[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 2797 Introduced in House (IH)]
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117th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 2797
To establish an interagency committee on the development of green alert
systems that would be activated when a veteran goes missing, and for
other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
April 22, 2021
Mr. Pappas (for himself, Mrs. Miller-Meeks, and Mr. Banks) introduced
the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Veterans'
Affairs
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To establish an interagency committee on the development of green alert
systems that would be activated when a veteran goes missing, and for
other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``National Green Alert Act of 2021''.
SEC. 2. ESTABLISHMENT OF INTERAGENCY COMMITTEE ON DEVELOPMENT OF GREEN
ALERT SYSTEMS.
(a) Establishment.--There is established the Green Alert System
Advisory and Support Committee (referred to in this Act as the
``Committee'').
(b) Membership.--
(1) In general.--The Committee shall be composed of members
appointed by the President, of whom--
(A) not fewer than one shall be an employee of the
Department of Justice with experience in coordinating
the AMBER Alert communications network, as that term is
used in subtitle A of title III of the PROTECT Act (34
U.S.C. 20501 et seq.);
(B) not fewer than one shall be an employee of the
Department of Health and Human Services, of which not
fewer than one shall be an employee of the Substance
Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration of the
Department of Health and Human Services;
(C) not fewer than one shall be an employee of the
Department of Veterans Affairs;
(D) not fewer than one shall be an employee of the
Department of Transportation;
(E) not fewer than one shall be a veteran (as
defined in section 101 of title 38, United States Code)
who--
(i) is not eligible for appointment to the
Committee under subparagraph (A), (B), (C), or
(D); and
(ii) retired or otherwise honorably
separated from the Armed Forces with a military
pay grade of O-7 or higher; and
(F) not fewer than one shall be a member of a
veterans service organization who can demonstrate
familiarity with, or experience in, the development of
an alert or support system in a State for either
missing veterans or veteran mental health.
(2) Additional members.--The President shall appoint
additional members of the Committee from among individuals at
the State, local, and tribal level who are experts in alert
systems, such as the AMBER Alert, as that term is used in
subtitle A of title III of the PROTECT Act (34 U.S.C. 20501 et
seq.).
(3) Date.--The appointments of the members of the Committee
shall be made not later than 120 days after the date of the
enactment of this Act.
(c) Period of Appointment; Vacancies.--
(1) In general.--A member of the Committee shall be
appointed for the life of the Committee.
(2) Vacancies.--Any vacancy in the Committee--
(A) shall not affect the powers of the Committee;
and
(B) shall be filled in the same manner as the
original appointment.
(d) Initial Meeting.--Not later than 60 days after the date on
which all members of the Committee have been appointed, the Committee
shall hold the first meeting of the Committee.
(e) Meetings.--
(1) In general.--The Committee shall meet not less
frequently than twice each year.
(2) Quorum.--A majority of the members of the Committee
shall constitute a quorum, but a lesser number of members may
hold hearings.
(f) Chairperson and Vice Chairperson.--The Committee shall select a
Chairperson and Vice Chairperson from among the members of the
Committee.
(g) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) State.--The term ``State'' means any State of the
United States, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of
Puerto Rico, the United States Virgin Islands, Guam, American
Samoa, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, and
any possession of the United States.
(2) Veterans service organization.--The term ``veterans
service organization'' means an organization recognized by the
Secretary for the representation of veterans under section 5902
of title 38, United States Code.
SEC. 3. DUTIES OF COMMITTEE.
(a) In General.--The Committee shall develop best practices and
provide technical assistance to States to establish State systems, to
be known as ``green alert'' systems, that would be activated when a
veteran with a history of mental health issues, including
neurocognitive disorders, suicide attempts or impulses, or substance
use disorder goes missing.
(b) Missing Veteran Determination.--The Committee shall determine
the circumstances under which a veteran is considered missing for
purposes of this section.
(c) Compliance With Privacy Laws.--The Committee shall ensure that
the State systems described in subsection (a) comply with applicable
Federal and State privacy laws.
(d) Report.--Not later than two years after the date of the
enactment of this Act, the Committee shall submit to the President and
Congress a report that contains a detailed statement of the findings
and conclusions of the Committee, together with the recommendations of
the Committee for such legislative and administrative action as the
Committee considers appropriate.
(e) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) State.--The term ``State'' has the meaning given that
term in section 2(g).
(2) Veteran.--The term ``veteran'' means--
(A) a veteran as defined in section 101 of title
38, United States Code; and
(B) any former member of the Armed Forces,
including any individual who received a discharge under
conditions other than honorable that is determined by
the Secretary of Defense to have resulted from
substance use disorder, a mental health issue, or a
suicide attempt.
SEC. 4. POWERS OF COMMITTEE.
(a) Hearings.--The Committee may hold such hearings, sit and act at
such times and places, take such testimony, and receive such evidence
as the Committee considers advisable to carry out this Act.
(b) Information From Federal Agencies.--
(1) In general.--The Committee may secure directly from any
Federal agency such information as the Committee considers
necessary to carry out this Act.
(2) Furnishing information.--On request of the Chairperson
of the Committee, the head of the Federal agency shall furnish
the information to the Committee.
(c) Postal Services.--The Committee may use the United States mails
in the same manner and under the same conditions as other Federal
agencies.
(d) Gifts.--The Committee may accept, use, and dispose of gifts or
donations of services or property.
SEC. 5. COMMITTEE PERSONNEL MATTERS.
(a) Compensation of Members.--
(1) In general.--A member of the Committee who is not an
officer or employee of the Federal Government shall be
compensated at a rate equal to the daily equivalent of the
annual rate of basic pay prescribed for level IV of the
Executive Schedule under section 5315 of title 5, United States
Code, for each day (including travel time) during which the
member is engaged in the performance of the duties of the
Committee.
(2) Federal members.--A member of the Committee who is an
officer or employee of the United States shall serve without
compensation in addition to that received for service as an
officer or employee of the United States.
(b) Travel Expenses.--A member of the Committee shall be allowed
travel expenses, including per diem in lieu of subsistence, at rates
authorized for employees of agencies under subchapter I of chapter 57
of title 5, United States Code, while away from their home or regular
places of business in the performance of services for the Committee.
(c) Staff.--
(1) In general.--The Chairperson of the Committee may,
without regard to the civil service laws (including
regulations), appoint and terminate an executive director and
such other additional personnel as may be necessary to enable
the Committee to perform the duties of the Committee, except
that the employment of an executive director shall be subject
to confirmation by the Committee.
(2) Compensation.--The Chairperson of the Committee may fix
the compensation of the executive director and other personnel
without regard to chapter 51 and subchapter III of chapter 53
of title 5, United States Code, relating to classification of
positions and General Schedule pay rates, except that the rate
of pay for the executive director and other personnel may not
exceed the rate payable for level V of the Executive Schedule
under section 5316 of that title.
(d) Detail of Government Employees.--Any Federal Government
employee may be detailed to the Committee without reimbursement, and
such detail shall be without interruption or loss of civil service
status or privilege.
(e) Procurement of Temporary and Intermittent Services.--The
Chairperson of the Committee may procure temporary and intermittent
services under section 3109(b) of title 5, United States Code, at rates
for individuals that do not exceed the daily equivalent of the annual
rate of basic pay prescribed for level V of the Executive Schedule
under section 5316 of that title.
SEC. 6. TERMINATION OF COMMITTEE.
The Committee shall terminate 180 days after the date on which the
Committee submits the report required under section 3(d).
SEC. 7. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
(a) In General.--There is authorized to be appropriated to carry
out this Act $500,000.
(b) Availability.--Any amounts appropriated under the authorization
contained in this section shall remain available, without fiscal year
limitation, until expended.
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