[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 5543 Introduced in House (IH)]

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117th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 5543

 To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to increase the number of 
  Vet Centers in certain States based on population metrics, and for 
                            other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            October 8, 2021

 Ms. Sherrill (for herself, Mr. Sablan, Mr. Phillips, Mr. Gonzalez of 
  Ohio, and Mr. Fitzpatrick) introduced the following bill; which was 
             referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to increase the number of 
  Vet Centers in certain States based on population metrics, 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. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Veterans Census-Enabled National 
Treatment Equitable Resource Supplement for Mental Health Act of 2021'' 
or the ``Vet CENTERS for Mental Health Act of 2021''.

SEC. 2. INCREASE IN NUMBER OF VET CENTERS IN CERTAIN STATES BASED ON 
              POPULATION METRICS.

    (a) Increase in Number.--If the Secretary of Veterans Affairs 
determines that a State meets each requirement described in subsection 
(c), (d), or (e), the Secretary shall ensure that the number of covered 
Vet Centers located in the State is increased from the number of 
covered Vet Centers that were located in the State on December 31, 
2020, through the establishment of at least one additional covered Vet 
Center within the State, as applicable.
    (b) Existing Facilities.--In establishing an additional covered Vet 
Center pursuant to a determination under subsection (a), the Secretary 
may establish the covered Vet Center at a facility made available to 
the Secretary by the head of a State, local government, or federally 
recognized Indian tribe to carry out this section, regardless of 
whether such facility is made available at a cost to the Secretary.
    (c) Requirements.--The requirements described in this subsection 
are, with respect to the 2020 calendar year, as follows:
            (1) The total population of the State exceeded 6,000,000, 
        as determined by the United States Census Bureau.
            (2) The average population density of the State exceeded 
        200 individuals per square mile, as determined by the United 
        States Census Bureau.
            (3) The total veteran population in the State was greater 
        than 250,000 veterans, as estimated by the Secretary.
            (4) The ratio of veteran population in the State to covered 
        Vet Centers located in the State exceeded 50,000 veterans per 
        one covered Vet Center, as determined by the Secretary 
        (regardless of the number of veterans that received services at 
        covered Vet Centers located in the State during such year).
    (d) Alternative Requirements.--The requirements described in this 
subsection are as follows:
            (1) The State does not share a land border with another 
        State.
            (2) The State is located at least 2,000 miles from the 
        contiguous United States.
            (3) There is no covered Vet Center located in the State.
    (e) Additional Alternative Requirements.--The requirements 
described in this subsection are as follows:
            (1) There are fewer than five covered Vet Centers located 
        in the State.
            (2) The land area of the State exceeds 75,000 square miles.
            (3) During the 2020 calendar year, the total population of 
        the State exceeded 5,000,000 individuals, as determined by the 
        United States Census Bureau.
            (4) During the 2020 calendar year, the ratio of veteran 
        population in the State to covered Vet Centers located in the 
        State exceeded 75,000 veterans per one covered Vet Center, as 
        determined by the Secretary (regardless of the number of 
        veterans that received services at covered Vet Centers located 
        in the State during such year).
    (f) Community-Based Outpatient Clinics.--The Secretary shall 
establish a covered community-based outpatient clinic in each State 
that the Secretary determines meets the following requirements:
            (1) The State does not share a land border with another 
        State.
            (2) The State is located at least 2,000 miles from the 
        contiguous United States.
            (3) There is no covered community-based outpatient clinic 
        located in the State.
    (g) Deadline.--The Secretary shall establish such additional 
covered Vet Centers as may be required pursuant to a determination 
under subsection (a), and such covered community-based outpatient 
clinics as may be required pursuant to a determination under subsection 
(f), by not later than two years after the date of the enactment of 
this Act.
    (h) Definitions.--In this Act:
            (1) The term ``covered community-based outpatient clinic'' 
        means a community-based outpatient clinic of the Department of 
        Veterans Affairs that is scheduled to be open for the provision 
        of community-based outpatient services for a minimum of eight 
        hours per day during five days of the week, except that the 
        community-based outpatient clinic may be open for less than 
        such minimum on a temporary basis as a result of a Federal 
        holiday, weather concern, safety concern, pandemic, or for such 
        other reasons as may be determined appropriate by the 
        Secretary.
            (2) The term ``covered Vet Center''--
                    (A) means a Vet Center, as such term is defined in 
                section 1712A of title 38, United States Code, that is 
                scheduled to be open for the provision of services 
                under such section for a minimum of eight hours per day 
                during five days of the week, except that the Vet 
                Center may be open for less than such minimum on a 
                temporary basis as a result of a Federal holiday, 
                weather concern, safety concern, pandemic, or for such 
                other reasons as may be determined appropriate by the 
                Secretary; and
                    (B) does not include a Vet Center outstation.
            (3) The term ``State'' has the meaning given such term in 
        section 101 of title 38, United States Code.
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