Veterans Accessibility Advisory Committee Act of 2025
Officially: “Veterans Accessibility Advisory Committee Act of 2025” Read the full text
What it does
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1Short title
This section would give the Act a short title: the Veterans Accessibility Advisory Committee Act of 2025.
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1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Veterans Accessibility Advisory Committee Act of 2025 .
2Veterans Advisory Committee on Equal Access
This section would require the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, not later than 180 days after enactment, to establish an advisory committee within the Department of Veterans Affairs on matters relating to accessibility of the Department for individuals with disabilities, to be called the Veterans Advisory Committee on Equal Access. The Advisory Committee would have 15 voting members appointed by the Secretary, made up of four veterans with disabilities (including mobility, hearing, visual, and mental or cognitive disabilities), four experts on the accessibility issues or laws the Committee deals with, two Department employees (one from the Section 508 Office and one from the Architectural Accessibility Program) who oversee the Department's compliance with federal accessibility laws, and five representatives nominated by national veterans service organizations that advocate for veterans with physical, sensory, mental, or cognitive disabilities. It would also include four ex officio members or their designees: the Under Secretary for Health, the Under Secretary for Benefits, the Under Secretary for Memorial Affairs, and the chairperson of the Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance Board (the Access Board). Members would serve two-year terms and could be reappointed for additional two-year terms at the Secretary's discretion, and any vacancy would have to be filled the same way as the original appointment, within 180 days of the vacancy arising. The Advisory Committee would have to meet at least twice a year, could form subcommittees that meet as often as needed, and a majority of members would constitute a quorum. The members would choose their own Chairperson, and if that position became vacant, a new Chairperson would have to be chosen within 30 days. On a regular basis the Secretary would have to consult with and seek the advice of the Advisory Committee on improving the Department's accessibility for people with disabilities, covering the accessibility of the Department's information (including electronic information), its services and benefits, its facilities, the facilities of health care providers furnishing care under the Veterans Community Care Program under section 1703 of title 38, and the Department's acquisition process for ensuring products and services (including information technology) are accessible when purchased. The Secretary would also have to consult the Advisory Committee on the Department's compliance with disability and accessibility laws, including the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, sections 504 and 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Plain Writing Act of 2010, the 21st Century Integrated Digital Experience Act, the Architectural Barriers Act of 1968, and other federal laws that ensure equal access to federal facilities, benefits, or services for people with disabilities. In giving that advice, focusing on areas of greatest need, the Advisory Committee would assess the disability access needs of veterans, the public, and Department employees by reviewing information such as filed complaints or physical assessments of facilities; provide assessments of the Department's accessibility and legal compliance; and advise on improving accessibility of communications, services and benefits, and facilities. Not later than two years after the Advisory Committee's first meeting, and at least once every two years after that, the Advisory Committee would have to submit a report to the Secretary, focused on areas of greatest need, that identifies and assesses access barriers affecting veterans, the public, and employees; determines how well Department programs address those barriers, including legal compliance; recommends improvements and priorities for accessibility of services, benefits, information, technology, and facilities; describes access improvements made and assesses the Department's follow-through on prior report recommendations, including any that remain unmet; and offers any recommendations for legislation, administrative action, or other steps the Advisory Committee finds appropriate. Not later than 90 days after receiving each such report, the Secretary would have to send a copy of it, along with any comments and recommendations the Secretary considers appropriate, to the Senate and House Committees on Veterans' Affairs, the Senate Special Committee on Aging, and the House Committee on Education and Workforce, and would have to publish the report and any accompanying comments and recommendations on a publicly accessible Department website. A member of the Advisory Committee who is not a federal officer or employee would not be paid for serving on the Committee, but would be allowed travel expenses, including per diem, at the rates set for federal employees under subchapter I of chapter 57 of title 5, United States Code, while away from home performing Committee duties. The Secretary would have to make personnel, funding, and other resources available to the Advisory Committee as the Secretary determines appropriate, and would have to furnish the Advisory Committee with information it requests, subject to applicable law. The Advisory Committee would terminate 10 years after the date this Act is enacted.
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2. Veterans Advisory Committee on Equal Access (a) Establishment (1) In general Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall establish within the Department of Veterans Affairs an advisory committee on matters relating to accessibility of the Department for individuals with disabilities. (2) Designation The advisory committee established by paragraph (1) shall be known as the Veterans Advisory Committee on Equal Access (in this section the Advisory Committee ). (b) Membership (1) Voting members The Advisory Committee shall be composed of 15 voting members, appointed by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs. In appointing such members, the Secretary shall ensure the following: (A) Four are veterans with disabilities, including mobility impairment, hearing, visual, and mental or cognitive disabilities. (B) Four are experts on issues described in subsection (f)(1)(A) or the provisions of law set forth under subsection (f)(1)(B). (C) Two are employees of the Department, one from the Section 508 Office and one from the Architectural Accessibility Program, who oversee the compliance of the Department with Federal accessibility laws. (D) Five are representatives nominated by national veterans service organizations that advocate for veterans with physical, sensory, mental, or cognitive disabilities. (2) Ex officio members The Advisory Committee shall also include four ex officio members (or their designees): (A) The Under Secretary for Health. (B) The Under Secretary for Benefits. (C) The Under Secretary for Memorial Affairs. (D) The chairperson of the Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance Board (known as the Access Board ). (c) Terms; vacancies (1) Terms A member of the Advisory Committee shall be appointed for a term of two years. The Secretary may reappoint members to the Advisory Committee for such additional two-year terms as the Secretary determines appropriate. (2) Vacancies The Secretary shall fill a vacancy in the Advisory Committee in the same manner as the original appointment not later than 180 days after such vacancy occurs. (d) Meetings (1) Frequency The Advisory Committee shall meet not less frequently than twice each year. (2) Subcommittees The Advisory Committee may form subcommittees, which shall meet as often as required. (3) Quorum A majority of the members of the Advisory Committee shall constitute a quorum. (e) Chairperson Members of the Advisory Committee shall select a Chairperson from among the members of the Advisory Committee. If the position of Chairperson becomes vacant, the members of the Advisory Committee shall select a new Chairperson not later than 30 days after the date on which the position became vacant. (f) Duties (1) Requirement to consult and seek advice On a regular basis, the Secretary shall consult with and seek the advice of the Advisory Committee— (A) on improving the accessibility of the Department for individuals with disabilities, including improving— (i) the accessibility of information of the Department, including electronic information; (ii) the accessibility of the services and benefits furnished by the Department; (iii) the accessibility of the facilities of the Department; (iv) the accessibility of facilities of health care providers furnishing care or services under the Veterans Community Care Program under section 1703 of title 38, United States Code; and (v) the acquisition process of the Department to ensure that products and services, including information technology and information and communication technology (as defined in the standards issued by the Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance Board pursuant to section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 ( 29 U.S.C. 794d )), are accessible when purchased; and (B) for ensuring the compliance of the Department with provisions of law relating to disability and accessibility, including— (i) the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 ( 42 U.S.C. 12184 et seq. ); (ii) sections 504 and 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 ( 29 U.S.C. 791 , 794, and 794d); (iii) the Plain Writing Act of 2010 ( 5 U.S.C. 301 note); (iv) the 21st Century Integrated Digital Experience Act ( 44 U.S.C. 3501 note); (v) the Architectural Barriers Act of 1968 ( Public Law 90–480 ); and (vi) such other provisions of Federal law as may be that ensure equal access to Federal facilities, benefits, or services for individuals with disabilities. (2) Provision of advice In providing advice to the Secretary, the Advisory Committee shall, focusing on the areas of greatest need for the Department— (A) assess the disability access needs of veterans, the public, and Department employees for full access to the Department’s information, services, and benefits by reviewing relevant information, such as filed complaints by people with disabilities or physical assessments of the Department’s facilities; (B) provide assessments of accessibility at the Department and the compliance of the Department with applicable provisions of law relating to disability and accessibility; and (C) provide advice on improving accessibility at the Department, including the accessibility of all— (i) communications, including internal and public facing; (ii) services and benefits; and (iii) facilities. (3) Reports (A) Reports to the Secretary Not later than two years after the date of the first meeting of the Advisory Committee, and not less frequently than once every two years thereafter, the Advisory Committee shall submit to the Secretary a report that, focusing on areas of greatest need for the Department— (i) identifies and assesses access barriers affecting veterans, the public, and employees of the Department; (ii) determines the extent to which the programs and activities of the Department address the barriers identified in clause (i), including compliance of the Department with provisions of law relating to accessibility law and reporting; (iii) provides recommendations and access priorities to improve the accessibility of the Department’s services, benefits, information, technology, and facilities; (iv) provides a description of access improvements and assesses the Department’s implementation of recommendations from previous reports of the Advisory Committee, including any unmet recommendations that remain necessary for improving accessibility for the Department; and (v) provides any recommendations for legislation, administrative action, or other actions that the Advisory Committee determines appropriate. (B) Reports to Congress and Federal agencies (i) In general Not later than 90 days after the receipt of a report required under subparagraph (A), the Secretary shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees a copy of such report and any comments and recommendations of the Secretary concerning such report that the Secretary determines appropriate. (ii) Availability to the public The Secretary shall publish on a publicly accessible website of the Department such report and such comments and recommendations as may have been submitted along with such report. (iii) Appropriate congressional committees In this subparagraph, the term appropriate congressional committees means— (I) the Committees on Veterans’ Affairs of the Senate and House of Representatives; (II) the Special Committee on Aging of the Senate; and (III) the Committee on Education and Workforce of the House of Representatives. (g) Advisory Committee personnel and resource matters (1) Compensation of members A member of the Commission who is not an officer or employee of the Federal Government shall not be compensated for the performance of the duties of the Advisory Committee. (2) Travel expenses A member of the Advisory Committee shall be allowed travel expenses, including per diem in lieu of subsistence, at rates authorized for employees of agencies under subchapter I of chapter 57 of title 5, United States Code, while away from their homes or regular places of business in the performance of services for the Advisory Committee. (3) Resources The Secretary shall ensure that such personnel, funding, and other resources are made available to the Advisory Committee as the Secretary determines appropriate to carry out the duties of the Advisory Committee. (4) Information The Secretary shall furnish to the Advisory Committee such information as the Advisory Committee may request from the Secretary, subject to applicable provisions of law. (h) Termination of Advisory Committee The Advisory Committee shall terminate on the date that is 10 years after the date of the enactment of this Act.
3Abolition of inactive advisory committee
This section would require the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, not later than 180 days after enactment and before establishing the Veterans Advisory Committee on Equal Access under section 2, to take one of three actions: abolish a Department of Veterans Affairs advisory committee that was not established by an Act of Congress and that is inactive; consolidate two such committees that were each not established by an Act of Congress and are inactive; or, for an advisory committee that was established by an Act of Congress and is inactive, submit to the Senate and House Committees on Veterans' Affairs a recommendation to abolish it.
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3. Abolition of inactive advisory committee Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act and before establishing the Veterans Advisory Committee on Equal Access under section 2, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall— (1) abolish an advisory committee of the Department of Veterans Affairs that— (A) was not established by an Act of Congress; and (B) is inactive; (2) consolidate two advisory committees described in paragraph (1); or (3) submit to the Committees on Veterans’ Affairs of the Senate and House of Representatives a recommendation to abolish an advisory committee of the Department that— (A) was established by an Act of Congress; and (B) is inactive.
Where it is
In the Senate.