[Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 23 (Monday, February 2, 2026)]
[House]
[Pages H1932-H1933]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
ESTABLISHMENT OF QUALIFICATIONS FOR THE APPOINTMENT OF A PERSON AS A
MARRIAGE AND FAMILY THERAPIST, QUALIFIED TO PROVIDE CLINICAL
SUPERVISION, IN THE VETERANS HEALTH ADMINISTRATION
Mr. BOST. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the
bill (H.R. 658) to amend title 38, United States Code, to establish
qualifications for the appointment of a person as a marriage and family
therapist, qualified to provide clinical supervision, in the Veterans
Health Administration, as amended.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
H.R. 658
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. ESTABLISHMENT OF QUALIFICATIONS FOR THE
APPOINTMENT OF A PERSON AS A MARRIAGE AND
FAMILY THERAPIST, QUALIFIED TO PROVIDE CLINICAL
SUPERVISION, IN THE VETERANS HEALTH
ADMINISTRATION.
Section 7402(b)(10) of title 38, United States Code, is
amended--
(1) by redesignating subparagraphs (A) and (B) as clauses
(i) and (ii), respectively;
(2) by inserting ``(a)'' before ``To be eligible''; and
(3) by adding at the end the following new subparagraph
(B):
``(B) To be eligible to be appointed to a marriage and
family therapist position and qualified to provide clinical
supervision, a person must--
``(i) have the qualifications set forth in subparagraph
(A); and
``(ii) be recognized by the State described in clause (ii)
of such subparagraph as a provider of, or otherwise allowed
by such State to provide, clinical supervision.''.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
Illinois (Mr. Bost) and the gentleman from California (Mr. Takano) each
will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Illinois.
General Leave
Mr. BOST. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may
have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks on
H.R. 658, as amended.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Illinois?
There was no objection.
Mr. BOST. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 658, as amended. This
bill was introduced by my colleague Representative Julia Brownley of
California.
Under current law, only one accrediting body has power over who can
work as a marriage and family therapist in supervisory roles at the
VHA. This is an unnecessary burden. It unnecessarily restricts access
to licensed marriage and family therapists who can help veterans grow
and maintain healthy familial relationships.
With Representative Brownley's bill, the law would include more
eligible licensors to ensure a sufficient pipeline of therapists are
able to work at VA and help our Nation's veterans, if they need it.
Madam Speaker, I thank Representative Brownley for her bill, and I
reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. TAKANO. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 658, legislation
introduced by my colleague Representative Julia Brownley of California.
This legislation would establish qualifications for the appointment of
marriage and family therapists to provide clinical supervision in the
Veterans Health Administration.
Licensed marriage and family therapists provide critical therapy and
support to address the unique challenges that military veterans and
their families face.
Veterans and their families are no strangers to facing life
challenges when transitioning from Active Duty, whether that is
adjusting to life as a civilian, navigating new family dynamics, or
even dealing with medical needs or big moves.
Licensed marriage and family therapists help individuals and couples
develop coping strategies and mechanisms to face these challenges head-
on, and help ensure those who serve our Nation have the resources they
need to support themselves and their families.
Licensed marriage and family therapists have provided care to
countless veterans since 2010 when VA first established qualification
standards for the profession and began hiring licensed marriage and
family therapists.
However, in 2018, the VA amended its qualification standards and
created a new requirement that licensed marriage and family therapists
who want to serve as supervisors or managers must obtain the American
Association for Marriage and Family Therapy's ``approved supervisor''
designation.
Currently, the VA does not require licensed professional mental
health counselors, social workers, or other mental health providers to
obtain a designation from a private organization in order to serve as
clinical supervisors.
Additionally, the VA's current qualification standards are not in
alignment with State law. All 50 States and the District of Columbia
license or certify licensed marriage and family therapists and have
requirements for individuals who want to provide clinical supervision.
However, only two States, North Carolina and Tennessee, require that
clinical supervisors hold a private association's ``approved
supervisor'' designation.
The VA's current qualification standards place licensed marriage and
family therapists at a disadvantage when it comes to retention and
promotion. There are thousands of licensed marriage and family
therapists who are
[[Page H1933]]
recognized as State-approved supervisors, yet they are not eligible to
supervise within the VA because they do not have the ``approved
supervisor'' designation. Some licensed family and marriage therapists
have left VA employment because of this restriction which contributes
to vacancies among mental health providers within the Department.
H.R. 658 would help expand veterans' access to mental health care by
expanding the pool of eligible licensed marriage and family therapist
applicants for both rank and file and supervisory positions.
We must ensure that dedicated mental health professionals are able to
fully support our veterans. That is why I support this legislation, and
I encourage my colleagues to do the same. I reserve the balance of my
time.
Mr. BOST. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. TAKANO. Madam Speaker, I yield such time as she may consume to
the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Brownley), the ranking member of
the Subcommittee on Health and the author of this legislation.
Ms. BROWNLEY. Madam Speaker, I thank the chairman and ranking member
for bringing my bill forward today.
I rise in support of the bill titled: Establishment of Qualifications
for the Appointment of a Person as a Marriage and Family Therapist,
Qualified to Provide Clinical Supervision, in the Veterans Health
Administration, legislation I have authored, because of the very real
stories I have heard from veterans, from their families, and from
therapists, not only in my district but across our great country.
Ventura County has a long and proud military history. We are home to
Naval Base Ventura County, and more than 40,000 veterans call our
community home.
Every day, I see the strength, the resilience, and sacrifice of these
families. I also see the challenges they face when their service ends
and their transition back to civilian life begins. That transition is
not only difficult for many servicemembers. It affects their spouses.
It affects their children, and it affects entire families.
{time} 1720
Many of these families, rightly so, turn to therapy and counseling
for support as they navigate major life changes, trauma, and the stress
that can follow after years of service.
Licensed marriage and family therapists are often the professionals
helping these veterans and their families. They help couples work
through their challenges. They help parents and children communicate.
They help veterans develop healthy coping mechanisms and rebuild
stability at home.
However, the VA's current promotion rules are discouraging many of
these highly trained and qualified therapists from working at VA
facilities throughout the country. While VA hires marriage and family
therapists who are accredited through different organizations, under
current VA regulations, only therapists who graduated from the one
specific accreditation pathway are eligible to be promoted into
supervisory roles at VA. This is despite the fact that, nationwide,
nearly 30 percent of licensed marriage and family therapists did not
graduate from that specific accreditation program. In States like New
York, Florida, and Ohio, that number is closer to 40 percent. In my
home State of California, 95 percent of licensed marriage and family
therapists hold licenses from other programs.
Let's be clear: All of these marriage and family therapists are fully
licensed in their States where they practice and are fully qualified
professionals. Their accreditations are also already recognized by
private insurance, TRICARE, and some State Medicaid programs.
However, inside the VA system, they hit a career ceiling, which they
cannot fix because this credential cannot be obtained retroactively.
What happens? They leave, or they never come to the VA in the first
place, and veterans and their families lose access to care or lose the
therapists that they have trusted.
I have heard directly from therapists who want to serve veterans but
feel pushed away by this outdated rule. I have heard from so many
veterans who want to keep their therapist who has helped them and their
family through some of the hardest moments of their lives.
This bill is about fixing that. It is about recognizing that these
therapists are qualified, capable, and already doing life-changing work
for veterans and their families. It is about removing an unnecessary
bureaucratic barrier that is shrinking the pool of providers and
supervisors at a time when demand for mental health services has never
been greater.
More importantly, this bill is about upholding our promise to care
for veterans after their service, not just with words, but with access
to support their families' needs to stay strong and healthy.
This legislation passed the Veterans' Affairs Committee with strong,
bipartisan support.
Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this bill today and
support our Nation's veterans and their families who depend on this
care.
Mr. TAKANO. Madam Speaker, I ask that my colleagues join me in
passing H.R. 658, and I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. BOST. Madam Speaker, I encourage everyone to support this bill,
and I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Bost) that the House suspend the rules and
pass the bill, H.R. 658, 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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