[Congressional Bills 111th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 5428 Introduced in House (IH)]

111th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 5428

To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to educate certain staff of 
  the Department of Veterans Affairs and to inform veterans about the 
  Injured and Amputee Veterans Bill of Rights, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                              May 27, 2010

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

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to educate certain staff of 
  the Department of Veterans Affairs and to inform veterans about the 
  Injured and Amputee Veterans Bill of Rights, and for other purposes.

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

SECTION 1. INJURED AND AMPUTEE VETERANS BILL OF RIGHTS.

    (a) Display.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall ensure that 
the Injured and Amputee Veterans Bill of Rights described in subsection 
(d) is printed on signage in accessible formats and displayed 
prominently and conspicuously in each prosthetics and orthotics clinic 
of the Department of Veterans Affairs.
    (b) Education of Department Employees.--The Secretary of Veterans 
Affairs shall ensure that employees of the Department of Veterans 
Affairs who work at prosthetics and orthotics clinics and who work as 
patient advocates with veterans who receive care at such clinics, 
including Federal recovery coordinators and case managers, receive 
training on the Injured and Amputee Veterans Bill of Rights described 
in subsection (d).
    (c) Outreach to Veterans.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall 
conduct outreach to inform veterans about the Injured and Amputee 
Veterans Bill of Rights described in subsection (d) by--
            (1) ensuring that such Bill of Rights is available on the 
        Internet Web site of the Department of Veterans Affairs; and
            (2) conducting other types of outreach targeted at specific 
        groups of veterans, which may include outreach conducted on 
        other Internet Web sites or through veterans service 
        organizations.
    (d) Injured and Amputee Veterans Bill of Rights.--The Injured and 
Amputee Veterans Bill of Rights described in this subsection is a 
statement that injured and amputee veterans should have, at a minimum, 
the following rights:
            (1) The right to access the highest quality prosthetic and 
        orthotic care, including the right to the most appropriate 
        technology and best qualified practitioners.
            (2) The right to continuity of care in the transition from 
        the Department of Defense health program to the Department of 
        Veterans Affairs health care system, including comparable 
        benefits relating to prosthetic and orthotic services.
            (3) The right to select the practitioner that best meets 
        their orthotic and prosthetic needs, whether or not that 
        practitioner is an employee of the Department of Veterans 
        Affairs, a private practitioner who has entered into a contract 
        with the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to provide prosthetic 
        and orthotic services, or a private practitioner with 
        specialized expertise.
            (4) The right to consistent and portable health care, 
        including the right to obtain comparable services and 
        technology at any medical facility of the Department of 
        Veterans Affairs across the country.
            (5) The right to timely and efficient prosthetic and 
        orthotic care, including a speedy authorization process with 
        expedited authorization available for veterans visiting from 
        another area of the country.
            (6) The right to play a meaningful role in rehabilitation 
        decisions, including the right to receive a second opinion 
        regarding prosthetic and orthotic treatment options.
            (7) The right to receive appropriate treatment, including 
        the right to receive both a primary prosthesis or orthosis and 
        a functional spare.
            (8) The right to be treated with respect and dignity and 
        have an optimal quality of life both during and after 
        rehabilitation.
            (9) The right to transition and readjust to civilian life 
        in an honorable manner, including by having ample access to 
        vocational rehabilitation, employment programs, and housing 
        assistance.
    (e) Monitoring and Resolution of Complaints.--
            (1) In general.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs, acting 
        through the veteran liaison at each medical center of the 
        Department of Veterans Affairs, shall collect information 
        relating to the alleged mistreatment of injured and amputee 
        veterans.
            (2) Quarterly reports.--For each fiscal quarter, the 
        veteran liaison at each medical center of the Department shall 
        submit to the Chief Consultant of Prosthetics and Sensory Aids 
        of the Department a report on any information collected under 
        paragraph (1) during that quarter.
            (3) Investigation and addressing of complaints.--The Chief 
        Consultant, in cooperation with appropriate employees of a 
        medical center of the Department, shall investigate and address 
        any information collected under paragraph (1) at that medical 
        center.
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