[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 3863 Reported in House (RH)]
<DOC>
Union Calendar No. 550
119th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 3863
[Report No. 119-634]
To amend title 38, United States Code, to direct the Secretary of
Veterans Affairs to furnish annual mental health consultations to
certain veterans, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
June 10, 2025
Ms. Budzinski (for herself and Mr. Edwards) introduced the following
bill; which was referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs
May 4, 2026
Additional sponsors: Mr. Fitzpatrick, Mr. Cohen, and Ms. Goodlander
May 4, 2026
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 June
10, 2025]
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend title 38, United States Code, to direct the Secretary of
Veterans Affairs to furnish annual mental health consultations to
certain 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. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``VA Mental Health Outreach and
Engagement Act''.
SEC. 2. MENTAL HEALTH CONSULTATIONS AND OUTREACH TO A VETERAN RECEIVING
COMPENSATION FOR A SERVICE-CONNECTED DISABILITY RELATING
TO A MENTAL HEALTH DIAGNOSIS.
(a) Annual Consultation; Outreach.--The section 1167 of title 38,
United States Code, relating to mental health consultations is
amended--
(1) in subsection (a), in the subsection heading, by
striking ``In General'' and inserting ``Initial Consultation'';
(2) by redesignating subsections (b) and (c) as subsections
(d) and (e), respectively;
(3) by inserting after subsection (a) the following new
subsections:
``(b) Annual Consultation; Outreach.--Not less frequently than once
each year, the Secretary shall, with regards to a veteran who is
receiving compensation under this chapter for a service-connected
disability relating to a mental health diagnosis--
``(1) offer a mental health consultation to assess the
mental health needs of, and discuss other mental health care
options for, the veteran; and
``(2) conduct outreach (unless a veteran elects not to
receive such outreach)--
``(A) regarding the availability of consultations
under paragraph (1) and other mental health services
furnished by the Secretary; and
``(B) using methods described in subsection (c).
``(c) Outreach Methods.--Outreach methods described in this
subsection consist of--
``(1) successfully contacting the veteran by telephone call
or text message;
``(2) if the Secretary does not make such contact, not
fewer than two telephone calls or text messages; or
``(3) if the Secretary does not have a telephone number for
the veteran--
``(A) at least one email; or
``(B) if the Secretary does not have an email
address for the veteran, at least one letter.'';
(4) in subsection (c), as redesignated by paragraph (2), by
inserting ``or (b)'' after ``under subsection (a)'' both places
it appears; and
(5) in subsection (d), as redesignated by paragraph (2), by
inserting ``, or to require the reevaluation of any entitlement
of the veteran to compensation under this chapter'' before the
period at the end.
(b) Technical Corrections.--
(1) Redesignation.--Such section, as amended, is
redesignated as section 1169 of such title.
(2) Clerical amendments.--The table of sections at the
beginning of chapter 11 of such title is amended--
(A) by striking the item relating to the section
1167 that relates to mental health consultations; and
(B) by inserting after the item relating to section
1168 the following new item:
``1169. Mental health consultations.''.
(c) Annual Report.--Not later than one year after the date of the
enactment of this section and annually thereafter for three additional
years, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall submit to the Committees
on Veterans' Affairs of the Senate and House of Representatives a
report regarding the outreach methods under subsection (c) of section
1169 of such title. Elements of such report shall include the
following:
(1) The respective rates of success, in attempting to
contact veterans, for such methods.
(2) With regards to each such method, the number of times
and percentage of attempts that the Secretary determined such
attempt was unsuccessful.
(3) With regards to unsuccessful attempts described in
paragraph (2), a breakdown of which other methods of outreach
the Secretary used to attempt to contact veterans.
(4) With regards to each such method, the number of times
and percentage of attempts that led to a veteran engaging with
mental health services furnished by the Secretary.
(5) The number and percentage of veterans who elected not
to receive such outreach.
(d) GAO Review.--Not later than two years after the date of the
enactment of this section, the Comptroller General of the United States
shall submit to the Committees on Veterans' Affairs of the Senate and
House of Representatives a report on the effect of the amendments made
by this section. Elements of such report shall include--
(1) the number of veterans who received--
(A) mental health consultations under paragraph (1)
of subsection (b) of section 1169 of such title;
(B) outreach under paragraph (2) of such
subsection; and
(C) which outreach method under subsection (c) of
such section was the most effective method to reach a
veteran;
(2) whether veterans reported barriers to seeking such
consultations; and
(3) such barriers, if any.
SEC. 3. MODIFICATION OF CERTAIN HOUSING LOAN FEES.
The loan fee table in section 3729(b)(2) of title 38, United States
Code, is amended by striking ``June 9, 2034'' each place it appears and
inserting ``May 12, 2035''.
Union Calendar No. 550
119th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 3863
[Report No. 119-634]
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend title 38, United States Code, to direct the Secretary of
Veterans Affairs to furnish annual mental health consultations to
certain veterans, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
May 4, 2026
Reported with an amendment, committed to the Committee of the Whole
House on the State of the Union, and ordered to be printed