(a) The Secretary may assist any organization named in or approved under section 5902 of this title in providing recreational activities which would further the rehabilitation of disabled veterans. Such assistance may be provided only if—
(1) the activities are available to disabled veterans on a national basis; and
(2) a significant percentage of the individuals participating in the activities are eligible for rehabilitative services under chapter 17 of this title.
(b) The Secretary may accept from any appropriate source contributions of funds and of other assistance to support the Secretary's provision of assistance for such activities.
(c)(1) Subject to paragraph (2), the Secretary may authorize the use, for purposes approved by the Secretary in connection with the activity involved, of the seal and other official symbols of the Department and the name “Department of Veterans Affairs” by—
(A) any organization which provides an activity described in subsection (a) with assistance from the Secretary; and
(B) any individual or entity from which the Secretary accepts a significant contribution under subsection (b) or an offer of such a contribution.
(2) The use of such seal or name of any official symbol of the Department in an advertisement may be authorized by the Secretary under this subsection only if—
(A) the Secretary has approved the advertisement; and
(B) the advertisement contains a clear statement that no product, project, or commercial line of endeavor referred to in the advertisement is endorsed by the Department of Veterans Affairs.
(Added Pub. L. 102–83, §2(a), Aug. 6, 1991, 105 Stat. 390.)
Prior section 521 was renumbered section 1521 of this title.
Provisions similar to those in this section were contained in section 216 of this title prior to repeal by Pub. L. 102–83, §2(a).
(a)
(b)
(c)
(2) The application shall include—
(A) a detailed description of all partnerships referred to in paragraph (3) at the national and local levels that will be participating in such activities and the amount of grant funds that the United States Paralympics, Inc., proposes to make available for each of such partnerships; and
(B) for any fiscal year for which a grant is sought, the amount of private donations received by the United States Paralympics, Inc., expected to be expended to support operations during that fiscal year.
(3) Partnerships referred to in this paragraph are agreements between the United States Paralympics, Inc., and organizations with significant experience in the training and support of disabled athletes and the promotion of disabled sports at the local and national levels. Such organizations may include Disabled Sports USA, Blaze Sports, Paralyzed Veterans of America, and Disabled American Veterans. The agreements shall detail the scope of activities and funding to be provided by the United States Paralympics, Inc., to the partner.
(d)
(2) A program described in this paragraph is a sports program that—
(A) promotes basic physical activity, games, recreation, training, and competition;
(B) is approved by the Secretary; and
(C)(i) provides services and activities described in paragraph (3) for disabled veterans and disabled members of the Armed Forces; and
(ii) may also provide services and activities described in paragraph (3) for individuals with disabilities who are not veterans or members of the Armed Forces, or both; except that funds made available to carry out this section may not be used to support those individuals with disabilities who are not veterans or members of the Armed Forces.
(3) Activities described in this paragraph are—
(A) instruction, participation, and competition in Paralympic sports;
(B) training and technical assistance to program administrators, coaches, recreational therapists, instructors, Department employees, and other appropriate individuals; and
(C) coordination, Paralympic classification of athletes, athlete assessment, sport-specific training techniques, program development (including programs at the local level), sports equipment, supplies, program evaluation, and other activities related to the implementation and operation of the program.
(4) A grant made under this section may include, at the discretion of the Secretary, an amount for the administrative expenses of the United States Paralympics, Inc., but not to exceed five percent of the amount of the grant.
(5) Funds made available by the United States Paralympics, Inc., to a grantee under subsection (c) may include an amount for administrative expenses, but not to exceed ten percent of the amount of such funds.
(e)
(f)
(g)
(h)
(i)
(j)
(2) A report under this subsection may be audited by the Secretary.
(3) For any fiscal year after fiscal year 2010, the eligibility of the United States Paralympics, Inc., to receive a grant under this section shall be contingent upon the submission of the report under paragraph (1) for the preceding fiscal year.
(k)
(l
(Added Pub. L. 110–389, title VII, §702(a), Oct. 10, 2008, 122 Stat. 4181.)
Pub. L. 110–389, title VII, §702(c), Oct. 10, 2008, 122 Stat. 4183, provided that: “The Secretary of Veterans Affairs may not award a grant under section 521A of title 38, United States Code, as added by subsection (a), until the United States Paralympics, Inc., and the Secretary have entered into a memorandum of understanding or cooperative agreement regarding implementation of the integrated adaptive sports program under that section. To the extent feasible, such memorandum or agreement shall be concluded not later than 240 days after the date of the enactment of this Act [Oct. 10, 2008].”
Pub. L. 110–389, title VII, §703(c), Oct. 10, 2008, 122 Stat. 4185, provided that: “The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall direct the Under Secretary for Health of the Department of Veterans Affairs—
“(1) to make available, to the extent determined appropriate by the Secretary, recreational therapists, physical therapists, and other medical staff to facilitate participation of veterans in sporting events conducted under the auspices of the United States Paralympics, Inc.; and
“(2) to allow such personnel to provide support to the programs of the United States Paralympics, Inc., without requiring the use of personal leave.”
(a) The Secretary may conduct studies and investigations, and prepare reports, relative to the rehabilitation of disabled persons, the relative abilities, aptitudes, and capacities of the several groups of the variously handicapped, and how their potentialities can best be developed and their services best used in gainful and suitable employment including the rehabilitation programs of foreign nations.
(b) In carrying out this section, the Secretary (1) may cooperate with such public and private agencies as the Secretary considers advisable; and (2) may employ consultants who shall receive a reasonable per diem, as prescribed by the Secretary, for each day actually employed, plus necessary travel and other expenses.
(Added Pub. L. 102–83, §2(a), Aug. 6, 1991, 105 Stat. 390.)
Prior section 522 was renumbered section 1522 of this title.
Provisions similar to those in this section were contained in section 217 of this title prior to repeal by Pub. L. 102–83, §2(a).
(a) The Secretary shall seek to achieve (1) the maximum feasible effectiveness, coordination, and interrelationship of services among all programs and activities affecting veterans and their dependents carried out by and under all other departments, agencies, and instrumentalities of the executive branch, and (2) the maximum feasible coordination of such programs with programs carried out under this title. The Secretary shall actively promote the effective implementation, enforcement, and application of all provisions of law and regulations providing for special consideration, emphasis, or preference for veterans.
(b) The Secretary shall seek to achieve the effective coordination of the provision, under laws administered by the Department, of benefits and services (and information about such benefits and services) with appropriate programs (and information about such programs) conducted by State and local governmental agencies and by private entities at the State and local level. In carrying out this subsection, the Secretary shall place special emphasis on veterans who are 65 years of age or older.
(Added Pub. L. 102–83, §2(a), Aug. 6, 1991, 105 Stat. 390.)
Prior sections 523 and 524 were renumbered sections 1523 and 1524 of this title, respectively.
Provisions similar to those in this section were contained in section 220 of this title prior to repeal by Pub. L. 102–83, §2(a).
Pub. L. 111–163, title V, §506, May 5, 2010, 124 Stat. 1160, provided that:
“(a)
“(1) to increase the coordination of community, local, State, and Federal providers of health care and benefits for veterans to assist veterans who are transitioning from military service to civilian life in such transition;
“(2) to increase the availability of high quality medical and mental health services to veterans transitioning from military service to civilian life;
“(3) to provide assistance to families of veterans who are transitioning from military service to civilian life to help such families adjust to such transition; and
“(4) to provide outreach to veterans and their families to inform them about the availability of benefits and connect them with appropriate care and benefit programs.
“(b)
“(c)
“(1)
“(2)
“(A) rural areas;
“(B) areas with populations that have a high proportion of minority group representation;
“(C) areas with populations that have a high proportion of individuals who have limited access to health care; and
“(D) areas that are not in close proximity to an active duty military installation.
“(d)
“(e)
“(1)
“(2)
“(A) A description of the consultations, if any, with the Department of Veterans Affairs in the development of the proposal under the application.
“(B) A plan to coordinate activities under the pilot program, to the greatest extent possible, with the local, State, and Federal providers of services for veterans to reduce duplication of services and to enhance the effect of such services.
“(f)
“(g)
“(1)
“(2)
“(A) The findings and conclusions of the Secretary with respect to the pilot program.
“(B) An assessment of the benefits to veterans of the pilot program.
“(C) The recommendations of the Secretary as to the advisability of continuing the pilot program.”
(a) The Secretary may compile and publish all Federal laws relating to veterans’ relief, including laws administered by the Department as well as by other agencies of the Government. Such compilation and publication shall be in such form as the Secretary considers advisable for the purpose of making currently available in convenient form for the use of the Department and full-time representatives of the several service organizations an annotated, indexed, and cross-referenced statement of the laws providing veterans’ relief.
(b) The Secretary may maintain such compilation on a current basis either by the publication, from time to time, of supplementary documents or by complete revision of the compilation.
(c) The distribution of the compilation to the representatives of the several service organizations shall be as determined by the Secretary.
(Added Pub. L. 102–83, §2(a), Aug. 6, 1991, 105 Stat. 391.)
Prior section 525 was renumbered section 1525 of this title.
Provisions similar to those in this section were contained in section 215 of this title prior to repeal by Pub. L. 102–83, §2(a).
(a) The Secretary, pursuant to general standards which the Secretary shall prescribe in regulations, shall measure and evaluate on a continuing basis the effect of all programs authorized under this title, in order to determine their effectiveness in achieving stated goals in general, and in achieving such goals in relation to their cost, their effect on related programs, and their structure and mechanisms for delivery of services. Such information as the Secretary may consider necessary for purposes of such evaluations shall be made available to the Secretary, upon request, by all departments, agencies, and instrumentalities of the executive branch.
(b) In carrying out this section, the Secretary shall collect, collate, and analyze on a continuing basis full statistical data regarding participation (including the duration thereof), provision of services, categories of beneficiaries, planning and construction of facilities, acquisition of real property, proposed excessing of land, accretion and attrition of personnel, and categorized expenditures attributable thereto, under all programs carried out under this title.
(c) The Secretary shall make available to the public, and on a regular basis provide to the appropriate committees of the Congress, copies of all completed evaluative research studies and summaries of evaluations of program impact and effectiveness carried out, and tabulations and analyses of all data collected, under this section.
(Added Pub. L. 102–83, §2(a), Aug. 6, 1991, 105 Stat. 391.)
Provisions similar to those in this section were contained in section 219 of this title prior to repeal by Pub. L. 102–83, §2(a).
Pub. L. 102–585, title VII, Nov. 4, 1992, 106 Stat. 4975, as amended by Pub. L. 103–446, title I, §108, Nov. 2, 1994, 108 Stat. 4653; Pub. L. 105–368, title I, §§104, 106, Nov. 11, 1998, 112 Stat. 3323, 3325; Pub. L. 111–163, title V, §502, May 5, 2010, 124 Stat. 1157, provided that:
“This title may be cited as the ‘Persian Gulf War Veterans’ Health Status Act’.
“(a)
“(b)
“(1) A list containing the name of each individual who served as a member of the Armed Forces in the Persian Gulf theater of operations during the Persian Gulf War and who—
“(A) applies for care or services from the Department of Veterans Affairs under chapter 17 of title 38, United States Code;
“(B) files a claim for compensation under chapter 11 of such title on the basis of any disability which may be associated with such service;
“(C) dies and is survived by a spouse, child, or parent who files a claim for dependency and indemnity compensation under chapter 13 of such title on the basis of such service;
“(D) requests from the Department a health examination under section 703; or
“(E) receives from the Department of Defense a health examination similar to the health examination referred to in subparagraph (D) and requests inclusion in the Registry.
“(2) Relevant medical data relating to the health status of, and other information that the Secretary considers relevant and appropriate with respect to, each individual described in paragraph (1) who—
“(A) grants to the Secretary permission to include such information in the Registry; or
“(B) at the time the individual is listed in the Registry, is deceased.
“(c)
“(d)
“(e)
“(f)
“(a)
“(A) shall, upon the request of a veteran described in subsection (b)(1), provide the veteran with a health examination (including any appropriate diagnostic tests) and consultation and counseling with respect to the results of the examination and the tests; and
“(B) may, upon the request of a veteran described in subsection (b)(2), provide the veteran with such an examination (including diagnostic tests) and such consultation and counseling.
“(2) The Secretary shall carry out appropriate outreach activities with respect to the provision of any health examinations (including any diagnostic tests) and consultation and counseling services under paragraph (1).
“(b)
“(2) In accordance with subsection (a)(1)(B), the Secretary may provide an examination (including diagnostic tests), consultation, and counseling under that subsection to any veteran who is eligible for listing or inclusion in any other similar health-related registry administered by the Secretary.
“[Amended section 734 of Pub. L. 102–190, set out as a note under section 1074 of Title 10, Armed Forces.]
“(a)
“(1) the potential utility of each of the Persian Gulf Registry and the Persian Gulf War Veterans Health Registry for scientific study and assessment of the intermediate and long-term health consequences of military service in the Persian Gulf theater of operations during the Persian Gulf War;
“(2) the extent to which each registry meets the requirements of the provisions of law under which the registry is established;
“(3) the extent to which data contained in each registry—
“(A) are maintained in a manner that ensures permanent preservation and facilitates the effective, efficient retrieval of information that is potentially relevant to the scientific study of the intermediate and long-term health consequences of military service in the Persian Gulf theater of operations during the Persian Gulf War; and
“(B) would be useful for scientific study regarding such health consequences;
“(4) the adequacy of any plans to update each of the registries;
“(5) the extent to which the Department of Defense or the Department of Veterans Affairs, as the case may be, is assembling and maintaining information on the Persian Gulf theater of operations (including information on troop locations and atmospheric and weather conditions) in a manner that facilitates the usefulness of, maintenance of, and retrieval of information from, the applicable registry; and
“(6) the adequacy and compatibility of protocols for the health examinations and counseling provided under section 703 and health examinations provided by the Department of Defense to members of the Armed Forces for the purpose of assessing the health status of members of the Armed Forces who served in the Persian Gulf theater of operations during the Persian Gulf War.
“(b)
“(c)
“(1) not later than 270 days after the date of the enactment of this Act [Nov. 4, 1992], submit to Congress a report on the results of the assessment carried out under this section of the Persian Gulf Registry and health-examination protocols; and
“(2) not later than 15 months after such date, submit to Congress a report on the results of the assessment carried out under this section of the Persian Gulf War Veterans Health Registry.
“(d)
“(1) The term ‘Persian Gulf Registry’ means the registry established under section 734 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Years 1992 and 1993 (Public Law 102–190; 105 Stat. 1411; 10 U.S.C. 1074 note), as amended by section 704.
“(2) The term ‘Persian Gulf War Veterans Health Registry’ means the Persian Gulf War Veterans Health Registry established under section 702.
“(a)
“(2) The agreement shall require MFUA to provide members of veterans organizations and members of the scientific community (including the Director of the Office of Technology Assessment) with the opportunity to comment on the method or methods MFUA proposes to use in conducting the review.
“(3) The agreement shall permit MFUA, in conducting the review, to examine and evaluate medical records of individuals who are included in the registries referred to in section 705(d) for purposes that MFUA considers appropriate, including the purpose of identifying illnesses of those individuals.
“(4) The Secretary of Veterans Affairs and the Secretary of Defense shall seek to enter into the agreement under this section not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act [Nov. 4, 1992].
“(b)
“(A) An assessment of the effectiveness of actions taken by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs and the Secretary of Defense to collect and maintain information that is potentially useful for assessing the health consequences of the military service referred to in subsection (a).
“(B) Recommendations on means of improving the collection and maintenance of such information.
“(C) Recommendations on whether there is sound scientific basis for an epidemiological study or studies on the health consequences of such service, and if the recommendation is that there is sound scientific basis for such a study or studies, the nature of the study or studies.
“(2) The committees and secretaries referred to in paragraph (1) are the following:
“(A) The Committees on Veterans’ Affairs of the Senate and House of Representatives.
“(B) The Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and House of Representatives.
“(C) The Secretary of Veterans Affairs.
“(D) The Secretary of Defense.
“(c)
“(2) If the Secretary of Veterans Affairs and the Secretary of Defense enter into an agreement under subsection (a) with the National Academy of Sciences—
“(A) the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall make available $250,000 in each of fiscal years 1994 through 2003, from amounts available to the Department of Veterans Affairs in each such fiscal year, to the National Academy of Sciences for the general purposes of conducting epidemiological research with respect to military and veterans populations; and
“(B) the Secretary of Defense shall make available $250,000 in each of fiscal years 1994 through 2003, from amounts available to the Department of Defense in each such fiscal year, to the National Academy of Sciences for the purposes of carrying out the research referred to in subparagraph (A).
“(d)
“(A) develop a curriculum pertaining to the care and treatment of veterans of such service who have ill-defined or undiagnosed illnesses for use in the continuing medical education of both general and specialty physicians who provide care for such veterans; and
“(B) on an ongoing basis, periodically review and provide recommendations regarding the research plans and research strategies of the Departments relating to the health consequences of military service in the Persian Gulf theater of operations during the Persian Gulf War.
“(2) Recommendations to be provided under paragraph (1)(B) include any recommendations that the Academy considers appropriate for additional scientific studies (including studies related to treatment models) to resolve areas of continuing scientific uncertainty relating to the health consequences of any aspects of such military service. In making recommendations for additional studies, the Academy shall consider the available scientific data, the value and relevance of the information that could result from such studies, and the cost and feasibility of carrying out such studies.
“(3) Not later than 9 months after the Institute of Medicine provides the Secretaries the curriculum developed under paragraph (1)(A), the Secretaries shall provide for the conduct of continuing education programs using that curriculum. Those programs shall include instruction which seeks to emphasize use of appropriate protocols of diagnosis, referral, and treatment of such veterans.
“(a)
“(b)
“(c)
“(A) the status and results of all such research activities undertaken by the executive branch during the previous year; and
“(B) research priorities identified during that year.
“(2)(A) Not later than 120 days after submission of the epidemiological research study conducted by the Department of Veterans Affairs entitled ‘VA National Survey of Persian Gulf Veterans—Phase III’, the head of the department or agency designated under subsection (a) shall submit to the congressional committees specified in paragraph (1) a report on the findings under that study and any other pertinent medical literature.
“(B) With respect to any findings of that study and any other pertinent medical literature which identify scientific evidence of a greater relative risk of illness or illnesses in family members of veterans who served in the Persian Gulf War theater of operations than in family members of veterans who did not so serve, the head of the department or agency designated under subsection (a) shall seek to ensure that appropriate research studies are designed to follow up on such findings.
“(d)
“(e)
“For the purposes of this title, the term ‘Persian Gulf War’ has the meaning given such term in section 101(33) of title 38, United States Code.”
Pub. L. 102–405, title I, §107, Oct. 9, 1992, 106 Stat. 1976, as amended by Pub. L. 103–446, title X, §1002, Nov. 2, 1994, 108 Stat. 4679, required Secretary of Veterans’ Affairs and directors of each medical center or benefits office to assess needs of homeless veterans and programs which have been developed to assist homeless veterans, and to replicate programs which have successfully rehabilitated homeless veterans, prior to repeal by Pub. L. 105–114, title II, §202(c)(2), Nov. 21, 1997, 111 Stat. 2287.
The Secretary shall submit annually, at the close of each fiscal year, a report in writing to Congress. Each such report shall—
(1) give an account of all moneys received and disbursed by the Department for such fiscal year;
(2) describe the work done during such fiscal year; and
(3) state the activities of the Department for such fiscal year.
(Added Pub. L. 102–83, §2(a), Aug. 6, 1991, 105 Stat. 391.)
Provisions similar to those in this section were contained in section 214 of this title prior to repeal by Pub. L. 102–83, §2(a).
Prior section 531, Pub. L. 85–857, Sept. 2, 1958, 72 Stat. 1137; Pub. L. 90–77, title I, §105, Aug. 31, 1967, 81 Stat. 179, provided for a monthly pension to widows of Mexican War veterans, prior to repeal by Pub. L. 94–169, title I, §101(2)(F), Dec. 23, 1975, 89 Stat. 1014, effective Jan. 1, 1976.
Prior sections 532 to 537 were renumbered sections 1532 to 1537 of this title, respectively.
(a) The Secretary shall submit to the Committees on Veterans’ Affairs of the Senate and House of Representatives an annual report, to be submitted each year at the time that the President submits the budget for the next fiscal year under section 1105 of title 31, on the activities of the Department relating to preparation for, and participation in, a domestic medical response to an attack involving weapons of mass destruction.
(b) Each report under subsection (a) shall include the following:
(1) A statement of the amounts of funds and the level of personnel resources (stated in terms of full-time equivalent employees) expected to be used by the Department during the next fiscal year in preparation for a domestic medical response to an attack involving weapons of mass destruction, including the anticipated source of those funds and any anticipated shortfalls in funds or personnel resources to achieve the tasks assigned the Department by the President in connection with preparation for such a response.
(2) A detailed statement of the funds expended and personnel resources (stated in terms of full-time equivalent employees) used during the fiscal year preceding the fiscal year during which the report is submitted in preparation for a domestic medical response to an attack involving weapons of mass destruction or in response to such an attack, including identification of the source of those funds and a description of how those funds were expended.
(3) A detailed statement of the funds expended and expected to be expended, and the personnel resources (stated in terms of full-time equivalent employees) used and expected to be used, during the fiscal year during which the report is submitted in preparation for a domestic medical response to an attack involving weapons of mass destruction or in response to such an attack, including identification of the source of funds expended and a description of how those funds were expended.
(c) This section shall expire on January 1, 2009.
(Added Pub. L. 105–368, title IX, §906(a), Nov. 11, 1998, 112 Stat. 3361.)
Except as expressly provided by law, a facility, structure, or real property of the Department, and a major portion (such as a wing or floor) of any such facility, structure, or real property, may be named only for the geographic area in which the facility, structure, or real property is located.
(Added Pub. L. 105–368, title X, §1001(a)(1), Nov. 11, 1998, 112 Stat. 3363.)
Pub. L. 105–368, title X, §1001(b), Nov. 11, 1998, 112 Stat. 3363, provided that: “Section 531 of title 38, United States Code, as added by subsection (a)(1), shall apply with respect to the assignment or designation of the name of a facility, structure, or real property of the Department of Veterans Affairs (or of a major portion thereof) after the date of the enactment of this Act [Nov. 11, 1998].”
The Secretary may purchase advertising in national media outlets for the purpose of promoting awareness of benefits under laws administered by the Secretary, including promoting awareness of assistance provided by the Secretary, including assistance for programs to assist homeless veterans, to promote veteran-owned small businesses, and to provide opportunities for employment in the Department of Veterans Affairs and for education, training, compensation, pension, vocational rehabilitation, and healthcare benefits, and mental healthcare (including the prevention of suicide among veterans).
(Added Pub. L. 110–389, title VIII, §809(a), Oct. 10, 2008, 122 Stat. 4189.)