To improve the bill.

SA 1368. Mr. SCHUMER (for Ms. Baldwin) proposed an amendment to the
bill S. 106, to amend title 38, United States Code, to authorize the
Secretary of Veterans Affairs to award grants to States to improve
outreach to veterans, and for other purposes; as follows:

Strike all after the enacting clause and insert the
following:

SECTION 1. AUTHORITY FOR SECRETARY OF VETERANS AFFAIRS TO
AWARD GRANTS TO STATES TO IMPROVE OUTREACH TO
VETERANS.

(a) In General.--Chapter 63 of title 38, United States
Code, is amended--
(1) by redesignating sections 6307 and 6308 as sections
6308 and 6309, respectively; and
(2) by inserting after section 6306 the following new
section 6307:

``Sec. 6307. Grants to States to improve outreach to veterans

``(a) Purpose.--It is the purpose of this section to
provide for assistance by the Secretary to States to carry
out programs that improve covered outreach and assistance to
veterans and the spouses, children, and parents of veterans,
to ensure that such individuals are fully informed about, and
assisted in

[[Page S5555]]

applying for, any veterans and veterans-related benefits and
programs (including State veterans programs) for which they
may be eligible.
``(b) Authority.--The Secretary may award grants to
States--
``(1) to carry out, coordinate, improve, or otherwise
enhance--
``(A) covered outreach activities; or
``(B) activities to assist in the development and submittal
of claims for veterans and veterans-related benefits; or
``(2) to increase the number of county or tribal veterans
service officers serving in the State by hiring new,
additional such officers.
``(c) Application.--(1) To be eligible for a grant under
this section, a State shall submit to the Secretary an
application therefor at such time, in such manner, and
containing such information as the Secretary may require.
``(2) Each application submitted under paragraph (1) shall
include the following:
``(A) A detailed plan for the use of the grant.
``(B) A description of the programs through which the State
will meet the outcome measures developed by the Secretary
under subsection (i).
``(C) A description of how the State will distribute grant
amounts equitably among counties with varying levels of
urbanization.
``(D) A plan for how the grant will be used to meet the
unique needs of American Indian veterans, Alaska Native
veterans, or Native Hawaiian veterans, elderly veterans, and
veterans from other underserved communities.
``(d) Distribution.--The Secretary shall seek to ensure
that grants awarded under this section are equitably
distributed among States with varying levels of urbanization.
``(e) Priority.--The Secretary shall prioritize awarding
grants under this section that will serve the following
areas:
``(1) Areas with a critical shortage of county or tribal
veterans service officers.
``(2) Areas with high rates of--
``(A) suicide among veterans; or
``(B) referrals to the Veterans Crisis Line.
``(f) Use of County or Tribal Veterans Service Officers.--A
State that receives a grant under this section to carry out
an activity described in subsection (b)(1) shall carry out
the activity through--
``(1) a county or tribal veterans service officer of the
State; or
``(2) if the State does not have a county or tribal
veterans service officer, or if the county or tribal veterans
service officers of the State cover only a portion of that
State, an appropriate entity of a State, local, or tribal
government, or another publicly funded entity, as determined
by the Secretary.
``(g) Required Activities.--Any grant awarded under this
section shall be used--
``(1) to expand existing programs, activities, and
services;
``(2) to hire new, additional county or tribal veterans
service officers; or
``(3) for travel and transportation to facilitate carrying
out paragraph (1) or (2).
``(h) Authorized Activities.--A grant under this section
may be used to provide education and training, including on-
the-job training, for State, county, local, and tribal
government employees who provide (or when trained will
provide) covered outreach services in order for those
employees to obtain accreditation in accordance with
procedures approved by the Secretary.
``(i) Outcome Measures.--(1) The Secretary shall develop
and provide to each State that receives a grant under this
section written guidance on the following:
``(A) Outcome measures.
``(B) Policies of the Department.
``(2) In developing outcome measures under paragraph (1),
the Secretary shall consider the following goals:
``(A) Increasing the use of veterans and veterans-related
benefits, particularly among vulnerable populations.
``(B) Increasing the number of county and tribal veterans
service officers recognized by the Secretary for the
representation of veterans under chapter 59 of this title.
``(j) Tracking Requirements.--(1) With respect to each
grant awarded under this section, the Secretary shall track
the use of veterans and veterans-related benefits among the
population served by the grant, including the average period
of time between the date on which a veteran applies for such
a benefit and the date on which the veteran receives the
benefit, disaggregated by type of benefit.
``(2) Not less frequently than annually, the Secretary
shall submit to Congress a report on the information tracked
under paragraph (1).
``(k) Performance Review.--(1) The Secretary shall--
``(A) review the performance of each State that receives a
grant under this section; and
``(B) make information regarding such performance publicly
available.
``(l) Remediation Plan.--(1) In the case of a State that
receives a grant under this section and does not meet the
outcome measures developed by the Secretary under subsection
(i), the Secretary shall require the State to submit a
remediation plan under which the State shall describe how and
when it plans to meet such outcome measures.
``(2) The Secretary may not award a subsequent grant under
this section to a State described in paragraph (1) unless the
Secretary approves the remediation plan submitted by the
State.
``(m) Definitions.--In this section:
``(1) The term `county or tribal veterans service officer'
includes a local equivalent veterans service officer.
``(2) The term `covered outreach' means outreach with
respect to--
``(A) benefits administered by the Under Secretary for
Benefits; or
``(B) similar benefits administered by a State or Indian
Tribe.
``(3) The term `Veterans Crisis Line' means the toll-free
hotline for veterans established under section 1720F(h) of
this title.''.
(b) Clerical Amendment.--The table of sections at the
beginning of chapter 63 of such title is amended by striking
the items relating to sections 6307 and 6308 and inserting
the following new items:

``6307. Grants to States to improve outreach to veterans.
``6308. Outreach for eligible dependents.
``6309. Biennial report to Congress.''.
______