[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 199 (Tuesday, November 16, 2021)]
[House]
[Pages H6279-H6280]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                          VITAL ASSESSMENT ACT

  Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill (H.R. 5516) to direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to submit 
to Congress a report on the Veterans Integration to Academic Leadership 
program of the Department of Veterans Affairs, and for other purposes, 
as amended.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                               H.R. 5516

       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 ``VITAL Assessment Act''.

     SEC. 2. VETERANS INTEGRATION TO ACADEMIC LEADERSHIP PROGRAM 
                   OF THE DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS.

       (a) Report.--Not later than one year after the date of the 
     enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs 
     shall submit to the Committees on Veterans' Affairs of the 
     House of Representatives and the Senate a report on the 
     Veterans Integration to Academic Leadership program of the 
     Department of Veterans Affairs. The report shall include the 
     following:
       (1) The number of medical centers of the Department, 
     institutions of higher learning, non-college degree programs, 
     and student veterans supported by the program, and relevant 
     trends since the program began.
       (2) The staff and resources allocated to the program, and 
     relevant trends since the program began.
       (3) An assessment of the outcomes and effectiveness of the 
     program in--
       (A) supporting student veterans;
       (B) connecting student veterans to needed services of the 
     Department or services provided by non-Department entities;
       (C) addressing the mental health needs of student veterans;
       (D) lowering the suicide risk of student veterans; and
       (E) helping student veterans achieve educational goals.
       (4) An assessment of barriers to expanding the program and 
     how the Secretary intends to address such barriers.
       (5) An assessment of whether the program should be expanded 
     outside of the Office of Mental Health and Suicide Prevention 
     to support students veterans with needs unrelated to mental 
     health or suicide.
       (b) Uniform Best Practices, Goals, and Measures.--The 
     Secretary shall establish best practices, goals, and measures 
     for the Veterans Integration to Academic Leadership program 
     of the Department that are uniform among the medical centers 
     of the Department.
       (c) Outreach.--The Secretary shall conduct outreach among 
     the Armed Forces, veterans service organizations, 
     institutions of higher learning, and non-college degree 
     programs with respect to the Veterans Integration to Academic 
     Leadership program of the Department.
       (d) Assessment.--The Secretary shall assess the feasibility 
     and advisability of including the suicide rate for student 
     veterans in the National Veteran Suicide Prevention Annual 
     Report of the Office of Mental Health and Suicide Prevention 
     of the Department.
       (e) Definitions.--In this section:
       (1) The term ``institution of higher learning'' has the 
     meaning given that term in section 3452 of title 38, United 
     States Code.
       (2) The term ``student veteran'' means the following:
       (A) A veteran or member of the Armed Forces using 
     educational assistance under any of the following provisions 
     of law:
       (i) Chapter 30, 31, 32, or 33 of title 38, United States 
     Code, or chapter 1606 or 1607 of title 10, United States 
     Code.
       (ii) Section 116 of the Harry W. Colmery Veterans 
     Educational Assistance Act of 2017 (Public Law 115-48; 38 
     U.S.C. 3001 note).
       (iii) Section 8006 of the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 
     (Public Law 117-2; 38 U.S.C. 3001 note prec.).
       (B) A veteran who is enrolled in an institution of higher 
     learning or other training program, without regard to whether 
     the veteran is using educational assistance specified in 
     subparagraph (A).

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


                             General Leave

  Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may 
have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and 
to insert extraneous material on H.R. 5516, as amended.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from California?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 5516, the VITAL 
Assessment Act, as amended, which is sponsored by our newest House 
Veterans' Affairs Committee member, Congressman Ellzey.
  This bill requires that VA submit a report on the Department's 
Veterans Integration to Academic Leadership, or VITAL program. VITAL is 
designed to support student veterans in their academic settings, and it 
is a key component of VA's work to ensure that veterans thrive after 
completing their military service.
  VITAL is a longtime program at VA, and this report will provide a 
timely

[[Page H6280]]

opportunity to examine outcomes for student veterans and academic 
institutions supported by VA.
  I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on H.R. 5516, the VITAL 
Assessment Act, as amended, and I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. BOST. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 5516, as amended, the 
VITAL Assessment Act.
  This bill is sponsored by, as was said, our newest member of the 
Veterans' Affairs Committee, Congressman Jake Ellzey. With this bill, 
he is fulfilling the promise he made on the campaign trail to put the 
needs of our fellow veterans front and center. His bill will make a 
number of improvements to the VA's Veterans Integration to Academic 
Learning, or the VITAL program.
  VITAL provides mental health support to student veterans on college 
campuses. Preventing veteran suicide and supporting veterans as they 
transition out of the military are two of our committee's highest 
goals, and this bill would get us closer to realizing both of them.
  I urge every Member to support H.R. 5516, as amended, and I reserve 
the balance of my time.
  Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I have no further speakers and I am prepared 
to close. I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. BOST. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Texas 
(Mr. Ellzey), the main sponsor of this legislation.
  Mr. ELLZEY. Mr. Speaker, I thank Ranking Member Bost for yielding 
time.
  Mr. Speaker, it is an honor to be addressing the House today as we 
are just days removed from Veterans Day, when our Nation recognizes 
those who honorably served to protect our precious, God-given liberties 
and freedoms. We have a duty and responsibility to help the veterans of 
our Armed Forces who have fought to preserve our freedoms and 
liberties.
  In 2011, VA launched the Veterans Integration to Academic Leadership 
program, or the VITAL program, to provide mental health services to 
student veterans on college campuses.
  Hundreds of thousands of veterans attend college every year. They 
often have difficulty adjusting from the military to an academic campus 
culture and relating to nonveteran peers.
  As someone who has personally gone through the transition back to 
civilian life, I can say my experiences in combat and leadership were 
vastly different than the experiences of my fellow students. I was much 
older than my fellow students; much older. I was no longer surrounded 
by my fellow warriors; and I was a stranger in a strange academic land. 
For these reasons, I understand why the VITAL program is so important.
  Since its inception in 2011, it has grown to support student veterans 
at 183 locations. VITAL program services are locally managed, staffed, 
and evaluated by VA medical centers working with area schools, which 
allows for independence and flexibility. It connects student veterans 
with needed care and services, and helps prevent veteran suicide.
  The VITAL Assessment Act will ensure critical information about the 
VITAL program is gathered, improvements are made, and will help provide 
mental healthcare and support to student veterans.
  This act adds accountability and transparency. It will require the VA 
to report to Congress about the program's management, operations, and 
effectiveness in support of student veterans' mental health and 
educational goals.
  It also requires the VA to use information gathered to create best 
new practices, goals, and performance measures for the program.
  In conclusion, I thank the many veterans' groups supporting this 
bill.
  I am grateful to House Committee on Veterans' Affairs Ranking Member 
Bost for being an original cosponsor of this bill.
  And I thank Chairman Takano for supporting this bill and speaking 
favorably during the committee hearing; Health Subcommittee Chair 
Brownley, and the members of the Veterans' Affairs Committee for their 
unanimous support of this bill.
  This will help student veterans achieve their goals and dreams. And 
just as the VITAL program has a proven record of saving lives, this 
bill will further improve the program and help save even more lives of 
veterans.
  I ask all Members of the House to please support H.R. 5516.
  Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I am prepared to close, and I reserve the 
balance of my time.
  Mr. BOST. Mr. Speaker, I am prepared to close. I encourage all of my 
colleagues to support this bill, and I yield back the balance of my 
time.
  Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I ask all of my colleagues to join me in 
passing H.R. 5516, as amended, and I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from California (Mr. Takano) that the House suspend the rules 
and pass the bill, H.R. 5516, 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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