,i #aai? ,,congress #a/ ,session ,h4 ,r4 #fjcc ,,9 ,,! ,,h\se ,,( ,,repres5tatives ,novemb] #ab1 #bjbe,mr4 ,hors=d introduc$ ! foll[+ bill2 :i* 0 ref]r$ to ! ,committee on ,vet]ans' ,affairs ,a ,,bill ,to direct ! ,comptroll] ,g5]al ( ! ,unit$ ,/ates & ! ,secret>y ( ,vet]ans ,affairs to ea* report on c]ta9 disp>ities t affect ! receipt ( c]ta9 b5efits adm9i/]$ by ! ,secret>y1 & = o!r purposes4 #a4 ,%ort title ,?is ,act may be cit$ z ! ,/r5g!n+ ,transp>5t ,report+ to ,improve ,vet]an ,equality ,act ( #bjbe or ! ,,/rive ,act ( #bjbe4 #b4 ,f9d+s2 s5se ( ,congress 7a7 ,f9d+s ,congress makes ! foll[+ f9d+s3 7#a7 ,accord+ to an int]nal report ( ! ,dep>tm5t ( ,def5se1 ,black memb]s ( ! ,arm$ ,=ces are m likely ?an ,:ite memb]s to be ! subject (-- 7,a7 an adm9i/rative action1 includ+ an inve/igation into alleg$ misconduct2 7,b7 a nonjudicial puni%m5t2 or 7,c7 a trial by c\rt-m>tial4 7#b7 ,c]ta9 adm9i/rative actions1 nonjudicial puni%m5ts1 & c\rt-m>tial s5t5ces may adv]sely affect ! eligibility ( a =m] memb] ( ! ,arm$ ,=ces to receive disability b5efits adm9i/]$ by ! ,secret>y ( ,vet]ans ,affairs4 7#c7 ,accord+ to ! report titl$ ,,va ,disability ,b5efits3 ,actions ,ne$$ to ,fur!r ,exam9e ,racial & ,e?nic ,disp>ities 9 ,comp5sation 7,,gao-#bc-ajfjig71 publi%$ on ,july #bf1 #bjbc-- 7,a7 ,black1 non-,hispanic applicants = su* b5efits exp]i5ce ! l[e/ rate ( approval = su* b5efits comp>$ to applicants ( o!r races or e?nicities2 7,b7 a ,black1 non-,hispanic applicant is #ad p]c5t less likely to be approv$ = su* b5efits ?an a ,:ite1 non-,hispanic applicant2 & 7,c7 ! rates ( approval = su* b5efits = ,black1 male applicants are betwe5 #c & #bb p]c5t l[] ?an ! rates ( approval = applicants ( o!r races or g5d]s4 7#d7 ,female =m] memb]s ( ! ,arm$ ,=ces are less likely to apply = su* b5efits ?an male =m] memb]s4 7b7 ,s5se ( ,congress ,x is ! s5se ( ,congress t-- 7#a7 ea* =m] memb] ( ! ,arm$ ,=ces made h]oic sacrifices :ile s]v+ 9 ! ,arm$ ,=ces1 su* z risk+ ! life ( ! =m] memb]1 to pres]ve ! fre$om ( ! ,unit$ ,/ates2 & 7#b7 ! collection & publication by ! ,secret>y ( accurate data reg>d+ ! race1 e?nicity1 & g5d] ( all applicants =1 & recipi5ts (1 disability b5efits adm9i/]$ by ! ,secret>y w\ld enable ! ,secret>y & ,congress to id5tify & address any disp>ity bas$ on ! race1 e?nicity1 or g5d] ( a =m] memb] ( ! ,arm$ ,=ces1 ) respect to ! receipt ( su* b5efits4 #c4 ,reports on racial1 e?nic1 & g5d] disp>ities ) respect to disability b5efits adm9i/]$ by ! ,secret>y ( ,vet]ans ,affairs 7a7 ,gov]nm5t ,acc\ntability ,(fice report ,n lat] ?an #ahj days aft] ! date ( ! enactm5t ( ?is ,act1 ! ,comptroll] ,g5]al ( ! ,unit$ ,/ates %all submit to ! appropriate congressional committees a report t includes ! foll[+ elem5ts3 7#a7 ,/ati/ics = ! #ae-ye> p]iod imm$iately prior to ! date ( ! enactm5t ( ?is ,act t describe-- 7,a7 ! *>act]ization ( dis*>ge or dismissal ( ea* =m] memb] ( ! ,arm$ ,=ces :o sep>at$ f ! ,arm$ ,=ces dur+ su* p]iod1 disaggregat$ by ! race1 e?nicity1 & g5d] ( ! =m] memb]2 & 7,b7 ! numb] ( su* =m] memb]s1 disaggregat$ by ! race1 e?nicity1 & g5d] ( ea* su* =m] memb]1 :o-- 7i7 reque/$ review ( ! *>act]ization ( dis*>ge or dismissal by an appropriate bo>d2 7ii7 receiv$ review ( ! *>act]ization ( dis*>ge or dismissal by an appropriate bo>d2 7iii7 receiv$ a *ange to ! *>act]ization ( dis*>ge or dismissal z a result ( a decision by an appropriate bo>d2 7iv7 appli$ = disability b5efits adm9i/]$ by ! ,secret>y ( ,vet]ans ,affairs2 7v7 appli$ = & receiv$ su* b5efits2 & 7vi7 appli$ = & 7 d5i$ su* b5efits = reason ( *>act]ization ( dis*>ge or dismissal4 7#b7 ,! det]m9ation ( ! ,comptroll] ,g5]al :e!r !re is a disp>ity bas$ on ! race1 e?nicity1 or g5d] ( a =m] memb]1 ) respect to ! receipt (-- 7,a7 review ( ! *>act]ization ( dis*>ge or dismissal by an appropriate bo>d2 or 7,b7 a *ange to ! *>act]ization ( dis*>ge or dismissal z a result ( a decision by an appropriate bo>d4 7#c7 ,! assessm5t ( ! ,comptroll] ,g5]al :e!r !re is a relation%ip betwe5-- 7,a7 any disp>ity det]m9$ "u p>agraph 7#b72 & 7,b7 any disp>ity det]m9$ by ! ,comptroll] ,g5]al 9 ! cov]$ report1 ) respect to disability b5efits adm9i/]$ by ! ,secret>y4 7b7 ,secret>y ( ,vet]ans ,affairs3 reports2 plan2 implem5tation 7#a7 ,initial report ,n lat] ?an #cfe days aft] ! date ( ! enactm5t ( ?is ,act1 ! ,secret>y ( ,vet]ans ,affairs %all submit to ! ,committees on ,vet]ans' ,affairs ( ! ,s5ate & ! ,h\se ( ,repres5tatives1 & make available on a publicly accessible website ( ! ,dep>tm5t ( ,vet]ans ,affairs1 a report t includes ! foll[+ elem5ts3 7,a7 ,a description ( any specific actions tak5 or processes implem5t$ by ! ,secret>y to address ! limitations id5tifi$ by ! ,comptroll] ,g5]al 9 ! cov]$ report1 ) respect to ! collection & availability ( data reg>d+ ea* racial & e?nic gr\p to :i* a =m] memb] ( ! ,arm$ ,=ces belongs4 7,b7 ,an id5tification by ! ,secret>y1 bas$ on in=mation 9 ! cov]$ report1 ( e significant cause ( a racial1 e?nic1 or g5d] disp>ity ) respect to disability b5efits adm9i/]$ by ! ,secret>y4 7,c7 ,! ?ree-ye> plan ( ! ,secret>y to address ea* significant cause id5tifi$ "u subp>agraph 7,b74 7#b7 ,implem5tation ( plan2 annual report ,! ,secret>y %all-- 7,a7 implem5t ! plan "u p>agraph 7#a77;,c7 n lat] ?an "o day aft] ! submission ( ! report "u p>agraph 7#a72 & 7,b7 annually = ea* ye> dur+ :i* ! ,secret>y is c>ry+ out su* plan1 make available on a publicly accessible website ( ! ,dep>tm5t a report summ>iz+1 = ! p]iod cov]$ by ! report1 ! actions ( ! ,secret>y pursuant to su* plan4 7c7 ,def9itions ,9 ?is section3 7#a7 ,! t]m appropriate bo>d means-- 7,a7 a bo>d = ! correction ( milit>y records "u section #aeeb ( title #aj1 ,unit$ ,/ates ,code2 or 7,b7 a bo>d ( review "u section #aeec ( su* title4 7#b7 ,! t]m appropriate congressional committees means-- 7,a7 ! ,committee on ,arm$ ,s]vices ( ! ,s5ate2 7,b7 ! ,committee on ,arm$ ,s]vices ( ! ,h\se ( ,repres5tatives2 7,c7 ! ,committee on ,vet]ans' ,affairs ( ! ,s5ate2 & 7,d7 ! ,committee on ,vet]ans' ,affairs ( ! ,h\se ( ,repres5tatives4 7#c7 ,! t]m cov]$ report means ! report titl$ ,,va ,disability ,b5efits3 ,actions ,ne$$ to ,fur!r ,exam9e ,racial & ,e?nic ,disp>ities 9 ,comp5sation 7,,gao-#bc-ajfjig71 publi%$ on ,july #bf1 #bjbc4