S.Amdt. 2493

SA 2493. Ms. ROSEN (for herself and Mrs. Fischer) submitted an
amendment intended to be proposed by her to the bill S. 4638, to
authorize appropriations for fiscal year 2025 for military activities
of the Department of Defense, for military construction, and for
defense activities of the Department of Energy, to prescribe military
personnel strengths for such fiscal year, and for other purposes; which
was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:

At the appropriate place in title X, insert the following:

SEC. ___. TELEPHONE HELPLINE FOR ASSISTANCE FOR VETERANS AND
OTHER ELIGIBLE INDIVIDUALS.

(a) Maintenance of Helpline.--
(1) In general.--The Secretary shall maintain a toll-free
telephone helpline that a covered individual may use to
obtain information about, or through which a covered
individual may be directed to, any service or benefit
provided under a law administered by the Secretary.
(2) Contract for direction of calls authorized.--The
Secretary may enter into a contract with a third-party to
direct calls made to the toll-free helpline maintained
pursuant to paragraph (1) to the appropriate office regarding
a service or benefit described in that paragraph.
(3) Live individual required.--The Secretary shall ensure
that a covered individual using the telephone helpline
maintained pursuant to paragraph (1) has the option to speak
with a live individual.
(b) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) Covered individual.--The term ``covered individual''
means--
(A) a veteran;
(B) an individual acting on behalf of a veteran; or
(C) an individual, other than a veteran, who is eligible to
receive a benefit or service under a law administered by the
Secretary.
(2) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary
of Veterans Affairs.
(3) Veteran.--The term ``veteran'' has the meaning given
the term in section 2002(b) of title 38, United States Code.
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