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[Congressional Bills 115th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 4635 Referred in Senate (RFS)]

<DOC>
115th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 4635

_______________________________________________________________________

                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             June 14, 2018

Received; read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 AN ACT

 
 To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to increase the number of 
 peer-to-peer counselors providing counseling for women veterans, and 
                          for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. PEER SUPPORT COUNSELING PROGRAM FOR WOMEN VETERANS.

    (a) In General.--Section 1720F(j) of title 38, United States Code, 
is amended by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
    ``(4)(A) As part of the counseling program under this subsection, 
the Secretary shall emphasize appointing peer support counselors for 
women veterans. To the degree practicable, the Secretary shall seek to 
recruit women peer support counselors with expertise in--
            ``(i) female gender-specific issues and services;
            ``(ii) the provision of information about services and 
        benefits provided under laws administered by the Secretary; or
            ``(iii) employment mentoring.
    ``(B) To the degree practicable, the Secretary shall emphasize 
facilitating peer support counseling for women veterans who are 
eligible for counseling and services under section 1720D of this title, 
have post-traumatic stress disorder or suffer from another mental 
health condition, are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless, or are 
otherwise at increased risk of suicide, as determined by the Secretary.
    ``(C) The Secretary shall conduct outreach to inform women veterans 
about the program and the assistance available under this paragraph.
    ``(D) In carrying out this paragraph, the Secretary shall 
coordinate with such community organizations, State and local 
governments, institutions of higher education, chambers of commerce, 
local business organizations, organizations that provide legal 
assistance, and other organizations as the Secretary considers 
appropriate.
    ``(E) In carrying out this paragraph, the Secretary shall provide 
adequate training for peer support counselors, including training 
carried out under the national program of training required by section 
304(c) of the Caregivers and Veterans Omnibus Health Services Act of 
2010 (38 U.S.C. 1712A note).''.
    (b) Funding.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall carry out 
paragraph (4) of section 1720F(j) of title 38, United States Code, as 
added by subsection (a), using funds otherwise made available to the 
Secretary. No additional funds are authorized to be appropriated by 
reason of such paragraph.
    (c) Report to Congress.--Not later than 2 years after the date of 
the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall 
submit to the Committees on Veterans' Affairs of the Senate and House 
of Representatives a report on the peer support counseling program 
under section 1720F(j) of title 38, United States Code, as amended by 
this section. Such report shall include--
            (1) the number of peer support counselors in the program;
            (2) an assessment of the effectiveness of the program; and
            (3) a description of the oversight of the program.

            Passed the House of Representatives June 13, 2018.

            Attest:

                                                 KAREN L. HAAS,

                                                                 Clerk.
```