Expressing the support of the House of Representatives for members of the Armed Forces and veterans with…

Full title

Expressing the support of the House of Representatives for members of the Armed Forces and veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder and their families and urging the Secretary of Veterans Affairs and the Secretary of Defense to improve the services and support available to such members, veterans, and families.

Key: what the circles and colors mean

Each circle is a bill. The ring fills as it moves through Congress:

IntroducedPassed one chamberPassed both chambersBecame law (gold)Resolution agreed to (full, dark)Failed or vetoed (gray)

Under the number: the Yea · Nay count of its final (or latest) recorded vote. On a member's page, the small badge is how that member voted: Y Yea / Aye, N Nay / No, P Present, – Not voting.

Gold and violet are only for Yea and Nay; they never mean a party. A member's party is the letter on their photo.

Never voted on. It didn't reach a floor vote before the 111th Congress ended, so it expired. A bill has to be introduced again to be considered in a new Congress.

D MooreSponsor

33 cosponsors · 30 D, 3 R

10 signed on when it was introduced; the rest joined later. Cosponsors who withdrew aren't shown.

Supports increased efforts to allow spouses and family members of veterans, including those killed in combat in Iraq and Afghanistan, to receive needed counseling services at Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) facilities.

What it does: CRS summary · Introduced in House · May 14, 2009

Encourages the Secretaries of Veterans Affairs and Defense to develop programs for veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) that include and treat the entire family.

Calls on the Secretaries and the heads of other appropriate federal agencies to increase resources available for family and friends of veterans suffering from PTSD.

Urges the Secretaries to increase access to counseling and other mental health services to family members of veterans as part of the comprehensive plan for the treatment of mental health conditions of members of the Armed Forces required by the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2008.

Urges the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to collaborate with the Department of Defense (DOD) center of excellence in the prevention, diagnosis, mitigation, treatment, and rehabilitation of PTSD and other mental health conditions with respect to the education, treatment, and support of family members of veterans with such conditions.

Requests the Secretaries to submit to Congress a list of statutory barriers that prevent each department from expanding access to mental health counseling services to family members of veterans.

Urges the Secretary to aggressively work with Congress, veterans service organizations, and others to determine how to best meet the needs of veterans and their family members.

Written by the nonpartisan Congressional Research Service. All summary versions on Congress.gov

About this bill and sources

Official title: Expressing the support of the House of Representatives for members of the Armed Forces and veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder and their families and urging the Secretary of Veterans Affairs and the Secretary of Defense to improve the services and support available to such members, veterans, and families.

Latest action (Jun 8, 2009): Referred to the Subcommittee on Military Personnel.

Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security · Origin: House · Introduced: May 14, 2009

Official page on Congress.gov · Bill text (GovInfo) · Status record (XML)

No recorded floor vote found.