[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 8044 Introduced in House (IH)]
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119th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 8044
To improve the provision of services from the Department of Veterans
Affairs to incarcerated veterans, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
March 24, 2026
Mr. Conaway (for himself and Mr. Luttrell) introduced the following
bill; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary, and in
addition to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs, for a period to be
subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration
of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee
concerned
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To improve the provision of services from the Department of Veterans
Affairs to incarcerated 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 ``Get Justice-Involved Veterans
Behavioral Assistance and Care for Key Health Outcomes to Maintain
Empowerment Act'' or the ``Get Justice-Involved Veterans BACK HOME
Act''.
SEC. 2. PILOT PROGRAM TO PROVIDE MENTAL HEALTH CARE TO INCARCERATED
VETERANS.
(a) In General.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall carry out
a pilot program to furnish mental health care to incarcerated veterans
(in this section referred to as the ``pilot program''), with a priority
given to veterans with a service-connected disability relating to--
(1) post-traumatic stress disorder;
(2) traumatic brain injury; or
(3) military sexual trauma.
(b) Locations.--The Secretary shall carry out the pilot program at
not fewer than five facilities, which shall--
(1) represent large and small facilities and urban and
rural settings; and
(2) have separate housing units for veterans that have
already been established by the facility.
(c) Coordination.--The Secretary shall develop the pilot program in
coordination with relevant State or Federal agencies responsible for
the incarceration of veterans.
(d) Services To Be Provided.--
(1) In general.--In carrying out the pilot program, the
Secretary shall provide to incarcerated veterans telemental
health services, if the facility at which the veteran is
incarcerated has necessary infrastructure for the provision of
such services.
(2) Other services.--If the provision of telemental health
services under paragraph (1) is not feasible, the Secretary
shall provide to incarcerated veterans under the pilot
program--
(A) mental health services through the use of
mobile mental health units close to the facility at
which the veteran is incarcerated through the
Department of Veterans Affairs or a Vet Center; or
(B) mental health services through other means, as
determined appropriate by the Secretary.
(3) Copayment.--The Secretary shall not charge a copayment
for the receipt of services under the pilot program.
(e) Health Care Providers.--
(1) Direct care.--The Secretary shall furnish mental health
care under the pilot program through the use of health care
providers of the Department and may not use non-Department
health care providers.
(2) Treatment and assessment.--A health care provider
providing mental health care under the pilot program shall
provide treatment and assessment of medical conditions and is
not to provide assessment or evaluation of current or future
disability claims.
(3) Hub.--In carrying out the pilot program, the Secretary
shall create a hub of health care providers that--
(A) only provide care to incarcerated veterans; and
(B) operate separate from any medical facility or
Veterans Integrated Service Network of the Department.
(f) Furnishing of Care.--The Secretary shall carry out the pilot
program notwithstanding section 1710(h) of title 38, United States
Code.
(g) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) Incarcerated veteran.--The term ``incarcerated
veteran'' means a veteran who is incarcerated in a Federal,
State, local, or other penal institution or correctional
facility.
(2) Military sexual trauma.--The term ``military sexual
trauma'' means sexual assault or sexual harassment experienced
by an individual during service in the Armed Forces.
(3) Service-connected; veteran.--The terms ``service-
connected'' and ``veteran'' have the meanings given those terms
in section 101 of title 38, United States Code.
(4) Vet center.--The term ``Vet Center'' has the meaning
given that term in section 1712A(h) of such title.
SEC. 3. SEPARATE HOUSING UNITS FOR INCARCERATED VETERANS.
(a) In General.--Chapter 301 of title 18, United States Code, is
amended by adding at the end the following:
``Sec. 4015. Housing for incarcerated veterans
``(a) In General.--The Director of the Bureau of Prisons shall,
wherever feasible, establish dedicated wards or housing units for
incarcerated veterans in Federal correctional institutions, which shall
provide an environment conducive to the discipline, structure, and
order familiar to veterans in order to facilitate more effective mental
health treatment, peer support, and rehabilitation efforts.
``(b) Training and Resources.--The head of each Federal
correctional institution with a veteran housing unit described in
subsection (a) shall collaborate with local facilities of the
Department of Veterans Affairs to ensure that, with respect to that
housing unit, correctional staff are trained regarding, resources are
allocated for, and rehabilitation programming is tailored to the needs
of veterans.
``(c) Programs.--In the case of a Federal correctional institution
lacking the capacity or resources for a housing unit described in
subsection (a), the Director of the Bureau of Prisons shall, at a
minimum, create structured veteran-focused programs aimed at providing
similar benefits, with oversight and support coordinated through the
Department of Veterans Affairs.''.
(b) Clerical Amendment.--The table of sections for chapter 301 of
title 18, United States Code, is amended by inserting after the item
relating to section 4014 the following:
``4015. Housing for incarcerated veterans.''.
SEC. 4. AUTOMATIC RESUMPTION OF PAYMENT OF COMPENSATION AND DEPENDENCY
AND INDEMNITY COMPENSATION TO PERSONS INCARCERATED FOR
CONVICTION OF A FELONY AFTER PERIOD OF INCARCERATION
ENDS.
(a) In General.--Section 5313(a) of title 38, United States Code,
is amended by adding at the end the following:
``(3) The Secretary shall ensure that, for any individual whose
receipt of compensation or dependency and indemnity compensation is
interrupted pursuant to paragraph (1) for a period of incarceration,
resumption of such payments resume automatically on the date on which
the individual is released from incarceration.''.
(b) Effective Date.--The amendment made by subsection (a) shall
take effect on the date that is 180 days after the date of the
enactment of this Act.
SEC. 5. SURVEY ON INCARCERATED VETERANS.
Section 302 of part C of title I of the Omnibus Crime Control and
Safe Streets Act of 1968 (34 U.S.C. 10132) is amended--
(1) in subsection (c)--
(A) by redesignating paragraphs (15) through (23)
as paragraphs (16) through (24), respectively; and
(B) by inserting after paragraph (14) the
following:
``(15) collect and analyze comprehensive information
concerning the incarceration of veterans (as defined in section
101 of title 38, United States Code);''; and
(2) in subsection (g)--
(A) by striking ``Not later than'' and inserting
the following:
``(1) Crimes in indian country.--Not later than''; and
(B) by adding at the end the following:
``(2) Incarcerated veterans.--Not later than 180 days after
the date of enactment of this paragraph, and annually
thereafter, the Director shall submit to Congress a report
describing the data collected and analyzed under this section
relating to veterans (as defined in section 101 of title 38,
United States Code) who are incarcerated in State and Federal
prisons.''.
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