[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 4845 Introduced in House (IH)]
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117th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 4845
To amend title 38, United States Code, to establish the Advisory
Committee on Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer Veterans.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
July 29, 2021
Mr. Pappas (for himself, Ms. Scanlon, Ms. Norton, Mr. Tonko, Mr.
Auchincloss, Mrs. Murphy of Florida, Mr. Peters, Mr. Courtney, Mr.
Soto, Mrs. Hayes, and Ms. Chu) introduced the following bill; which was
referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend title 38, United States Code, to establish the Advisory
Committee on Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer Veterans.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. ESTABLISHMENT OF ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON LESBIAN, GAY,
BISEXUAL, TRANSGENDER, AND QUEER VETERANS.
(a) Establishment.--Subchapter III of chapter 5 of title 38, United
States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new section:
``Sec. 548. Advisory Committee on Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender,
and Queer Veterans
``(a) Establishment.--There is in the Department the Advisory
Committee on Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer Veterans
(in this section referred to as `the Committee').
``(b) Membership.--(1) The Committee shall consist of members
appointed by the Secretary from the general public, including--
``(A) representatives of LGBTQ veterans;
``(B) individuals who are recognized authorities in fields
pertinent to the needs of LGBTQ veterans, including the
specific health-care needs of LGBTQ veterans;
``(C) representatives of LGBTQ veterans with service-
connected disabilities, including at least one lesbian, gay, or
bisexual veteran with a service-connected disability, and at
least one transgender veteran with a service-connected
disability;
``(D) veterans who are minority group members, as defined
in section 544 of this title; and
``(E) LGBTQ veterans who are recently separated from
service in the Armed Forces, including veterans who were
involuntarily separated from the Armed Forces due to being
LGBTQ.
``(2) The Committee shall include, as ex officio members--
``(A) the Secretary of Labor (or the designee of the
Secretary of Labor after consultation with the Assistant
Secretary of Labor for Veterans' Employment);
``(B) the Secretary of Defense (or the designee of the
Secretary of Defense);
``(C) the Under Secretary for Health (or the designee of
such Under Secretary); and
``(D) the Under Secretary for Benefits (or the designee of
such Under Secretary).
``(3) The Secretary may invite representatives of other Federal
departments and agencies to participate in the meetings and other
activities of the Committee.
``(4) The Secretary shall determine the number, terms of service,
and pay and allowances of members of the Committee appointed by the
Secretary, except that a term of service of any such member may not
exceed three years. The Secretary may reappoint any such member for
additional terms of service.
``(5) The Committee shall meet as often as the Secretary determines
necessary or appropriate, but not less often than twice each fiscal
year.
``(c) Consultation.--The Secretary shall consult regularly with and
seek the advice of the Committee with respect to the administration of
benefits by the Secretary for LGBTQ veterans, reports and studies
pertaining to LGBTQ veterans and the needs of LGBTQ veterans with
respect to compensation, health care, rehabilitation, outreach, and
other benefits and programs administered by the Secretary, including
the Center for Women Veterans and Center for Minority Veterans.
``(d) Reporting.--(1) Not later than July 1 of each even-numbered
year, the Committee shall submit to the Secretary a report on the
programs and activities of the Department that pertain to LGBTQ
veterans. Each such report shall include--
``(A) an assessment of the needs of LGBTQ veterans with
respect to compensation, health care, rehabilitation, outreach,
and other benefits and programs administered by the Secretary;
``(B) a review of the programs and activities of the
Department designed to meet such needs; and
``(C) such recommendations (including recommendations for
administrative and legislative action) as the Committee
determines appropriate.
``(2) The Secretary shall, not later than 60 days after receiving
each report under paragraph (1), submit to the Congress a copy of the
report, together with any comments concerning the report that the
Secretary determines appropriate.
``(3) The Committee may also submit to the Secretary such other
reports and recommendations the Committee determines appropriate.
``(4) The Secretary shall submit, with each annual report submitted
to Congress pursuant to section 529 of this title, a summary of all
reports and recommendations of the Committee received by the Secretary
since the previous such annual report.
``(e) LGBTQ Defined.--In this section, the term `LGBTQ' means
lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or queer.''.
(b) Clerical Amendment.--The table of sections at the beginning of
such chapter is amended by adding after the item relating to section
547 the following new item:
``548. Advisory Committee on Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and
Queer Veterans.''.
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