To provide to members of the Armed Forces and their families comprehensive information on benefits for members of the Armed Forces and their families.

1. Adds SEC. 573. PROVISION TO MEMBERS OF THE ARMED FORCES AND THEIR FAMILIES OF COMPREHENSIVE INFORMATION ON BENEFITS FOR MEMBERS OF THE ARMED FORCES AND THEIR FAMILIES at the end of subtitle G of title V

   Adds a section

   In S. 1390 · Placed on Calendar Senate

   "974. Military musical units and musicians: performance policies; restriction on performance in competition with local civilian musicians.".

   Inserted: SEC. 573. PROVISION TO MEMBERS OF THE ARMED FORCES AND THEIR FAMILIES OF COMPREHENSIVE INFORMATION ON BENEFITS FOR MEMBERS OF THE ARMED FORCES AND THEIR FAMILIES.

   Inserted: (a) Provision of Comprehensive Information Required.--The Secretary of the military department concerned shall, at each time specified in subsection (b), provide to each member of the Armed Forces and, when practicable, the family members of such member comprehensive information on the benefits available to such member and family members as described in subsection (c), including the estimated monetary amount of such benefits and of any applicable offsets to such benefits.

   Inserted: (b) Times for Provision of Information.--Comprehensive information on benefits shall be provided a member of the Armed Forces and family members at each time as follows:

   Inserted: (1) Within 180 days of the enlistment, accession, or commissioning of the member as a member of the Armed Forces.

   Inserted: (2) Within 180 days of a determination that the member--

   Inserted: (A) has incurred a service-connected disability; and

   Inserted: (B) is unfit to perform the duties of the member's office, grade, rank, or rating because of such disability.

   Inserted: (3) Upon the discharge, separation, retirement, or release of the member from the Armed Forces.

   Inserted: (c) Covered Benefits.--The benefits on which a member of the Armed Forces and family members shall be provided comprehensive information under this section shall be as follows:

   Inserted: (1) At all the times described in subsection (b), the benefits shall include the following:

   Inserted: (A) Financial compensation, including financial counseling.

   Inserted: (B) Health care and life insurance programs for members of the Armed Forces and their families.

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   Inserted: (C) Death benefits.

   Inserted: (D) Entitlements and survivor benefits for dependents of the Armed Forces, including offsets in the receipt of such benefits under the Survivor Benefit Plan and in connection with the receipt of dependency and indemnity compensation.

   Inserted: (E) Educational assistance benefits, including limitations on and the transferability of such assistance.

   Inserted: (F) Housing assistance benefits, including counseling.

   Inserted: (G) Relocation planning and preparation.

   Inserted: (H) Such other benefits as the Secretary concerned considers appropriate.

   Inserted: (2) At the time described in paragraph (1) of such subsection, the benefits shall include the following:

   Inserted: (A) Maintaining military records.

   Inserted: (B) Legal assistance.

   Inserted: (C) Quality of life programs.

   Inserted: (D) Family and community programs.

   Inserted: (E) Such other benefits as the Secretary concerned considers appropriate.

   Inserted: (3) At the times described in paragraphs (2) and (3) of such subsection, the benefits shall include the following:

   Inserted: (A) Employment assistance.

   Inserted: (B) Continuing Reserve Component service.

   Inserted: (C) Disability benefits, including offsets in connection with the receipt of such benefits.

   Inserted: (D) Benefits and services provided under laws administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs.

   Inserted: (E) Such other benefits as the Secretary concerned considers appropriate.

   Inserted: (d) Biennial Notice to Members of the Armed Forces on the Value of Pay and Benefits.--

   Inserted: (1) Biennial notice required.--The Secretary of each military department shall provide to each member of the Armed Forces under the jurisdiction of such Secretary on a biennial basis notice on the value of the pay and benefits paid or provided to such member by law during the preceding year. The notice may be provided in writing or electronically, at the election of the Secretary.

   Inserted: (2) Elements.--Each notice provided a member under paragraph (1) shall include the following:

   Inserted: (A) A statement of the estimated value of the military health care, retirement benefits, disability benefits, commissary and exchange privileges, government-provided housing, tax benefits associated with service in the Armed Forces, and special pays paid or provided the member during the preceding 24 months.

   Inserted: (B) A notice regarding the death and survivor benefits, including Servicemembers' Group Life Insurance, to which the family of the member would be entitled in the event of the death of the member, and a description of any offsets that might be applicable to such benefits.

   Inserted: (C) Information on other programs available to members of the Armed Forces generally, such as access to morale, welfare, and recreation (MWR) facilities, child care, and education tuition assistance, and the estimated value, if ascertainable, of the availability of such programs in the area where the member is stationed or resides.

   Inserted: (e) Other Outreach.--

   Inserted: (1) In general.--The Secretaries of the military departments shall, on a periodic basis, conduct outreach on the pay, benefits, and programs and services available to members of the Armed Forces by reason of service in the Armed Forces. The outreach shall be conducted pursuant to public service announcements, publications, and such other announcements through general media as will serve to disseminate the information broadly among the general public.

   Inserted: (2) Internet outreach website.--

   Inserted: (A) In general.--The Secretary of Defense shall establish an Internet website for the purpose of providing the comprehensive information about the benefits and offsets described in subsection (c) to members of the Armed Forces and their families.

   Inserted: (B) Contact information.--The Internet website required by subparagraph (A) shall provide contact information, both telephone and e-mail, that a member of the Armed Forces and a family member of the member can use to get personalized information about the benefits and offsets described in subsection (c).

   Inserted: (f) Reports.--

   Inserted: (1) Initial report.--Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall submit to the congressional defense committees a report on the implementation of the requirements of this section by the Department of Defense. Such report shall include a description of the quality and scope of available online resources that provide information about benefits for members of the Armed Forces and their families.

   Inserted: (2) Records maintained.--The Secretary of Defense or the miitary department concerned shall maintain records that contain the number of individuals that received a briefing under this section in the previous year disaggregated by the following:

   Inserted: (A) Whether the individual is a member of the Armed Forces or a family member of a member of the Armed Forces.

   Inserted: (B) The Armed Force of the members.

   Inserted: (C) The State or territory in which the briefing occurred.

   Inserted: (D) The subject of the briefing.

   Original wording

   At the end of subtitle G of title V, add the following:

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As printed