[Congressional Record Volume 162, Number 78 (Tuesday, May 17, 2016)]
[Senate]
[Page S2887]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

  SA 3954. Ms. HEITKAMP (for herself, Ms. Collins, Mr. King, and Ms. 
Murkowski) submitted an amendment intended to be proposed to amendment 
SA 3896 proposed by Ms. Collins (for herself, Mr. Kirk, Mr. Reed, and 
Mr. Tester) to the bill H.R. 2577, making appropriations for the 
Departments of Transportation, and Housing and Urban Development, and 
related agencies for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2016, and for 
other purposes; as follows:

       At the end of title II of division B, add the following:
       Sec. 251. (a) The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall 
     ensure that the Readjustment Counseling Service of the 
     Department of Veterans Affairs coordinates directly with the 
     Office of Rural Health of the Department on efforts to expand 
     the capacity of Vet Centers (as defined in section 1712A(h) 
     of title 38, United States Code) in order to ensure that the 
     readjustment and psychological counseling needs of veterans 
     in rural and highly rural communities are met.
       (b) Not later than one year after the date of the enactment 
     of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to the Committee on 
     Appropriations of the Senate and the Committee on 
     Appropriations of the House of Representatives a report 
     detailing the number of Vet Centers (as so defined) operated 
     by the Department and a strategic plan to increase the 
     capacity of such Vet Centers to address unmet readjustment 
     and psychological counseling needs of veterans in rural and 
     highly rural communities.
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