H.R. 2302 (112th): To amend title 38, United States Code, to direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to notify Congress ...

HR 2302 RH

To amend title 38, United States Code, to direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to notify Congress of conferences sponsored by the Department of Veterans Affairs.

June 22, 2011

Mr. STUTZMAN introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs

October 5, 2011

Reported with amendments, committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union, and ordered to be printed

[Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed in italic]

To amend title 38, United States Code, to direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to notify Congress of conferences sponsored by the Department of Veterans Affairs.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

[Struck out->] SECTION 1. NOTIFICATION TO CONGRESS OF CONFERENCES SPONSORED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS. [<-Struck out]

[Struck out->] (a) In General- Subchapter I of chapter 5 of title 38, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new section: [<-Struck out]

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‘Sec. 517. Notification to Congress of conferences sponsored by the Department [<-Struck out]

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‘(a) Notification- Not later than 180 days before the date on which a covered conference begins, the Secretary shall notify the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the Senate of such conference, including the estimated costs to the Department. [<-Struck out]

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‘(b) Report on Costs- Not later than 60 days after the date on which a covered conference ends, the Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the Senate a report that includes an accounting of the final costs of the conference to the Department. [<-Struck out]

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‘(c) Covered Conference Defined- In this section, the term ‘covered conference’ means a conference, meeting, or other similar forum that is sponsored or co-sponsored by the Department of Veterans Affairs and is-- [<-Struck out]

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‘(1) held for a period of three or more days, beginning at the time of initial on-site registration and ending at the time the final event is completed; [<-Struck out]

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‘(2) attended by 20 or more individuals, including one or more employees of the Department; or [<-Struck out]

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‘(3) estimated to cost the Department at least $5,000, including costs related to-- [<-Struck out]

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‘(A) transportation and parking; [<-Struck out]

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‘(B) per diem payments; [<-Struck out]

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‘(C) lodging; [<-Struck out]

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‘(D) rental of halls, auditoriums, or other spaces; [<-Struck out]

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‘(E) rental of equipment; [<-Struck out]

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‘(F) refreshments; [<-Struck out]

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‘(G) entertainment; [<-Struck out]

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‘(H) contractors; and [<-Struck out]

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‘(I) brochures or other printed media.’. [<-Struck out]

[Struck out->] (b) Clerical Amendment- The table of sections at the beginning of such chapter is amended by adding after the item relating to section 516 the following: [<-Struck out]

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‘517. Notification to Congress of conferences sponsored by the Department.’. [<-Struck out]

SECTION 1. QUARTERLY REPORTS TO CONGRESS ON CONFERENCES SPONSORED BY THE DEPARTMENT.

(a) In General- Subchapter I of chapter 5 of title 38, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new section:

‘Sec. 517. Quarterly reports to Congress on conferences sponsored by the Department

‘(a) Quarterly Reports Required- Not later than 30 days after the end of each fiscal quarter, the Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the Senate a report on covered conferences.

‘(b) Matters Included- Each report under subsection (a) shall include the following:

‘(1) An accounting of the final costs to the Department of each covered conference occurring during the fiscal quarter preceding the date on which the report is submitted, including the costs related to--

‘(A) transportation and parking;

‘(B) per diem payments;

‘(C) lodging;

‘(D) rental of halls, auditoriums, or other spaces;

‘(E) rental of equipment;

‘(F) refreshments;

‘(G) entertainment;

‘(H) contractors; and

‘(I) brochures or other printed media.

‘(2) The total estimated costs to the Department for covered conferences occurring during the fiscal quarter in which the report is submitted.

‘(c) Covered Conference Defined- In this section, the term ‘covered conference’ means a conference, meeting, or other similar forum that is sponsored or co-sponsored by the Department of Veterans Affairs and is--

‘(1) attended by 50 or more individuals, including one or more employees of the Department; or

‘(2) estimated to cost the Department at least $20,000.’.

(b) Clerical Amendment- The table of sections at the beginning of such chapter is amended by adding after the item relating to section 516 the following:

‘517. Quarterly reports to Congress on conferences sponsored by the Department.’.

SEC. 2. SUBMISSION OF CERTAIN INFORMATION BY THE SECRETARY OF VETERANS AFFAIRS.

(a) In General- Subchapter II of chapter 5 of title 38, United States Code, is amended by inserting after section 529 the following new section:

‘Sec. 529A. Submission of certain information by the Secretary to Congress

‘(a) In General- The submission of information by the Secretary to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the House of Representatives or the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the Senate in response to a request for such information made by a covered member of the committee shall be deemed to be--

‘(1) a covered disclosure under section 552a(b)(9) of title 5; and

‘(2) a permitted disclosure under regulations promulgated under section 264(c) of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (Public Law 104-191), including a permitted disclosure for oversight activities authorized by law as described in section 164.512(d) of title 45, Code of Federal Regulations.

‘(b) Submission to Chairman- With respect to a request for information described in subsection (a) made by a covered member of the committee who is not the chairman, the Secretary shall also submit such information to the chairman of the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the House of Representatives or the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the Senate, as the case may be.

‘(c) Covered Member of the Committee- In this section, the term ‘covered member of the committee’ means the following:

‘(1) The chairman or ranking member of the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the House of Representatives or the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the Senate.

‘(2) A chairman or ranking member of a subcommittee of the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the House of Representatives or the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the Senate.

‘(3) The designee of a chairman or ranking member described in paragraph (1) or (2).’.

(b) Conforming Amendment- The table of sections at the beginning of such chapter is amended by inserting after the item relating to section 529 the following new item:

‘529A. Submission of certain information by the Secretary to Congress.’.

SEC. 3. PUBLICATION OF DATA ON EMPLOYMENT OF CERTAIN VETERANS BY FEDERAL CONTRACTORS.

Section 4212(d) of title 38, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new paragraph:

‘(3) The Secretary of Labor shall establish and maintain an Internet website on which the Secretary shall publicly disclose the information reported to the Secretary of Labor by contractors under paragraph (1).’.

Amend the title so as to read: ‘A bill to amend title 38, United States Code, to direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to notify Congress of conferences sponsored by the Department of Veterans Affairs, and for other purposes.’.

Union Calendar No. 155

To amend title 38, United States Code, to direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to notify Congress of conferences sponsored by the Department of Veterans Affairs.

October 5, 2011

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