I 
113TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 1725 
To amend title 38, United States Code, to provide for unlimited eligibility 
for health care for mental illnesses for veterans of combat service during 
certain periods of hostilities and war. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
APRIL 25, 2013 
Mr. CARTWRIGHT (for himself, Mrs. BEATTY, Mr. BRADY of Pennsylvania, 
Mr. BUTTERFIELD, Mrs. CAPPS, Mr. CA´RDENAS, Mr. CARSON of Indiana, 
Mrs. CHRISTENSEN, Ms. CHU, Mr. CONYERS, Mr. DEFAZIO, Mr. 
DEUTCH, Mr. DOGGETT, Mr. ENYART, Ms. ESTY, Mr. FATTAH, Ms. 
FRANKEL of Florida, Ms. GABBARD, Mr. GRIJALVA, Ms. HAHN, Mr. HIG-
GINS, Mr. HINOJOSA, Mr. HOLT, Mr. HONDA, Mr. HORSFORD, Ms. 
JACKSON LEE, Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas, Mr. JONES, Mr. 
KILDEE, Ms. KUSTER, Ms. LEE of California, Mrs. LOWEY, Mrs. 
MCCARTHY of New York, Mr. MCGOVERN, Mrs. NAPOLITANO, Mr. NEAL, 
Mr. NOLAN, Ms. NORTON, Mr. PASCRELL, Mr. PASTOR of Arizona, Mr. 
PETERS of Michigan, Mr. RANGEL, Mr. RUSH, Mr. RYAN of Ohio, Ms. 
SHEA-PORTER, Ms. SPEIER, Mr. TONKO, Ms. WATERS, Ms. DELAURO, 
Mr. LARSEN of Washington, Ms. KAPTUR, and Ms. SINEMA) introduced 
the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Veterans’ Af-
fairs 
A BILL 
To amend title 38, United States Code, to provide for unlim-
ited eligibility for health care for mental illnesses for 
veterans of combat service during certain periods of hos-
tilities and war. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
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SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Veterans Mental 
Health Accessibility Act’’. 
SEC. 2. UNLIMITED ELIGIBILITY FOR HEALTH CARE FOR 
MENTAL ILLNESSES FOR VETERANS OF COM-
BAT SERVICE DURING CERTAIN PERIODS OF 
HOSTILITIES AND WAR. 
(a) ELIGIBILITY.—Section 1710(e)(1) of title 38, 
United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the 
following new subparagraph: 
‘‘(G) Notwithstanding paragraphs (2) and (3), a vet-
eran who served on active duty in a theater of combat 
operations (as determined by the Secretary in consultation 
with the Secretary of Defense) during World War II, the 
Korean conflict, the Vietnam Era, the Persian Gulf War, 
Operation Iraqi Freedom, Operation Enduring Freedom, 
or any other period of war after the Persian Gulf War, 
or in combat against a hostile force during a period of 
hostilities (as defined in section 1712A(a)(2)(B) of this 
title), is eligible for hospital care, medical services, and 
nursing home care under subsection (a)(2)(F) for any 
mental illness, notwithstanding that there is insufficient 
medical evidence to conclude that such illness is attrib-
utable to such service.’’. 
(b) EFFECTIVE DATE.—Subparagraph (G) of section 
1710(e)(1) of title 38, United States Code, as added by 
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subsection (a), shall apply with respect to hospital care, 
medical services, and nursing home care provided on or 
after the date of the enactment of this Act. 
Æ 
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