[Congressional Bills 111th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 4559 Introduced in House (IH)]

111th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 4559

To establish a commission to review benefits provided by each State to 
                           disabled veterans.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            February 2, 2010

   Mr. Kissell (for himself, Mr. Meeks of New York, Ms. Fudge, Mrs. 
    Maloney, Ms. Jackson Lee of Texas, Ms. Giffords, Mr. Massa, Ms. 
  Kilpatrick of Michigan, Mr. Owens, Mr. McMahon, and Ms. Pingree of 
    Maine) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
                     Committee on Veterans' Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To establish a commission to review benefits provided by each State to 
                           disabled veterans.

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

SECTION 1. COMMISSION TO REVIEW BENEFITS PROVIDED BY EACH STATE TO 
              DISABLED VETERANS.

    (a) Establishment.--There is established a commission to be known 
as the ``State Veterans' Benefits Commission''.
    (b) Duties.--The Commission shall evaluate--
            (1) the total amount of benefits provided by each State to 
        a covered veteran residing in such State (including those 
        benefits that a State provides to a resident regardless of 
        whether the resident is a covered veteran); and
            (2) the method in which each State establishes the amount 
        of benefits for veterans based on the disability rating of the 
        veteran.
    (c) Membership.--
            (1) In general.--The Commission shall be composed of seven 
        members appointed as follows:
                    (A) One individual appointed by the Speaker of the 
                House of Representatives.
                    (B) One individual appointed jointly by the 
                President of the Senate and the President pro tempore 
                of the Senate.
                    (C) One individual appointed by the minority leader 
                of the House of Representatives.
                    (D) One individual appointed by the minority leader 
                of the Senate.
                    (E) Three individuals appointed by the President.
            (2) Appointments.--Appointments under paragraph (1) shall 
        be made not later than 30 days after the date of the enactment 
        of this Act.
            (3) Qualifications.--Of the seven individuals appointed 
        under paragraph (1)--
                    (A) not less than three shall be disabled veterans; 
                and
                    (B) not less than one shall be a medical doctor.
            (4) Chairperson and vice chairperson.--The Chairperson and 
        Vice Chairperson of the Commission shall be elected by the 
        members.
            (5) Terms.--Each member shall be appointed for the life of 
        the Commission.
            (6) Vacancy.--A vacancy in the Commission shall be filled 
        in the manner in which the original appointment was made.
    (d) Meetings.--
            (1) Initial meeting.--Not later than 30 days after each 
        member is appointed under subsection (c)(1), the Commission 
        shall hold its initial meeting.
            (2) Meetings.--The Commission shall meet at the call of the 
        Chairperson or a majority of its members.
            (3) Quorum.--A majority of the Commission shall constitute 
        a quorum but a lesser number may hold hearings.
    (e) Pay.--
            (1) Rates of pay.--Except as provided in paragraph (2), 
        members shall serve without pay.
            (2) Travel expense.--Each member shall receive travel 
        expenses, including per diem in lieu of subsistence, in 
        accordance with applicable provisions under subchapter I of 
        chapter 57 of title 5, United States Code.
    (f) Staff.--
            (1) Director.--The Commission shall have a director who 
        shall be appointed by the Chairperson.
            (2) Staff.--Subject to rules prescribed by the Commission, 
        the Chairperson may appoint additional personnel as the 
        Chairperson considers appropriate.
            (3) Applicability of certain civil service laws.--The 
        director and staff of the Commission shall be appointed subject 
        to the provisions of title 5, United States Code, governing 
        appointments in the competitive service, and shall be paid in 
        accordance with the provisions of chapter 51 and subchapter III 
        of chapter 53 of that title relating to classification and 
        General Schedule pay rates.
            (4) Experts and consultants.--Subject to rules prescribed 
        by the Commission, the Chairperson may procure temporary and 
        intermittent services under section 3109(b) of title 5, United 
        States Code.
            (5) Staff to federal agencies.--Upon request of the 
        Chairperson, the head of any Federal department or agency may 
        detail, on a reimbursable basis, any of the personnel of that 
        department or agency to the Commission to assist it in carrying 
        out its duties under this section.
    (g) Powers of Commission.--
            (1) Hearings and sessions.--The Commission may, for the 
        purpose of carrying out this Act, hold hearings, sit and act at 
        times and places, take testimony, and receive evidence as the 
        Commission considers appropriate. The Commission may administer 
        oaths or affirmations to witnesses appearing before it.
            (2) Powers of members and agents.--Any member or agent of 
        the Commission may, if authorized by the Commission, take any 
        action which the Commission is authorized to take by this 
        section.
            (3) Obtaining official data.--The Commission may secure 
        directly from any department or agency of the United States 
        information necessary to enable it to carry out this Act. Upon 
        request of the Chairperson of the Commission, the head of that 
        department or agency shall furnish that information to the 
        Commission.
            (4) Mails.--The Commission may use the United States mails 
        in the same manner and under the same conditions as other 
        departments and agencies of the United States.
            (5) Administrative support services.--Upon the request of 
        the Commission, the Administrator of General Services shall 
        provide to the Commission, on a reimbursable basis, the 
        administrative support services necessary for the Commission to 
        carry out its responsibilities under this Act.
    (h) Report.--Not later than 60 days after the initial meeting under 
subsection (d)(1), the Commission shall submit to the Committee on 
Veterans' Affairs of the House of Representatives and the Committee on 
Veterans' Affairs of the Senate a report on the evaluation made under 
subsection (b), including--
            (1) the results of the evaluation;
            (2) a list of States ranked in order of the amount of 
        benefits provided to covered veterans residing in the State;
            (3) the recommended amount of benefits the Commission 
        determines necessary for a State to provide covered veterans 
        residing in the State to ensure that such veterans have 
        adequate care, assistance, and financial security;
            (4) recommendations as to how States can improve the 
        benefits provided to covered veterans residing in the State;
            (5) relevant background and statistical information 
        associated with the recommendations under paragraphs (3) and 
        (4); and
            (6) other information the Commission determines 
        appropriate.
    (i) Termination.--The Commission shall terminate on the date that 
is two months after the date on which the Commission submits the report 
pursuant to subsection (h).
    (j) Covered Veteran Defined.--In this section, the term ``covered 
veteran'' means a veteran with a disability that is--
            (1) rated total for the purposes of disability compensation 
        under chapter 11 of title 38, United States Code; and
            (2) based upon an impairment reasonably certain to continue 
        throughout the life of the veteran.
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