[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 4061 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

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118th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                S. 4061

 To require the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to maintain a toll-free 
 telephone helpline for veterans and other eligible individuals to use 
 to obtain information about the benefits and services provided by the 
        Department of Veterans Affairs, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             March 22, 2024

Ms. Rosen (for herself and Mrs. Fischer) introduced the following bill; 
which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To require the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to maintain a toll-free 
 telephone helpline for veterans and other eligible individuals to use 
 to obtain information about the benefits and services provided by the 
        Department of Veterans Affairs, 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 ``Veterans Assistance Helpline Act of 
2024''.

SEC. 2. 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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