[Congressional Bills 115th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 4635 Reported in House (RH)]

<DOC>





                                                 Union Calendar No. 530
115th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 4635

                          [Report No. 115-687]

 To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to increase the number of 
 peer-to-peer counselors providing counseling for women veterans, and 
                          for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           December 13, 2017

 Mr. Coffman (for himself and Ms. Esty of Connecticut) introduced the 
   following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Veterans' 
                                Affairs

                              May 18, 2018

Additional sponsors: Mr. Cole, Mr. Costello of Pennsylvania, Mr. Himes, 
 Ms. Lofgren, Mr. Bishop of Michigan, Mr. Poliquin, Mrs. Dingell, Ms. 
Moore, Mr. O'Rourke, Ms. Clarke of New York, Mr. Rutherford, Mr. Kind, 
 Mrs. Radewagen, Ms. Velazquez, Mr. Bilirakis, Miss Gonzalez-Colon of 
Puerto Rico, Mr. Kilmer, Mr. Courtney, Ms. Kuster of New Hampshire, Ms. 
Brownley of California, Mr. Peters, Miss Rice of New York, Mr. Deutch, 
                Mr. Bost, Ms. Shea-Porter, and Mr. Soto

                              May 18, 2018

  Reported with an amendment, committed to the Committee of the Whole 
       House on the State of the Union, and ordered to be printed
 [Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed 
                               in italic]
    [For text of introduced bill, see copy of bill as introduced on 
                           December 13, 2017]


_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to increase the number of 
 peer-to-peer counselors providing counseling for women veterans, and 
                          for other purposes.


 


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

SECTION 1. PEER SUPPORT COUNSELING PROGRAM FOR WOMEN VETERANS.

    (a) In General.--Section 1720F(j) of title 38, United States Code, 
is amended by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
    ``(4)(A) As part of the counseling program under this subsection, 
the Secretary shall emphasize appointing peer support counselors for 
women veterans. To the degree practicable, the Secretary shall seek to 
recruit women peer support counselors with expertise in--
            ``(i) female gender-specific issues and services;
            ``(ii) the provision of information about services and 
        benefits provided under laws administered by the Secretary; or
            ``(iii) employment mentoring.
    ``(B) To the degree practicable, the Secretary shall emphasize 
facilitating peer support counseling for women veterans who are 
eligible for counseling and services under section 1720D of this title, 
have post-traumatic stress disorder or suffer from another mental 
health condition, are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless, or are 
otherwise at increased risk of suicide, as determined by the Secretary.
    ``(C) The Secretary shall conduct outreach to inform women veterans 
about the program and the assistance available under this paragraph.
    ``(D) In carrying out this paragraph, the Secretary shall 
coordinate with such community organizations, State and local 
governments, institutions of higher education, chambers of commerce, 
local business organizations, organizations that provide legal 
assistance, and other organizations as the Secretary considers 
appropriate.
    ``(E) In carrying out this paragraph, the Secretary shall provide 
adequate training for peer support counselors, including training 
carried out under the national program of training required by section 
304(c) of the Caregivers and Veterans Omnibus Health Services Act of 
2010 (38 U.S.C. 1712A note).''.
    (b) Funding.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall carry out 
paragraph (4) of section 1720F(j) of title 38, United States Code, as 
added by subsection (a), using funds otherwise made available to the 
Secretary. No additional funds are authorized to be appropriated by 
reason of such paragraph.
    (c) Report to Congress.--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 Senate and House 
of Representatives a report on the peer support counseling program 
under section 1720F(j) of title 38, United States Code, as amended by 
this section. Such report shall include--
            (1) the number of peer support counselors in the program;
            (2) an assessment of the effectiveness of the program; and
            (3) a description of the oversight of the program.
                                                 Union Calendar No. 530

115th CONGRESS

  2d Session

                               H. R. 4635

                          [Report No. 115-687]

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL

 To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to increase the number of 
 peer-to-peer counselors providing counseling for women veterans, and 
                          for other purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

                              May 18, 2018

  Reported with an amendment, committed to the Committee of the Whole 
       House on the State of the Union, and ordered to be printed