A bill to improve and enhance the mental health care benefits available to members of the Armed Forces and veterans, to enhance counseling and other benefits available to survivors of members of the Armed Forces and veterans, and for other purposes.

5/1/2008--Introduced.
Directs the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to provide scholarships to individuals pursuing education or training in behavioral health care specialties that are critical to the operations of Vet Centers (centers for readjustment counseling and related mental health services for veterans) in order to recruit and retain individuals with such specialties for service in Vet Centers. Conditions the scholarship on agreeing to serve in such a capacity for whatever period the Secretary specifies in the agreement. Makes any Armed Forces member who serves in Operation Iraqi Freedom or Operation Enduring Freedom eligible for readjustment counseling and related mental health services through Vet Centers regardless of whether the member is on active duty at the time of receipt of counseling and services. Directs the Secretary, on receipt of a request for counseling from an individual who has been discharged or released from active service, to:
(1) provide referrals to assist the individual in obtaining mental health care and services outside the Department of Veterans Affairs; and
(2) if pertinent, advise such individual of the individual's rights to apply for review of the discharge or release. Treats the suicide of a former member that occurs within two years after separation or retirement, if the member had a medical history of a combat-related mental health condition, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), or Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI), as a death in line of duty for purposes of the survivors' eligibility to burial benefits and benefits under the Survivor Benefit Plan, laws administered by the Secretary, and the Social Security Act. Directs the Secretary of Defense to award grants to nonprofit organizations that provide emotional support services for survivors of deceased members of the Armed Forces and deceased veterans through the survivors' peers.


... morehide bill summary

Sponsor

• Sen. Christopher Bond [R, MO]
• and 10 Co-Sponsors
  • Sen. Barbara Boxer [D, CA]
  • Sen. Hillary Clinton [D, NY]
  • Sen. Susan Collins [R, ME]
  • Elizabeth Dole
  • Pete Domenici
  • Sen. Charles Grassley [R, IA]
  • Sen. Claire McCaskill [D, MO]
  • Sen. Lisa Murkowski [R, AK]
  • Barack Obama
  • Ted Stevens
  close

Committees

• Senate Veterans' Affairs

Amendments

This bill has no amendments.

Amendments to S.2963

Number	Status	Purpose

Bill Status

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Introduced		Voted on by Senate		Voted on by House		Considered By President		Bill Becomes Law
May 01, 2008

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All Bill Actions

• May 01, 2008: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S3715-3716)
• Introduced on May 01, 2008.
• May 01, 2008: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.

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Related Bills:

• H.R.6268
• S.3008

Related Issue Areas:

• Veterans
• Afghanistan
• Armed forces
• Armed forces reserves
• 42 more
• Brain
• Budgets
• Counseling
• Defense policy
• Department of Veterans Affairs
• Education
• Executive departments
• Families
• Family services
• Federal employees
• Government employees
• Grants-in-aid
• Head injuries
• Higher education
• Iraq
• Iraq compilation
• Medical care
• Medical education
• Medicine
• Mental health services
• Middle East and North Africa
• Military cemeteries and funerals
• Military dependents
• Military operations
• Military pensions
• National Guard
• Nonprofit organizations
• Old age, survivors and disability insurance
• Pensions
• Post-traumatic stress disorder
• Recruiting of employees
• Scholarships
• Social security
• Social services
• South Asia
• Suicide
• Survivors' benefits
• Trauma care
• Veterans' benefits
• Veterans' medical care
• Veterans' rehabilitation
• War casualties

Data from the Congressional Research Service

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Blog Coverage

November 30, 2008 Barack Obama Agenda| Barack Obama Famous Quotes on Homeland ...

Obama co-sponsored improving mental health care benefits for returning veteransHonoring Our Nation’s Obligation to Returning Warriors Act (HONOR Warriors Act): House version is H.R.6268; Senate versions are S.2963 and S.3008. ...

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Source: Barack Obama Agenda

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August 05, 2008 Because I support the military, I support Obama for President

S.2963, "A bill to improve and enhance the mental health care benefits available to members of the Armed Forces and veterans, to enhance counseling and other benefits available to survivors of members of the Armed Forces and veterans, ...

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Source: The Liberal Life of a Navy Wife

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June 15, 2008 WashingtonWatch.com - H.R. 6268, The HONOR Warriors Act

... the mental health care benefits available to members of the Armed Forces and veterans, to enhance counseling and other benefits available to survivors of members of the Armed Forces and veterans, and for other purposes (S. 2963) ...

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Source: WashingtonWatch.com - Comments for S. 2544,...

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