Text of Senate Amendment 6523

On 2026-06-24, Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV) delivered a floor speech titled "Text Of Senate Amendment 6523" in the Senate.

Text of Senate Amendment 6523

Congressional Record, Volume 172 Issue 106 (Wednesday, June 24, 2026) [Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 106 (Wednesday, June 24, 2026)] [Senate] [Page S3635] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [ www.gpo.gov ] SA 6523. Ms. CORTEZ MASTO (for herself and Ms. Rosen) submitted an amendment intended to be proposed by her to the bill S. 4784, to authorize appropriations for fiscal year 2027 for military activities of the Department of Defense, for military construction, and for defense activities of the Department of Energy, to prescribe military personnel strengths for such fiscal year, and for other purposes; which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows: At the appropriate place in subtitle E of title V, insert the following: SEC. __. STUDY ON GOVERNMENT-TO-GOVERNMENT COORDINATION TO IMPROVE TRANSITION OF SEPARATING MEMBERS OF THE ARMED FORCES. (a) Study Required.--The Secretary of Defense, in coordination with the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, shall conduct a study on the following as related to the transition of members of the Armed Forces to civilian life: (1) Data transfers and interoperability, including the following: (A) The information collected through the Transition Assistance Program that is electronically transmitted from the Department of Defense to the Department of Veterans Affairs. (B) The stage in the separation process at which such transfer occurs. (C) The information, if any, that is made available to State veterans agencies when a transitioning member of the Armed Forces identifies a State of intended residence. (D) Any statutory, regulatory, or privacy restrictions that limit appropriate data sharing with State veterans agencies. (2) Data integrity, security, and cyber protections, including the following: (A) Existing safeguards to ensure the accuracy, completeness, and integrity of veteran transition data transferred between the Department of Defense, the Department of Veterans Affairs, and other authorized entities. (B) The cybersecurity protocols that govern the transmission of personally identifiable information collected through the Transition Assistance Program. (C) Any established standards or audit processes to ensure that veteran transition data remains protected while enabling appropriate interagency access. (D) Existing accountability mechanisms to detect and correct data errors that could delay access to earned benefits. (3) Government-to-government coordination, including the following: (A) How the Department of Defense and the Department of Veterans Affairs coordinate with State veterans agencies as government partners rather than solely as external stakeholders. (B) Any formal agreements, memoranda of understanding, or statutory authorities governing the exchange of transition- related data between Federal and State agencies. (C) Existing mechanisms to enable secure government-to- government data sharing to support coordinated outreach and benefits assistance for newly separated veterans. (4) Notification and outreach to transitioning members of the Armed Forces, including the following: (A) Whether States are notified when such members identify a particular State as their post-service residence. (B) Existing mechanisms to facilitate a ``warm handoff'' from Department of Defense transition counselors to the Department of Veterans Affairs and State veterans service officers. (C) Whether improved data sharing would allow States to proactively engage transitioning members prior to or immediately following discharge. (5) Fiscal efficiency and program outcomes, including the following: (A) The Federal funding allocated annually to support the Transition Assistance Program across participating agencies. (B) The measurable outcomes that demonstrate the program's effectiveness in connecting transitioning members of the Armed Forces with employment opportunities, education programs, and benefits provided by the Department of Veterans Affairs. (C) Opportunities to improve fiscal efficiency by reducing duplicative efforts between the Department of Defense, the Department of Veterans Affairs, and State veterans agencies through improved coordination and shared data systems. (6) Opportunities to strengthen Federal-State partnerships, including through the following: (A) Secure government-to-government data sharing agreements. (B) Earlier notification to States regarding transitioning members of the Armed Forces. (C) Integration of State veterans service officers into the Transition Assistance Program. (D) Pilot programs enabling coordinated outreach between installations of the Department of Defense, offices of the Department of Veterans Affairs, and State veterans agencies. (b) Submission to Congress.--Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall submit to Congress the findings of the study required by subsection (a). (c) Definition.--In this section, the term ``Transition Assistance Program'' means the program of the Department of Defense for preseparation counseling, employment assistance, and other transitional services provided under sections 1142 and 1144 of title 10, United States Code. ______