I 
111TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 3368 
To enhance benefits for survivors of certain former members of the Armed 
Forces with a history of post-traumatic stress disorder or traumatic 
brain injury, to enhance availability and access to mental health coun-
seling for members of the Armed Forces and veterans, and for other 
purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JULY 28, 2009 
Ms. MARKEY of Colorado introduced the following bill; which was referred to 
the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, and in addition to the Committees 
on Armed Services and Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently 
determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provi-
sions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned 
A BILL 
To enhance benefits for survivors of certain former members 
of the Armed Forces with a history of post-traumatic 
stress disorder or traumatic brain injury, to enhance 
availability and access to mental health counseling for 
members of the Armed Forces and veterans, 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 ‘‘Honor Act of 2009’’. 
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SEC. 2. SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM FOR VETERANS FOR PUR-
SUIT OF GRADUATE AND POST-GRADUATE 
DEGREES 
IN 
BEHAVIORAL 
HEALTH 
SCIENCES. 
(a) SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM.— 
(1) PROGRAM.—The Secretary of Veterans Af-
fairs shall carry out a program to provide scholar-
ships to qualifying veterans for pursuit of a grad-
uate or post-graduate degree in behavioral health 
sciences. 
(2) DESIGNATION.—The program carried out 
under this section shall be known as the ‘‘Depart-
ment of Veterans Affairs HONOR Scholarship Pro-
gram’’ (in this section referred to as the ‘‘scholar-
ship program’’). 
(b) QUALIFYING VETERANS.—For purposes of this 
section, a qualifying veteran is any veteran who— 
(1) during service on active duty in the Armed 
Forces, participated for such period as the Secretary 
of Veterans Affairs, in consultation with the Sec-
retary of Defense, shall specify for purposes of the 
scholarship program in a theater of combat or dur-
ing a contingency operation overseas; 
(2) was retired, discharged, separated, or re-
leased from service in the Armed Forces on or after 
a date (not earlier than August 2, 1990) specified 
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by the Secretary of Defense for purposes of the 
scholarship program; 
(3) at the time of the submittal of an applica-
tion to participate in the scholarship program, holds 
an undergraduate or graduate degree, as applicable, 
from an institution of higher education that qualifies 
the veteran for pursuit of a graduate or post-grad-
uate degree in behavioral sciences; and 
(4) meets such other qualifications as the Sec-
retary of Veterans Affairs may establish for pur-
poses of the scholarship program. 
(c) APPLICATION.—Each qualifying veteran seeking 
to participate in the scholarship program shall submit to 
the Secretary of Veterans Affairs an application therefor 
setting forth such information as the Secretary shall speci-
fy for purposes of the scholarship program. 
(d) AGREEMENT.—Each qualifying veteran selected 
by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs for participation in 
the scholarship program shall enter into an agreement 
with the Secretary regarding participation in the scholar-
ship program. The agreement shall contain such terms 
and conditions as the Secretary shall specify for purposes 
of the scholarship program. 
(e) SCHOLARSHIPS.— 
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(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Veterans 
Affairs shall provide to each qualifying veteran who 
enters into an agreement under subsection (d) a 
scholarship for such number of academic years as 
the Secretary shall specify in the agreement for pur-
suit of a graduate or post-graduate degree in behav-
ioral health sciences at an institution of higher edu-
cation offering such degree that is approved by the 
Secretary for purposes of the scholarship program. 
(2) ELEMENTS.—The scholarship provided a 
qualifying veteran for an academic year shall consist 
of payment of the following: 
(A) Tuition of the qualifying veteran for 
pursuit of the graduate or post-graduate degree 
concerned in the academic year. 
(B) Reasonable educational expenses of the 
qualifying veteran (including fees, books, and 
laboratory expenses) in pursuit of such degree 
in the academic year. 
(C) A stipend in connection with the pur-
suit of such degree in the academic year in such 
amount as the Secretary shall specify in the 
agreement of the qualifying veteran under sub-
section (d). 
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