ( ! ,national ,vet]ans' ,advocate2 7#c7 by /rik+ pati5t advocate ea* place x appe>s & ins]t+ vet]an advocate2 7#d7 9 subsection 7b7-- 7,a7 by /rik+ p>agraph 7#a7 & ins]t+ ! foll[+ new p>agraph 7#a73 7#a7 ,! ,(fice ( ! ,national ,vet]ans' ,advocate %all be "u ! sup]vision & direction ( an (ficial to be kn[n z ! 8,national ,vet]ans' ,advocate04 ,! ,national ,vet]ans' ,advocate %all report directly to ! ,secret>y & %all be entitl$ to comp5sation at ! same rate z ! highe/ rate ( basic pay e/abli%$ = ! ,s5ior ,executive ,s]vice "u section #echb ( title #e1 ,unit$ ,/ates ,code4 2 & 7,b7 9 p>agraph 7#b7-- 7i7 by /rik+ ,(fice ( ,pati5t ,advocacy & ins]t+ ,(fice ( ! ,national ,vet]ans' ,advocate2 7ii7 by /rik+ by ! ,"u ,secret>y = ,heal? & ins]t+ by ! ,secret>y2 & 7iii7 by /rik+ %all report directly to ! ,"u ,secret>y = ,heal? & ins]t+ %all be indep5d5t ( ! ,secret>y2 7#e7 by /rik+ ,director ea* place x appe>s & ins]t+ ,national ,vet]ans' ,advocate2 7#f7 9 subsection 7c7-- 7,a7 by /rik+ ! subsection head+ & ins]t+ 7c7 ,functions4--2 7,b7 9 p>agraph 7#a7-- 7i7 by /rik+ function & ins]t+ functions2 7ii7 by /rik+ is & ins]t+ are2 & 7iii7 by ins]t+ be=e ! p]iod at ! end ! foll[+3 & to monitor ,dep>tm5t processes & make recomm5dations to ,congress on h[ to improve ! ,dep>tm5t's effici5cy & c>e = vet]ans2 7,c7 9 p>agraph 7#b7-- 7i7 9 subp>agraph 7,b71 by /rik+ & aft] ! semicolon2 7ii7 9 subp>agraph 7,c71 by /rik+ ! p]iod & ins]t+ a semicolon2 & 7iii7 by add+ at ! end ! foll[+ new subp>agraphs3 7,d7 id5tify areas 9 :i* vet]ans h problems 9 deal+s ) ! ,dep>tm5t2 7,e7 to ! ext5t possible1 propose *anges 9 ! adm9i/rative practices ( ! ,dep>tm5t to mitigate problems id5tifi$ "u subp>agraph 7,d72 & 7,f7 id5tify pot5tial legislative *anges :i* may be appropriate to mitigate su* problems4 2 7,d7 9 p>agraph 7#c7-- 7i7 9 subp>agraph 7,a71 by /rik+ & aft] ! semicolon2 7ii7 by r$esignat+ subp>agraph 7,b7 z subp>agraph 7,c72 7iii7 by ins]t+ aft] subp>agraph 7,a7 ! foll[+ new subp>agraph 7,b73 7,b7 fill out =ms to relat+ to casework problem t facilitate ! rapid assignm5t ( a local vet]an advocate casework] :o c directly int]face ) ! vet]an if ne$$2 & 2 & 7iv7 9 subp>agraph 7,c71 z r$esignat$ by clause 7ii71 by ins]t+ or =ms aft] compla9t bo? times x appe>s2 7,e7 by add+ at ! end ! foll[+ new p>agraphs3 7#d7 ,! ,(fice %all h ! au?ority to manage casework issues across ! ,dep>tm5t4 7#e7 7,a7 ,n lat] ?an ,m>* #cj & ,septemb] #cj ( ea* ye>1 ! ,national ,vet]ans' ,advocate %all submit to ! ,committees on ,vet]ans' ,affairs ( ! ,s5ate & ,h\se ( ,repres5tatives a report on ! op]ations ( ! ,(fice ( ! ,national ,vet]ans' ,advocate4 ,ea* su* report %all include-- 7i7 a description ( ! activities ( ! ,(fice c>ri$ out pursuant s subsection 7c77#b77;,d7 ?r\gh 7,f72 & 7ii7 indep5d5t legislative recomm5dations = ! improvem5t ( heal? outcomes = vet]ans1 ! quality ( heal? c>e & b5efits provid$ by ! ,dep>tm5t1 & ! co/ effici5cy ( ! ,dep>tm5t4 7,b7 ,recomm5dations includ$ 9 a report "u ?is p>agraph may n be review$ by ! ,secret>y or by any o!r (ficial ( ! ,dep>tm5t prior to submission4 7,c7 ,ea* report "u ?is p>agraph %all be transmitt$ to ! ,secret>y & made publicly available on ! website ! ,national ,vet]ans' ,advocate4 7#f7 ,! ,(fice %all h a designat$ publicly accessible website t includes access to ! in=mation te*nology sy/em requir$ "u p>agraph 7#c74 2 7#g7 9 subsection 7d7-- 7,a7 9 ! subsection head+1 by /rik+ ,pati5t advocacy & ins]t+ ,vet]an advocacy2 & 7,b7 by add+ at ! end ! foll[+ new p>agraph3 7#ae7 ,9 coord9ation ) ! recomm5dation team1 to id5tify problems exp]i5c$ )9 ! ,dep>tm5t 9 ! c\rse ( provid+ hospital c>e1 m$ical s]vices1 & nurs+ home c>e & burial & int]m5t b5efits to vet]ans & to develop recomm5dations to address su* problems4 2 7#h7 9 subsection 7e7-- 7,a7 by /rik+ %all ensure t su* tra9+ is consi/5t ?r\gh\t ! ,dep>tm5t4 & ins]t+ %all--2 7,b7 by add+ at ! end ! foll[+ new subp>agraphs3 7,a7 develop ! curriculum = su* tra9+ 9 coord9ation ) ! ,"u ,secret>y = ,b5efits1 ! ,"u ,secret>y = ,heal?1 ! ,director ( ea* ( ! ,vet]ans ,integrat$ ,s]vice ,networks1 & vet]ans s]vice organizations2 7,b7 ensure t ea* vet]an advocate is requir$ to receive su* tra9+ on an annual basis2 7,c7 ensure t su* tra9+ includes up-to-date in=mation on ,dep>tm5t policy1 crisis managem5t1 heal? c>e1 & su* o!r matt]s z ! ,secret>y det]m9es appropriate2 & 7,d7 ensure t su* tra9+ is consi/5t ?r\gh\t ! ,dep>tm5t4 2 7#i7 by r$esignat+ subsection 7f7 z subsection 7l72 & 7#aj7 by ins]t+ aft] subsection 7e7 ! foll[+ new subsections3 7f7 ,deputy ,national ,vet]ans' ,advocates 7#a7 ,!re is 9 ea* ,vet]ans ,integrat$ ,s]vice ,network 7h]e9aft] ref]r$ to z a ,,visn7 a ,deputy ,national ,vet]ans' ,advocate :o %all h responsibility = manag+ ! employees ( ! ,(fice ) prim>y responsibility = casework4 7#b7 ,! ,deputy ,national ,vet]ans' ,advocate = a ,,visn %all ensure t = ! geographic area s]v$ by t ,,visn1 ! ,dep>tm5t employs at lea/ "o vet]an advocate = e #ab1jjj vet]ans :o reside 9 su* area & are enroll$ 9 ! pati5t enrollm5t sy/em "u section #agje ( ?is title4 7g7 ,(fice employees ,! ,(fice ( ! ,national ,vet]ans' ,advocate %all h employees 9 ! ,wa%+ton1 ,d4,c41 (fice 9 ! ,dep>tm5t4 ,su* employees %all c>ry out ! responsibilities "u subsection 7c77#b77;,d7 ?r\gh 7,f71 coord9ate ) ,deputy ,national ,vet]ans' ,advocates & vet]an advocates1 & c>ry out su* o!r responsibilities z ! ,national ,vet]ans' ,advocate det]m9es appropriate4 7h7 ,casework reque/ portal ,! ,national ,vet]ans' ,advocate %all e/abli%1 on ! website ( ! ,national ,vet]ans' ,advocate1 a casework reque/ portal t vet]ans c use to reque/ assi/ance ) casework4 7i7 ,outrea* ,! ,secret>y %all conduct outrea* to vet]ans receiv+ b5efits "u ! laws adm9i/rat$ by ! ,secret>y to provide in=mation to su* vet]ans ab\t ! ,(fice & ! assi/ance available to vet]ans ?r\gh ! ,(fice4 7j7 ,coord9ation ,to improve policies ,! ,secret>y1 ! ,national ,vet]ans' ,advocate1 ! ,"u ,secret>y = ,heal?1 & ! ,"u ,secret>y = ,b5efits %all-- 7#a7 "w closely toge!r on a cont9ual basis to improve ! policies ( ! ,dep>tm5t )\t ! necessity = congressional action2 & 7#b7 communicate frequ5tly to ensure su* improvem5t4 7k7 ,au?orization ( appropriations ,!re is au?oriz$ to be appropriat$ to c>ry out ?is section #be1jjj1jjj = ea* ( fiscal ye>s #bjbf ?r\gh #bjcj4 4 7b7 ,cl]ical am5dm5t ,! table ( sections at ! beg9n+ ( *apt] #gc ( su* title is am5d$ by /rik+ ! item relat+ to section #gcji;,a & ins]t+ ! foll[+ new item3 #gcji;,a4 ,(fice ( ! ,national ,vet]ans' ,advocate4 4