[Congressional Bills 114th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 1797 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

114th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                S. 1797

 To require the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to establish a voluntary 
national directory of veterans to support outreach to veterans, and for 
                            other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             July 16, 2015

   Ms. Heitkamp (for herself, Mr. Moran, Mr. King, and Mr. Boozman) 
introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the 
                     Committee on Veterans' Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To require the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to establish a voluntary 
national directory of veterans to support outreach to veterans, 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 ``Connect with Veterans Act of 2015''.

SEC. 2. VOLUNTARY NATIONAL DIRECTORY OF VETERANS.

    (a) Program Required.--
            (1) In general.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs, in 
        coordination with the Secretary of Defense, shall establish a 
        program to facilitate outreach to veterans by covered entities.
            (2) Covered entities.--For purposes of this section, a 
        covered entity is any of the following:
                    (A) The Department of Veterans Affairs.
                    (B) The agency or department of a State that is the 
                primary agency or department of the State for the 
                administration of benefits and services for veterans in 
                the State.
                    (C) A political subdivision of a State.
                    (D) An Indian tribe (as defined in section 4 of the 
                Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act 
                (25 U.S.C. 450b)).
            (3) National directory.--To carry out the program required 
        by paragraph (1), the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall--
                    (A) establish a national directory of veterans as 
                described in subsection (b); and
                    (B) share information in the directory in 
                accordance with subsection (c).
    (b) National Directory.--
            (1) In general.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall 
        establish the national directory required by subsection (a)(3) 
        using information received from the Secretary of Defense under 
        subsection (d)(4).
            (2) Updates.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall 
        ensure that the national directory includes a mechanism by 
        which a participating individual can update the information in 
        the national directory that pertains to the participating 
        individual.
            (3) Disenrollment.--The Secretary shall establish a 
        mechanism by which a participating individual can indicate to 
        the Secretary that the individual would no longer like to 
        receive information from participating entities under the 
        program.
            (4) Reenrollment.--The Secretary shall establish a 
        mechanism for the inclusion of information in the national 
        directory of individuals who were previously participating 
        individuals but who had made an indication under paragraph (3) 
        and subsequently indicate that they would like to receive 
        information from participating entities under the program.
            (5) Privacy and security.--The Secretary shall take such 
        actions as the Secretary considers appropriate to protect--
                    (A) the privacy of individuals participating in the 
                program; and
                    (B) the security of the information stored in the 
                national directory.
            (6) Ebenefits.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs may use 
        the system and architecture of the eBenefits Internet website 
        of the Department of Veterans Affairs to support and operate 
        the national directory as the Secretary considers appropriate.
    (c) Outreach.--
            (1) Sharing of directory information.--
                    (A) In general.--Except as provided in paragraph 
                (2), in order to connect participating individuals with 
                information about the programs they could be eligible 
                for or services, support, and information they may be 
                interested in receiving, the Secretary of Veterans 
                Affairs may share, under the program established under 
                subsection (a)(1), information in the national 
                directory concerning such individuals with entities 
                applicable to participating individuals.
                    (B) Entities applicable to participating 
                individuals.--For purposes of this subsection, an 
                entity that is applicable to a participating individual 
                is a covered entity from whom a participating 
                individual has expressed interest in receiving 
                information under the program.
                    (C) Updated information.--In a case in which a 
                participating individual updates the information 
                pertaining to the participating individual under 
                subsection (b)(2), the Secretary shall transmit such 
                information to each entity applicable to the 
                participating individual.
                    (D) Notification of disenrollment.--In a case in 
                which a participating individual indicates to the 
                Secretary under subsection (b)(3) that the individual 
                would no longer like to receive information from 
                participating entities under the program, the Secretary 
                shall inform each entity applicable to the 
                participating individual that the individual would no 
                longer like to receive information from the entity 
                under the program.
            (2) Limitations.--
                    (A) Limitations on the secretary.--
                            (i) Information shared.--Under the program, 
                        the Secretary of Veterans Affairs may only 
                        share from the national directory the 
                        following:
                                    (I) The name of a participating 
                                individual.
                                    (II) The e-mail address of a 
                                participating individual.
                                    (III) The postal address of a 
                                participating individual.
                                    (IV) The phone number of a 
                                participating individual.
                                    (V) Information on the types of 
                                benefits and services for which a 
                                participating individual would like to 
                                receive communication and outreach, as 
                                collected under subsection 
                                (d)(2)(B)(iii).
                            (ii) Prohibition on sale of information.--
                        The Secretary may not sell any information 
                        collected under this section.
                            (iii) Entities.--The Secretary may not 
                        share any information collected under the 
                        program with any entity that is not a 
                        participating entity.
                    (B) Limitations on participating entities.--
                            (i) Sharing with third-party and for-profit 
                        entities.--As a condition of participation in 
                        the program, a participating entity shall agree 
                        not to share any information the participating 
                        entity receives under the program with any 
                        third-party or for-profit entity.
                            (ii) Purchases of products or services.--As 
                        a condition of participation in the program, a 
                        participating entity shall agree not to include 
                        in any information sent by the participating 
                        entity to a participating individual a 
                        requirement that the participating individual 
                        or the family of the participating individual 
                        purchase a product or service.
                            (iii) Political communication.--As a 
                        condition of participation in the program, a 
                        participating entity shall agree not to use any 
                        information received under the program for any 
                        political communication.
            (3) Disenrollment by participating entities.--The Secretary 
        shall establish a mechanism by which a participating entity may 
        indicate to the Secretary that the participating entity would 
        no longer like to receive information about participating 
        individuals from the national directory.
            (4) Sense of congress.--
                    (A) Consolidation of requests.--It is the sense of 
                Congress that covered entities described in subsection 
                (a)(2)(C) who are located in the same region should 
                work together in a manner such that only one of them 
                requests receipt of information under the program.
                    (B) Collaboration.--It is the sense of Congress 
                that covered entities described in subsection (a)(2)(C) 
                should work with third parties, such as veterans 
                service organizations, military community groups, and 
                other entities with an interest in assisting veterans, 
                to develop the information the covered entities send to 
                participating individuals under the program.
            (5) Publicity.--The Secretary shall develop a plan to 
        publicize the program and inform covered entities of the 
        benefits of participating in the program.
    (d) Collection of Contact Information.--
            (1) In general.--To each member of the Armed Forces 
        separating from service in the Armed Forces, the Secretary of 
        Defense shall provide a form for the collection of information 
        to be included in the national directory established under 
        subsection (a).
            (2) Form.--
                    (A) Development.--The Secretary of Defense shall, 
                in consultation with the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, 
                develop the form provided under paragraph (1).
                    (B) Elements.--The form developed under 
                subparagraph (A) shall allow a member of the Armed 
                Forces who is in the process of separating from service 
                in the Armed Forces to indicate the following:
                            (i) Where the member intends to reside 
                        after separation.
                            (ii) How the individual can best be 
                        contacted, such as a telephone number, an e-
                        mail address, or a postal address.
                            (iii) For which types of benefits and 
                        services the member would like to receive 
                        communication and outreach, such as health 
                        care, education, employment, and housing.
                            (iv) From which of the following the member 
                        would like to receive the communication and 
                        outreach specified under clause (iii):
                                    (I) The Department of Veterans 
                                Affairs.
                                    (II) The agency or department of 
                                the State in which the member intends 
                                to reside after separation that is the 
                                primary agency or department of the 
                                State for the administration of 
                                benefits and services for veterans in 
                                the State.
                                    (III) A political subdivision of a 
                                State.
                    (C) Notice.--The form developed under subparagraph 
                (A) shall include notice of the following:
                            (i) Information provided to agencies and 
                        departments described in subparagraph 
                        (B)(iv)(II) will only be provided as authorized 
                        and upon request by such agencies and 
                        departments.
                            (ii) Political subdivisions of States that 
                        receive information under the program 
                        established under subsection (a) may--
                                    (I) share such information with 
                                such nonprofit organizations as the 
                                political subdivisions consider 
                                appropriate; and
                                    (II) work with such organizations 
                                to provide the veterans with relevant 
                                information about benefits and services 
                                offered by such organizations.
                            (iii) Information provided on the form 
                        developed under subparagraph (A) will never be 
                        sold, provided to a for-profit entity, or used 
                        to send any sort of political communication.
                    (D) Manner.--The Secretary of Defense shall ensure 
                that the form provided under paragraph (1) is not 
                primarily electronic in nature.
            (3) Voluntary participation.--The Secretary of Defense 
        shall ensure that completion of the form provided under 
        paragraph (1) is voluntary and submittal of such form to the 
        Secretary by a member of the Armed Forces shall be considered 
        an indication to the Secretary that the member would like to 
        receive information from participating entities under the 
        program.
            (4) Transmittal of information to secretary of veterans 
        affairs.--Not later than 30 days after the date on which a 
        member of the Armed Forces who submitted information to the 
        Secretary of Defense under this subsection separates from 
        service in the Armed Forces, the Secretary of Defense shall 
        transmit such information to the Secretary of Veterans Affairs.
            (5) Privacy and security.--The Secretary of Defense shall 
        take such actions as the Secretary considers appropriate to 
        protect--
                    (A) the privacy of individuals who submit 
                information under this subsection; and
                    (B) the security of such information--
                            (i) while it is in the possession of the 
                        Secretary; and
                            (ii) while it is in transit to the 
                        Secretary of Veterans Affairs.
            (6) Integration with transition assistance program.--The 
        Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of Labor shall jointly 
        take such actions as the secretaries consider appropriate to 
        integrate the collection of information under this subsection 
        into the Transition Assistance Program.
    (e) Report.--
            (1) In general.--Not later than 180 days after the date of 
        the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs 
        and the Secretary of Defense shall jointly submit to the 
        appropriate committees of Congress a report on the program 
        established under subsection (a)(1).
            (2) Contents.--The report submitted under paragraph (1) 
        shall include an examination and assessment of the following:
                    (A) The signup process and the effectiveness of the 
                forms developed and provided under subsection (d).
                    (B) The ways in which contact information is 
                transferred from the Secretary of Defense to the 
                Secretary of Veterans Affairs under the program and the 
                plans of the secretaries to overcome challenges 
                encountered by the secretaries in transferring such 
                information.
                    (C) The number of covered entities described in 
                subsection (a)(2)(C) participating in the program and 
                any challenges they report in receiving the contact 
                information from the Secretary of Veterans Affairs 
                under the program.
                    (D) The effectiveness of efforts of the Secretary 
                of Veterans Affairs and the Secretary of Defense to 
                protect the personal information of participating 
                individuals.
                    (E) The effectiveness of efforts of covered 
                entities described in subsection (a)(2)(C) to protect 
                the personal information of participating individuals.
                    (F) Whether additional limitations on the use of 
                information collected under the program are necessary 
                to protect participating individuals from unwanted 
                contact, or contact that is inconsistent with the 
                program.
                    (G) Whether participating individuals are 
                benefitting by participating in the program and whether 
                changing the program would improve such benefits.
                    (H) The overall participation in the program, 
                utilization of the program, and how such participation 
                and utilization could be improved.
                    (I) Such other matters as the secretaries consider 
                appropriate.
            (3) Appropriate committees of congress defined.--In this 
        subsection, the term ``appropriate committees of Congress'' 
        means the following:
                    (A) The Committee on Veterans' Affairs, the 
                Committee on Armed Services, and the Subcommittee on 
                Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related 
                Agencies of the Committee on Appropriations of the 
                Senate.
                    (B) The Committee on Veterans' Affairs, the 
                Committee on Armed Services, and the Subcommittee on 
                Military Construction, Veterans Affairs and Related 
                Agencies of the Committee on Appropriations of the 
                House of Representatives.
    (f) Definitions.--In this section:
            (1) Participating entity.--The term ``participating 
        entity'' means a covered entity that has indicated to the 
        Secretary of Veterans Affairs that the covered entity would 
        like to receive information about participating individuals 
        from the national directory and has made no subsequent 
        indication that the covered entity would like to stop receiving 
        such information.
            (2) Participating individual.--The term ``participating 
        individual'' means an individual with respect to whom 
        information is stored in the national directory and who has 
        indicated to the Secretary of Veterans Affairs or the Secretary 
        of Defense that the individual would like to receive 
        information from participating entities under the program and 
        has made no subsequent indication that the individual would 
        like to stop receiving such information.
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