[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 98 (Wednesday, June 13, 2018)]
[House]
[Pages H5137-H5138]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                              {time}  1645
           PEER SUPPORT COUNSELING PROGRAM FOR WOMEN VETERANS

  Mr. ROE of Tennessee. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and 
pass the bill (H.R. 4635) 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, as amended.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                               H.R. 4635

       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.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Curtis). Pursuant to the rule, the 
gentleman from Tennessee (Mr. Roe) and the gentleman from California 
(Mr. Takano) each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Tennessee.


                             General Leave

  Mr. ROE of Tennessee. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all 
Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their 
remarks and insert extraneous material in the Record on H.R. 4635, as 
amended.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Tennessee?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. ROE of Tennessee. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 4635, as amended. This 
bill would ensure that the Department of Veterans Affairs existing 
volunteer peer support counseling program includes peer counselors for 
women veterans.
  As the number of veterans who are enrolled in the VA healthcare 
system continues to grow, it is critical that the VA programs are 
prepared to meet their needs. The peer support counseling program 
recruits veterans to serve on a volunteer basis to assist their fellow 
veterans who are struggling with mental health or readjustment issues 
and to conduct outreach to inform veterans and their families of the 
benefits and services that are available to them through the VA 
healthcare system.
  Peer support counselors are trained and overseen by VA and, as peers, 
are often able to communicate on a more personal and effective basis 
than nonveteran clinicians, particularly to veterans who may be 
hesitant to seek VA care due to stigma or other barriers.
  This bill is sponsored by Congressman  Mike Coffman of Colorado. I am 
grateful to Mike for his leadership on the committee and for sponsoring 
this bill to ensure that VA recruits a sufficient number of women 
veteran volunteers to support the need through the peer support 
counseling program.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 4635, as amended, 
and I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 4635, as amended, to increase 
the number of peer-to-peer counselors available to women veterans.
  Peer-to-peer counseling is meant to be sensitive to the specific 
culture of the military and how that culture affects veterans. It can 
be incredibly helpful to veterans who may not feel comfortable entering 
a more formal form of treatment, and for many women veterans, their 
most relatable peer will be a fellow woman.
  This bill would require VA to increase women veterans' access to 
peer-to-peer counselors, thus ensuring all veterans can enjoy the 
benefit of this incredible form of therapy.

[[Page H5138]]

  Between this legislation and the other peer support measure recently 
passed in the VA MISSION Act, this body continues to underscore its 
commitment to expanding peer support at VA. I appreciate the hard work 
Mr. Coffman has put into this issue and look forward to supporting his 
efforts.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. ROE of Tennessee. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman 
from Colorado (Mr. Coffman), my good friend and a senior member of the 
Veterans Affairs' Committee. He is also both an Army and Marine 
veteran.
  Mr. COFFMAN. Mr. Speaker, today I rise in support of H.R. 4635, the 
Peer-2-Peer Counseling Act.
  Currently, women veterans represent over 9 percent of our Nation's 
veterans, and that number is expected to increase to 15 percent by the 
year 2030. As more women veterans utilize VA healthcare, it is critical 
for the VA to update and improve services for women veterans. One area 
that warrants our particular attention for improved services is VA 
mental health counseling services for women veterans.
  An alarming statistic from VA's 2016 suicide data report noted that 
the ``risk of suicide was 2.4 times higher among female veterans when 
compared with civilian adult females,'' and it also noted ``rates of 
suicide increased more among women than men in the same study.''
  Unfortunately, many women veterans have experienced sexual trauma and 
PTSD while serving in the military. Some women veterans are suffering 
from other mental health conditions from multiple combat tours of duty 
and are at risk of suicide and becoming homeless.
  The Peer-2-Peer Counseling Act addresses these issues by requiring 
the Secretary of the VA to ensure a sufficient number of volunteer peer 
support counselors are available to facilitate peer-to-peer counseling 
and assist women veterans with gender-specific care and services.
  H.R. 4635 will increase access to vital mental health opportunities 
within the VA for women veterans. I urge my colleagues to join me in 
supporting the Peer-2-Peer Counseling Act to better serve the growing 
women veteran population.
  I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting H.R. 4635 to better 
meet the needs of the program and provide needed services to many more 
veterans.
  I will mention one other bill that just passed the House, H.R. 2147, 
the Veterans Treatment Court Improvement Act, which builds upon a very 
successful program that essentially provides VA liaisons or veteran 
justice outreach program officers within these veteran treatment courts 
that facilitate VA services, whether drug and alcohol, mental health, 
or other services, to veterans who would otherwise be incarcerated. 
They have fallen into the criminal justice system often related to 
their military service, post-traumatic stress disorder, and other 
mental health disorders, where they have problems adjusting from 
military life to civilian life.
  What this program does is provide rehabilitative services in court 
for our veterans. With the VA in support, it keeps these veterans at a 
very successful rate. I think in the 18th Judicial District in my 
congressional district, the veterans court has a 73 percent success 
rate in keeping these veterans out of the criminal justice system by 
providing VA rehabilitative services for them. I think an expansion of 
this program is so important.

  Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleagues for having passed this bill 
unanimously just previously today.
  Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman from 
Connecticut (Ms. Esty), my good friend and the ranking member of the 
Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs.
  Ms. ESTY of Connecticut. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for 
yielding.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 4635, the Peer-2-Peer 
Counseling Act. I want to thank my friend and colleague, Mr. Coffman, 
for his leadership on this very important issue.
  The bill we are considering today will help ensure that our women 
veterans are fully equipped to transition back to civilian life.
  Women veterans are the single fastest growing group of veterans in 
America. They face many challenges unique to our women warriors. Women 
veterans need access to peer counselors who are trained in recovery 
from military sexual trauma, post-traumatic stress, and mental health 
conditions that they may be struggling with.
  I think it is also worth noting that women veterans are 
disproportionately juggling childcare, which complicates their ability 
to seek treatment elsewhere. They have special needs and experiences.
  Our women veterans should have the opportunity to receive the advice 
and counseling from someone who knows what they have been and are still 
going through as women warriors. We need to help ensure that they have 
the resources to succeed.
  The VA must also do more to help ensure that every veteran is able to 
benefit from peer support and has awareness and access to those 
services. That is why I am so pleased that this bill today requires the 
VA to conduct outreach to ensure that our women veterans know how to 
get access to this important and valuable assistance.
  Too often, I hear from veterans in my home State of Connecticut that 
they are simply unaware that these services are available. We may offer 
them through the VA, but if our veterans don't know they are there, 
they aren't going to get the benefits they deserve. In many cases, 
programs exist to help our women veterans, but the veterans don't know 
they are there.
  Peer support counselors have been through a transition before. They 
understand what it takes, and they can be particularly effective in 
meeting the needs of our women warriors.
  With the fastest growing number of women in this country who are 
veterans, now nearly 2 million veterans in America--think about that, 2 
million--we need to do better by them through the VA. This is an 
important peer-to-peer counseling support program. I am delighted that 
we came together as a committee with bipartisan support to support this 
bill.
  We are also urging other legislation named in honor of Deborah 
Sampson, the first woman to serve this country, to serve America in the 
Revolutionary War, who dressed as a man.
  It is important that we reassure today's women in Active Duty and 
those transitioning out that we will take care of them and their 
families as they make that important transition to civilian life. They 
have earned our support in the military. We need to provide it to them 
as they transition out.
  Again, I want to thank my colleagues on the committee, the chairman 
and the ranking member, and Mr. Coffman for their important work.
  I urge my colleagues to support this important legislation.
  Mr. ROE of Tennessee. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I ask that my colleagues join me in passing 
H.R. 4635, as amended, and I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. ROE of Tennessee. Mr. Speaker, I, too, encourage all Members to 
support this legislation, and I want to thank both sides of the aisle 
for bringing this forward.
  As a physician and a veteran, I can assure you, Mr. Speaker, that 
peer-to-peer counseling is the way to go. This legislation will help 
our female veterans.
  Mr. Speaker, I strongly encourage all Members to support this 
legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from Tennessee (Mr. Roe) that the House suspend the rules and 
pass the bill, H.R. 4635, as amended.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the 
rules were suspended and the bill, as amended, was passed.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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