S. 3008Senate110th Congress (2007-2009)In Committee

HONOR Warriors Act

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SenateIntro Referral Latest Action

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.

Veterans' Affairs Committee

May 12, 2008

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SenateIntro Referral

Introduced in Senate

May 12, 2008

SenateIntro Referral

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.

Veterans' Affairs Committee

May 12, 2008

Floor Debate

1 member

What members said about S. 3008 on the floor

1 Democrat

Rep. Mark UdallD-CO-2 · Jun 12, 2008

Madam Speaker, today I am introducing the Honoring Our Nation's Obligation to Returning Warriors Act (HONOR Warriors Act), along with my colleague and friend Representative John Salazar (D-CO). It is a companion bill to S. 3008, bipartisan legislation authored by Senator Kit Bond of Missouri and Senator Barbara Boxer of California.

This legislation recognizes that our servicemembers returning from Iraq and Afghanistan need and deserve improved mental health care services. The HONOR Warriors Act will provide better mental health care treatment for these military members and veterans, enhance care for military families, and better prepare our troops to cope with stress related to combat.

The Pentagon acknowledged recently that Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and major depression are affecting an ever greater number of U.S. troops. Nearly 40,000 troops have been diagnosed with PTSD since 2003, up 50 percent just last year. The RAND Corporation found even more disturbing statistics recently: Nearly 20 percent of all military servicemembers who have returned from Iraq and Afghanistan--300,000 total--have reported symptoms of PTSD or severe depression. More than 600,000 returning troops suffer from PTSD or Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI), or both. With many our servicemembers deploying for their third or fourth tours to Iraq, we can expect that these numbers will continue to rise.

Treating these mental health problems is in some ways more difficult than treating wounds we can see. PTSD is the ``invisible wound'' that some soldiers don't even know they have, and the onset of its symptoms can be delayed, making it even harder to recognize. In addition, because of the stigma attached to PTSD, estimates are that nearly 50 percent of troops don't seek treatment. They are ashamed to seek help or fear that a diagnosis of mental illness will harm their careers.

The recent RAND report also found that of those who do seek help for PTSD, only about half receive treatment that is considered to be ``minimally adequate.'' With its shortage of funds and trained staff, it is clear that our military mental health care system isn't prepared to deal with this growing mental health crisis.

This is unacceptable. If the Pentagon can't act to help these injured servicemembers who have sacrificed so much for our country, then Congress must. That's why I am introducing this legislation--to ensure that the mental health needs of our military members and veterans are addressed now. The legislation will:

Create a scholarship program to educate and train behavioral health care specialists to serve servicemembers and veterans;

Give active-duty servicemembers access to Vet Centers, which currently provide readjustment counseling, outreach, and mental health care services to veterans only;

Extend survivor benefits to families of military personnel who commit suicide and have a history of combat-related mental health conditions, PTSD, or TBI;

Provide grants to non-profit organizations to offer services to survivors of members of the Armed Forces and veterans;

Establish pilot programs to better prepare servicemembers for combat through a focus on improved prevention, early detection, intervention, and treatment of PTSD. The bill sets up two locations for these programs--Fort Carson in Colorado, and Fort Leonard Wood in Missouri.

With Veterans Affairs Secretary James Peake himself suggesting a few weeks ago that concerns about PTSD and TBI are overblown, it's clear that Congress needs to step in to ensure that our servicemembers and veterans suffering from the invisible wounds of PTSD and major depression are getting the support they deserve. They shouldn't have to fight another war to get proper care once they return home. Providing prompt and effective treatment to our returning troops can help prevent many of the negative effects related to PTSD and depression. It's the least we can do to repay them for the sacrifices they have made for our country.

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Introduced in SenateIssued May 12, 2008

110th CONGRESS

2d Session

S. 3008

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

May 12, 2008

Mr. Bond (for himself, Mrs. Boxer, Mr. Domenici, Mr. Obama, Mrs. Dole, Ms. Murkowski, Ms. Collins, Mrs. Clinton, Mr. Grassley, Mrs. McCaskill, and Mr. Lieberman) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs

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.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Honoring Our Nation's Obligation to Returning Warriors Act or HONOR Warriors Act.

Scholarship program for education and training of behavioral health care specialists for Vet Centers

(a)

Program required

The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall, acting through the Under Secretary for Health of the Department of Veterans Affairs, carry out a program to provide scholarships to individuals pursuing education or training in behavioral health care specialties that are critical to the operations of Vet Centers in order to recruit and retain individuals with such specialties for service as behavioral health care specialists in Vet Centers.

(b)

Eligibility

An individual shall be eligible for a scholarship under the program under this section if the individual—

(1)

is pursuing education or training leading to licensure or other certified proficiency in such behavioral health care specialties critical to the operations of Vet Centers as the Secretary shall designate for purposes of the program; and

(2)

otherwise meets such other criteria or requirements as the Secretary shall establish for purposes of the program.

(c)

Amount

The amount of any scholarship provided under the program under this section shall be determined by the Secretary.

(d)

Agreement To serve as behavioral health care specialist in Vet Centers

As a condition of receipt of a scholarship under the program under this section, an individual receiving a scholarship shall enter into an agreement with the Secretary to serve as an employee of a Vet Center in the behavioral health care specialty of the individual for such period as the Secretary shall specify in the agreement.

(e)

Repayment

Each agreement under subsection (c) shall contain such provisions as the Under Secretary shall establish for purposes of the program under this section relating to repayment of the amount of a scholarship provided under this section in the event the individual entering into such agreement does not fulfill the service requirements in such agreement. Such provisions shall, to the maximum extent practicable, apply uniformly to all recipients of scholarships provided under this section.

(f)

Funding

(1)

Amounts for scholarships under the program under this section shall be derived from amounts available to the Secretary of Veterans Affairs for readjustment benefits.

(2)

The total amount available for scholarships under the program under this section in any fiscal year may not exceed $2,000,000.

(g)

Vet Centers defined

In this section, the term Vet Centers means the centers for readjustment counseling and related mental health services for veterans under section 1712A of title 38, United States Code.

Eligibility of members of the Armed Forces who serve in Operation Iraqi Freedom or Operation Enduring Freedom for counseling and services through Vets Centers

(a)

In general

Any member of the Armed Forces, including a member of the National Guard or Reserve, who serves on active duty in the Armed Forces in Operation Iraqi Freedom or Operation Enduring Freedom is eligible for readjustment counseling and related mental health services under section 1712A of title 38, United States Code, through the centers for readjustment counseling and related mental health services (commonly referred to as Vet Centers) operated under that section.

(b)

No requirement for current active duty service

A member of the Armed Forces who meets the requirements for eligibility for counseling and services under subsection (a) is entitled to counseling and services under that subsection regardless of whether or not the member is currently on active duty in the Armed Forces at the time of receipt of counseling and services under that subsection.

(c)

Regulations

The eligibility of members of the Armed Forces for counseling and services under subsection (a) shall be subject to such regulations as the Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall jointly prescribe for purposes of this section.

Restoration of authority of Vets Centers to provide referral and other assistance upon request to former members of the Armed Forces not authorized counseling

Section 1712A of title 38, United States Code, is amended by inserting after subsection (b) the following new subsection (c):

(c)

Upon receipt of a request for counseling under this section from any individual who has been discharged or released from active military, naval, or air service but who is not otherwise eligible for such counseling, the Secretary shall—

(1)

provide referral services to assist such individual, to the maximum extent practicable, in obtaining mental health care and services from sources outside the Department; and

(2)

if pertinent, advise such individual of such individual’s rights to apply to the appropriate military, naval, or air service, and to the Department, for review of such individual’s discharge or release from such service.

Treatment of suicides of certain former members of the Armed Forces as deaths in line of duty for purposes of eligibility of survivors for certain benefits

(a)

Treatment as death in line of duty of suicides of certain former members of the Armed Forces

The suicide of a former member of the Armed Forces described in subsection (b) that occurs during the two-year period beginning on the date of the separation or retirement of the former member from the Armed Forces shall be treated as a death in line of duty of a member of the Armed Forces on active duty in the Armed Forces for purposes of the eligibility of the survivors of the former member for the benefits described in subsection (c).

(b)

Covered former members of the Armed Forces

A former member of the Armed Forces described in this subsection is any former member of the Armed Forces with a medical history of a combat-related mental health condition or Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) or Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI).

(c)

Covered benefits

The benefits described in this subsection are the benefits as follows:

(1)

Burial benefits.

(2)

Benefits under the Survivor Benefit Plan under subchapter II of chapter 73 of title 10, United States Code.

(3)

Benefits under the laws administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs.

(4)

Benefits under the Social Security Act.

(d)

Dates for purposes of certain determinations

(1)

Date of death

Except as provided in paragraph (2), for purposes of the benefits under this section, the date of death of a former member of the Armed Forces described by subsection (a) shall be the date of the separation or retirement of the former member from the Armed Forces.

(2)

Date for nature of eligibility

In determining the scope and nature of the entitlement a survivor of a former member of the Armed Forces described by subsection (a) to benefits under this section, the date of death of the former member shall be the date of the suicide of the former member.

(e)

Refund of reduction in retired pay under SBP

Any reduction in the retired pay of a former member of the Armed Forces described by subsection (a) under the Survivor Benefit Plan under subchapter II of chapter 73 of title 10, United States Code, during the period beginning on the date of the retirement of the former member from the Armed Forces and ending on the date of the suicide of the former member shall be refunded to the surviving spouse or children, as applicable, of the former member.

Grants for non-profit organizations for the provision of emotional support services to survivors of members of the Armed Forces and veterans

(a)

In general

The Secretary of Defense shall carry out a program to award grants to non-profit organizations that provide emotional support services for survivors of deceased members of the Armed Forces (including members of the National Guard and Reserve) and deceased veterans through peers of such survivors.

(b)

Award of grants

(1)

Eligibility

To be eligible for a grant under the program under this section a non-profit organization shall meet such criteria as the Secretary shall establish for purposes of the program.

(2)

Application

A non-profit organization seeking a grant under the program shall submit to the Secretary an application for the grant in such form and manner as the Secretary shall specify for purposes of the program.

(c)

Grants

(1)

Amount

The amount of each grant awarded a non-profit organization under the program under this section shall be such amount as the Secretary determines appropriate for purposes of the program.

(2)

Duration

The duration of each grant awarded a non-profit organization shall be such period as the Secretary determines appropriate for purposes of the program.

(d)

Use of grant funds

Each non-profit organization awarded a grant under the program under this section shall utilize amounts under the grant to provide such emotional support services for survivors of deceased members of the Armed Forces (including members of the National Guard and Reserve) and deceased veterans through peers of such survivors as the Secretary shall specify in the grant.

(e)

Funding

Amounts for grants under the program under this section shall be derived from amounts authorized to be appropriated for the Department of Defense for military personnel.

Pilot programs on awareness enhancement for members of the Army regarding Post Traumatic Stress Disorder

(a)

Pilot programs required

The Secretary of the Army shall carry out at each location specified in subsection (b) a pilot program to assess the feasability and advisability of various means of enhancing awareness among members of the Army of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).

(b)

Locations

The locations specified in this subsection for the pilot programs required by subsection (a) are the following:

(1)

Fort Carson, Colorado.

(2)

Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri.

(c)

Activities

(1)

In general

The activities under the pilot programs required by subsection (a) shall include the following:

(A)

For members of the Army about to undergo deployment, such activities as the Secretary considers appropriate to enhance the understanding of members of the Army of—

(i)

the neurophysiological effects of the stress and trauma associated with combat, including Post Traumatic Stress Disorder; and

(ii)

the means of eliminating or mitigating such effects after the return from combat.

(B)

For members of the Army undergoing deployment, appropriate reinforcement of the lessons provided through activities under subparagraph (A).

(C)

For members of the Army after the return from deployment, appropriate activities to assist the members in reintegrating into non-combat life.

(D)

For families of members of the Army who will deploy or are deployed, appropriate training and assistance (including Internet-based training and assistance) at each stage of the deployment of such members in order to assist such families and members in recognizing and addressing Post Traumatic Stress Disorder after the return of such members from deployment

(2)

Development of activities

In developing activities for purposes of the pilot programs, the Secretary shall utilize lessons in addressing stress and trauma learned by other appropriate populations, including special operations forces and their communities and elite athlete communities.