text: SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
  
      This Act may be cited as the ``Connect with Veterans Act of 2014''.
  
  SEC. 2. VOLUNTARY NATIONAL DIRECTORY OF VETERANS.
  
      (a) Program Required.--
              (1) In general.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs, in 
          coordination with the Secretary of Defense, shall establish a 
          program to facilitate outreach to veterans by covered entities.
              (2) Covered entities.--For purposes of this section, a 
          covered entity is any of the following:
                      (A) The Department of Veterans Affairs.
                      (B) The agency or department of a State that is the 
                  primary agency or department of the State for the 
                  administration of benefits and services for veterans in 
                  the State.
                      (C) A political subdivision of a State.
                      (D) An Indian tribe (as defined in section 4 of the 
                  Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act 
                  (25 U.S.C. 450b)).
              (3) National directory.--To carry out the program required 
          by paragraph (1), the Secretary shall--
                      (A) establish a national directory of veterans as 
                  described in subsection (b); and
                      (B) share information in the directory in 
                  accordance with subsection (c).
      (b) National Directory.--
              (1) In general.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall 
          establish the national directory required by subsection (a)(3) 
          using information received from the Secretary of Defense under 
          subsection (d)(4).
              (2) Updates.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall 
          ensure that the national directory includes a mechanism by 
          which a participating individual can update the information in 
          the national directory that pertains to the participating 
          individual.
              (3) Disenrollment.--The Secretary shall establish a 
          mechanism by which a participating individual can indicate to 
          the Secretary that the individual would no longer like to 
          receive information from participating entities under the 
          program.
              (4) Reenrollment.--The Secretary shall establish a 
          mechanism for the inclusion of information in the national 
          directory of individuals who were previously participating 
          individuals but who had made an indication under paragraph (3) 
          and subsequently indicate that they would like to receive 
          information from participating entities under the program.
              (5) Privacy and security.--The Secretary shall take such 
          actions as the Secretary considers appropriate to protect--
                      (A) the privacy of individuals participating in the 
                  program; and
                      (B) the security of the information stored in the 
                  national directory.
              (6) Ebenefits.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs may use 
          the system and architecture of the eBenefits Internet website 
          of the Department of Veterans Affairs to support and operate 
          the national directory as the Secretary considers appropriate.
      (c) Outreach.--
              (1) Sharing of directory information.--
                      (A) In general.--Except as provided in paragraph 
                  (2), in order to connect participating individuals with 
                  information about the programs they could be eligible 
                  for or services, support, and information they may be 
                  interested in receiving, the Secretary of Veterans 
                  Affairs may share, under the program established under 
                  subsection (a)(1), information in the national 
                  directory concerning such individuals with entities 
                  applicable to participating individuals.
                      (B) Entities applicable to participating 
                  individuals.--For purposes of this subsection, an 
                  entity that is applicable to a participating individual 
                  is a covered entity from whom a participating 
                  individual has expressed interest in receiving 
                  information under the program.
                      (C) Updated information.--In a case in which a 
                  participating individual updates the information 
                  pertaining to the participating individual under 
                  subsection (b)(2), the Secretary shall transmit such 
                  information to each entity applicable to the 
                  participating individual.
                      (D) Notification of disenrollment.--In a case in 
                  which a participating individual indicates to the 
                  Secretary under subsection (b)(3) that the individual 
                  would no longer like to receive information from 
                  participating entities under the program, the Secretary 
                  shall inform each entity applicable to the 
                  participating individual that the individual would no 
                  longer like to receive information from the entity 
                  under the program.
              (2) Limitations.--
                      (A) Limitations on the secretary.--
                              (i) Information shared.--Under the program, 
                          the Secretary of Veterans Affairs may only 
                          share from the national directory the 
                          following:
                                      (I) The name of a participating 
                                  individual.
                                      (II) The e-mail address of a 
                                  participating individual.
                                      (III) The postal address of a 
                                  participating individual.
                                      (IV) The phone number of a 
                                  participating individual.
                              (ii) Prohibition on sale of information.--
                          The Secretary may not sell any information 
                          collected under this section.
                              (iii) Entities.--The Secretary may not 
                          share any information collected under the 
                          program with any entity that is not a 
                          participating entity.
                      (B) Limitations on participating entities.--
                              (i) Sharing with third-party and for-profit 
                          entities.--As a condition of participation in 
                          the program, a participating entity shall agree 
                          not to share any information the participating 
                          entity receives under the program with any 
                          third-party or for-profit entities.
                              (ii) Purchases of products or services.--As 
                          a condition of participation in the program, a 
                          participating entity shall agree not to include 
                          in any information sent by the participating 
                          entity to a participating individual a 
                          requirement that the participating individual 
                          or the family of the participating individual 
                          purchase a product or service.
                              (iii) Political communication.--As a 
                          condition of participation in the program, a 
                          participating entity shall agree not to use any 
                          information received under the program for any 
                          political communication.
              (3) Disenrollment by participating entities.--The Secretary 
          shall establish a mechanism by which a participating entity may 
          indicate to the Secretary that the participating entity would 
          no longer like to receive information about participating 
          individuals from the national directory.
              (4) Sense of congress.--
                      (A) Consolidation of requests.--It is the sense of 
                  Congress that covered entities described in subsection 
                  (a)(2)(C) who are located in the same region should 
                  work together in a manner such that only one of them 
                  requests receipt of information under the program.
                      (B) Collaboration.--It is the sense of Congress 
                  that covered entities described in subsection (a)(2)(C) 
                  should work with third parties, such as veterans 
                  service organizations, military community groups, and 
                  other entities with an interest in assisting veterans, 
                  to develop the information the covered entities send to 
                  participating individuals under the program.
              (5) Publicity.--The Secretary shall develop a plan to 
          publicize the program and inform covered entities of the 
          benefits of participating in the program.
      (d) Collection of Contact Information.--
              (1) In general.--To each member of the Armed Forces 
          separating from service in the Armed Forces, the Secretary of 
          Defense shall provide a form for the collection of information 
          to be included in the national directory established under 
          subsection (a).
              (2) Form.--
                      (A) Development.--The Secretary of Defense shall, 
                  in consultation with the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, 
                  develop the form provided under paragraph (1).
                      (B) Elements.--The form developed under 
                  subparagraph (A) shall allow a member of the Armed 
                  Forces who is in the process of separating from service 
                  in the Armed Forces to indicate the following:
                              (i) Where the member intends to reside 
                          after separation.
                              (ii) How the individual can best be 
                          contacted, such as a telephone number, an e-
                          mail address, or a postal address.
                              (iii) For which types of benefits and 
                          services the member would like to receive 
                          communication and outreach, such as health 
                          care, education, employment, and housing.
                              (iv) From which of the following the member 
                          would like to receive the communication and 
                          outreach specified under clause (iii):
                                      (I) The Department of Veterans 
                                  Affairs.
                                      (II) The agency or department of 
                                  the State in which the member intends 
                                  to reside after separation that is the 
                                  primary agency or department of the 
                                  State for the administration of 
                                  benefits and services for veterans in 
                                  the State.
                                      (III) A political subdivision of a 
                                  State.
                      (C) Notice.--The form developed under subparagraph 
                  (A) shall include notice of the following:
                              (i) Information provided to agencies and 
                          departments described in subparagraph 
                          (B)(iv)(III) will only be provided as 
                          authorized and upon request by such agencies 
                          and departments.
                              (ii) Political subdivisions of States that 
                          receive information under the program 
                          established under subsection (a) may--
                                      (I) share such information with 
                                  such nonprofit organizations as the 
                                  political subdivisions consider 
                                  appropriate; and
                                      (II) work with such organizations 
                                  to provide the veterans with relevant 
                                  information about benefits and services 
                                  offered by such organizations.
                              (iii) Information provided on the form 
                          developed under subparagraph (A) will never be 
                          sold, provided to a for-profit entity, or used 
                          to send any sort of political communication.
                      (D) Manner.--The Secretary of Defense shall ensure 
                  that the form provided under paragraph (1) is not 
                  primarily electronic in nature.
              (3) Voluntary participation.--The Secretary of Defense 
          shall ensure that completion of the form provided under 
          paragraph (1) is voluntary and submittal of such form to the 
          Secretary by a member of the Armed Forces shall be considered 
          an indication to the Secretary that the member would like to 
          receive information from participating entities under the 
          program.
              (4) Transmittal of information to secretary of veterans 
          affairs.--Not later than 30 days after the date on which a 
          member of the Armed Forces who submitted information to the 
          Secretary of Defense under this subsection separates from 
          service in the Armed Forces, the Secretary of Defense shall 
          transmit such information to the Secretary of Veterans Affairs.
              (5) Privacy and security.--The Secretary of Defense shall 
          take such actions as the Secretary considers appropriate to 
          protect--
                      (A) the privacy of individuals who submit 
                  information under this subsection; and
                      (B) the security of such information--
                              (i) while it is in the possession of the 
                          Secretary; and
                              (ii) while it is in transit to the 
                          Secretary of Veterans Affairs.
              (6) Integration with transition assistance program.--The 
          Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of Labor shall jointly 
          take such actions as the secretaries consider appropriate to 
          integrate the collection of information under this subsection 
          into the Transition Assistance Program.
      (e) Report.--
              (1) In general.--Not later than 180 days after the date of 
          the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs 
          and the Secretary of Defense shall jointly submit to the 
          appropriate committees of Congress a report on the program 
          established under subsection (a)(1).
              (2) Contents.--The report submitted under paragraph (1) 
          shall include an examination and assessment of the following:
                      (A) The signup process and the effectiveness of the 
                  forms developed and provided under subsection (d).
                      (B) The ways in which contact information is 
                  transferred from the Secretary of Defense to the 
                  Secretary of Veterans Affairs under the program and the 
                  plans of the secretaries to overcome challenges 
                  encountered by the secretaries in transferring such 
                  information.
                      (C) The number of covered entities described in 
                  subsection (a)(2)(C) participating in the program and 
                  any challenges they report in receiving the contact 
                  information from the Secretary of Veterans Affairs 
                  under the program.
                      (D) The effectiveness of efforts of the Secretary 
                  of Veterans Affairs and the Secretary of Defense to 
                  protect the personal information of participating 
                  individuals.
                      (E) The effectiveness of efforts of covered 
                  entities described in subsection (a)(2)(C) to protect 
                  the personal information of participating individuals.
                      (F) Whether additional limitations on the use of 
                  information collected under the program are necessary 
                  to protect participating individuals from unwanted 
                  contact, or contact that is inconsistent with the 
                  program.
                      (G) Whether participating individuals are 
                  benefitting by participating in the program and whether 
                  changing the program would improve such benefits.
                      (H) The overall participation in the program, 
                  utilization of the program, and how such participation 
                  and utilization could be improved.
                      (I) Such other matters as the secretaries consider 
                  appropriate.
              (3) Appropriate committees of congress defined.--In this 
          subsection, the term ``appropriate committees of Congress'' 
          means the following:
                      (A) The Committee on Veterans' Affairs, the 
                  Committee on Armed Services, and the Subcommittee on 
                  Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related 
                  Agencies of the Committee on Appropriations of the 
                  Senate.
                      (B) The Committee on Veterans' Affairs, the 
                  Committee on Armed Services, and the Subcommittee on 
                  Military Construction, Veterans Affairs and Related 
                  Agencies of the Committee on Appropriations of the 
                  House of Representatives.
      (f) Definitions.--In this section:
              (1) Participating entity.--The term ``participating 
          entity'' means a covered entity that has indicated to the 
          Secretary of Veterans Affairs that the covered entity would 
          like to receive information about participating individuals 
          from the national directory and has made no subsequent 
          indication that the covered entity would like to stop receiving 
          such information.
              (2) Participating individual.--The term ``participating 
          individual'' means an individual with respect to whom 
          information is stored in the national directory and who has 
          indicated to the Secretary of Veterans Affairs or the Secretary 
          of Defense that the individual would like to receive 
          information from participating entities under the program and 
          has made no subsequent indication that the individual would 
          like to stop receiving such information.
target: Connect with Veterans Act of 2014 - Directs the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to: (1) establish a program to facilitate outreach to veterans by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), the primary agencies of states for the administration of veterans' benefits and services, political subdivisions of states, and Indian tribes; and (2) publicize such program and the benefits to such entities of participating. Requires the Secretary, to carry out such program, to: (1) establish a national directory of veterans, and (2) share information in the directory with any such entities from whom a participating individual has expressed interest in receiving information.  Prohibits: (1) the Secretary from selling information collected under this Act, (2) the Secretary or any participating entity from sharing such information with a non-participating entity, or (3) any participating entity from using any such information for any political communication or from requiring any participating individual to purchase any product or service. Requires the Secretary of Defense (DOD) to: (1) provide to each member of the Armed Forces separating from service a form for the collection of information to be included in the directory, (2) ensure that completion of the form is voluntary, and (3) protect the privacy of individuals who submit information and the security of information. Directs the Secretaries of Defense and Labor to jointly take appropriate steps to integrate the collection of information under this Act into the Transition Assistance Program.
feat_title: Connect with Veterans Act of 2014