[Congressional Bills 111th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 1681 Introduced in House (IH)]

111th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 1681

 To improve the coordination between the Department of Defense and the 
 Department of Veterans Affairs to better provide care to members and 
                     the Armed Forces and veterans.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             March 24, 2009

 Mr. Boswell introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
   Committee on Armed Services, and in addition to the Committee on 
 Veterans' Affairs, for a period to be subsequently determined by the 
  Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall 
           within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To improve the coordination between the Department of Defense and the 
 Department of Veterans Affairs to better provide care to members and 
                     the Armed Forces and veterans.

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

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Veterans Transitional Assistance Act 
of 2009''.

SEC. 2. ESTABLISHMENT OF OFFICE OF TRANSITIONAL ASSISTANCE.

    (a) Establishment.--The Secretary of Defense shall establish in the 
Department of Defense an office to be known as the Office of 
Transitional Assistance, which shall be responsible for carrying out 
the responsibilities of the Secretary under section 1614 of the Wounded 
Warrior Act (10 U.S.C. 1071 note).
    (b) Report.--Not later than one year after the date of the 
enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall submit to 
Congress a report on the establishment of the office under subsection 
(a).

SEC. 3. TRANSMITTAL OF RECORDS AND CONTACT BY SECRETARY OF VETERANS 
              AFFAIRS.

    (a) Transmittal of Records to Department of Veterans Affairs.--Upon 
the discharge or release of a member of the Armed Forces, the Office of 
Transitional Assistance, established under section 2(a), shall transmit 
the military service record and contact information of the member to 
the Secretary of Veterans Affairs.
    (b) Contacting of Veterans.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs 
shall contact each person for whom the Secretary receives a military 
service record and contact information under subsection (a) by not 
later than 30 days after the date on which the Secretary receives such 
record and information, and shall provide to the person such forms and 
other information as may be necessary for the person to apply for any 
benefits, including medical benefits, to which the person may be 
entitled under the laws administered by the Secretary of Veterans 
Affairs.
    (c) Report.--Not later than one year after the date of the 
enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of 
Veterans Affairs shall submit to Congress a report on the 
implementation of this section.
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