S.Amdt. 5301

1. Adds SEC. 1068. ACCESS OF MEMBERS OF THE ARMED FORCES UNDERGOING MEDICAL OR PHYSICAL EVALUATION TO CERTAIN ORGANIZATIONS PROVIDING VETERANS COUNSELING AND SERVICES at the end of subtitle F of title X

   Adds a section

   In S. 3001 · Placed on Calendar Senate

   (c) Senior Oversight Committee Defined.--In this section, the term "Senior Oversight Committee" means the Senior Oversight Committee jointly established by the Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of Veterans Affairs in May 2007. The Senior Oversight Committee was established to address concerns related to the treatment of wounded, ill, and injured members of the Armed Forces and veterans and serve as the single point of contact for oversight, strategy, and integration of proposed strategies for the efforts of the Department of Defense and the Department of Veterans Affairs to improve support throughout the recovery, rehabilitation, and reintegration of wounded, ill, or injured members of the Armed Forces.

   Inserted: SEC. 1068. ACCESS OF MEMBERS OF THE ARMED FORCES UNDERGOING MEDICAL OR PHYSICAL EVALUATION TO CERTAIN ORGANIZATIONS PROVIDING VETERANS COUNSELING AND SERVICES.

   Inserted: (a) In General.--Chapter 58 of title 10, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following:

   Inserted: "Sec. 1154. Access to organizations providing counseling and

   Inserted: services for veterans: members of the armed forces undergoing medical or physical evaluation

   Inserted: "(a) In General.--Each Secretary of a military department shall carry out a program to facilitate the access of members of the armed forces under the jurisdiction of such Secretary for whom a medical evaluation board or physical evaluation board has been initiated, as soon as practicable after the initiation of such board, to representatives of military service organizations, veterans service organizations, and State veterans agencies that provide counseling and services to members of the armed forces.

   Inserted: "(b) Notice on Availability of Counseling and Services.--In carrying out a program under this section, each Secretary of a military department shall provide to the members of the armed forces under the jurisdiction of such Secretary that are described in subsection (a), and their family members, notice that organizations described in that subsection provide counseling and services to veterans.

   Inserted: "(c) Access to Space and Equipment.--The commander of a military installation may not refuse the use of space and equipment at military installations, that is required to be provided by section 2670(c) of this title, to representatives of a veterans service organizations, including those authorized to provide counseling and services at the installation under this section.

   Inserted: "(d) Private Space for Counseling and Services.--The commander of each facility or location at which access is provided under subsection (c) shall, at the request of a member seeking to receive counseling and services under the program under this section, provide private space in which the member may receive such counseling and services from organizations and agencies described in subsection (a).

   Inserted: "(e) Election Not to Participate.--A member of the armed forces may affirmatively elect not to participate in the program under this section.

   Inserted: "(f) Representative Defined.--In this section, the term 'representative', with respect to a veterans service organization, means a representative of an organization that is recognized by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs for the representation of veterans under section 5902 of title 38.".

   Inserted: (b) Clerical Amendment.--The table of sections at the beginning of chapter 58 of such title is amended by adding at the end the following:

   Inserted: "1154. Access to organizations providing counseling and services for veterans: members of the armed forces undergoing medical or physical evaluation.".

   Original wording

   At the end of subtitle F of title X, add the following:

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As printed