[Congressional Bills 112th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 243 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

112th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                 S. 243

 To enhance and improve the Yellow Ribbon Reintegration Program of the 
                         Department of Defense.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                            February 1, 2011

 Mrs. Shaheen introduced the following bill; which was read twice and 
              referred to the Committee on Armed Services

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To enhance and improve the Yellow Ribbon Reintegration Program of the 
                         Department of Defense.

    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 ``Citizen Soldier Support Act''.

SEC. 2. ENHANCEMENT AND IMPROVEMENT OF YELLOW RIBBON REINTEGRATION 
              PROGRAM.

    (a) Inclusion of Programs of Outreach in Program.--Subsection (b) 
of section 582 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal 
Year 2008 (10 U.S.C. 10101 note) is amended by inserting ``(including 
programs of outreach)'' after ``informational events and activities''.
    (b) Restatement of Functions of Center for Excellence in 
Reintegration and Inclusion in Functions of Identification of Best 
Practices in Programs of Outreach.--Subsection (d)(2) of such section, 
as amended by section 583(b) of the Ike Skelton National Defense 
Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2011 (Public Law 111-383), is further 
amended by striking the second, third, and fourth sentences and 
inserting the following: ``The Center shall have the following 
functions:
                    ``(A) To collect and analyze `lessons learned' and 
                suggestions from State National Guard and Reserve 
                organizations with existing or developing reintegration 
                programs.
                    ``(B) To assist in developing training aids and 
                briefing materials and training representatives from 
                State National Guard and Reserve organizations.
                    ``(C) To develop and implement a process for 
                evaluating the effectiveness of the Yellow Ribbon 
                Reintegration Program in supporting the health and 
                well-being of members of the Armed Forces and their 
                families throughout the deployment cycle described in 
                subsection (g).
                    ``(D) To develop and implement a process for 
                identifying best practices in the delivery of 
                information and services in programs of outreach as 
                described in subsection (j).''.
    (c) State-Led Programs of Outreach.--Such section 582 is further 
amended by adding at the end the following new subsection:
    ``(j) State-Led Programs of Outreach.--
            ``(1) In general.--The Office for Reintegration Programs 
        may work with the States, whether acting through or in 
        coordination with their National Guard and Reserve 
        organizations, to assist the States and such organizations in 
        developing and carrying out programs of outreach for members of 
        the Armed Forces and their families to inform and educate them 
        on the assistance and services available to them under the 
        Yellow Ribbon Reintegration Program, including the assistance 
        and services described in subsection (h).
            ``(2) Availability of funds.--From funds available for the 
        Yellow Ribbon Reintegration Program, the Office for 
        Reintegration Programs may provide funds to a State, or a State 
        National Guard and Reserve organization, for the costs of the 
        discharge and enhancement of a program of outreach carried out 
        by such State or organization that has been identified by the 
        Center for Excellence in Reintegration under subsection 
        (d)(2)(D) as utilizing best practices in the delivery of 
        information and services.''.
    (d) Scope of Activities Under Programs of Outreach.--Such section 
582 is further amended by adding at the end the following new 
subsection:
    ``(k) Scope of Activities Under Programs of Outreach.--For purposes 
of this section, the activities and services provided under programs of 
outreach may include personalized and substantive care coordination 
services targeted specifically to individual members of the Armed 
Forces and their families.''.
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