This Act may be cited as the “Caregiver Outreach and Program Enhancement Act” or the “COPE Act”.

(a) In general.—Subchapter II of chapter 17 of title 38, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new section:

(b) Clerical amendment.—The table of sections at the beginning of such subchapter is amended by adding at the end the following new item:

“1720K. Grants to provide mental health support to family caregivers of veterans.”.

(a) In general.—Section 8108 of title 38, United States Code, is amended by inserting “, or to mitigate the risk of flooding, including the risk of flooding associated with rising sea levels” before the period at the end.

(b) Report.—Not later than two years after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall submit to the Committees on Veterans’ Affairs of the House of Representatives and the Senate a report that includes an assessment of—

(1) the extent to which each medical facility (as such term is defined in section 8101(3) of title 38, United States Code) is at risk of flooding, including the risk of flooding associated with rising sea levels; and

(2) whether additional resources are necessary to address the risk of flooding at each such facility.

(c) Authorization of appropriations.—There is authorized to be appropriated for the Department of Veterans Affairs for each of fiscals year 2024 through 2028 $25,000,000 to carry out the amendment made by subsection (a).

(a) Report required.—Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General of the United States shall submit to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the Senate and the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the House of Representatives a report on the provision of mental health support to caregivers of veterans.

(b) Contents.—The report submitted under subsection (a) shall include the following:

(1) An assessment of the need for mental health support among caregivers participating in the caregiver programs.

(2) An assessment of options for mental health support in facilities of the Department of Veterans Affairs and in the community for caregivers participating in the caregiver programs.

(3) An assessment of the availability and accessibility of mental health support in facilities of the Department and in the community for caregivers participating in the caregiver programs.

(4) An assessment of the awareness among caregivers of the availability of mental health support in facilities of the Department and in the community for caregivers participating in the caregiver programs.

(5) An assessment of barriers to mental health support in facilities of the Department and in the community for caregivers participating in the caregiver programs.

(c) Definitions.—In this section:

(1) The term “caregiver” has the meaning given that term in section 1720G of title 38, United States Code.

(2) The term “caregiver programs” means—

(A) the program of comprehensive assistance for family caregivers under subsection (a) of section 1720G of title 38, United States Code; and

(B) the program of support services for caregivers under subsection (b) of such section.

(a) Annual survey.—Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter for each of the following five years, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, in coordination with the Director of the Office of Security and Law Enforcement of the Department of Veterans Affairs, shall conduct an annual survey of covered employees to collect information regarding security at each covered facility. Each annual survey shall include questions about—

(1) the type and frequency of criminal activity experienced at the covered facility during the 12 months prior to the date the covered employee completes the survey;

(2) the number of vacant positions for Department police officers at the covered facility and the number of days each vacant position has been vacant;

(3) the availability and adequacy of covered equipment;

(4) the availability and adequacy of resources, classes, or other time set aside for training Department police officers who work at each covered facility about any skill or tactic related to law enforcement, including the proper use of force, firearms qualifications and training, procedures for responding to an active threat, and any other training required for Department police officers;

(5) any security weakness;

(6) an analysis of the relationship between the covered facility (including the Department police officers who work at the covered facility) and local law enforcement agencies;

(7) efforts by the personnel of the covered facility to address and reduce criminal activity at, or in close proximity to, the covered facility; and

(8) recommendations for the Secretary to better address and reduce criminal activity at, or in close proximity to, covered facilities.

(b) Report.—Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter for each of the following five years, the Secretary shall submit to each of the Committees on Veterans’ Affairs of the Senate and the House of Representatives an annual report regarding security at covered facilities that includes—

(1) the results of the annual survey described under subsection (a) for the year covered by the report;

(2) an analysis, made in coordination with the Director of the Office of Security and Law Enforcement of such Department and each director and police chief of a Veterans Integrated Service Network, of the results of the annual survey described under subsection (a) for the year covered by the report;

(3) a plan of action that describes how the Secretary plans to address any security weakness identified in the results of the annual survey and includes clearly-stated goals with measurable benchmarks for each goal and deadlines for each benchmark; and

(4) a list of each vacant position for police chief or deputy police chief at each covered facility, and the number of days the position has been vacant.

(c) Definitions.—In this section:

(1) The term “covered equipment” means any item issued by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to a Department police officer (including batons, firearms, pepper spray, ballistic vests, body-worn cameras, and radios) for use in the provision of services under section 902 of title 38, United States Code.

(2) The term “covered employee” means any employee of the Department of Veterans Affairs who is employed at a covered facility as a police chief, a facility emergency management leader, a facility director, or a person carrying out the responsibilities of one of these positions in an acting capacity.

(3) The term “covered facility” means any facility of the Department of Veterans Affairs where Department police officers have jurisdiction.

(4) The term “Department police officer” has the meaning given to such term as used in section 902 of title 38, United States Code.

(5) The term “security weakness” means a deficiency in the facilities, staffing, or covered equipment at a covered facility that a covered employee of the covered facility determines presents a risk to the safety of visitors or staff, including an unsecured door, inoperable security camera, unsecured police operations room, a lack of security presence at an entrance to the covered facility, and a lack of security presence in an area of the covered facility or the grounds of the covered facility that the director of the covered facility determines requires an increased security presence.

The loan fee table in section 3729(b)(2) of title 38, United States Code, is amended by striking “November 14, 2031” each place it appears and inserting “March 12, 2032”.