I 
119TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 5995 
To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to make grants to eligible entities 
for the purpose of carrying out Ask the Question Campaigns, and for 
other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
NOVEMBER 10, 2025 
Ms. BROWNLEY (for herself and Mr. THANEDAR) introduced the following bill; 
which was referred to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs 
A BILL 
To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to make grants 
to eligible entities for the purpose of carrying out Ask 
the Question Campaigns, and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Have You Served Act’’. 
SEC. 2. GRANTS FOR ASK THE QUESTION CAMPAIGNS. 
(a) GRANT PROGRAM.—The Secretary of Veterans 
Affairs shall make grants to eligible entities for the pur-
pose of carrying out campaigns, to be known as ‘‘Ask the 
Question Campaigns’’, to encourage human services pro-
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fessionals, State and local governments, and community 
providers to ask consumers whether they or a loved one 
have served in the Armed Forces. 
(b) USE OF FUNDS.—An eligible entity that receives 
a grant under subsection (a) shall use the grant— 
(1) to develop or expand an Ask the Question 
Campaign, under which the entity shall provide 
training to human services professionals, State and 
local 
governments, 
and 
community 
providers 
about— 
(A) how to appropriately ask consumers 
whether they or a loved one have served in the 
Armed Forces; and 
(B) resources available for members of the 
Armed Forces and veterans in their community 
through the Department of Veterans Affairs 
and other service providers to encourage the re-
cipients of such training to refer consumers to 
the Department and other service providers, as 
appropriate; and 
(2) for associated program costs, including 
staffing, technology, marketing and outreach mate-
rials, and convenings. 
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(c) ELIGIBLE ENTITY.—For purposes of this section, 
an eligible entity is a State or an American Indian or Alas-
ka Native tribe— 
(1) that— 
(A) in the case of a State, develops a vet-
eran suicide prevention plan, known as a ‘‘Gov-
ernors Challenge Action Plan’’; or 
(B) in the case of an American Indian or 
Alaska Native tribe, develops a veteran suicide 
prevention plan; and 
(2) that submits to the Secretary a proposal for 
the implementation of such plan that contains such 
information and assurances as the Secretary may re-
quire. 
(d) TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE.—The Secretary shall 
provide technical assistance to eligible entities that receive 
grants under this section to support the development and 
implementation of Ask the Question Campaigns. Such as-
sistance shall include— 
(1) the provision of best practices acquired from 
the experiences of other eligible entities carrying out 
Ask the Question Campaigns; 
(2) the provision of information on veterans re-
sources in the State where the eligible entity is lo-
cated; 
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(3) the provision of information about screening 
protocols used by the Department for assessing sui-
cide risk and social determinants of health; and 
(4) establishing key performance indicators for 
the training provided under the Campaigns. 
(e) AMOUNT OF GRANT.—The Secretary may make 
up to 25 grants under this section for each of fiscal years 
2026 through 2030. Each such grant shall be in an 
amount that does not exceed ‘‘$200,000’’. 
(f) REPORTING.— 
(1) GRANT RECIPIENTS.—As a condition of a 
grant under this section, an eligible entity shall 
agree to submit, by not later than the last day of 
each fiscal year during which the entity receives a 
grant, to the Secretary a report on the key perform-
ance indicators for the training provided using the 
grant funds. 
(2) IMPLEMENTATION REPORT.—Not later than 
one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, 
the Secretary shall submit to Congress a report on 
the implementation of this section. 
(3) ANNUAL REPORT.—Not later than 30 days 
after the last day of a fiscal year for which the Sec-
retary makes a grant under this section, the Sec-
retary shall submit to Congress a report on the key 
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performance indicators for the training provided 
under such grants. 
(g) ASK THE QUESTION CAMPAIGNS FOR FEDERAL 
AGENCIES.—The Secretary, in coordination with the Di-
rector of the Office of Management and Budget, shall de-
velop a plan to work with each Federal department and 
agency to implement Ask the Question Campaigns, where 
appropriate, through any social service or health care pro-
grams of the department or agency through which employ-
ees of the department or agency interact with individuals 
receiving services and benefits. 
(h) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There is 
authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary of Veterans 
Affairs to carry out this section $6,000,000 for each of 
fiscal years 2026 through 2030. 
(i) STATE DEFINED.—In this section, the term 
‘‘State’’ means each of the several States, Territories, and 
possessions of the United States, the District of Columbia, 
and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. 
Æ 
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