[Congressional Bills 110th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 2192 Introduced in House (IH)]







110th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 2192

To amend title 38, United States Code, to establish an Ombudsman within 
                  the Department of Veterans Affairs.


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                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                              May 7, 2007

  Mr. Hodes introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
                     Committee on Veterans' Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To amend title 38, United States Code, to establish an Ombudsman within 
                  the Department of Veterans Affairs.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. ESTABLISHMENT OF OFFICE OF THE OMBUDSMAN IN DEPARTMENT OF 
              VETERANS AFFAIRS.

    (a) Establishment.--Chapter 3 of title 38, United States Code, is 
amended by adding at the end the following new section:
``Sec. 321. Office of the Ombudsman
    ``(a) In General.--There is established in the Department an Office 
of the Ombudsman (in this section referred to as the Office). The 
Secretary shall designate an Ombudsman to carry out the duties of the 
Office.
    ``(b) Duties.--The Office shall act as a liaison for veterans and 
their family members with respect to the receipt of health care and 
benefits administered by the Department.
    ``(c) Availability of Services.--The Secretary shall ensure that 
the services of the Office are available to all veterans and their 
family members.
    ``(d) Confidentiality.--Any information provided by veterans or 
their family members to the Office may be disclosed only to the extent 
necessary to carry out the duties of the Office.
    ``(e) Outreach.--The Secretary shall make available to each 
veteran, and to the family members of all veterans, information on 
contacting and utilizing the services of the Office.''.
    (b) Clerical Amendment.--The table of sections at the beginning of 
such chapter is amended by adding at the end the following new item:

``321. Office of the Ombudsman.''.
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