Section 1 Short title
This Act may be cited as the “TAP Promotion Act”.
TAP Promotion Act
A BILL
To amend title 10, United States Code, to authorize representatives 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.
Sec. 2 Presentation by a veterans service organization in TAP preseparation counseling
In general— Section 1142(b) of title 10, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
“(20) A presentation that promotes the benefits available to veterans under laws administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs. Such presentation—
“(A) shall be standardized;
“(B) shall be previously reviewed and approved by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs;
“(C) shall be submitted by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to the Committees on Veterans’ Affairs of the Senate and House of Representatives for review at least 90 days before implementation;
“(D) shall be presented by—
“(i) a national representative of a veterans service organization recognized under section 5902 of title 38; or
“(ii) if a national representative is unavailable, a State or local representative of such an organization authorized by the Secretary concerned to so present;
“(E) shall include information on how a veterans service organization may assist the member in filing a claim described in paragraph (19);
“(F) may not encourage the member to join a particular veterans service organization; and
“(G) may not exceed one hour in length.”
Annual report— Not less than once each year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall submit to the Committees on Veterans’ Affairs of the Senate and House of Representatives a report—
that identifies each veterans service organization that presented under paragraph (20) of section 1142(b) of title 10, United States Code, as added by subsection (a);
that contains the number of members of the Armed Forces who attended such presentations; and
that includes any recommendations of the Secretary regarding changes to such presentation or to such paragraph.