[Congressional Bills 113th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 1725 Introduced in House (IH)]

113th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 1725

    To amend title 38, United States Code, to provide for unlimited 
eligibility for health care for mental illnesses for veterans of combat 
         service during certain periods of hostilities and war.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             April 25, 2013

 Mr. Cartwright (for himself, Mrs. Beatty, Mr. Brady of Pennsylvania, 
Mr. Butterfield, Mrs. Capps, Mr. Cardenas, Mr. Carson of Indiana, Mrs. 
    Christensen, Ms. Chu, Mr. Conyers, Mr. DeFazio, Mr. Deutch, Mr. 
Doggett, Mr. Enyart, Ms. Esty, Mr. Fattah, Ms. Frankel of Florida, Ms. 
 Gabbard, Mr. Grijalva, Ms. Hahn, Mr. Higgins, Mr. Hinojosa, Mr. Holt, 
Mr. Honda, Mr. Horsford, Ms. Jackson Lee, Ms. Eddie Bernice Johnson of 
 Texas, Mr. Jones, Mr. Kildee, Ms. Kuster, Ms. Lee of California, Mrs. 
 Lowey, Mrs. McCarthy of New York, Mr. McGovern, Mrs. Napolitano, Mr. 
 Neal, Mr. Nolan, Ms. Norton, Mr. Pascrell, Mr. Pastor of Arizona, Mr. 
 Peters of Michigan, Mr. Rangel, Mr. Rush, Mr. Ryan of Ohio, Ms. Shea-
 Porter, Ms. Speier, Mr. Tonko, Ms. Waters, Ms. DeLauro, Mr. Larsen of 
Washington, Ms. Kaptur, and Ms. Sinema) introduced the following bill; 
        which was referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
    To amend title 38, United States Code, to provide for unlimited 
eligibility for health care for mental illnesses for veterans of combat 
         service during certain periods of hostilities and war.

    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 ``Veterans Mental Health Accessibility 
Act''.

SEC. 2. UNLIMITED ELIGIBILITY FOR HEALTH CARE FOR MENTAL ILLNESSES FOR 
              VETERANS OF COMBAT SERVICE DURING CERTAIN PERIODS OF 
              HOSTILITIES AND WAR.

    (a) Eligibility.--Section 1710(e)(1) of title 38, United States 
Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new subparagraph:
    ``(G) Notwithstanding paragraphs (2) and (3), a veteran who served 
on active duty in a theater of combat operations (as determined by the 
Secretary in consultation with the Secretary of Defense) during World 
War II, the Korean conflict, the Vietnam Era, the Persian Gulf War, 
Operation Iraqi Freedom, Operation Enduring Freedom, or any other 
period of war after the Persian Gulf War, or in combat against a 
hostile force during a period of hostilities (as defined in section 
1712A(a)(2)(B) of this title), is eligible for hospital care, medical 
services, and nursing home care under subsection (a)(2)(F) for any 
mental illness, notwithstanding that there is insufficient medical 
evidence to conclude that such illness is attributable to such 
service.''.
    (b) Effective Date.--Subparagraph (G) of section 1710(e)(1) of 
title 38, United States Code, as added by subsection (a), shall apply 
with respect to hospital care, medical services, and nursing home care 
provided on or after the date of the enactment of this Act.
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