[Congressional Bills 112th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 79 Introduced in House (IH)]

112th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                 H. R. 79

   To amend title 38, United States Code, to provide certain abused 
                dependents of veterans with health care.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            January 5, 2011

   Ms. Jackson Lee of Texas introduced the following bill; which was 
             referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
   To amend title 38, United States Code, to provide certain abused 
                dependents of veterans with health care.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Dependent Care Act of 2011''.

SEC. 2. HEALTH CARE FOR CERTAIN DEPENDENTS WHO ARE VICTIMS OF ABUSE.

    (a) Provision of Health Care.--
            (1) In general.--Chapter 17 of title 38, United States 
        Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new 
        section:
``Sec. 1787. Health care for certain dependents who are victims of 
              abuse
    ``(a) In General.--In accordance with section 1781 of this title, 
the Secretary shall provide health care to a victim of abuse described 
in subsection (b) for physical and mental injuries resulting from such 
abuse.
    ``(b) Victim of Abuse.--A victim of abuse described in this 
subsection is an individual who--
            ``(1) is a spouse, child, or dependent parent of a veteran 
        who--
                    ``(A) is enrolled to receive care under section 
                1710 of this title; and
                    ``(B) has been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress 
                disorder or traumatic brain injury;
            ``(2) has been physically or psychologically abused by the 
        veteran described in paragraph (1), as verified by the 
        Secretary; and
            ``(3) is not--
                    ``(A) eligible for medical coverage (other than 
                under this section) under a program of the Federal 
                Government or a State government; or
                    ``(B) covered by a private medical insurance 
                policy.
    ``(c) Mental Health.--The Secretary shall ensure that health care 
provided under this section includes mental health care as 
appropriate.''.
            (2) Clerical amendment.--The table of sections at the 
        beginning of such chapter is amended by inserting after the 
        item relating to section 1786 the following new item:

``1787. Health care for certain dependents who are victims of abuse.''.
    (b) Conforming Amendment.--Section 1781(a) of such title is 
amended--
            (1) in paragraph (3), by striking ``, and'' and inserting a 
        comma;
            (2) in paragraph (4), by striking the semicolon and 
        inserting ``, and''; and
            (3) by inserting after paragraph (4) the following new 
        paragraph:
            ``(5) a victim of abuse under section 1787 of this 
        title;''.
    (c) Report.--Not later than 180 days after the date of the 
enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall submit 
to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs of the House of Representatives 
and the Committee on Veterans' Affairs of the Senate a report 
addressing any challenges or concerns of the Secretary in verifying 
physical or psychological abuse pursuant to section 1787(b)(2) of title 
38, United States Code, as added by subsection (a).
    (d) Effective Date.--The amendments made by this Act shall take 
effect on the date that is 180 days after the date of the enactment of 
this Act.
                                 <all>