Demographic data of veterans: collection; retention; publication

(a) In general Subchapter II of chapter 5 of title 38, United States Code, is amended by inserting after section 527, the following new section: 528. Demographic data of veterans: collection; retention; publication. (a) Database (1) The Secretary shall collect demographic data of veterans (from any source of such data available to the Secretary, including the National Center for Veterans Analysis and Statistics of the Department, the Bureau of the Census, and the Social Security Administration) and maintain a database of such data. (2) Data collected and maintained under paragraph (1) shall include the following: (A) Sex. (B) Gender identity, disaggregated by— (i) male; (ii) female; (iii) cisgender; (iv) transgender; (v) gender diverse; (vi) nonbinary; and (vii) combinations of clauses (i) through (vi). (C) Age. (D) Educational level. (E) Race and ethnicity, disaggregated by— (i) membership in an Indian tribe (as defined in section 4 of the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act (25 U.S.C. 5304)); and (ii) the same major race groups as the decennial censuses. (F) Sexual orientation, disaggregated by— (i) heterosexual; (ii) lesbian; (iii) gay; (iv) bisexual; and (v) queer. (G) Household makeup, including marital status and number of dependents. (H) Gross income and sources of income. (I) Housing status, disaggregated by— (i) renter; (ii) homeowner; or (iii) residing in a home owned or rented by another person. (J) Employment status, disaggregated by— (i) employed; (ii) seeking employment; and (iii) self-employed. (K) History of service in the Armed Forces, disaggregated by— (i) Armed Force; (ii) regular or reserve component; (iii) service in a combat theater of operations or war zone; (iv) service during a period of war; (v) whether a veteran is a former prisoner of war; (vi) whether the veteran was exposed to dead, dying, or wounded people during active military, naval, air, or space service; (vii) whether the veteran was exposed to environmental hazards during active military, naval, air, or space service; and (viii) whether the veteran experienced military sexual trauma (as that term is defined in section 1166 of this title). (L) Whether the veteran is enrolled in the patient enrollment system under section 1705 of this title. (M) Whether the veteran has received a disability rating from under section 1155 of this title. (N) Location of the veteran’s residence, disaggregated by— (i) rural or urban setting; (ii) distance to a facility of the Department; and (iii) whether the veteran has access to broadband service. (O) Any other information the Secretary determines appropriate. (b) Data retention standards Demographic data in the database under subsection (a) shall be— (1) anonymized to prevent the release of sensitive personal information (as that term is defined in section 5727 of this title); and (2) machine readable. (c) Website The Secretary shall maintain a publicly accessible website of the Department that provides access to the database under subsection (a). The Secretary shall update such website not less frequently than once each year.. (b) Clerical amendment The table of sections at the beginning of such chapter is amended by inserting, after the item relating to section 527, the following new item: 528. Demographic data of veterans: collection; retention; publication.. (c) Implementation date The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall carry out section 528 of such title, as added by this section, not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act.