TAP Promotion Act

I 118TH CONGRESS 1ST SESSION H. R. 3933 To amend title 10, United States Code, to authorize representatives of vet- erans service organizations to promote certain benefits available to vet- erans in the course of preseparation counseling under the Transition Assistance program of the Department of Defense, and for other pur- poses. IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES JUNE 7, 2023 Mr. VAN ORDEN introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Com- mittee on Armed Services, and in addition to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdic- tion of the committee concerned A BILL To amend title 10, United States Code, to authorize rep- resentatives of veterans service organizations to promote certain benefits available to veterans in the course of preseparation counseling under the Transition Assistance program of the Department of Defense, and for other purposes. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa- 1 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 2 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 3 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘TAP Promotion Act’’. 4 VerDate Sep 11 2014 21:06 Jul 06, 2023 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H3933.IH H3933 pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with $$_JOB 2 •HR 3933 IH SEC. 2. PRESENTATION BY A VETERANS SERVICE ORGANI- 1 ZATION IN TAP PRESEPARATION COUN- 2 SELING. 3 (a) IN GENERAL.—Section 1142(b) of title 10, 4 United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the 5 following new paragraph: 6 ‘‘(20) A presentation that promotes the benefits 7 available to veterans under laws administered by the 8 Secretary of Veterans Affairs. Such presentation— 9 ‘‘(A) shall be standardized; 10 ‘‘(B) shall be previously reviewed and ap- 11 proved by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs; 12 ‘‘(C) shall be submitted by the Secretary of 13 Veterans Affairs to the Committees on Vet- 14 erans’ Affairs of the Senate and House of Rep- 15 resentatives for review at least 90 days before 16 implementation; 17 ‘‘(D) shall be presented by— 18 ‘‘(i) a national representative of a vet- 19 erans service organization recognized 20 under section 5902 of title 38; or 21 ‘‘(ii) if a national representative is un- 22 available, a State or local representative of 23 such an organization authorized by the 24 Secretary concerned to so present; 25 VerDate Sep 11 2014 21:06 Jul 06, 2023 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H3933.IH H3933 pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with $$_JOB 3 •HR 3933 IH ‘‘(E) shall include information on how a 1 veterans service organization may assist the 2 member in filing a claim described in paragraph 3 (19); 4 ‘‘(F) may not encourage the member to 5 join a particular veterans service organization; 6 and 7 ‘‘(G) may not exceed one hour in length.’’. 8 (b) ANNUAL REPORT.—Not less than once each year 9 after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary 10 of Veterans Affairs shall submit to the Committees on 11 Veterans’ Affairs of the Senate and House of Representa- 12 tives a report— 13 (1) that identifies each veterans service organi- 14 zation that presented under paragraph (20) of sec- 15 tion 1142(b) of title 10, United States Code, as 16 added by subsection (a); 17 (2) that contains the number of members of the 18 Armed Forces who attended such presentations; and 19 (3) that includes any recommendations of the 20 Secretary regarding changes to such presentation or 21 to such paragraph. 22 Æ VerDate Sep 11 2014 21:06 Jul 06, 2023 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6301 E:\BILLS\H3933.IH H3933 pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with $$_JOB