II 

Calendar No. 290 

109TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. 716 

[Report No. 109–180] 

To amend title 38, United States Code, to enhance services provided by 

vet centers, to clarify and improve the provision of bereavement counseling by the Department of Veterans Affairs, and for other purposes. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

APRIL 6, 2005 

Mr. AKAKA (for himself, Mr. ROCKEFELLER, and Mr. CONRAD) introduced the 

following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on 

Veterans’ Affairs 

NOVEMBER 16, 2005 

Reported by Mr. CRAIG, without amendment 

A BILL 

To amend title 38, United States Code, to enhance services 

provided by vet centers, to clarify and improve the provision of bereavement counseling by the Department of 

Veterans Affairs, and for other purposes. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
2 

•S 716 RS

1 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

2 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Vet Center Enhance3 ment Act of 2005’’. 

4 SEC. 2. EXPANSION OF OUTREACH ACTIVITIES OF VET CEN5 TERS. 

6 (a) ADDITIONAL OUTREACH WORKERS.—The Sec7 retary of Veterans Affairs shall employ not more than 50 

8 veterans of Operation Enduring Freedom or Operation 

9 Iraqi Freedom for the purpose of providing outreach to 

10 veterans on the availability of readjustment counseling 

11 and related mental health services for veterans under sec12 tion 1712A of title 38, United States Code. 

13 (b) CONSTRUCTION WITH CURRENT OUTREACH

14 PROGRAM.—The veterans employed under subsection (a) 

15 are in addition to any veterans employed by the Secretary 

16 for the purpose described in that subsection under the 

17 February 2004 program of the Department of Veterans 

18 Affairs to provide outreach described in that subsection. 

19 (c) ASSIGNMENT TO VET CENTERS.—The Secretary 

20 may assign any veteran employed under subsection (a) to 

21 any vet center that the Secretary considers appropriate 

22 in order to meet the purpose described in that subsection. 

23 (d) INAPPLICABILITY AND TERMINATION OF LIMITA24 TION ON DURATION OF EMPLOYMENT.—Any limitation on 

25 the duration of employment of veterans under the program 

26 described in subsection (b) is hereby terminated, and shall 
3 

•S 716 RS

1 not apply to veterans employed under such program or 

2 under this section. 

3 (e) EMPLOYMENT STATUS.—Veterans employed 

4 under subsection (a) shall be employed in career condi5 tional status, which is the employment status in which vet6 erans are employed under the program described in sub7 section (b). 

8 (f) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 

9 (1) VET CENTER.—The term ‘‘vet center’’ 

10 means a center for the provision of readjustment 

11 counseling and related mental health services under 

12 section 1712A of title 38, United States Code. 

13 (2) VETERAN OF OPERATION ENDURING FREE14 DOM OR OPERATION IRAQI FREEDOM.—The term 

15 ‘‘veteran of Operation Enduring Freedom or Oper16 ation Iraqi Freedom’’ means any veteran who served 

17 in the Southwest Asia theater of operations during 

18 Operation Enduring Freedom or Operation Iraqi 

19 Freedom. 

20 SEC. 3. CLARIFICATION AND ENHANCEMENT OF BEREAVE21 MENT COUNSELING. 

22 (a) CLARIFICATION OF MEMBERS OF IMMEDIATE

23 FAMILY ELIGIBLE FOR COUNSELING.—Subsection (b) of 

24 section 1783 of title 38, United States Code, is amended— 
4 

•S 716 RS

1 (1) by inserting ‘‘(1)’’ before ‘‘The Secretary’’; 

2 and 

3 (2) by adding at the end the following new 

4 paragraph: 

5 ‘‘(2) For purposes of this subsection, the members 

6 of the immediate family of a member of the Armed Forces 

7 described in paragraph (1) include the parents of such 

8 member.’’. 

9 (b) PROVISION OF COUNSELING THROUGH VET CEN10 TERS.—Such section is further amended— 

11 (1) by redesignating subsection (c) as sub12 section (d); and 

13 (2) by inserting after subsection (b) the fol14 lowing new subsection (c): 

15 ‘‘(c) PROVISION OF COUNSELING THROUGH VET

16 CENTERS.—Bereavement counseling may be provided 

17 under this section through the facilities and personnel of 

18 centers for the provision of readjustment counseling and 

19 related mental health services under section 1712A of this 

20 title.’’. 

21 SEC. 4. FUNDING FOR VET CENTER PROGRAM. 

22 There is authorized to be appropriated to the Depart23 ment of Veterans Affairs for fiscal year 2006, 

24 $180,000,000 for the provision of readjustment counseling 

25 and related mental health services through centers under 
5 

•S 716 RS

1 section 1712A of title 38, United States Code, including 

2 for the discharge of the requirements of this Act (and the 

3 amendments made by this Act). 
Calendar No. 290 

109TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. 716 

[Report No. 109–180] 

A BILL 

To amend title 38, United States Code, to enhance 

other purposes. by the Department of Veterans Affairs, and for improve the provision of bereavement counseling services provided by vet centers, to clarify and 

NOVEMBER 16, 2005 

Reported without amendment