79–006 

115TH CONGRESS REPORT " ! HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 2d Session 115–682 

VETERANS TREATMENT COURT IMPROVEMENT ACT OF 

2018 

MAY 18, 2018.—Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the State of 

the Union and ordered to be printed 

Mr. ROE of Tennessee, from the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, 

submitted the following 

R E P O R T 

[To accompany H.R. 2147] 

[Including cost estimate of the Congressional Budget Office] 

The Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, to whom was referred the 

bill (H.R. 2147) to require the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to hire 

additional Veterans Justice Outreach Specialists to provide treatment court services to justice-involved veterans, and for other purposes, having considered the same, report favorably thereon with 

an amendment and recommend that the bill as amended do pass. 

CONTENTS 

Page 

Purpose and Summary ............................................................................................ 6 

Background and Need for Legislation .................................................................... 6 

Hearings ................................................................................................................... 7 

Subcommittee Consideration .................................................................................. 7 

Committee Consideration ........................................................................................ 8 

Committee Votes ...................................................................................................... 8 

Committee Oversight Findings ............................................................................... 8 

Statement of General Performance Goals and Objectives .................................... 8 

New Budget Authority, Entitlement Authority, and Tax Expenditures ............. 8 

Earmarks and Tax and Tariff Benefits .................................................................. 8 

Committee Cost Estimate ....................................................................................... 8 

Congressional Budget Office Estimate ................................................................... 9 

Federal Mandates Statement ................................................................................. 10 

Advisory Committee Statement .............................................................................. 10 

Constitutional Authority Statement ...................................................................... 10 

Applicability to Legislative Branch ........................................................................ 10 

Statement on Duplication of Federal Programs .................................................... 10 

Disclosure of Directed Rulemaking ........................................................................ 10 

Section-by-Section Analysis of the Legislation ...................................................... 10 

Changes in Existing Law Made by the Bill as Reported ...................................... 11 

2 

The amendment is as follows: 

Strike all after the enacting clause and insert the following: 

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Veterans Treatment Court Improvement Act of 

2018’’. 

SEC. 2. HIRING BY DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS OF ADDITIONAL VETERANS JUSTICE 

OUTREACH SPECIALISTS. 

(a) HIRING OF ADDITIONAL VETERANS JUSTICE OUTREACH SPECIALISTS.— (1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of 

this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall hire not fewer than 50 Veterans 

Justice Outreach Specialists and place each such Veterans Justice Outreach 

Specialist at an eligible Department of Veterans Affairs medical center in accordance with this section. 

(2) REQUIREMENTS.—The Secretary shall ensure that each Veterans Justice 

Outreach Specialist employed under paragraph (1)— 

(A) serves, either exclusively or in addition to other duties, as part of a 

justice team in a veterans treatment court or other veteran-focused court; 

and 

(B) otherwise meets Department hiring guidelines for Veterans Justice 

Outreach Specialists. 

(b) ELIGIBLE DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS MEDICAL CENTERS.—For purposes of this section, an eligible Department of Veterans Affairs medical center is 

any Department of Veterans Affairs medical center that— 

(1) complies with all Department guidelines and regulations for placement of 

a Veterans Justice Outreach Specialist; 

(2) works within a local criminal justice system with justice-involved veterans; 

(3) maintains an affiliation with one or more veterans treatment courts or 

other veteran-focused courts; and 

(4) either— 

(A) routinely provides Veterans Justice Outreach Specialists to serve as 

part of a justice team in a veterans treatment court or other veteran-focused court; or 

(B) establishes a plan that is approved by the Secretary to provide Veterans Justice Outreach Specialists employed under subsection (a)(1) to 

serve as part of a justice team in a veterans treatment court or other veteran-focused court. 

(c) PLACEMENT PRIORITY.—The Secretary shall prioritize the placement of Veterans Justice Outreach Specialists employed under subsection (a)(1) at eligible Department of Veterans Affairs medical centers that have or intend to establish an affiliation, for the purpose of carrying out the Veterans Justice Outreach Program, 

with a veterans treatment court, or other veteran-focused court, that— 

(1) was established on or after the date of the enactment of this Act; or 

(2)(A) was established before the date of the enactment of this Act; and 

(B) is not fully staffed with Veterans Justice Outreach Specialists. 

(d) REPORTS.— 

(1) REPORT BY SECRETARY OF VETERANS AFFAIRS.— 

(A) IN GENERAL.—Not later than one year after the date of the enactment 

of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall submit to Congress a report on the implementation of this section and its effect on the Veterans 

Justice Outreach Program. 

(B) CONTENTS.—The report submitted under paragraph (1) shall include 

the following: 

(i) The status of the efforts of the Secretary to hire Veterans Justice 

Outreach Specialists pursuant to subsection (a)(1), including the total 

number of Veterans Justice Outreach Specialists hired by the Secretary 

pursuant to such subsection and the number that the Secretary expects 

to hire pursuant to such subsection. 

(ii) The total number of Veterans Justice Outreach Specialists assigned to each Department of Veterans Affairs medical center that participates in the Veterans Justice Outreach Program, including the number of Veterans Justice Outreach Specialists hired under subsection 

(a)(1) disaggregated by Department of Veterans Affairs medical center. 

(iii) The total number of eligible Department of Veterans Affairs medical centers that sought placement of a Veterans Justice Outreach Specialist under subsection (a)(1), how many Veterans Justice Outreach 

Specialists each such center sought, and how many of such medical 

3 

centers received no placement of a Veterans Justice Outreach Specialist 

under subsection (a)(1). 

(iv) For each eligible Department of Veterans Affairs medical center— 

(I) the number of justice-involved veterans who were served or 

are expected to be served by a Veterans Justice Outreach Specialist 

hired under subsection (a)(1); and 

(II) the number of justice-involved veterans who do not have access to a Veterans Justice Outreach Specialist. 

(2) REPORT BY COMPTROLLER GENERAL OF THE UNITED STATES.— 

(A) IN GENERAL.—Not later than three years after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General of the United States shall submit 

to Congress a report on the implementation of this section and the effectiveness of the Veterans Justice Outreach Program. 

(B) CONTENTS.—The report required by subparagraph (A) shall include 

the following: 

(i) An assessment of whether the Secretary has fulfilled the Secretary’s obligations under this section. 

(ii) The number of veterans who are served by Veterans Justice Outreach Specialists hired under subsection (a)(1), disaggregated by demographics (including discharge status). 

(iii) An identification of any subgroups of veterans who underutilize 

services provided under laws administered by the Secretary, including 

an assessment of whether these veterans have access to Veterans Justice Outreach Specialists under the Veterans Justice Outreach Program. 

(iv) Such recommendations as the Comptroller General may have for 

the Secretary to improve the effectiveness of the Veterans Justice Outreach Program. 

(e) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 

(1) JUSTICE TEAM.—The term ‘‘justice team’’ means the group of individuals, 

which may include a judge, court coordinator, prosecutor, public defender, treatment provider, probation or other law enforcement officer, program mentor, and 

Veterans Justice Outreach Specialist, who assist justice-involved veterans in a 

veterans treatment court or other veteran-focused court. 

(2) JUSTICE-INVOLVED VETERAN.—The term ‘‘justice-involved veteran’’ means a 

veteran with active, ongoing, or recent contact with some component of a local 

criminal justice system. 

(3) LOCAL CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM.—The term ‘‘local criminal justice system’’ means law enforcement, jails, prisons, and Federal, State, and local courts. 

(4) VETERANS JUSTICE OUTREACH PROGRAM.—The term ‘‘Veterans Justice Outreach Program’’ means the program through which the Department of Veterans 

Affairs identifies justice-involved veterans and provides such veterans with access to Department services. 

(5) VETERANS JUSTICE OUTREACH SPECIALIST.—The term ‘‘Veterans Justice 

Outreach Specialist’’ means an employee of the Department of Veterans Affairs 

who serves as a liaison between the Department and the local criminal justice 

system on behalf of a justice-involved veteran. 

(6) VETERANS TREATMENT COURT.—The term ‘‘veterans treatment court’’ 

means a State or local court that is participating in the veterans treatment 

court program (as defined in section 2991(i)(1) of the Omnibus Crime Control 

and Safe Streets Act of 1968 (42 U.S.C. 3797aa(i)(1))). 

AMENDMENT IN THE NATURE OF A SUBSTITUTE TO H.R. 2147 

OFFERED BY MR. COFFMAN OF COLORADO

Strike all after the enacting clause and insert the following: 

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Veterans Treatment Court Improvement Act of 2018’’. 

SEC. 2. HIRING BY DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS OF ADDITIONAL VETERANS JUSTICE OUTREACH SPECIALISTS. 

(a) HIRING OF ADDITIONAL VETERANS JUSTICE OUTREACH SPECIALISTS.— 

4 

(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than one year after the date of 

the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs 

shall hire not fewer than 50 Veterans Justice Outreach Specialists and place each such Veterans Justice Outreach Specialist at an eligible Department of Veterans Affairs medical 

center in accordance with this section. 

(2) REQUIREMENTS.—The Secretary shall ensure that each 

Veterans Justice Outreach Specialist employed under paragraph (1)— 

(A) serves, either exclusively or in addition to other duties, as part of a justice team in a veterans treatment 

court or other veteran-focused court; and 

(B) otherwise meets Department hiring guidelines for 

Veterans Justice Outreach Specialists. 

(b) ELIGIBLE DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS MEDICAL CENTERS.—For purposes of this section, an eligible Department of Veterans Affairs medical center is any Department of Veterans Affairs 

medical center that— 

(1) complies with all Department guidelines and regulations 

for placement of a Veterans Justice Outreach Specialist; 

(2) works within a local criminal justice system with justiceinvolved veterans; 

(3) maintains an affiliation with one or more veterans treatment courts or other veteran-focused courts; and 

(4) either— 

(A) routinely provides Veterans Justice Outreach Specialists to serve as part of a justice team in a veterans 

treatment court or other veteran-focused court; or 

(B) establishes a plan that is approved by the Secretary 

to provide Veterans Justice Outreach Specialists employed 

under subsection (a)(1) to serve as part of a justice team 

in a veterans treatment court or other veteran-focused 

court. 

(c) PLACEMENT PRIORITY.—The Secretary shall prioritize the 

placement of Veterans Justice Outreach Specialists employed 

under subsection (a)(1) at eligible Department of Veterans Affairs 

medical centers that have or intend to establish an affiliation, for 

the purpose of carrying out the Veterans Justice Outreach Program, with a veterans treatment court, or other veteran-focused 

court, that— 

(1) was established on or after the date of the enactment of 

this Act; or 

(2)(A) was established before the date of the enactment of 

this Act; and 

(B) is not fully staffed with Veterans Justice Outreach Specialists. 

(d) REPORTS.— 

(1) REPORT BY SECRETARY OF VETERANS AFFAIRS.— 

(A) IN GENERAL.—Not later than one year after the date 

of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall submit to Congress a report on the implementation of this section and its effect on the Veterans Justice 

Outreach Program. 

(B) CONTENTS.—The report submitted under paragraph 

(1) shall include the following: 

5 

(i) The status of the efforts of the Secretary to hire 

Veterans Justice Outreach Specialists pursuant to 

subsection (a)(1), including the total number of Veterans Justice Outreach Specialists hired by the Secretary pursuant to such subsection and the number 

that the Secretary expects to hire pursuant to such 

subsection. 

(ii) The total number of Veterans Justice Outreach 

Specialists assigned to each Department of Veterans 

Affairs medical center that participates in the Veterans Justice Outreach Program, including the number of Veterans Justice Outreach Specialists hired 

under subsection (a)(1) disaggregated by Department 

of Veterans Affairs medical center. 

(iii) The total number of eligible Department of Veterans Affairs medical centers that sought placement of 

a Veterans Justice Outreach Specialist under subsection (a)(1), how many Veterans Justice Outreach 

Specialists each such center sought, and how many of 

such medical centers received no placement of a Veterans Justice Outreach Specialist under subsection 

(a)(1). 

(iv) For each eligible Department of Veterans Affairs 

medical center— 

(I) the number of justice-involved veterans who 

were served or are expected to be served by a Veterans Justice Outreach Specialist hired under 

subsection (a)(1); and 

(II) the number of justice-involved veterans who 

do not have access to a Veterans Justice Outreach 

Specialist. 

(2) REPORT BY COMPTROLLER GENERAL OF THE UNITED

STATES.— 

(A) IN GENERAL.—Not later than three years after the 

date of the enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General 

of the United States shall submit to Congress a report on 

the implementation of this section and the effectiveness of 

the Veterans Justice Outreach Program. 

(B) CONTENTS.—The report required by subparagraph 

(A) shall include the following: 

(i) An assessment of whether the Secretary has fulfilled the Secretary’s obligations under this section. 

(ii) The number of veterans who are served by Veterans Justice Outreach Specialists hired under subsection (a)(1), disaggregated by demographics (including discharge status). 

(iii) An identification of any subgroups of veterans 

who underutilize services provided under laws administered by the Secretary, including an assessment of 

whether these veterans have access to Veterans Justice Outreach Specialists under the Veterans Justice 

Outreach Program. 

(iv) Such recommendations as the Comptroller General may have for the Secretary to improve the effectiveness of the Veterans Justice Outreach Program. 

6 

1 VHA Office of Mental Health. ‘‘Homeless Veterans.’’ Veterans Justice Outreach Program, Department of Veterans Affairs, 28 Jan. 2010, www.va.gov/HOMELESS/VJO.asp 

(e) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 

(1) JUSTICE TEAM.—The term ‘‘justice team’’ means the group 

of individuals, which may include a judge, court coordinator, 

prosecutor, public defender, treatment provider, probation or 

other law enforcement officer, program mentor, and Veterans 

Justice Outreach Specialist, who assist justice-involved veterans in a veterans treatment court or other veteran-focused 

court. 

(2) JUSTICE-INVOLVED VETERAN.—The term ‘‘justice-involved 

veteran’’ means a veteran with active, ongoing, or recent contact with some component of a local criminal justice system. 

(3) LOCAL CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM.—The term ‘‘local criminal justice system’’ means law enforcement, jails, prisons, and 

Federal, State, and local courts. 

(4) VETERANS JUSTICE OUTREACH PROGRAM.—The term ‘‘Veterans Justice Outreach Program’’ means the program through 

which the Department of Veterans Affairs identifies justice-involved veterans and provides such veterans with access to Department services. 

(5) VETERANS JUSTICE OUTREACH SPECIALIST.—The term 

‘‘Veterans Justice Outreach Specialist’’ means an employee of 

the Department of Veterans Affairs who serves as a liaison between the Department and the local criminal justice system on 

behalf of a justice-involved veteran. 

(6) VETERANS TREATMENT COURT.—The term ‘‘veterans treatment court’’ means a State or local court that is participating 

in the veterans treatment court program (as defined in section 

2991(i)(1) of the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act 

of 1968 (42 U.S.C. 3797aa(i)(1))). 

PURPOSE AND SUMMARY

H.R. 2147, as amended, the ‘‘Veterans Treatment Court Improvement Act of 2018,’’ would require the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) hire at least 50 Veterans Justice Outreach (VJO) Specialists for placement at certain VAMCs with robust VJO Programs 

to serve as part of a VJO team in a veterans treatment (or other 

veteran-focused) court. Representative Mike Coffman of Colorado 

introduced H.R. 2147 on April 26, 2017. 

BACKGROUND AND NEED FOR LEGISLATION

VA’s Veteran Justice Outreach (VJO) program aims to help ‘‘. . . 

avoid the unnecessary criminalization of mental illness and extended incarceration among veterans by ensuring that eligible, justice-involved veterans have timely access to [VA] services, as clinically indicated.’’ 1

To accomplish this, VAMCs employ VJO Specialists who provide 

direct outreach, assessment and case management for justice-involved veterans and serve as the link between veterans, VA, and 

the local justice system. In areas where a Veterans Treatment 

Court (VTC) exists, VJO Specialists also work with the VTC to inform officers of the court about whether a veteran is complying 

with VA treatment programs and relevant court orders. 

7 

2 ‘‘Keeping Veterans with PTSD out of the Justice System.’’ PTSD: National Center for PTSD, 

U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, 17 Aug. 2010, www.ptsd.va.gov/public/community/keepingPTSD-vets-out-JS.asp. 

VTCs began in 2008 in Buffalo, New York. The VTC model is 

based on the Drug Courts and Mental Health Courts that began in 

the 1990s. VTCs often partner with local VAMCs and VSOs. While 

VTCs are voluntary, only veterans who have been charged with 

non-violent crimes and who are in need of mental health or substance abuse treatment may access a VTC.2

Section 2 of the bill would require VA to hire an additional 50 

Veterans Justice Outreach Specialists for placement into eligible 

VA Medical Centers. An eligible VA Medical Center is one that (1) 

complies with all VA guidelines and regulations for placement of a 

specialist; (2) works with a veteran with active, ongoing, or recent 

contact with some component of a local criminal justice system; (3) 

maintains an affiliation with one or more veterans treatment 

courts or other veteran-focused courts; and (4) either routinely provides specialists, or establishes a VA-approved plan to provide specialists, to serve as part of a justice team in such a court. 

HEARINGS

On September 26, 2017, the Subcommittee on Health conducted 

a legislative hearing on a number of bills including H.R. 2147. 

The following witnesses testified: 

The Honorable Debbie Dingell, U.S. House of Representatives, 12th District, Michigan; The Honorable Beto O’Rourke, 

U.S. House of Representatives, 16th District, Texas; The Honorable Derek Kilmer, U.S. House of Representatives, 6th District, Washington; The Honorable Steve King, U.S. House of 

Representatives, 4th District, Iowa; The Honorable Lloyd 

Smucker, U.S. House of Representatives, 16th District, Pennsylvania; The Honorable Mike Coffman, U.S. House of Representatives, 6th District, Colorado; The Honorable Steve Stivers, U.S. House of Representatives, 15th District, Ohio; The 

Honorable Ron DeSantis, U.S. House of Representatives, 6th 

District, Florida; The Honorable John Rutherford, U.S. House 

of Representatives, 4th District, Florida; Keronica Richardson, 

Assistant Director of Women and Minority Veterans Outreach, 

National Security Division, The American Legion; Rick 

Weidman, Executive Director for Policy & Government Affairs, 

Vietnam Veterans of America; Amy Webb, National Legislative 

Policy Advisor, AMVETS; Harold Kudler, M.D., Acting Assistant Deputy Under Secretary for Health for Patient Care Services, Veterans Health Administration, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. 

Statements for the record were submitted by: 

Blinded Veterans of America; Veterans of Foreign Wars of 

the United States; Disabled American Veterans; Paralyzed Veterans of America; Justice for Vets; Make a Difference America 

SUBCOMMITTEE CONSIDERATION

There was no Subcommittee consideration of H.R. 2147. 

8 

COMMITTEE CONSIDERATION

On May 8, 2018, the full Committee met in open markup session, 

a quorum being present, and ordered H.R. 2147, as amended, to be 

reported favorably to the House of Representatives by voice vote. 

During consideration of the bill, the following amendment was considered and agreed to by voice vote: 

An amendment in the nature of a substitute offered by Representative Mike Coffman of Colorado. 

COMMITTEE VOTES

In compliance with clause 3(b) of rule XIII of the Rules of the 

House of Representatives, there were no recorded votes taken on 

amendments or in connection with ordering H.R. 2147, as amended, reported to the House. A motion by Representative Tim Walz 

of Minnesota, Ranking Member of the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, to report H.R. 2147, as amended, favorably to the House of 

Representatives was adopted by voice vote. 

COMMITTEE OVERSIGHT FINDINGS

In compliance with clause 3(c)(1) of rule XIII and clause (2)(b)(1) 

of rule X of the Rules of the House of Representatives, the Committee’s oversight findings and recommendations are reflected in the 

descriptive portions of this report. 

STATEMENT OF GENERAL PERFORMANCE GOALS AND OBJECTIVES

In accordance with clause 3(c)(4) of rule XIII of the Rules of the 

House of Representatives, the Committee’s performance goals and 

objectives are to ensure that there is a sufficient number of Veterans Justice Outreach Specialists available across the VA 

healthcare system to provide case management services to the population of veterans with mental illness. 

NEW BUDGET AUTHORITY, ENTITLEMENT AUTHORITY, AND TAX

EXPENDITURES

In compliance with clause 3(c)(2) of rule XIII of the Rules of the 

House of Representatives, the Committee adopts as its own the estimate of new budget authority, entitlement authority, or tax expenditures or revenues contained in the cost estimate prepared by 

the Director of the Congressional Budget Office pursuant to section 

402 of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974. 

EARMARKS AND TAX AND TARIFF BENEFITS

H.R. 2147, as amended, does not contain any Congressional earmarks, limited tax benefits, or limited tariff benefits as defined in 

clause 9 of rule XXI of the Rules of the House of Representatives. 

COMMITTEE COST ESTIMATE

The Committee adopts as its own the cost estimate on H.R. 2147, 

as amended, prepared by the Director of the Congressional Budget 

Office pursuant to section 402 of the Congressional Budget Act of 

1974. 

9 

CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET OFFICE COST ESTIMATE

Pursuant to clause 3(c)(3) of rule XIII of the Rules of the House 

of Representatives, the following is the cost estimate for H.R. 2147, 

as amended, provided by the Director of the Congressional Budget 

Office pursuant to section 402 of the Congressional Budget Act of 

1974: 

U.S. CONGRESS, 

CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET OFFICE, 

Washington, DC, May 9, 2018. 

Hon. PHIL ROE, M.D., 

Chairman, Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, 

House of Representatives, Washington, DC. 

DEAR MR. CHAIRMAN: The Congressional Budget Office has prepared the enclosed cost estimate for H.R. 2147, the Veterans Treatment Court Improvement Act of 2018. 

If you wish further details on this estimate, we will be pleased 

to provide them. The CBO staff contact is Ann E. Futrell. 

Sincerely, 

KEITH HALL, 

Director. 

Enclosure. 

H.R. 2147—Veterans Treatment Court Improvement Act of 2018 

Within one year of enactment, H.R. 2147 would require the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to hire 50 specialists for the Veterans Justice Outreach (VJO) Program. The program—which operates through VA medical centers—provides support services to veterans involved in the criminal justice system. VA reports that currently it is working to hire at least 50 additional specialists for the 

VJO program. Because the hiring requirement would codify VA’s 

current plan, CBO estimates that implementing those requirements would result in no additional costs. 

The bill also would require VA and the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to submit reports to the Congress on the VJO 

Program. On the basis of information from GAO regarding necessary resources to prepare reports of similar scope, CBO estimates 

that four full-time employees at an average compensation of 

$130,000 would work on the GAO report. CBO expects minimal 

costs to prepare VA’s report. As a result, CBO estimates that implementing the bill’s reporting requirements would cost $1 million 

over the 2019–2023 period, assuming availability of appropriated 

amounts. 

Enacting H.R. 2147 would not affect direct spending or revenues; 

therefore, pay-as-you-go procedures do not apply. 

CBO estimates that enacting H.R. 2147 would not increase net 

direct spending or on-budget deficits in any of the four consecutive 

10-year periods beginning in 2029. 

H.R. 2147 contains no intergovernmental or private-sector mandates as defined in the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act. 

The CBO staff contact for this estimate is Ann E. Futrell. The 

estimate was reviewed by Leo Lex, Deputy Assistant Director for 

Budget Analysis. 

10 

FEDERAL MANDATES STATEMENT

The Committee adopts as its own the estimate of Federal mandates regarding H.R. 2147, as amended, prepared by the Director 

of the Congressional Budget Office pursuant to section 423 of the 

Unfunded Mandates Reform Act. 

ADVISORY COMMITTEE STATEMENT

No advisory committees within the meaning of section 5(b) of the 

Federal Advisory Committee Act would be created by H.R. 2147, as 

amended. 

STATEMENT OF CONSTITUTIONAL AUTHORITY

Pursuant to Article I, section 8 of the United States Constitution, 

H.R. 2147, as amended, is authorized by Congress’ power to ‘‘provide for the common Defense and general Welfare of the United 

States.’’ 

APPLICABILITY TO LEGISLATIVE BRANCH

The Committee finds that H.R. 2147, as amended, does not relate 

to the terms and conditions of employment or access to public services or accommodations within the meaning of section 102(b)(3) of 

the Congressional Accountability Act. 

STATEMENT ON DUPLICATION OF FEDERAL PROGRAMS

Pursuant to clause 3(c)(5) of rule XIII of the Rules of the House 

of Representatives, the Committee finds that no provision of H.R. 

2147, as amended, establishes or reauthorizes a program of the 

Federal Government known to be duplicative of another Federal 

program, a program that was included in any report from the Government Accountability Office to Congress pursuant to section 21 

of Public Law 111–139, or a program related to a program identified in the most recent Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance. 

DISCLOSURE OF DIRECTED RULEMAKING

Pursuant to section 3(i) of H. Res. 5, 115th Cong. (2017), the 

Committee estimates that H.R. 2147, as amended, contains no directed rulemaking that would require the Secretary to prescribe 

regulations. 

SECTION-BY-SECTION ANALYSIS OF THE LEGISLATION

Section 1. Short title 

Section 1 of the bill would provide the short title for H.R. 2147, 

as amended, as the ‘‘Veterans Treatment Court Improvement Act 

of 2018’’. 

Section 2. Hiring by Department of Veterans Affairs of additional 

Veterans Justice Outreach Specialists 

Section 2(a) of the bill would direct VA, by no later than one year 

after enactment, to hire at least 50 Veterans Justice Outreach 

(VJO) Specialists for placement into eligible VA Medical Centers 

(VAMCs). VJO Specialists employed under this section would be required to serve as part of a veterans treatment court or other vetVerDate Sep 11 2014 06:22 May 19, 2018 Jkt 079006 PO 00000 Frm 00010 Fmt 6659 Sfmt 6602 E:\HR\OC\HR682.XXX HR682
11 

eran-focused court and adhere to VA hiring guidelines for VJO Specialists. 

Section 2(b) of the bill defines an eligible VA Medical Center is 

one that (1) complies with all VA guidelines and regulations for 

placement of a specialist; (2) works with a veteran with active, ongoing, or recent contact with some component of a local criminal 

justice system; (3) maintains an affiliation with one or more veterans treatment courts or other veteran-focused courts; and (4) either routinely provides specialists, or establishes a VA-approved 

plan to provide specialists, to serve as part of a justice team in 

such a court. 

Section 2(c) of the bill directs VA to prioritize the assignment of 

VJO Specialists hired under Section 2(a) to VAMCs which have, or 

intend to have, an affiliation with a veterans treatment court or 

other veteran-focused court not fully staffed by VJO Specialists. 

Section 2(d)(1) of the bill requires VA, one year after enactment, 

to submit a report to Congress on the implementation of section 

2(a), and its effect on the VJO Program, to include: (1) the status 

of VJO Specialist hiring under the section 2(a); (2) the total number of VJO Specialists assigned to each VAMC participating in the 

VJO Program, to include a separate count of VJO Specialists hired 

under section 2(a); (3) the number of eligible VAMCs that requested a VJO Specialists authorized under section 2(a) and, of 

those, the number VJO Specialists requested by each eligible 

VAMC as well as how many eligible VAMCs received no VJO Specialist placement under ection 2(a); and (4) the number of veterans 

who were served or expected to be served by the VJO Specialists 

hired under section 2(a), as well as the number of justice-involved 

veterans who do not have access to a VJO Specialist. 

Section 2(d)(2) of the bill requires the Comptroller General of the 

United States, within three years of enactment, to submit a report 

to Congress on the implementation of H.R. 2147, as amended, and 

the Veterans Justice Outreach Program, to include: (1) an assessment of whether the Secretary has fulfilled the requirements of the 

bill; (2) the number of veterans served by VJO Specialists hired 

under H.R. 2147, as amended, disaggregated by demographics (including discharge status); (3) an identification of any subgroups of 

veterans who underutilized the services provided by the Secretary’s 

authorities, including access to VJO Specialists under the VJO Program; and (4) such recommendations as the Comptroller General 

may have for the VA Secretary to improve the effectiveness of the 

VJO Program. 

Section 2(e) of the bill defines the following terms: (1) ‘‘justice 

team,’’ (2) ‘‘justice-involved veteran,’’ (3) ‘‘local criminal justice system,’’ (4) ‘‘Veterans Justice Outreach Program,’’ (5) ‘‘Veterans Justice Outreach Specialist,’’ (6) ‘‘Veterans Treatment Court.’’ 

CHANGES IN EXISTING LAW MADE BY THE BILL, AS REPORTED

If enacted, this bill would make no changes in existing law. 

Æ