[114th Congress Public Law 31]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]



[[Page 427]]

                    VETERANS IDENTIFICATION CARD ACT 
                                 OF 2015

[[Page 129 STAT. 428]]

Public Law 114-31
114th Congress

                                 An Act


 
   To amend title 38, United States Code, to direct the Secretary of 
Veterans Affairs to issue, upon request, veteran identification cards to 
         certain veterans. <<NOTE: July 20, 2015 -  [H.R. 91]>> 

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled, <<NOTE: Veterans 
Identification Card Act of 2015. 38 USC 101 note.>> 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Veterans Identification Card Act 
2015''.
SEC. 2. <<NOTE: 38 USC 5706 note.>>  VETERANS IDENTIFICATION CARD.

    (a) Findings.--Congress makes the following findings:
            (1) Effective on the day before the date of the enactment of 
        this Act, veteran identification cards were issued to veterans 
        who have either completed the statutory time-in-service 
        requirement for retirement from the Armed Forces or who have 
        received a medical-related discharge from the Armed Forces.
            (2) Effective on the day before the date of the enactment of 
        this Act, a veteran who served a minimum obligated time in 
        service, but who did not meet the criteria described in 
        paragraph (1), did not receive a means of identifying the 
        veteran's status as a veteran other than using the Department of 
        Defense form DD-214 discharge papers of the veteran.
            (3) Goods, services, and promotional activities are often 
        offered by public and private institutions to veterans who 
        demonstrate proof of service in the military, but it is 
        impractical for a veteran to always carry Department of Defense 
        form DD-214 discharge papers to demonstrate such proof.
            (4) A general purpose veteran identification card made 
        available to veterans would be useful to demonstrate the status 
        of the veterans without having to carry and use official 
        Department of Defense form DD-214 discharge papers.
            (5) On the day before the date of the enactment of this Act, 
        the Department of Veterans Affairs had the infrastructure in 
        place across the United States to produce photographic 
        identification cards and accept a small payment to cover the 
        cost of these cards.

    (b) Provision of Veteran Identification Cards.--Chapter 57 of title 
38, United States Code, is amended by adding after section 5705 the 
following new section:

[[Page 129 STAT. 429]]

``Sec. 5706. <<NOTE: 38 USC 5706.>>  Veterans identification card

    ``(a) In General.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall issue an 
identification card described in subsection (b) to each veteran who--
            ``(1) requests such card;
            ``(2) presents a copy of Department of Defense form DD-214 
        or other official document from the official military personnel 
        file of the veteran that describes the service of the veteran; 
        and
            ``(3) pays the fee under subsection (c)(1).

    ``(b) Identification Card.--An identification card described in this 
subsection is a card issued to a veteran that--
            ``(1) displays a photograph of the veteran;
            ``(2) displays the name of the veteran;
            ``(3) explains that such card is not proof of any benefits 
        to which the veteran is entitled to;
            ``(4) contains an identification number that is not a social 
        security number; and
            ``(5) serves as proof that such veteran--
                    ``(A) served in the Armed Forces; and
                    ``(B) has a Department of Defense form DD-214 or 
                other official document in the official military 
                personnel file of the veteran that describes the service 
                of the veteran.

    ``(c) <<NOTE: Fees.>>  Costs of Card.--(1) The Secretary shall 
charge a fee to each veteran who receives an identification card issued 
under this section, including a replacement identification card.

    ``(2)(A) <<NOTE: Determination.>>  The fee charged under paragraph 
(1) shall equal such amount as the Secretary determines is necessary to 
issue an identification card under this section.

    ``(B) In determining the amount of the fee under subparagraph (A), 
the Secretary shall ensure that the total amount of fees collected under 
paragraph (1) equals an amount necessary to carry out this section, 
including costs related to any additional equipment or personnel 
required to carry out this section.
    ``(C) <<NOTE: Review. Assessment.>>  The Secretary shall review and 
reassess the determination under subparagraph (A) during each five-year 
period in which the Secretary issues an identification card under this 
section.

    ``(3) Amounts collected under this subsection shall be deposited in 
an account of the Department available to carry out this section. 
Amounts so deposited shall be--
            ``(A) merged with amounts in such account;
            ``(B) available in such amounts as may be provided in 
        appropriation Acts; and
            ``(C) subject to the same conditions and limitations as 
        amounts otherwise in such account.

    ``(d) Effect of Card on Benefits.--(1) An identification card issued 
under this section shall not serve as proof of any benefits that the 
veteran may be entitled to under this title.
    ``(2) A veteran who is issued an identification card under this 
section shall not be entitled to any benefits under this title by reason 
of possessing such card.
    ``(e) Administrative Measures.--(1) The Secretary shall ensure that 
any information collected or used with respect to an identification card 
issued under this section is appropriately secured.
    ``(2) The Secretary may determine any appropriate procedures with 
respect to issuing a replacement identification card.

[[Page 129 STAT. 430]]

    ``(3) <<NOTE: Coordination.>>  In carrying out this section, the 
Secretary shall coordinate with the National Personnel Records Center.

    ``(4) The Secretary may conduct such outreach to advertise the 
identification card under this section as the Secretary considers 
appropriate.
    ``(f) Construction.--This section shall not be construed to affect 
identification cards otherwise provided by the Secretary to veterans 
enrolled in the health care system established under section 1705(a) of 
this title.''.
    (c) Clerical Amendment.--The table of sections at the beginning of 
such chapter <<NOTE: 38 USC prec. 5701.>>  is amended by inserting after 
the item relating to section 5705 the following new item:

``5706. Veterans identification card.''.

    (d) <<NOTE: 38 USC 5706 note.>>  Effective Date.--The amendments 
made by this Act shall take effect on the date that is 60 days after the 
date of the enactment of this Act.

    Approved July 20, 2015.

LEGISLATIVE HISTORY--H.R. 91:
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CONGRESSIONAL RECORD, Vol. 161 (2015):
            May 18, considered and passed House.
            June 22, considered and passed Senate, amended.
            July 7, House concurred in Senate amendment.

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