[Congressional Bills 111th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 3355 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
111th CONGRESS
2d Session
S. 3355
To provide for an Internet website for information on benefits,
resources, services, and opportunities for veterans and their families
and caregivers, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
May 12, 2010
Ms. Klobuchar (for herself, Mr. Johanns, and Mrs. Murray) introduced
the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee
on Veterans' Affairs
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To provide for an Internet website for information on benefits,
resources, services, and opportunities for veterans and their families
and caregivers, 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 One Source Act of 2010''.
SEC. 2. ONE-STOP INTERNET WEBSITE FOR INFORMATION ON BENEFITS,
RESOURCES, SERVICES, AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR VETERANS AND
THEIR FAMILIES AND CAREGIVERS.
(a) Findings.--Congress makes the following findings:
(1) One of the most critical problems identified by
veterans and their families and caregivers is a lack of easily
accessible information and advice on benefits, resources,
services, and opportunities for members of the veteran
community.
(2) A guiding principle of the Department of Veterans
Affairs in bringing the Department into the 21st century is to
ensure coordination between the Department of Veterans Affairs
and the Department of Defense to provide a seamless transition
from military life to civilian life.
(3) The Department of Veterans Affairs has also emphasized
its intent to modernize, streamline, and simplify the provision
of resources to the veteran community, including through the
elimination of paper waste.
(4) The Internet increasingly serves as an essential
communication tool for all sectors of society and should be
used efficiently and effectively as a tool to provide
interactive outreach to the veteran community.
(5) The Department of Veterans Affairs, the Department of
Labor, and other departments and agencies of the Federal
Government have taken strong steps to improve outreach to
veterans, including through the creation of Internet websites
for specific veteran populations, such as the National Resource
Directory for wounded veterans.
(6) However, the lack of a single, all-inclusive, user-
friendly Internet website with all relevant information on
benefits, resources, services, and opportunities for veterans
and their families and caregivers continues to impede the
seamless transition of veterans from military life to civilian
life.
(7) Moreover, veterans and their families and caregivers
continue to seek direct and personalized assistance from the
Department of Veterans Affairs that could be effectively and
efficiently supplemented by strong, interactive online
services.
(8) The Department of Defense has implemented an effective
and well-used program, Military One Source, that includes an
Internet website with consolidated information for members of
the Armed Forces on active duty.
(9) The Department of Defense has also successfully
employed various interactive, virtual tools on its Internet
websites to provide a higher quality virtual Internet
experience to members of the Armed Forces.
(10) The veterans community would be well-served by the
establishment of a single, consolidated, expanded, and
interactive Internet website to ensure streamlined and
simplified access to all information and advice on benefits,
resources, services, and opportunities available to veterans
and their families and caregivers.
(b) One-Stop Internet Website for Information on Benefits,
Resources, Services, and Opportunities for Veterans and Their Families
and Caregivers.--
(1) In general.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall
establish and maintain an interactive Internet website that
provides information on the benefits, resources, services, and
opportunities described in subsection (d). The Secretary may
enter into a contract with an appropriate Federal or private
sector entity for purposes of establishing or maintaining the
website.
(2) Nature of website.--The website shall--
(A) serve to consolidate, expand on, and improve
information and links from other existing Internet
websites relating to the benefits, resources, services,
and opportunities described in subsection (d), and may
include such other information and links on such
benefits, resources, services, and opportunities as the
Secretary considers appropriate; and
(B) integrate dynamic Internet features and virtual
interface tools described in subsection (e) to provide
veterans a personalized, interactive, and user-centered
Internet experience and increase interoperability,
facilitate collaborative information sharing, and
streamline provision of information and advice to
veterans and their families and caregivers.
(3) Utilization of existing website in establishment.--In
establishing the website, the Secretary may utilize an existing
Internet website, such as the National Resource Directory for
wounded veterans, as the basis for the website, in order to
avoid unnecessary duplication of effort.
(4) Consultation.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs carry
out activities under this subsection in consultation with the
following:
(A) The Secretary of Defense, particularly with
respect to the Military One Source program and other
interactive virtual tools employed by the Department of
Defense.
(B) The Secretary of Labor.
(C) The Secretary of Education.
(D) The Commissioner of Internal Revenue.
(E) The Commissioner of Social Security.
(F) The Administrator of the Small Business
Administration.
(G) Any other Federal officials that the Secretary
of Veterans Affairs considers appropriate for purposes
of this section.
(H) Appropriate advisory committees on veterans
matters.
(I) Other representatives, individuals, and
organizations specified in section 6302(c) of title 38,
United States Code.
(c) Domain and Name of Website.--
(1) Domain.--In establishing the Internet website under
subsection (b) the Secretary shall consider the advisability of
registering the website in the ``.com'' domain, rather than the
``.gov'' domain, and shall register the website in the ``.com''
domain if the Secretary considers registration of the website
in that domain advisable.
(2) Name.--The name selected for the website shall be a
name intended to reveal the website as a single, one-stop
resource for veterans and their families and caregivers on the
benefits, resources, services, and opportunities described in
subsection (d).
(d) Benefits, Resources, Services, and Opportunities.--The
benefits, resources, services, and opportunities described in this
subsection are benefits, resources, services, and opportunities as
follows:
(1) Veterans benefits provided by or through the Department
of Veterans Affairs, including pension and compensation
benefits, health care benefits (including mental health care
benefits), education assistance and benefits, housing
assistance and benefits, and other assistance and benefits.
(2) Veterans benefits provided by or through the Department
of Labor, including employment and reemployment benefits, and
other benefits provided by or through the Department of Labor.
(3) Tax benefits.
(4) Social security benefits.
(5) Veterans benefits provided by or through the Small
Business Administration, including assistance related to small
business, and other benefits provided by or though the Small
Business Administration.
(6) Resources, services, and opportunities such as--
(A) resources for families;
(B) resources on child care;
(C) resources on home care;
(D) resources for caregivers;
(E) resources for education professionals, mental
health professionals, and other professionals that
provide for veterans;
(F) resources on stress management and mental
health care;
(G) resources on veterans service organizations
(including website links to organization locators and
claims assistance);
(H) information and links on State and local
resources;
(I) information on discounts available to veterans;
(J) information and resources on volunteer
opportunities available to veterans, including
opportunities at Department of Veterans Affairs medical
centers;
(K) information and resources on community events;
and
(L) such other information and resources as the
Secretary of Veterans Affairs considers appropriate for
purposes of the website required by this section.
(7) Assistance in applying for and receiving benefits and
resources under paragraphs (1) through (6).
(8) Such other benefits, resources, services,
opportunities, and assistance as the Secretary considers
appropriate for purposes of the website.
(e) Interactive Features.--In incorporating interactive features in
the Internet website required by this section pursuant to subsection
(b)(2)(B), the Secretary should incorporate the following:
(1) Tools such as interactive, animated virtual guides, to
guide users through the website.
(2) Resources on peer-to-peer discussions, workshops, and
other interactive services for veterans and their families and
caregivers.
(3) Information on ride-sharing for appointments.
(4) Memorial notices.
(5) Internet applications.
(6) Such other interactive features as the Secretary
considers appropriate.
(f) Inclusion of Information on Website in Biennial Reports
Relating to Outreach Activities.--
(1) Biennial plan.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall
include in each biennial plan on outreach activities of the
Department of Veterans Affairs under section 6302 of title 38,
United States Code, the plans of the Department for the period
covered by such report for improving and enhancing the Internet
website required by this section to better provide information
on the benefits, resources, services, and opportunities
described in subsection (d) and to otherwise enhance the
website as a source and point of contract for information on
such benefits, resources, services, and opportunities.
(2) Biennial report.--The Secretary shall include in each
biennial report on outreach activities of the Department under
section 6308 of title 38, United States Code, a description of
the manner in which the Internet website required by this
section contributed to the outreach activities of the
Secretary, including outreach activities under chapter 63 of
such title.
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