STRONG Veterans Act of 2022
Latest action · Jul 11, 2022 Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
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.
- IntroducedJan 18, 2022
- Passed HouseJun 23, 2022
- Passed SenateNot reached
- To the PresidentNot reached
- Became lawNot reached
Summary
Support The Resiliency of Our Nation's Great Veterans Act of 2022 or the STRONG Veterans Act of 2022
This bill addresses mental health care provided by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), including by requiring the VA to update training for the VA workforce and Veterans Crisis Line staff, implement pilot programs, expand access to mental health care, conduct studies and research, and provide outreach to veterans regarding mental health resources.
Among other requirements, the VA must
- ensure its medical centers have at least one full-time minority veteran coordinator and that such coordinators receive training on culturally appropriate mental health and suicide prevention services for American Indian and Alaska Native veterans;
- increase the number of full-time equivalent employees at Vet Centers and paid mental health trainees in the VA's workforce;
- expand specified scholarships and loan repayment programs for mental health providers and students;
- review and update the training for Veterans Crisis Line responders and social service assistants;
- designate a Buddy Check Week to organize outreach events and educate veterans on conducting peer wellness checks;
- update the Veterans Justice Outreach Program, including by conducting program outreach to justice-involved veterans;
- make permanent and expand the Peer Specialist Support program;
- expand eligibility for Vet Center services;
- offer mental health consultations to certain veterans;
- improve the assessment and treatment of veterans with sleep disorders; and
- perform various studies and research related to mental health issues and care.
Additionally, the bill permanently authorizes and expands the Solid Start program.
Cosponsors 40
Members who signed on, in the order they did. Signatures ran from Jan 18, 2022 to Jun 22, 2022; 1 is an original cosponsor, there from the day it was introduced.
| Seat | Cosponsor | Signed on | |
|---|---|---|---|
| R-IL | Mike Bost | Original | Jan 18, 2022 |
| D-AZ | Ruben Gallego | Jan 28, 2022 | |
| D-MI | Elissa Slotkin | Feb 1, 2022 | |
| D-IN | Frank J. Mrvan | Feb 1, 2022 | |
| D-MP | Gregorio Kilili Camacho Sablan | Feb 1, 2022 | |
| D-IL | Lauren Underwood | Feb 1, 2022 | |
| D-CA | Eric Swalwell | Feb 9, 2022 | |
| D-CA | Julia Brownley | Feb 9, 2022 | |
| D-CA | Zoe Lofgren | Feb 9, 2022 | |
| D-NH | Chris Pappas | Feb 15, 2022 | |
| D-NV | Dina Titus | Feb 15, 2022 | |
| R-PA | Brian K. Fitzpatrick | Feb 18, 2022 | |
| D-OH | Marcy Kaptur | Mar 1, 2022 | |
| D-MA | Seth Moulton | Mar 1, 2022 | |
| D-CA | Adam B. Schiff | Mar 7, 2022 | |
| D-MD | David J. Trone | Mar 7, 2022 | |
| D-NM | Melanie A. Stansbury | Mar 9, 2022 | |
| D-TX | Colin Z. Allred | Mar 15, 2022 | |
| D-CA | Mike Levin | Mar 15, 2022 | |
| D-MD | Jamie Raskin | Apr 4, 2022 | |
| D-PA | Conor Lamb | Apr 6, 2022 | |
| D-NJ | Tom Malinowski | Apr 25, 2022 | |
| D-WA | Suzan K. DelBene | May 10, 2022 | |
| D-WA | Derek Kilmer | May 19, 2022 | |
| D-CA | Jim Costa | May 27, 2022 | |
| D-NC | Kathy E. Manning | May 27, 2022 | |
| D-FL | Lois Frankel | May 27, 2022 | |
| D-NJ | Bonnie Watson Coleman | Jun 7, 2022 | |
| D-FL | Darren Soto | Jun 7, 2022 | |
| R-TX | Jake Ellzey | Jun 7, 2022 | |
| D-VT | Peter Welch | Jun 7, 2022 | |
| D-OH | Tim Ryan | Jun 7, 2022 | |
| R-IA | Mariannette Miller-Meeks | Jun 8, 2022 | |
| D-GA | Nikema Williams | Jun 8, 2022 | |
| D-IL | Sean Casten | Jun 8, 2022 | |
| R-NC | David Rouzer | Jun 14, 2022 | |
| D-CA | Raul Ruiz | Jun 14, 2022 | |
| D-FL | Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick | Jun 14, 2022 | |
| D-CA | Scott H. Peters | Jun 15, 2022 | |
| D-VA | Elaine G. Luria | Jun 22, 2022 |
Committees 2
Where it was sent and what each committee and subcommittee did with it, in order.
| Chamber | Committee | What it did |
|---|---|---|
| House | Veterans' Affairs Committee | Referred Jan 18, 2022Markup Feb 2, 2022Reported Jun 23, 2022 |
| Health Subcommittee | Referred Jan 20, 2022 | |
| Senate | Veterans' Affairs Committee | Referred Jul 11, 2022 |
Actions 13
Everything that happened, newest first.
- Jul 11, 2022Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
- Jun 23, 2022Mr. Levin (CA) moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.
- Jun 23, 2022Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H5845-5853)
- Jun 23, 2022DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 6411.
- Jun 23, 2022Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR H5845-5851)
In the Congressional Record 4
Days the Record’s own index lists this bill, newest first, with the pages and the members it names. Pages starting H are the House, S the Senate, E Extensions of Remarks.
| Where | In the Record | Members | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| House | Debate and remarks H8186, H8187 | Mark Takano D-CA, Mike Bost R-IL | Sep 28, 2022 |
| House | Debate and remarks H5845–H5853Text printed H5845–H5851 | David Rouzer R-NC, Gregory F. Murphy R-NC, Mike Bost R-IL, Mike Levin D-CA, Sheila Jackson Lee D-TX | Jun 23, 2022 |
| House | Debate and remarks H5633 | Steny H. Hoyer D-MD | Jun 16, 2022 |
| House | Lists H216H.R. 6411–6420 | — | Jan 18, 2022 |
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.
Committee report
Constitutional authority
The sponsor’s statement, as printed in the Congressional Record, vol. 168, no. 11, January 18, 2022, page H216.
Printed hearings 1
Hearings whose printed record names this bill, newest first: hearings on it, and wider hearings where it came up.
| Number | Hearing | Committee | Held |
|---|---|---|---|
| S. Hrg. 117-746 | LEGISLATIVE PRESENTATION OF THE AMERICAN LEGION AND MULTI VSOs: PVA, SVA, MOAA, GSW, NGAUS, TAPS, MMAA, ADBC-MS346 pages | Veterans' Affairs Committee | Mar 8, 2022 |
Related bills 7
Companion bills and other measures the record links to this one.
| Bill | Title | Relationship | Latest action |
|---|---|---|---|
| S 544 | A bill to direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to designate one week each year as "Buddy Check Week" for the purpose of outreach and education concerning peer wellness checks for veterans, and for other purposes. | Related bill | Oct 8, 2021 |
| S 2817 | Expanding the Families of Veterans Access to Mental Health Services Act | Related bill | Sep 23, 2021 |
| S 3323 | Veterans Justice Outreach Improvement Act of 2021 | Related bill | Dec 7, 2021 |
| S 3368 | VITAL Assessment Act of 2021 | Related bill | Dec 9, 2021 |
| HR 4233 | Student Veterans Counseling Centers Eligibility Act | Related bill | Nov 17, 2021 |
Titles 9
Every title it has carried, official and short, at each stage.
- Official Title as Introduced
- To amend title 38, United States Code, to make certain improvements in the mental health care provided by the Department of Veterans Affairs, and for other purposes.
- Short Title(s) as Introduced
- STRONG Veterans Act of 2022
- Support The Resiliency of Our Nation’s Great Veterans Act of 2022
- Short Title(s) as Reported to House
- STRONG Veterans Act of 2022
- Support The Resiliency of Our Nation’s Great Veterans Act of 2022
- Short Title(s) as Passed House
- Support The Resiliency of Our Nation’s Great Veterans Act of 2022
- STRONG Veterans Act of 2022
- Short Titles from RFS (Referred to Senate) bill text
- Support The Resiliency of Our Nation’s Great Veterans Act of 2022
- STRONG Veterans Act of 2022
Subjects
Assigned by the Library of Congress. Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security.
- Alaska Natives and Hawaiians
- Armed Forces and National Security
- Census and government statistics
- Commemorative events and holidays
- Congressional oversight
- Correctional facilities and imprisonment
- Cultural exchanges and relations
- Department of Veterans Affairs
- Disability assistance
- Drug, alcohol, tobacco use
- Emergency communications systems
- Emergency medical services and trauma care
- Employment and training programs
- Federal-Indian relations
- Foreign language and bilingual programs
- Government employee pay, benefits, personnel management
- Government information and archives
- Government studies and investigations
- Health care coverage and access
- Health care quality
- Health facilities and institutions
- Health information and medical records
- Health personnel
- Health promotion and preventive care
- Higher education
- Home and outpatient care
- Judicial procedure and administration
- Law enforcement administration and funding
- Medical education
- Medical research
- Medical tests and diagnostic methods
- Mental health
- Military medicine
- Military personnel and dependents
- Minority employment
- Minority health
- Neurological disorders
- Nursing
- Performance measurement
- Research administration and funding
- Rural conditions and development
- Social work, volunteer service, charitable organizations
- Specialized courts
- Student aid and college costs
- Telephone and wireless communication
- Veterans' education, employment, rehabilitation
- Veterans' medical care
- Veterans' organizations and recognition
- Veterans' pensions and compensation
- Women's employment
Text 4
Each version as it was printed, newest first.
- Jul 11, 2022Referred in Senate
- Jun 23, 2022Engrossed in House
- Jun 22, 2022Reported in House
- Jan 18, 2022Introduced in House
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.
