[Congressional Bills 114th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 3312 Introduced in House (IH)]

114th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 3312

 To amend title 38, United States Code, to authorize the Secretary of 
 Veterans Affairs to make grants for establishing coordinated networks 
       of services and resources for veterans and their families.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             July 29, 2015

    Ms. Adams (for herself, Mr. Pittenger, Mr. Katko, and Ms. Meng) 
 introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on 
                           Veterans' Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To amend title 38, United States Code, to authorize the Secretary of 
 Veterans Affairs to make grants for establishing coordinated networks 
       of services and resources for veterans and their families.

    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 Benefits Network Act''.

SEC. 2. DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS GRANTS FOR ESTABLISHING 
              COORDINATED NETWORKS OF SERVICES AND RESOURCES FOR 
              VETERANS AND THEIR FAMILIES.

    (a) In General.--Subchapter II of chapter 5 of title 38, United 
States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new section:
``Sec. 533. Grants for establishing coordinated networks of services 
              and resources for veterans and their families
    ``(a) In General.--The Secretary may make a grant to an eligible 
entity for the purpose of establishing or expanding a regional 
technology system to provide an active database and enrollment system 
that can be used by a coordinated network of private, public, and non-
profit entities to assist veterans and their family members in applying 
for benefits and services offered by such entities that participate in 
the network.
    ``(b) Eligible Entities.--To be eligible to receive a grant under 
this section, an entity shall--
            ``(1) be a State or local government, a regional council of 
        governments, or a private entity; and
            ``(2) submit to the Secretary an application containing--
                    ``(A) a description of the credentialing system the 
                entity intends to use to determine which service 
                providers will be eligible for inclusion in the network 
                established using the grant that ensures such providers 
                meet the requirements under subsection (c)(3); and
                    ``(B) such other information and assurances as the 
                Secretary may require.
    ``(c) Use of Funds.--
            ``(1) In general.--The recipient of a grant under this 
        section shall use the grant to establish a coordinated network 
        of private, public, and nonprofit services and resources, as 
        described in paragraph (2), for veterans and their families 
        designed to--
                    ``(A) facilitate awareness and understanding of 
                benefits that are available to members of the Armed 
                Forces, veterans, and their family members who are 
                eligible for benefits;
                    ``(B) use best practices to maximize outreach to 
                veterans and family members who are eligible for 
                benefits; and
                    ``(C) have the capacity to be replicated at other 
                locations or regional networks.
            ``(2) Services and resources.--The services and resources 
        included in the networks established using grants under this 
        section may include--
                    ``(A) education;
                    ``(B) employment;
                    ``(C) family support and recreation;
                    ``(D) health care;
                    ``(E) mental health and behavioral counseling;
                    ``(F) substance abuse counseling;
                    ``(G) housing;
                    ``(H) financial assistance;
                    ``(I) legal assistance;
                    ``(J) public benefit support;
                    ``(K) benefits under the laws administered by the 
                Secretary; and
                    ``(L) such other services and resources as the 
                Secretary determines appropriate.
            ``(3) Criteria for service providers.--In order to be 
        eligible for inclusion in a network established using a grant 
        under this section, a service provider shall--
                    ``(A) demonstrate the capacity, experience, and 
                expertise required to participate in the network; and
                    ``(B) enter into an agreement with the entity that 
                receives the grant that ensures that the provider will 
                not--
                            ``(i) input the personal information of a 
                        veteran or veteran's family member into the 
                        coordinated network without receiving the 
                        informed consent and authorization of the 
                        veteran or family member; or
                            ``(ii) use such personal information in any 
                        manner or for any purpose other than the 
                        performance of the services in compliance with 
                        the coordinated network.
    ``(d) Priority in Awarding Grants.--In awarding grants under this 
section, the Secretary shall give priority to an eligible entity that 
provides services to individuals residing in a geographic area where a 
large number of veterans and members of the Armed Forces reside, as 
determined by the Secretary.
    ``(e) Deadline for Use of Funds.--The Secretary shall provide, as a 
condition of awarding a grant under this section to an eligible entity, 
that the eligible entity must use the grant before the expiration of 
the two-year period that begins on the date on which the eligible 
entity receives the grant. If a grant recipient has not used the grant 
before the expiration of such period, the Secretary may recover from 
the eligible entity the unused amount of the grant funds.
    ``(f) Cost-Sharing.--As a condition on the provision of funds under 
this section to an eligible entity, the eligible entity must agree to 
contribute an amount, derived from non-Federal sources, equal to at 
least 50 percent of the funds provided by the Secretary of Veterans 
Affairs to the eligible entity under this section.
    ``(g) Availability of Funds.--The Secretary shall use amounts 
otherwise made available for the Veterans Benefits Administration to 
make grants under this section.
    ``(h) Outreach.--The Secretary shall use the authority of the 
Secretary to advertise in the national media under section 532 of this 
title to inform veterans, members of the Armed Forces, and their 
families about the networks established using grants under this 
section.
    ``(i) Report to Congress.--The Secretary shall submit to Congress 
an annual report on the administration of the grant program under this 
section. Each such report shall include a description of how grant 
recipients used funds awarded under this section.''.
    (b) Clerical Amendment.--The table of sections at the beginning of 
such chapter is amended by inserting after the item relating to section 
532 the following new item:

``533. Grants for establishing coordinated networks of services and 
                            resources for veterans and their 
                            families.''.
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