HR 4080 · 114th Congress 2015–2017, ended

Veterans Mental Health Accessibility Act

Introduced Nov 19, 2015 Originated House Sponsor Matt Cartwright D-PA

Fact sheet Spreadsheet

Latest action · Dec 3, 2015 Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.

Progress

Where this bill reached, and when. A stage with no date was not reached; one that failed a vote and later carried shows the date it carried.

  1. IntroducedNov 19, 2015
  2. Passed HouseNot reached
  3. Passed SenateNot reached
  4. To the PresidentNot reached
  5. Became lawNot reached

Summary

Veterans Mental Health Accessibility Act

This bill makes any veteran who served on active duty in a theater of combat operations during specified conflicts eligible for hospital care, medical services, and nursing home care for any mental illness through the Department of Veterans Affairs, notwithstanding insufficient medical evidence to conclude that the mental illness is attributable to such service.

The conflicts specified include World War II, the Korean conflict, the Vietnam era, the Persian Gulf War, Operations Iraqi Freedom or Enduring Freedom, or any other period of war after the Persian Gulf War, or in combat against a hostile force during any period of hostilities.

Cosponsors 28

Members who signed on, in the order they did. Signatures ran from Nov 19, 2015 to Sep 8, 2016; 15 are original cosponsors, there from the day it was introduced.

SeatCosponsorSigned on
D-AZAnn KirkpatrickOriginalNov 19, 2015
D-MNBetty McCollumOriginalNov 19, 2015
D-ILCheri BustosOriginalNov 19, 2015
D-WADenny HeckOriginalNov 19, 2015
D-CTElizabeth H. EstyOriginalNov 19, 2015
D-VAGerald E. ConnollyOriginalNov 19, 2015
D-CAGrace F. NapolitanoOriginalNov 19, 2015
D-ILJanice D. SchakowskyOriginalNov 19, 2015
D-CALois CappsOriginalNov 19, 2015
D-ORPeter A. DeFazioOriginalNov 19, 2015
D-AZRaúl M. GrijalvaOriginalNov 19, 2015
D-MARichard E. NealOriginalNov 19, 2015
D-ILRobin L. KellyOriginalNov 19, 2015
D-TXSheila Jackson LeeOriginalNov 19, 2015
R-NCWalter B. JonesOriginalNov 19, 2015
D-MDJohn K. DelaneyDec 10, 2015
D-MIDaniel T. KildeeDec 15, 2015
D-CAAnna G. EshooFeb 1, 2016
D-MEChellie PingreeFeb 1, 2016
D-IADavid LoebsackFeb 1, 2016
D-WAJim McDermottFeb 1, 2016
D-TXLloyd DoggettFeb 1, 2016
D-TXMarc A. VeaseyFeb 1, 2016
D-NMMichelle Lujan GrishamFeb 1, 2016
D-MANiki TsongasFeb 1, 2016
D-NYNita M. LoweyFeb 1, 2016
D-PARobert A. BradyFeb 1, 2016
D-MAJames P. McGovernSep 8, 2016

Committees 1

Where it was sent and what each committee and subcommittee did with it, in order.

ChamberCommitteeWhat it did
HouseVeterans' Affairs Committee
Referred Nov 19, 2015
Health Subcommittee
Referred Dec 3, 2015

Actions 3

Everything that happened, newest first.

  1. Dec 3, 2015Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.
  2. Nov 19, 2015Introduced in House
  3. Nov 19, 2015Referred to the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs.

Research

What has been written about this bill: committee reports, cost estimates, the sponsor’s authority statement, printed hearings and the Congressional Research Service’s work.

Constitutional authority

Congress has the power to enact this legislation pursuant to the following: Article I; Section 8; Clause 1 of the Constitution states The Congress shall have Power To lay and collect Taxes, Duties, Imposts and Excises, to pay the Debts and provide for the common Defence and general Welfare of the United States . . .

The sponsor’s statement, as printed in the Congressional Record, vol. 161, no. 171, November 19, 2015, page H8412.

Printed hearings 1

Hearings whose printed record names this bill, newest first: hearings on it, and wider hearings where it came up.

NumberHearingCommitteeHeld
Serial No. 114-5EXAMINING PUBLIC HEALTH LEGISLATION TO HELP PATIENTS AND LOCAL COMMUNITIES171 pagesEnergy and Commerce CommitteeJan 27, 2015

Related bills 1

Companion bills and other measures the record links to this one.

BillTitleRelationshipLatest action
HR 5314Veterans Mental Health Accessibility ActReintroduced BillMar 15, 2018

Titles 2

Every title it has carried, official and short, at each stage.

Official Title as Introduced
To amend title 38, United States Code, to provide for unlimited eligibility for health care for mental illnesses for veterans of combat service during certain periods of hostilities and war.
Short Titles as Introduced
Veterans Mental Health Accessibility Act

Subjects

Assigned by the Library of Congress. Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security.

Text 1

Each version as it was printed, newest first.

  1. Nov 19, 2015Introduced in House

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Everything here is as published by Congress: the summary is the Congressional Research Service's, the action wording is the clerks', and the subjects are the Library of Congress's. How far it got is read from the actions themselves, taking the most recent one of each kind, so a bill that failed a vote and later passed is shown as having passed. Records come from this bill on Congress.gov and govinfo.gov; cost estimates are the Congressional Budget Office's, and the hearings are the printed hearings GovInfo publishes, which can appear months after the hearing.