#aaith ,,congress #ast ,session ,s4 #dbc ,,an ,,act ,to protect regular order for budgeting for the ,department of ,veterans ,affairs1 and for other purposes4 #a4 ,protecting regular order for veterans 7a7 ,short title ,this section may be cited as the ,protecting ,regular ,order for ,veterans ,act of #bjbe or the ,,pro ,veterans ,act of #bjbe4 7b7 ,quarterly briefings on ,department of ,veterans ,affairs budgetary shortfalls 7#a7 ,quarterly briefings 7,a7 ,quarterly briefings required ,during the first quarter beginning after the date of the enactment of this ,act and in each quarter thereafter until the date that is three years after the date of the enactment of this ,act1 the ,secretary of ,veterans ,affairs shall provide to the appropriate committees of ,congress a quarterly briefing1 in person1 on the budget of the ,department of ,veterans ,affairs and any shortfall the ,department may be experiencing4 7,b7 ,plans ,in any case in which the ,secretary informs ,congress during a briefing under paragraph 7#a7 that the ,department is experiencing a shortfall1 the ,secretary shall1 during such briefing1 present the plans of the ,secretary to address or mitigate the shortfall4 7#b7 ,definitions ,in this subsection3 7,a7 ,appropriate committees of ,congress ,the term appropriate committees of ,congress means-- 7i7 the ,committee on ,veterans' ,affairs and the ,committee on ,appropriations of the ,senate2 and 7ii7 the ,committee on ,veterans' ,affairs and the ,committee on ,appropriations of the ,house of ,representatives4 7,b7 ,shortfall ,the term shortfall1 with respect to a fiscal year1 means that the amount of appropriations required by the ,department of ,veterans ,affairs for such fiscal year to meet all of the statutory obligations of the ,department during that fiscal year exceeds the amount of appropriations requested for the ,department for that fiscal year in the budget of the ,president submitted pursuant to section #aaje7;a7 of title #ca1 ,united ,states ,code1 for that fiscal year4 7c7 ,limitations on provision of incentives for critical skills to ,senior ,executive ,service employees of ,department of ,veterans ,affairs ,section #gjf7;d7 of title #ch1 ,united ,states ,code1 is amended by adding at the end the following3 7#g7 7,a7 ,subject to subparagraph 7,b77ii71 a critical skill incentive may not be provided under paragraph 7#a7 to an employee of the ,department employed in a ,senior ,executive ,service position1 or a position in another comparable system for senior-level ,government employees1 as defined by the ,secretary1 whose position is at the ,central ,office of the ,department1 including the ,veterans ,health ,administration1 the ,veterans ,benefits ,administration1 and the ,national ,cemetery ,administration1 regardless of the actual location where the employee performs the functions of the position4 7,b7 7i7 ,a critical skill incentive provided under paragraph 7#a7 to an employee of the ,department employed in a ,senior ,executive ,service position1 or a position in another comparable system for senior-level ,government employees1 as defined by the ,secretary1 not described in subparagraph 7,a7 of this paragraph may only be provided-- 7,i7 on an individual basis and may not be provided to a group of such employees2 and 7,,ii7 upon approval of the following officers or those serving in an acting capacity3 7aa7 ,the ,under ,secretary for ,benefits1 the ,under ,secretary for ,health1 or the ,under ,secretary for ,memorial ,affairs4 7bb7 ,the ,assistant ,secretary for ,human ,resources and ,administration4 7cc7 ,the ,director of the ,office of ,management or the ,chief ,financial ,officer4 7dd7 ,the ,assistant ,secretary for ,accountability and ,whistleblower ,protection4 7ee7 ,the ,general ,counsel4 7ff7 ,such other officers as the ,secretary determines appropriate4 7ii7 ,in the case of an employee of the ,department employed in a ,senior ,executive ,service position1 or a position in another comparable system for senior-level ,government employees1 as defined by the ,secretary1 whose position is primarily at the ,central ,office of the ,department1 but who performs some portion of the employee's job function at other facilities of the ,department1 as defined by the ,secretary1 not at ,central ,office-- 7,i7 the employee shall not be considered described in subparagraph 7,a7 with respect to the portion of the employee's job function that is based out of non-,central ,office facilities of the ,department2 and 7,,ii7 any critical skill incentive provided under paragraph 7#a7 to the employee for the portion of the employee's job function that is based out of facilities of the ,department other than the ,central ,office shall be proportionate to the time spent at those ,department facilities4 7,c7 7i7 ,not later than one year after the date of the enactment of the ,protecting ,regular ,order for ,veterans ,act of #bjbe1 and not less frequently than once each year thereafter1 the ,secretary shall submit to the ,committee on ,veterans' ,affairs of the ,senate and the ,committee on ,veterans' ,affairs of the ,house of ,representatives an annual report on the employees of the ,department employed in a ,senior ,executive ,service position1 or a position in another comparable system for senior-level ,government employees1 as defined by the ,secretary1 who were provided a critical skill incentive under paragraph 7#a74 7ii7 ,reports submitted pursuant to clause 7i7 may be submitted by incorporating their contents into other congressionally mandated reports to the committees described in such clause4 7,d7 ,in this paragraph1 the term ,senior ,executive ,service position has the meaning given such term in section #cacb7;a7 of title #e4 4 #b4 ,establishment of veterans experience office 7a7 ,short title ,this section may be cited as the ,improving ,veterans' ,experience ,act of #bjbe4 7b7 ,establishment 7#a7 ,in general ,chapter #c of title #ch1 ,united ,states ,code1 is amended by adding at the end the following new section3 #cbe4 ,veterans experience office 7a7 ,establishment ,there is established in the ,department within the ,office of the ,secretary an office to be known as the ,veterans ,experience ,office 7in this section referred to as the ,office74 7b7 ,head of office 7#a7 ,the head of the ,office shall be the ,chief ,veterans ,experience ,officer4 7#b7 ,the ,chief ,veterans ,experience ,officer shall-- 7,a7 be appointed by the ,secretary from among individuals the ,secretary considers qualified to perform the duties of the position2 7,b7 report directly to the ,secretary2 and 7,c7 be responsible for carrying out the functions of the ,office set forth under subsection 7c74 7c7 ,function ,the functions of the ,office are as follows3 7#a7 ,carrying out the key customer experience initiatives of the ,department relating to veterans' and other beneficiaries' satisfaction with and usage of benefits and services furnished under laws administered by the ,secretary for which they are eligible1 including setting the strategy1 framework1 policy1 and other guidance for the ,department relating to customer experience1 including ensuring the activities of the ,office and those of other organizations and offices within the ,department are coordinated and not duplicative4 7#b7 ,requiring the heads of other organizations and offices within the ,department to report regularly on customer experience metrics1 action plans1 and other customer experience improvement efforts to the ,chief ,veterans ,experience ,officer4 7#c7 ,collecting veteran-derived data-- 7,a7 to determine veteran and beneficiary satisfaction with and usage of the benefits and services furnished under laws administered by the ,secretary for which they are eligible2 and 7,b7 to be considered during policymaking4 7#d7 ,providing strategic guidance and strategies to ,department entities for engaging with veterans and beneficiaries regarding benefits and services furnished under laws administered by the ,secretary1 including those not using such benefits and services4 7#e7 ,assessing and advising the ,secretary on the accuracy and helpfulness of the websites and other customer-facing information of the ,department1 be it available electronically or in any other format4 7#f7 ,assessing and advising the ,secretary on the status and opportunities for improvement of the customer service efforts of the ,department4 7d7 ,reports 7#a7 ,each year1 the ,chief ,veterans ,experience ,officer shall submit to the ,secretary a summary of the data received by the ,chief ,veterans ,experience ,officer under subsection 7c77#b74 7#b7 ,each year1 not later than #ahj days after the date on which the ,secretary receives the summary under paragraph 7#a71 the ,secretary shall submit to ,congress an annual summary and analysis of the matters summarized pursuant to such paragraph4 7#c7 ,each annual summary submitted pursuant to paragraph 7#b7 shall include the following3 7,a7 ,data regarding customer service and experience feedback1 disaggregated by benefit or service furnished under laws administered by the ,secretary1 and relevant demographic data of the veterans and beneficiaries providing the feedback4 7,b7 ,data regarding veteran and beneficiary satisfaction with and usage of benefits or services1 disaggregated by benefit or service furnished under laws administered by the ,secretary1 and relevant demographic data of the veterans and beneficiaries providing the feedback1 including-- 7i7 potential reasons for not using the benefits or services1 such as-- 7,i7 eligibility2 7,,ii7 lack of knowledge or awareness of existence of benefit or service2 7,,iii7 barriers of technology1 information1 or time2 and 7,,iv7 other related reasons2 and 7ii7 an analysis of how such reasons may be addressed4 7e7 ,staff and resources 7#a7 ,the ,secretary shall ensure that-- 7,a7 the ,office has such staff1 resources1 and access to customer service and experience information as may be necessary to carry out the functions of the ,office2 and 7,b7 any information provided to the ,office does not include personally identifiable information of an individual veteran1 survivor1 dependent1 or other beneficiary unless such individual provides appropriate consent to allow such information to be shared with the ,office4 7#b7 ,funds available for basic pay and other administrative expenses of other ,department organizations and offices may be available to reimburse the ,office for all services provided at rates which will recover actual costs for services provided to such organizations if the ,secretary determines that contributing to such costs will not undermine the ability of any such organization or office to provide services required by such office4 7#c7 ,nothing in this subsection shall be construed to authorize an increase in the number of full-time employees otherwise authorized for the ,department4 7f7 ,privacy ,nothing in this section shall be construed to authorize the ,chief ,veterans ,experience ,officer to disclose any record in contravention of section #eeb;a of title #e 7commonly referred to as the ,privacy ,act of #aigd74 7g7 ,sunset ,the requirements and authorities of this section shall terminate on ,september #cj1 #bjbh4 4 7#b7 ,clerical amendment ,the table of sections at the beginning of chapter #c of such title is amended by adding at the end the following new item3 #cbe4 ,veterans ,experience ,office4 4 7c7 ,comptroller general of the ,united ,states review of veterans experience office and customer service improvement efforts ,not later than #edj days after the date of the enactment of this ,act1 the ,comptroller ,general of the ,united ,states shall-- 7#a7 complete an analysis of the methodology1 effectiveness1 and implementation of findings and feedback of veterans and beneficiaries used by the ,department of ,veterans ,affairs1 including the ,veterans ,experience ,office1 to improve veteran and beneficiary customer experience and satisfaction1 including through the use of what are known as trust-scores1 ,veteran ,signals also known as ,v,signals1 and related survey and data collection activities1 processes1 and initiatives2 and 7#b7 submit to the ,committee on ,veterans' ,affairs of the ,senate and the ,committee on ,veterans' ,affairs of the ,house of ,representatives a report setting forth the findings of the ,comptroller ,general with respect to the analysis completed pursuant to paragraph 7#a74 ,passed the ,senate ,april #h1 #bjbe4,secretary