[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 126 (Wednesday, July 26, 2017)]
[Senate]
[Pages S4327-S4328]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

  SA 369. Ms. DUCKWORTH submitted an amendment intended to be proposed 
by her to the bill H.R. 2810, to authorize appropriations for fiscal 
year 2018 for military activities of the Department of Defense, for 
military construction, and for defense activities of the Department of 
Energy, to prescribe military personnel strengths for such fiscal year, 
and for other purposes; which was ordered to lie on the table; as 
follows:

       At the end of subtitle H of title V, add the following:

     SEC. ___. REPORT ON POSSIBLE IMPROVEMENTS TO PROCESSING 
                   RETIREMENTS AND MEDICAL DISCHARGES.

       (a) Report Required.--Not later than 180 days after the 
     date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense 
     shall, in consultation with the Secretary of Veterans 
     Affairs, submit to the congressional defense committees and 
     the Committees on Veterans' Affairs of the Senate and the 
     House of Representatives a report on possible improvements to 
     the transition of members of the Armed Forces to veteran 
     status.

[[Page S4328]]

       (b) Elements.--The report under subsection (a) shall 
     address the following:
       (1) Feasibility of requiring members of the Armed Forces to 
     apply for benefits administered by the Secretary of Veterans 
     Affairs before such members complete discharge from the Armed 
     Forces.
       (2) Feasibility of requiring members of the Armed Forces to 
     undergo compensation and pension examinations (to be 
     administered by the Secretary of Defense) for purposes of 
     obtaining benefits described in paragraph (1) before such 
     members complete discharge from the Armed Forces.
       (3) Possible improvements to the timeliness of the process 
     for transitioning members who undergo medical discharge to 
     care provided by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs.
                                 ______