§8502 — Title 16 Conservation | U.S. Code

Summary

By January 4, 2026, certain Cabinet department heads and the Secretary of Veterans Affairs must each create a Military Veterans Outdoor Recreation Liaison job inside their departments. That liaison must help carry out this law, put into action recommendations from the Task Force on Outdoor Recreation for Veterans (under section 203 of Public Law 116–214), and work on three main aims: improve coordination among the VA, the Departments of Agriculture and the Interior, and other partners to use Federal recreation lands and waters for veterans’ health and wellness; remove barriers that stop veterans from using outdoor recreation for health services; and help use Federal lands and waters to support wellness, health care, and therapy. The liaison must also work with similar liaisons at other agencies and veterans groups and find new ways to promote outdoor recreation experiences for veterans.

Title 16, §8502

Conservation — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)Not later than 1 year after January 4, 2025, the Secretaries and the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall each establish within their Departments the position of Military Veterans Outdoor Recreation Liaison.

(b)The Military Veterans Outdoor Recreation Liaison shall—

(1)coordinate the implementation of this part;

(2)implement recommendations identified by the Task Force on Outdoor Recreation for Veterans established under section 203 of the Veterans Comprehensive Prevention, Access to Care, and Treatment Act of 2020 (Public Law 116–214), including recommendations related to—

(A)identifying new opportunities to formalize coordination between the Department of Veterans Affairs, Department of Agriculture, Department of the Interior, and partner organizations regarding the use of Federal recreational lands and waters for facilitating health and wellness for veterans;

(B)addressing identified barriers that exist to providing veterans with opportunities to augment the delivery of services for health and wellness through the use of outdoor recreation on Federal recreational lands and waters; and

(C)facilitating the use of Federal recreational lands and waters for promoting wellness and facilitating the delivery of health care and therapeutic interventions for veterans;

(3)coordinate with Military Veterans Outdoor Recreation Liaisons at other Federal agencies and veterans organizations; and

(4)promote outdoor recreation experiences for veterans on Federal recreational lands and waters through new and innovative approaches.

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

References in Text

This part, referred to in subsec. (b)(1), was in the original “this subtitle” meaning subtitle B (§§ 221–226) of title II of Pub. L. 118–234, Jan. 4, 2025, 138 Stat. 2886, which enacted this part and amended section 6803 of this title. section 203 of the Veterans Comprehensive Prevention, Access to Care, and Treatment Act of 2020, also known as the Veterans COMPACT Act of 2020, referred to in subsec. (b)(2), is section 203 of Pub. L. 116–214, Dec. 5, 2020, 134 Stat. 1036, which is not classified to the Code.

§8502 Military Veterans Outdoor Recreation Liaisons

Summary

Title 16, §8502

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

References in Text

Citations & Metadata