{"format":1,"id":"117-hr-3730","congress":117,"number":"H.R. 3730","kind":"bill","group":"bills","title":"To amend title 38, United States Code, to establish in the Department of Veterans Affairs an Advisory Committee on United States Outlying Areas and Freely Associated States, and for other purposes.","title_source":"Display Title","official_title":"To amend title 38, United States Code, to establish in the Department of Veterans Affairs an Advisory Committee on United States Outlying Areas and Freely Associated States, and for other purposes.","titles":[{"type":"Official Title as Introduced","title":"To amend title 38, United States Code, to establish in the Department of Veterans Affairs an Advisory Committee on United States Outlying Areas and Freely Associated States, and for other purposes."},{"type":"Display Title","title":"To amend title 38, United States Code, to establish in the Department of Veterans Affairs an Advisory Committee on United States Outlying Areas and Freely Associated States, and for other purposes."}],"outcome":"passed_house","law_number":null,"introduced":"2021-06-04","chambers":{"house":{"status":"roll_call","date":"2021-11-18","vote":{"id":"117-2021-h380","question":"On Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass, as Amended","title":"To amend title 38, United States Code, to establish in the Department of Veterans Affairs an Advisory Committee on United States Outlying Areas and Freely Associated States, and for other purposes","result":"Passed","yea":420,"nay":4,"present":0,"not_voting":9,"source":"https://clerk.house.gov/evs/2021/roll380.xml"}},"senate":{"status":"na","date":null,"vote":null}},"president":{"status":"na","date":null},"vice_president_tie_breaker":null,"latest_action":{"text":"Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.","date":"2021-11-19"},"nominees":null,"amendments":[],"other_votes":[],"crs_summary":{"date":"2021-11-18","stage":"Passed House","blocks":[{"k":"p","t":"This bill requires the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to establish the Advisory Committee on United States Outlying Areas and Freely Associated States to provide advice and guidance to the VA on matters relating to veterans residing in American Samoa, Guam, Puerto Rico, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, the U.S. Virgin Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, and the Republic of Palau. Among other duties, the committee must advise the VA on how to improve its programs and services to better serve veterans living in the listed areas."}],"words":96},"summary":{"main_subject":{"text":"Requires the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to establish an advisory committee that advises the Secretary on matters relating to veterans residing in American Samoa, Guam, Puerto Rico, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, the Virgin Islands of the United States, the Federated States of Micronesia, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, and the Republic of Palau.","cites":[{"label":"Sec. 1","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/3730/text/eh#H12B774D349C34D21839A9ECD49EB1013"}]},"core_areas":["Department of Veterans Affairs advisory committee on veterans residing in U.S. outlying areas and Freely Associated States","Advisory committee membership, meetings, and reports to Congress"],"what_it_does":[{"text":"Adds section 548 to title 38, United States Code, requiring the Secretary to establish the Advisory Committee on United States Outlying Areas and Freely Associated States to provide advice and guidance on matters relating to covered veterans.","cite":{"label":"Sec. 1","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/3730/text/eh#H12B774D349C34D21839A9ECD49EB1013"}},{"text":"Sets the committee's duties, including advising on how the Department can improve its programs and services for covered veterans and providing a forum to discuss proposed changes to Department regulations, policies, and procedures.","cite":{"label":"Sec. 1","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/3730/text/eh#H12B774D349C34D21839A9ECD49EB1013"}},{"text":"Provides for 15 voting members appointed by the Secretary for two-year terms, with at least one member representing covered veterans in each of the eight listed areas and not fewer than half being covered veterans, unless the Secretary determines too few qualified ones are available.","cite":{"label":"Sec. 1","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/3730/text/eh#H12B774D349C34D21839A9ECD49EB1013"}},{"text":"Requires the committee to meet in person with the Secretary at least twice each year and hold monthly conference calls as necessary, and allows virtual meetings during a public health emergency declared under section 319 of the Public Health Service Act.","cite":{"label":"Sec. 1","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/3730/text/eh#H12B774D349C34D21839A9ECD49EB1013"}},{"text":"Requires the committee to submit an annual report with recommendations to the Secretary and the House and Senate Committees on Veterans' Affairs, requires a written response from the Secretary within 90 days, and requires the Secretary to post these reports publicly.","cite":{"label":"Sec. 1","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/3730/text/eh#H12B774D349C34D21839A9ECD49EB1013"}},{"text":"Requires the Secretary to establish the committee within 180 days after enactment, appoint its members within 90 days after establishing it, and requires the committee to hold its first meeting within 120 days after establishment.","cite":{"label":"Sec. 1","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/3730/text/eh#H12B774D349C34D21839A9ECD49EB1013"}}],"unexpected":[],"version":{"type":"Engrossed in House","date":"2021-11-18","rule":"passed","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/3730/text/eh"},"current":true,"model":"claude-sonnet-5-5","approved":"2026-10-15","approved_by":"checks"},"sources":{"congress_gov":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/3730","text":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/3730/text"},"card":{"image":"card/item/117-hr-3730.png","v":"b9aa6f91da3d","alt":"Votes on Record. H.R. 3730, 117th Congress: To amend title 38, United States Code, to establish in the Department of Veterans Affairs an Advisory Committee on United States Outlying Areas and Freely Associated States, and for other purposes. House: 420 Yea, 4 Nay. Outcome: Passed House, 18 Nov 2021."}}