[Congressional Bills 111th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 5719 Introduced in House (IH)]

111th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 5719

  To amend title 10, United States Code, to require the Secretary of 
Veterans Affairs to develop, and the Secretary of Defense to distribute 
  to members of the Armed Forces upon their discharge or release from 
 active duty, information in a compact disk read-only memory format or 
 other appropriate digital format that lists and explains the health, 
education, and other benefits for which veterans are eligible under the 
        laws administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             July 13, 2010

Mr. Cardoza (for himself and Mr. Putnam) 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 amend title 10, United States Code, to require the Secretary of 
Veterans Affairs to develop, and the Secretary of Defense to distribute 
  to members of the Armed Forces upon their discharge or release from 
 active duty, information in a compact disk read-only memory format or 
 other appropriate digital format that lists and explains the health, 
education, and other benefits for which veterans are eligible under the 
        laws administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs.

    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' Information Act''.

SEC. 2. VETERANS HEALTH, EDUCATION, AND OTHER BENEFITS INFORMATION IN 
              COMPACT DISK READ-ONLY MEMORY FORMAT OR OTHER APPROPRIATE 
              DIGITAL FORMAT FOR MEMBERS OF THE ARMED FORCES UPON THEIR 
              DISCHARGE OR RELEASE FROM ACTIVE DUTY.

    (a) Development and Distribution of Information.--Section 1142 of 
title 10, United States Code, is amended--
            (1) in subsection (b)(17), by inserting before the period 
        at the end the following: ``, including, once available, a copy 
        of the compact disk or other appropriate digital format 
        developed by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs under subsection 
        (d) that contains the information described in such 
        subsection''; and
            (2) by adding at the end the following new subsections:
    ``(d) Veterans Health, Education, and Other Benefits Information in 
Digital Format.--(1) The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall develop 
and maintain in a compact disk read-only memory format, or other 
appropriate digital format, certain information that the Secretary 
determines would be helpful to veterans. The information shall include 
the following:
            ``(A) A listing and explanation of every benefit for which 
        veterans may be eligible under the laws administered by the 
        Secretary of Veterans Affairs and any other applicable law, and 
        the eligibility criteria for receiving each such benefit, 
        including the range of compensation and benefits available 
        under the laws administered by the Secretary of Veterans 
        Affairs that are based on grade, length of service, degree of 
        disability, at separation or retirement, and other factors 
        affecting compensation and benefits.
            ``(B) A comprehensive explanation of how veterans may apply 
        for such benefits, including procedures, requirements, and 
        locations for submitting applications for such benefits.
            ``(C) A listing of all facilities of the Department of 
        Veterans Affairs and contact information for such facilities.
            ``(D) Contact information for State and local veterans 
        agencies.
    ``(2) The compact disk or other digital format developed under this 
subsection shall be distributed to members of the Armed Forces pursuant 
to subsection (b) and, upon request, to family members of members of 
the armed forces. If a member of the armed forces is unable to receive 
the compact disk or other digital format, the compact disk or other 
digital format shall be distributed to a family member of that member 
of the Armed Forces, as determined by the Secretary concerned pursuant 
to regulations prescribed for such purpose, whether the family member 
requests the compact disk or other format or not.
    ``(e) Internet Website.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs, the 
Secretary of Defense, and the head of any other relevant Government 
agency shall each maintain an Internet website on which information 
shall be made available at all times that clearly explains the benefits 
administered by that Secretary or agency head to which veterans are 
entitled and how veterans can secure those benefits. The website shall 
include all of the information contained on the compact disk or other 
digital format described in subsection (d) and information about how 
family members of veterans may request a compact disk or other digital 
format pursuant to subsection (d)(2). The information provided on the 
Internet website shall be updated not later than 30 days after any 
change affecting a benefit for which veterans may be eligible goes into 
effect.''.
    (b) Deadline.--The compact disk or other digital format required by 
section 1142(d) of title 10, United States Code, as added by subsection 
(a), shall be developed and ready for distribution to members of the 
Armed Forces not later than one year after the date of the enactment of 
this Act.
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