Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 120.djvu/3434

 PUBLIC LAW 109–461—DEC. 22, 2006

120 STAT. 3403

Public Law 109–461 109th Congress An Act To amend title 38, United States Code, to repeal certain limitations on attorney representation of claimants for benefits under laws administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, to expand eligibility for the Survivors’ and Dependents’ Educational Assistance Program, to otherwise improve veterans’ benefits, memorial affairs, and health-care programs, to enhance information security programs of the Department of Veterans Affairs, and for other purposes.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; TABLE OF CONTENTS.

(a) SHORT TITLE.—This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Veterans Benefits, Health Care, and Information Technology Act of 2006’’. (b) TABLE OF CONTENTS.—The table of contents for this Act is as follows:

Dec. 22, 2006 [S. 3421]

Veterans Benefits, Health Care, and Information Technology Act of 2006. 38 USC 101 note.

Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents. Sec. 2. References to title 38, United States Code. TITLE I—ATTORNEY REPRESENTATION MATTERS Sec. 101. Agent or attorney representation in veterans benefits cases before the Department of Veterans Affairs. Sec. 201. Sec. 202. Sec. Sec. Sec. Sec. Sec. Sec. Sec.

203. 204. 205. 206. 207. 208. 209.

Sec. 210. Sec. Sec. Sec. Sec. Sec. Sec. Sec.

211. 212. 213. 214. 215. 216. 217.

TITLE II—HEALTH MATTERS Additional mental health providers. Pay comparability for the Chief Nursing Officer, Office of Nursing Services. Improvement and expansion of mental health services. Disclosure of medical records. Expansion of telehealth services. Strategic plan for long-term care. Blind rehabilitation outpatient specialists. Extension of certain compliance reports. Parkinson’s Disease research, education, and clinical centers and multiple sclerosis centers of excellence. Repeal of term of office for the Under Secretary for Health and the Under Secretary for Benefits. Modifications to State home authorities. Office of Rural Health. Outreach program to veterans in rural areas. Pilot program on improvement of caregiver assistance services. Expansion of outreach activities of Vet Centers. Clarification and enhancement of bereavement counseling. Funding for Vet Center program.

TITLE III—EDUCATION MATTERS Sec. 301. Expansion of eligibility for Survivors’ and Dependents’ Educational Assistance program. Sec. 302. Restoration of lost entitlement for individuals who discontinue a program of education because of being ordered to full-time National Guard duty. Sec. 303. Exception for institutions offering Government-sponsored nonaccredited courses to requirement of refunding unused tuition.

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