[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 4748 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

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118th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                S. 4748

   To amend title 38, United States Code, to improve the Solid Start 
 program of the Department of Veterans Affairs, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             July 23, 2024

Mr. Ossoff (for himself and Mr. Cornyn) introduced the following bill; 
which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
   To amend title 38, United States Code, to improve the Solid Start 
 program of the Department of Veterans Affairs, 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 ``Veterans Transition Support Act of 
2024''.

SEC. 2. OUTREACH TO MEMBERS OF THE ARMED FORCES UNDER THE SOLID START 
              PROGRAM.

    (a) In General.--Section 6320(a) of title 38, United States Code, 
is amended--
            (1) in paragraph (1), by inserting ``members of the Armed 
        Forces who are transitioning to civilian life and'' after 
        ``needs of''; and
            (2) in paragraph (2)--
                    (A) in the matter preceding subparagraph (A)--
                            (i) by inserting ``with the Department of 
                        Defense'' after ``coordinate efforts''; and
                            (ii) by inserting ``members of the Armed 
                        Forces who are transitioning to civilian life 
                        and'' after ``to assist'';
                    (B) in subparagraph (A), by inserting 
                ``transitioning members and'' after ``reach out to''; 
                and
                    (C) in subparagraph (B), by inserting 
                ``transitioning members and'' after ``to connect''.
    (b) Activities of the Solid Start Program.--Section 6320(b)(1) of 
such title is amended--
            (1) in subparagraph (A), by inserting ``with priority for 
        members between 120 and 210 days before separation,'' after 
        ``separating from the Armed Forces,'';
            (2) by redesignating subparagraphs (B) through (H) as 
        subparagraphs (E) through (K), respectively; and
            (3) by inserting after subparagraph (A) the following new 
        subparagraphs:
            ``(B) collecting suicide prevention policies, points of 
        contact, and referral protocols of the Department of Defense to 
        inform transitioning members of the Armed Forces who are in 
        crisis of such resources;
            ``(C) calling each transitioning member of the Armed 
        Forces, regardless of separation type or characterization of 
        service, at least one time not earlier than 210 days and not 
        later than 120 days before the separation of the member from 
        the Armed Forces--
                    ``(i) to inform the member of the benefits delivery 
                at discharge program; and
                    ``(ii) to provide contact information for a local 
                representative recognized under section 5902 or agent 
                or attorney recognized under section 5904 who may 
                assist the member in compiling and filing the member's 
                claim for disability compensation;
            ``(D) communicating with transitioning members of the Armed 
        Forces through other means if calling each member as described 
        in subparagraph (C) has not resulted in contact before 
        exceeding the maximum number of call attempts as the Secretary 
        may specify;'';
            (4) in subparagraph (G), as redesignated by paragraph (2), 
        by inserting ``transitioning member's and'' after ``the needs 
        of each'';
            (5) in subparagraph (H), as redesignated by paragraph (2), 
        by inserting ``transitioning members of the Armed Forces and'' 
        after ``prioritizing outreach to''; and
            (6) in subparagraph (I), as redesignated by paragraph (2), 
        by inserting ``transitioning women members of the Armed Forces 
        and'' after ``providing''.
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