§548 Advisory Committee on United States Outlying Areas and Freely Associated States

Summary

Creates an advisory committee named the Advisory Committee on United States Outlying Areas and Freely Associated States to give advice to the Secretary of Veterans Affairs about veterans who live in certain U.S. territories and Freely Associated States. The committee must look for issues affecting those veterans, suggest fixes and improvements, offer a place for veterans and veteran groups to talk with the Department, set priorities for consulting veteran groups, encourage work with other federal agencies and Congress, and highlight veterans’ contributions. The group will have 15 voting members. At least one member must represent each of eight areas: American Samoa, Guam, Puerto Rico, the Northern Mariana Islands, the U.S. Virgin Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia, the Marshall Islands, and Palau. At least half the members must be veterans from those areas unless not enough qualified vets are available. The Secretary may add ex officio members from the State and Interior Departments. Members serve two-year terms and may be reappointed once. Vacancies must be filled within 180 days. The committee must meet in person at least once a year and may hold monthly conference calls; meetings can be virtual if needed for department rules, timing, or budget. Federal officials may attend; one Department representative must attend each meeting; they are nonvoting and receive no extra pay. Subcommittees are allowed but cannot take over the committee’s work or give direct advice to the Secretary. Every two years the committee must send a report with recommendations and activities to the Secretary and the House and Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committees. The Secretary must reply in writing within 120 days and let the committee review the reply. Reports and replies must be posted online. Members may get travel pay at federal employee rates. The Secretary must consult veteran service organizations serving these veterans. The committee ends 10 years after the law’s enactment. Definitions: appropriate congressional committees = House and Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committees; covered veteran = a veteran living in one of the listed areas; veterans service organization serving covered veterans = an organization that serves those veterans, has them in leadership, and has experience working with them.