[Congressional Bills 111th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 3355 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

111th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                S. 3355

    To provide for an Internet website for information on benefits, 
resources, services, and opportunities for veterans and their families 
                and caregivers, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                              May 12, 2010

 Ms. Klobuchar (for herself, Mr. Johanns, and Mrs. Murray) introduced 
the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee 
                          on Veterans' Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
    To provide for an Internet website for information on benefits, 
resources, services, and opportunities for veterans and their families 
                and caregivers, 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. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Veterans One Source Act of 2010''.

SEC. 2. ONE-STOP INTERNET WEBSITE FOR INFORMATION ON BENEFITS, 
              RESOURCES, SERVICES, AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR VETERANS AND 
              THEIR FAMILIES AND CAREGIVERS.

    (a) Findings.--Congress makes the following findings:
            (1) One of the most critical problems identified by 
        veterans and their families and caregivers is a lack of easily 
        accessible information and advice on benefits, resources, 
        services, and opportunities for members of the veteran 
        community.
            (2) A guiding principle of the Department of Veterans 
        Affairs in bringing the Department into the 21st century is to 
        ensure coordination between the Department of Veterans Affairs 
        and the Department of Defense to provide a seamless transition 
        from military life to civilian life.
            (3) The Department of Veterans Affairs has also emphasized 
        its intent to modernize, streamline, and simplify the provision 
        of resources to the veteran community, including through the 
        elimination of paper waste.
            (4) The Internet increasingly serves as an essential 
        communication tool for all sectors of society and should be 
        used efficiently and effectively as a tool to provide 
        interactive outreach to the veteran community.
            (5) The Department of Veterans Affairs, the Department of 
        Labor, and other departments and agencies of the Federal 
        Government have taken strong steps to improve outreach to 
        veterans, including through the creation of Internet websites 
        for specific veteran populations, such as the National Resource 
        Directory for wounded veterans.
            (6) However, the lack of a single, all-inclusive, user-
        friendly Internet website with all relevant information on 
        benefits, resources, services, and opportunities for veterans 
        and their families and caregivers continues to impede the 
        seamless transition of veterans from military life to civilian 
        life.
            (7) Moreover, veterans and their families and caregivers 
        continue to seek direct and personalized assistance from the 
        Department of Veterans Affairs that could be effectively and 
        efficiently supplemented by strong, interactive online 
        services.
            (8) The Department of Defense has implemented an effective 
        and well-used program, Military One Source, that includes an 
        Internet website with consolidated information for members of 
        the Armed Forces on active duty.
            (9) The Department of Defense has also successfully 
        employed various interactive, virtual tools on its Internet 
        websites to provide a higher quality virtual Internet 
        experience to members of the Armed Forces.
            (10) The veterans community would be well-served by the 
        establishment of a single, consolidated, expanded, and 
        interactive Internet website to ensure streamlined and 
        simplified access to all information and advice on benefits, 
        resources, services, and opportunities available to veterans 
        and their families and caregivers.
    (b) One-Stop Internet Website for Information on Benefits, 
Resources, Services, and Opportunities for Veterans and Their Families 
and Caregivers.--
            (1) In general.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall 
        establish and maintain an interactive Internet website that 
        provides information on the benefits, resources, services, and 
        opportunities described in subsection (d). The Secretary may 
        enter into a contract with an appropriate Federal or private 
        sector entity for purposes of establishing or maintaining the 
        website.
            (2) Nature of website.--The website shall--
                    (A) serve to consolidate, expand on, and improve 
                information and links from other existing Internet 
                websites relating to the benefits, resources, services, 
                and opportunities described in subsection (d), and may 
                include such other information and links on such 
                benefits, resources, services, and opportunities as the 
                Secretary considers appropriate; and
                    (B) integrate dynamic Internet features and virtual 
                interface tools described in subsection (e) to provide 
                veterans a personalized, interactive, and user-centered 
                Internet experience and increase interoperability, 
                facilitate collaborative information sharing, and 
                streamline provision of information and advice to 
                veterans and their families and caregivers.
            (3) Utilization of existing website in establishment.--In 
        establishing the website, the Secretary may utilize an existing 
        Internet website, such as the National Resource Directory for 
        wounded veterans, as the basis for the website, in order to 
        avoid unnecessary duplication of effort.
            (4) Consultation.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs carry 
        out activities under this subsection in consultation with the 
        following:
                    (A) The Secretary of Defense, particularly with 
                respect to the Military One Source program and other 
                interactive virtual tools employed by the Department of 
                Defense.
                    (B) The Secretary of Labor.
                    (C) The Secretary of Education.
                    (D) The Commissioner of Internal Revenue.
                    (E) The Commissioner of Social Security.
                    (F) The Administrator of the Small Business 
                Administration.
                    (G) Any other Federal officials that the Secretary 
                of Veterans Affairs considers appropriate for purposes 
                of this section.
                    (H) Appropriate advisory committees on veterans 
                matters.
                    (I) Other representatives, individuals, and 
                organizations specified in section 6302(c) of title 38, 
                United States Code.
    (c) Domain and Name of Website.--
            (1) Domain.--In establishing the Internet website under 
        subsection (b) the Secretary shall consider the advisability of 
        registering the website in the ``.com'' domain, rather than the 
        ``.gov'' domain, and shall register the website in the ``.com'' 
        domain if the Secretary considers registration of the website 
        in that domain advisable.
            (2) Name.--The name selected for the website shall be a 
        name intended to reveal the website as a single, one-stop 
        resource for veterans and their families and caregivers on the 
        benefits, resources, services, and opportunities described in 
        subsection (d).
    (d) Benefits, Resources, Services, and Opportunities.--The 
benefits, resources, services, and opportunities described in this 
subsection are benefits, resources, services, and opportunities as 
follows:
            (1) Veterans benefits provided by or through the Department 
        of Veterans Affairs, including pension and compensation 
        benefits, health care benefits (including mental health care 
        benefits), education assistance and benefits, housing 
        assistance and benefits, and other assistance and benefits.
            (2) Veterans benefits provided by or through the Department 
        of Labor, including employment and reemployment benefits, and 
        other benefits provided by or through the Department of Labor.
            (3) Tax benefits.
            (4) Social security benefits.
            (5) Veterans benefits provided by or through the Small 
        Business Administration, including assistance related to small 
        business, and other benefits provided by or though the Small 
        Business Administration.
            (6) Resources, services, and opportunities such as--
                    (A) resources for families;
                    (B) resources on child care;
                    (C) resources on home care;
                    (D) resources for caregivers;
                    (E) resources for education professionals, mental 
                health professionals, and other professionals that 
                provide for veterans;
                    (F) resources on stress management and mental 
                health care;
                    (G) resources on veterans service organizations 
                (including website links to organization locators and 
                claims assistance);
                    (H) information and links on State and local 
                resources;
                    (I) information on discounts available to veterans;
                    (J) information and resources on volunteer 
                opportunities available to veterans, including 
                opportunities at Department of Veterans Affairs medical 
                centers;
                    (K) information and resources on community events; 
                and
                    (L) such other information and resources as the 
                Secretary of Veterans Affairs considers appropriate for 
                purposes of the website required by this section.
            (7) Assistance in applying for and receiving benefits and 
        resources under paragraphs (1) through (6).
            (8) Such other benefits, resources, services, 
        opportunities, and assistance as the Secretary considers 
        appropriate for purposes of the website.
    (e) Interactive Features.--In incorporating interactive features in 
the Internet website required by this section pursuant to subsection 
(b)(2)(B), the Secretary should incorporate the following:
            (1) Tools such as interactive, animated virtual guides, to 
        guide users through the website.
            (2) Resources on peer-to-peer discussions, workshops, and 
        other interactive services for veterans and their families and 
        caregivers.
            (3) Information on ride-sharing for appointments.
            (4) Memorial notices.
            (5) Internet applications.
            (6) Such other interactive features as the Secretary 
        considers appropriate.
    (f) Inclusion of Information on Website in Biennial Reports 
Relating to Outreach Activities.--
            (1) Biennial plan.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall 
        include in each biennial plan on outreach activities of the 
        Department of Veterans Affairs under section 6302 of title 38, 
        United States Code, the plans of the Department for the period 
        covered by such report for improving and enhancing the Internet 
        website required by this section to better provide information 
        on the benefits, resources, services, and opportunities 
        described in subsection (d) and to otherwise enhance the 
        website as a source and point of contract for information on 
        such benefits, resources, services, and opportunities.
            (2) Biennial report.--The Secretary shall include in each 
        biennial report on outreach activities of the Department under 
        section 6308 of title 38, United States Code, a description of 
        the manner in which the Internet website required by this 
        section contributed to the outreach activities of the 
        Secretary, including outreach activities under chapter 63 of 
        such title.
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