§542 — Title 38 Veterans' Benefits | U.S. Code

Summary

Creates an Advisory Committee on Women Veterans that the Secretary must set up to give advice about women veterans’ needs and VA programs. The Secretary appoints members from the public who must include women veterans, experts on women’s needs (like gender-specific health care), veterans with service-connected disabilities (at least one woman and one man), and recently separated women veterans. The committee must also include the Secretary of Labor (or a designated representative after consulting the Assistant Secretary for Veterans’ Employment), the Secretary of Defense (or a designated representative after consulting the Defense Advisory Committee on Women in the Services), and the Under Secretaries for Health and for Benefits (or their designees). The Secretary decides how many members there are, their pay, and their terms, but any appointed term cannot be longer than three years and members may be reappointed. The Secretary may invite other federal agencies to take part. The Secretary must regularly ask the committee for advice about how the Department runs benefits and programs for women veterans, including compensation, health care, rehabilitation, outreach, and the Center for Women Veterans. Each year by July 1 the committee must give the Secretary a report that assesses needs, reviews programs, looks at the effects of intimate partner violence on women veterans, and offers recommendations (including administrative and legislative ideas). The Secretary must send each report to Congress within 60 days, with any comments. The committee can send other reports too, and the Secretary must include a summary of the committee’s reports and recommendations in the Department’s annual report to Congress.

Title 38, §542

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(a)(1)The Secretary shall establish an advisory committee to be known as the Advisory Committee on Women Veterans (hereinafter in this section referred to as “the Committee”).

(2)(A)The Committee shall consist of members appointed by the Secretary from the general public, including—

(i)representatives of women veterans;

(ii)individuals who are recognized authorities in fields pertinent to the needs of women veterans, including the gender-specific health-care needs of women;

(iii)representatives of both female and male veterans with service-connected disabilities, including at least one female veteran with a service-connected disability and at least one male veteran with a service-connected disability; and

(iv)women veterans who are recently separated from service in the Armed Forces.

(B)The Committee shall include, as ex officio members—

(i)the Secretary of Labor (or a representative of the Secretary of Labor designated by the Secretary after consultation with the Assistant Secretary of Labor for Veterans’ Employment);

(ii)the Secretary of Defense (or a representative of the Secretary of Defense designated by the Secretary of Defense after consultation with the Defense Advisory Committee on Women in the Services); and

(iii)the Under Secretary for Health and the Under Secretary for Benefits, or their designees.

(C)The Secretary may invite representatives of other departments and agencies of the United States to participate in the meetings and other activities of the Committee.

(3)The Secretary shall determine the number, terms of service, and pay and allowances of members of the Committee appointed by the Secretary, except that a term of service of any such member may not exceed three years. The Secretary may reappoint any such member for additional terms of service.

(b)The Secretary shall, on a regular basis, consult with and seek the advice of the Committee with respect to the administration of benefits by the Department for women veterans, reports and studies pertaining to women veterans and the needs of women veterans with respect to compensation, health care, rehabilitation, outreach, and other benefits and programs administered by the Department, including the Center for Women Veterans.

(c)(1)Not later than July 1 of each year, the Committee shall submit to the Secretary a report on the programs and activities of the Department that pertain to women veterans. Each such report shall include—

(A)an assessment of the needs of women veterans with respect to compensation, health care, rehabilitation, outreach, and other benefits and programs administered by the Department;

(B)a review of the programs and activities of the Department designed to meet such needs;

(C)an assessment of the effects of intimate partner violence on women veterans; and

(D)such recommendations (including recommendations for administrative and legislative action) as the Committee considers appropriate.

(2)The Secretary shall, within 60 days after receiving each report under paragraph (1), submit to the Congress a copy of the report, together with any comments concerning the report that the Secretary considers appropriate.

(3)The Committee may also submit to the Secretary such other reports and recommendations as the Committee considers appropriate.

(4)The Secretary shall submit with each annual report submitted to the Congress pursuant to section 529 of this title a summary of all reports and recommendations of the Committee submitted to the Secretary since the previous annual report of the Secretary submitted pursuant to such section.

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Prior Provisions

Prior section 542 was renumbered section 1542 of this title. Provisions similar to those in this section were contained in section 222 of this title prior to repeal by Pub. L. 102–83, § 2(a).

Amendments

2022—Subsec. (c)(1). Pub. L. 117–263 substituted “year” for “even-numbered year”. 2021—Subsec. (c)(1)(C), (D). Pub. L. 116–315 added subpar. (C) and redesignated former subpar. (C) as (D). 2010—Subsec. (a)(2)(A)(iv). Pub. L. 111–163 added cl. (iv). 2008—Subsec. (c)(1). Pub. L. 110–387 struck out “through 2008” after “year” in introductory provisions. 2006—Subsec. (c)(1). Pub. L. 109–461, § 1006(b), provided that as of the enactment of Pub. L. 109–461, the

Amendments

made by Pub. L. 109–444 were deemed for all purposes not to have taken effect and that Pub. L. 109–444 ceased to be in effect. See Amendment notes below and section 1006(b) of Pub. L. 109–461, set out as a Coordination of Provisions With Pub. L. 109–444 note under section 101 of this title. Pub. L. 109–461, § 208(b), substituted “2008” for “2004” in introductory provisions. Pub. L. 109–444, which substituted “2008” for “2004” in introductory provisions, was terminated by Pub. L. 109–461, § 1006(b). See Amendment notes above. 2000—Subsec. (c)(1). Pub. L. 106–419 inserted “through 2004” after “each even-numbered year” in introductory provisions. 1996—Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 104–275 inserted “, including the Center for Women Veterans” before period at end. 1992—Subsec. (a)(2)(B)(iii). Pub. L. 102–405 substituted “Under Secretary for Health” for “Chief Medical Director” and “Under Secretary for Benefits” for “Chief Benefits Director”.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Change of Name

Reference to Assistant Secretary of Labor for Veterans’ Employment in any law in force on Nov. 6, 1986, deemed to be a reference to Assistant Secretary of Labor for Veterans’ Employment and Training, see section 2(b)(3) of Pub. L. 99–619, set out as a References in Other Laws note under section 553 of Title 29, Labor.

Effective Date

of 2010 Amendment Pub. L. 111–163, title II, § 204(c), May 5, 2010, 124 Stat. 1144, provided that: “The

Amendments

made by this section [amending this section and section 544 of this title] shall apply to appointments made on or after the date of the enactment of this Act [May 5, 2010].” Termination of Advisory CommitteesAdvisory committees established after Jan. 5, 1973, to terminate not later than the expiration of the 2-year period beginning on the date of their establishment, unless, in the case of a committee established by the President or an officer of the Federal Government, such committee is renewed by appropriate action prior to the expiration of such 2-year period, or in the case of a committee established by the Congress, its duration is otherwise provided by law. See section 1013 of Title 5, Government Organization and Employees.

§542 Advisory Committee on Women Veterans

Summary

Title 38, §542

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Prior Provisions

Amendments

Amendments

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Change of Name

Effective Date

Amendments

Citations & Metadata