[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 117 (Thursday, June 25, 2020)]
[Senate]
[Pages S3457-S3458]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
SA 1968. Mr. TESTER (for himself and Mr. Moran) submitted an
amendment intended to be proposed by him to the bill S. 4049, to
authorize appropriations for fiscal year 2021 for military activities
of the Department of Defense, for military construction, and for
defense activities of the Department of Energy, to prescribe military
personnel strengths for such fiscal year, and for other purposes; which
was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:
At the appropriate place in title VII, add the following:
Subtitle _--Mental Health Services From Department of Veterans Affairs
for Members of Reserve Components
SEC. 7__. SHORT TITLE.
This subtitle may be cited as the ``Care and Readiness
Enhancement for Reservists Act of 2020'' or the ``CARE for
Reservists Act of 2020''.
SEC. 7__. EXPANSION OF ELIGIBILITY FOR READJUSTMENT
COUNSELING AND RELATED OUTPATIENT SERVICES FROM
DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS TO INCLUDE
MEMBERS OF RESERVE COMPONENTS OF THE ARMED
FORCES.
(a) Readjustment Counseling.--Subsection (a)(1) of section
1712A of title 38, United States Code, is amended by adding
at the end the following new subparagraph:
``(D)(i) The Secretary, in consultation with the Secretary
of Defense, may furnish to any member of the reserve
components of the Armed Forces who has a behavioral health
condition or psychological trauma, counseling under
subparagraph (A)(i), which may include a comprehensive
individual assessment under subparagraph (B)(i).
``(ii) A member of the reserve components of the Armed
Forces described in clause (i) shall not be required to
obtain a referral before being furnished counseling or an
assessment under this subparagraph.''.
(b) Outpatient Services.--Subsection (b) of such section is
amended--
(1) in paragraph (1)--
(A) by inserting ``to an individual'' after ``If, on the
basis of the assessment furnished''; and
(B) by striking ``veteran'' each place it appears and
inserting ``individual''; and
(2) in paragraph (2), by striking ``veteran'' and inserting
``individual''.
(c) Effective Date.--The amendments made by this section
shall take effect on the date that is one year after the date
of the enactment of this Act.
SEC. 7__. PROVISION OF MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES FROM DEPARTMENT
OF VETERANS AFFAIRS TO MEMBERS OF RESERVE
COMPONENTS OF THE ARMED FORCES.
(a) In General.--Subchapter VIII of chapter 17 of title 38,
United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the
following new section:
``Sec. 1789. Mental health services for members of the
reserve components of the Armed Forces
``The Secretary, in consultation with the Secretary of
Defense, may furnish mental health services to members of the
reserve components of the Armed Forces.''.
(b) Clerical Amendment.--The table of sections at the
beginning of such subchapter is amended by inserting after
the item relating to section 1788 the following new item:
``1789. Mental health services for members of the reserve components of
the Armed Forces.''.
SEC. 7__. INCLUSION OF MEMBERS OF RESERVE COMPONENTS IN
MENTAL HEALTH PROGRAMS OF DEPARTMENT OF
VETERANS AFFAIRS.
(a) Suicide Prevention Program.--
(1) In general.--Section 1720F of title 38, United States
Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new
subsection:
``(l)(1) Covered Individual Defined.--In this section, the
term `covered individual' means a veteran or a member of the
reserve components of the Armed Forces.
``(2) In determining coverage of members of the reserve
components of the Armed Forces under the comprehensive
program, the Secretary shall consult with the Secretary of
Defense.''.
(2) Conforming amendments.--Such section is further
amended--
(A) in subsection (a), by striking ``veterans'' and
inserting ``covered individuals'';
(B) in subsection (b), by striking ``veterans'' each place
it appears and inserting ``covered individuals'';
(C) in subsection (c)--
(i) in the subsection heading, by striking ``of Veterans'';
(ii) by striking ``veterans'' each place it appears and
inserting ``covered individuals''; and
(iii) by striking ``veteran'' and inserting ``individual'';
(D) in subsection (d), by striking ``to veterans'' each
place it appears and inserting ``to covered individuals'';
(E) in subsection (e), in the matter preceding paragraph
(1), by striking ``veterans'' and inserting ``covered
individuals'';
(F) in subsection (f)--
(i) in the first sentence, by striking ``veterans'' and
inserting ``covered individuals''; and
(ii) in the second sentence, by inserting ``or members''
after ``veterans'';
(G) in subsection (g), by striking ``veterans'' and
inserting ``covered individuals'';
(H) in subsection (h), by striking ``veterans'' and
inserting ``covered individuals'';
(I) in subsection (i)--
(i) in the subsection heading, by striking ``for Veterans
and Families'';
(ii) in the matter preceding paragraph (1), by striking
``veterans and the families of veterans'' and inserting
``covered individuals and the families of covered
individuals'';
(iii) in paragraph (2), by striking ``veterans'' and
inserting ``covered individuals''; and
(iv) in paragraph (4), by striking ``veterans'' each place
it appears and inserting ``covered individuals'';
(J) in subsection (j)--
(i) in paragraph (1), by striking ``veterans'' each place
it appears and inserting ``covered individuals''; and
(ii) in paragraph (4)--
(I) in subparagraph (A), in the matter preceding clause
(i), by striking ``women veterans'' and inserting ``covered
individuals who are women'';
(II) in subparagraph (B), by striking ``women veterans
who'' and inserting ``covered individuals who are women
and''; and
(III) in subparagraph (C), by striking ``women veterans''
and inserting ``covered individuals who are women''; and
(K) in subsection (k), by striking ``veterans'' and
inserting ``covered individuals''.
(3) Clerical amendments.--
[[Page S3458]]
(A) In general.--Such section is further amended, in the
section heading, by inserting ``and members of the reserve
components of the Armed Forces'' after ``veterans''.
(B) Table of sections.--The table of sections at the
beginning of such subchapter is amended by striking the item
relating to section 1720F and inserting the following new
item:
``1720F. Comprehensive program for suicide prevention among veterans
and members of the reserve components of the Armed
Forces.''.
(b) Mental Health Treatment for Individuals Who Served in
Classified Missions.--
(1) In general.--Section 1720H of such title is amended--
(A) in subsection (a)--
(i) in paragraph (1)--
(I) by striking ``eligible veteran'' and inserting
``eligible individual''; and
(II) by striking ``the veteran'' and inserting ``the
individual''; and
(ii) in paragraph (3), by striking ``eligible veterans''
and inserting ``eligible individuals'';
(B) in subsection (b)--
(i) by striking ``a veteran'' and inserting ``an
individual''; and
(ii) by striking ``eligible veteran'' and inserting
``eligible individual''; and
(C) in subsection (c)--
(i) in paragraph (2), in the matter preceding subparagraph
(A), by striking ``The term `eligible veteran' means a
veteran'' and inserting ``The term `eligible individual'
means a veteran or a member of the reserve components of the
Armed Forces''; and
(ii) in paragraph (3), by striking ``eligible veteran'' and
inserting ``eligible individual''.
(2) Clerical amendments.--
(A) In general.--Such section is further amended, in the
section heading, by inserting ``and members of the reserve
components of the Armed Forces'' after ``veterans''.
(B) Table of sections.--The table of sections at the
beginning of chapter 17 of such title is amended by striking
the item relating to section 1720H and inserting the
following new item:
``1720H. Mental health treatment for veterans and members of the
reserve components of the Armed Forces who served in
classified missions.''.
SEC. 7___. REPORT ON MENTAL HEALTH AND RELATED SERVICES
PROVIDED BY DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS TO
MEMBERS OF THE ARMED FORCES.
(a) In General.--Not later than one year after the date of
the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs
shall submit to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs and the
Committee on Appropriations of the Senate and the Committee
on Veterans' Affairs and the Committee on Appropriations of
the House of Representatives a report that includes an
assessment of the following:
(1) The increase, as compared to the day before the date of
the enactment of this Act, of the number of members of the
Armed Forces that use readjustment counseling or outpatient
mental health care from the Department of Veterans Affairs,
disaggregated by State, Vet Center location, and clinical
care site of the Department, as appropriate.
(2) The number of members of the reserve components of the
Armed Forces receiving telemental health care from the
Department.
(3) The increase, as compared to the day before the date of
the enactment of this Act, of the annual cost associated with
readjustment counseling and outpatient mental health care
provided by the Department to members of the reserve
components of the Armed Forces.
(4) The changes, as compared to the day before the date of
the enactment of this Act, in staffing, training,
organization, and resources required for the Department to
offer readjustment counseling and outpatient mental health
care to members of the reserve components of the Armed
Forces.
(5) Any challenges the Department has encountered in
providing readjustment counseling and outpatient mental
health care to members of the reserve components of the Armed
Forces.
(b) Vet Center Defined.--In this section, the term ``Vet
Center'' has the meaning given that term in section 1712A(h)
of title 38, United States Code.
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