[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 116 (Wednesday, June 24, 2020)]
[Senate]
[Page S3264]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

  SA 1769. Mr. SCHATZ submitted an amendment intended to be proposed by 
him to the bill S. 4049, to authorize appropriations for fiscal year 
2021 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 appropriate place, insert the following:

     SEC. ___. VETERANS SERVICE ORGANIZATION SUPPORT TO TRANSITION 
                   ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS.

       (a) In General.--Not later than 270 days after the date of 
     the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense, in 
     collaboration with the Secretary of Labor, the Secretary of 
     Homeland Security, and the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, 
     shall establish a process by which a representative of a 
     veterans service organization may be present at any portion 
     of the program carried out under section 1144 of title 10, 
     United States Code, relating to the submittal of claims to 
     the Secretary of Veterans Affairs for compensation under 
     chapter 11 or 13 of title 38, United States Code.
       (b) Purpose.--The process established in subsection (a) 
     shall ensure that a representative of a veteran service 
     organization can support and facilitate the efforts of the 
     Department of Defense to provide preseparation counseling and 
     transition assistance carried out under section 1144 of title 
     10, United States Code, relating to the submittal of claims 
     to the Secretary of Veterans Affairs for compensation under 
     chapter 11 or 13 of title 38, United States Code.
       (c) Access to Be Authorized.--In accordance with the 
     process established in subsection (a), the Secretary of 
     Defense shall review and modify as necessary the memorandum 
     of the Secretary entitled ``Installation Access and Support 
     Services for Nonprofit Non-Federal Entities'' and dated 
     December 23, 2014, to permit a representative of a veterans 
     service organization access to a military installations to be 
     present at any portion of the program carried out under 
     section 1144 of title 10, United States Code, to members of 
     the Armed Forces stationed at such installations.
       (d) Rule of Construction.--Nothing in this section shall be 
     construed as authorizing the Secretary of Defense to offer--
       (1) a recommendation or endorsement of a particular 
     veterans service organization over another veterans service 
     organization for the purposes of supporting preseparation 
     counseling and transition assistance programming; and
       (2) the encouragement, support, or other suggestion that a 
     member of the Armed Forces seek membership in a veterans 
     service organization.
       (e) Report.--
       (1) In general.--Not later than 540 days after the date of 
     the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall 
     submit to Congress a report on participation of veterans 
     service organizations in the program carried out under 
     section 1144 of title 10, United States Code.
       (2) Contents.--The report required by paragraph (1) shall 
     include the following:
       (A) An assessment of the compliance of facilities of the 
     Department of Defense with the directives providing a 
     representative of a veteran service organization access to a 
     military installation, including--
       (i) the memorandum of the Secretary entitled ``Installation 
     Access and Support Services for Nonprofit Non-Federal 
     Entities'' and dated December 23, 2014; or
       (ii) a memorandum of the Secretary superseding the 
     memorandum described in clause (i).
       (B) The number of military bases that have complied with 
     such directives.
       (C) How many veterans service organizations have been 
     present at a portion of a program as described in subsection 
     (a).
       (f) Veterans Service Organization Defined.--In this 
     section, the term ``veterans service organization'' means any 
     organization recognized by the Secretary for the 
     representation of veterans under section 5902 of title 38, 
     United States Code.
                                 ______