PlainBillCongress, translated.Legislation. Context. Public interest.

Veterans Affairs Research Transparency Act of 2015

Committee on Veterans' Affairs. Hearings held. Hearings printed: S.Hrg. 114-201.

Official summary

Version 00 · Introduced in Senate · Jan 7, 2015

Veterans Affairs Research Transparency Act of 2015

Directs the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to make available on a publicly-available Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) website: (1) data files that contain information on VA research, (2) a data dictionary on each data file, and (3) instructions on how to obtain access to each data file for use in research.

Directs the Secretary, within 540 days after this Act's enactment, to require, as a condition on the use of any data gathered or formulated from research funded by VA, that any final, peer-reviewed manuscript prepared for publication that uses such data be submitted to the Secretary for deposit in a digital archive (established by the Secretary under this Act). Requires such archive to be publicly available.

Showing the opening paragraphs of the official summary.

Read full official summaryShow less

Requires the Department of Veterans Affairs-Department of Defense Joint Executive to submit to the Secretary and the Secretary of Defense (DOD) options and recommendations for establishing a program of long-term cooperation and data-sharing between and within VA and DOD to facilitate research on outcomes of military service, readjustment after combat deployment, and other topics of importance to veterans, members of the Armed Forces (members), their families, and members of communities that have a significant population of veterans or members.

Read the summary on Congress.gov
PlainBill analysis is coming later. This page presents official source data. We have not yet published a PlainBill explanation for this bill.

Who introduced it

Sen. Heller, Dean [R-NV] · R–NV

Committees

  • Veterans' Affairs Committee
0 cosponsorship records, including any withdrawals

    Actions

    A procedural vote is different from passage. Passage in one chamber does not establish enactment. Explore the glossary.

    1. Committee on Veterans' Affairs. Hearings held. Hearings printed: S.Hrg. 114-201.

    2. Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.

    3. Introduced in Senate

    Bill text & related measures

    Text links open the official source. We currently store references to these documents.

    Related bills identified by Congress.gov

    No related bills are listed in this snapshot. This does not establish whether the proposal has appeared in earlier Congresses.

    Source last updated: Aug 12, 2025. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.

    Explore the bill from different angles

    Choose a perspective, copy a prompt, and paste it into your preferred AI. Each prompt includes the bill version and available official source links, and asks for counterarguments as well as supporting evidence.

    Neutral evidence review

    Objective

    Analyze S.114 as objectively as possible. Explain its main provisions, who would be affected, possible benefits and harms, implementation, exceptions, and uncertainties. Present the strongest arguments for and against it, and identify evidence needed to assess its public impact.

    View full prompt & sources
    Fairness and public impact

    Progressive lens

    Examine S.114 through a progressive lens, focusing on fairness, access, economic inequality, and effects on vulnerable communities. Explain potential benefits, costs, and unintended consequences. Consider the strongest counterarguments and distinguish stated goals from demonstrated outcomes.

    View full prompt & sources
    Institutions and government scope

    Conservative lens

    Examine S.114 through a conservative lens, focusing on fiscal responsibility, institutional stability, federalism, and the scope of government. Explain potential benefits, costs, and unintended consequences. Consider the strongest counterarguments and any provisions that challenge this perspective.

    View full prompt & sources
    Individual rights and government power

    Liberty lens

    Examine S.114 through a civil-liberties and limited-government lens. Consider individual rights, privacy, voluntary choice, accountability, and government power. Explain tradeoffs, possible safeguards, and the strongest counterarguments without assuming the proposal is beneficial or harmful.

    View full prompt & sources