[Congressional Bills 114th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 91 Engrossed in House (EH)]
114th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 91
_______________________________________________________________________
AN ACT
To amend title 38, United States Code, to direct the Secretary of
Veterans Affairs to issue, upon request, veteran identification cards
to certain veterans.
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 ``Veteran's I.D. Card Act''.
SEC. 2. VETERANS IDENTIFICATION CARD.
(a) Findings.--Congress finds the following:
(1) Currently, veteran identification cards are issued to
veterans who have either completed the statutory time-in-
service requirement for retirement from the Armed Forces or who
have received a medical-related discharge from the Armed
Forces.
(2) A veteran who has served a minimum obligated time in
service, but who does not meet the criteria described in
paragraph (1), does not receive a means of identifying the
veteran's status as a veteran other than using the official DD-
214 discharge papers of the veteran.
(3) Goods, services, and promotional activities are often
offered by public and private institutions to veterans who
demonstrate proof of service in the military, but it is
impractical for a veteran to always carry official DD-214
discharge papers to demonstrate such proof.
(4) A general purpose veteran identification card made
available to a veteran who does not meet the criteria described
in paragraph (1) would be useful to such veteran in order to
demonstrate the status of the veteran without having to carry
and use official DD-214 discharge papers.
(5) The Department of Veterans Affairs has the
infrastructure in place across the United States to produce
photographic identification cards and accept a small payment to
cover the cost of these cards.
(b) Provision of Veteran Identification Cards.--Chapter 57 of title
38, United States Code, is amended by adding after section 5705 the
following new section:
``Sec. 5706. Veterans identification card
``(a) In General.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall issue an
identification card described in subsection (b) to any covered veteran
who--
``(1) requests such card;
``(2) was discharged from the Armed Forces under honorable
conditions;
``(3) presents a copy of the DD-214 form or other official
document from the official military personnel file of the
veteran that describes the service of the veteran; and
``(4) pays the fee under subsection (c)(1).
``(b) Identification Card.--An identification card described in
this subsection is a card that--
``(1) displays a photograph of the covered veteran;
``(2) displays the name of the covered veteran;
``(3) explains that such card is not proof of any benefits
to which the veteran is entitled to;
``(4) contains an identification number that is not a
social security number; and
``(5) serves as proof that such veteran--
``(A) honorably served in the Armed Forces; and
``(B) has a DD-214 form or other official document
in the official military personnel file of the veteran
that describes the service of the veteran.
``(c) Costs of Card.--(1) The Secretary shall charge a fee to each
veteran who receives an identification card issued under this section,
including a replacement identification card.
``(2)(A) The fee charged under paragraph (1) shall equal an amount
that the Secretary determines is necessary to issue an identification
card under this section.
``(B) In determining the amount of the fee under subparagraph (A),
the Secretary shall ensure that the total amount of fees collected
under paragraph (1) equals an amount necessary to carry out this
section, including costs related to any additional equipment or
personnel required to carry out this section.
``(C) The Secretary shall review and reassess the determination
under subparagraph (A) during each 5-year period in which the Secretary
issues an identification card under this section.
``(3) Amounts collected under this subsection shall be deposited in
an account of the Department available to carry out this section.
Amounts so deposited shall be--
``(A) merged with amounts in such account;
``(B) available in such amounts as may be provided in
appropriation Acts; and
``(C) subject to the same conditions and limitations as
amounts otherwise in such account.
``(d) Effect of Card on Benefits.--(1) An identification card
issued under this section shall not serve as proof of any benefits that
the veteran may be entitled to under this title.
``(2) A covered veteran who is issued an identification card under
this section shall not be entitled to any benefits under this title by
reason of possessing such card.
``(e) Administrative Measures.--(1) The Secretary shall ensure that
any information collected or used with respect to an identification
card issued under this section is appropriately secured.
``(2) The Secretary may determine any appropriate procedures with
respect to issuing a replacement identification card.
``(3) In carrying out this section, the Secretary shall coordinate
with the National Personnel Records Center.
``(4) The Secretary may conduct such outreach to advertise the
identification card under this section as the Secretary considers
appropriate.
``(f) Construction.--This section shall not be construed to affect
identification cards otherwise provided by the Secretary to veterans
enrolled in the health care system established under section 1705(a) of
this title.
``(g) Covered Veteran Defined.--In this section, the term `covered
veteran' means a veteran who--
``(1) is not entitled to retired pay under chapter 1223 of
title 10; and
``(2) is not enrolled in the system of patient enrollment
under section 1705 of this title.''.
(c) Clerical Amendment.--The table of sections at the beginning of
such chapter is amended by inserting after the item relating to section
5705 the following new item:
``5706. Veterans identification card.''.
(d) Effective Date.--The amendments made by this Act shall take
effect on the date that is 60 days after the date of the enactment of
this Act.
Passed the House of Representatives May 18, 2015.
Attest:
Clerk.
114th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 91
_______________________________________________________________________
AN ACT
To amend title 38, United States Code, to direct the Secretary of
Veterans Affairs to issue, upon request, veteran identification cards
to certain veterans.