Title: To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to establish a grant program for eligible nonprofit organizations to carry out positive psychology reconditioning programs for veterans.
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security

Summary:
This bill directs the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to establish a grant program for eligible nonprofit organizations to carry out positive psychology reconditioning programs for veterans.
The VA may not require a grant recipient to maintain records on participating veterans or to report any personally identifying information to the VA.

[Congressional Bills 115th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 5152 Introduced in House (IH)]

<DOC>






115th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 5152

   To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to establish a grant 
  program for eligible nonprofit organizations to carry out positive 
            psychology reconditioning programs for veterans.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             March 1, 2018

  Mr. Nolan introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
                     Committee on Veterans' Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
   To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to establish a grant 
  program for eligible nonprofit organizations to carry out positive 
            psychology reconditioning programs for veterans.

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

SECTION 1. POSITIVE PSYCHOLOGY RECONDITIONING PROGRAM GRANTS.

    (a) Grant Program.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall 
establish a grant program under which the Secretary shall award grants 
to eligible entities to carry out positive psychology reconditioning 
programs for veterans.
    (b) Amount of Grant.--Each grant awarded by the Secretary under 
subsection (a) may not exceed $750,000.
    (c) Eligible Entities.--An entity is eligible to receive a grant 
under subsection (a) if the entity is a nonprofit organization that is 
described in section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 and 
that is exempt from taxation under section 501(a) of such Code.
    (d) Priority of Award.--In selecting eligible entities to award a 
grant under subsection (a), the Secretary shall prioritize entities 
that, before the date of the award, carry out programs using positive 
psychology reconditioning techniques.
    (e) Use of Grants.--In determining the positive psychology 
reconditioning techniques to be carried out under a grant awarded under 
subsection (a), the Secretary shall consider the following:
            (1) The use of an initial camaraderie and bonding 
        experience to initiate the rebuilding of veteran social 
        relationships in one or more groups of 12 veterans or less 
        (which may be carried out simultaneously).
            (2) The use of highly qualified instructors to lead 
        appropriate physical workouts and group discussion occurring 
        not fewer than three times per week during a program period 
        that is at least three months.
            (3) Programs that appropriately introduce local civilians 
        to the veterans participating in the program and have such 
        local civilians become participating members of the group in 
        the program.
            (4) Programs that encourage the full reentry of veterans 
        back into society and that graduate the participating veterans 
        who are adjusted to living in a civilian world.
            (5) Programs that expose a group of veterans to common 
        social experiences in the location in which the program is 
        carried out.
            (6) Programs that practice positive psychology techniques, 
        including daily gratitude journaling and mindfulness, to 
        increase physical and mental well-being throughout the program.
    (f) Records.--The Secretary may not require an eligible entity that 
is awarded a grant under subsection (a) to maintain records on veterans 
seeking support or participating in a program under such grant, or to 
report any personally identifying information directly or indirectly to 
the Secretary about such veterans.
    (g) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be 
appropriated a total of $15,000,000 to carry out this section during 
fiscal years 2019 through 2021.
    (h) Veteran Defined.--In this section, the term ``veteran'' has the 
meaning given that term in section 101(2) of title 38, United States 
Code, and includes any person who is entitled under chapter 1223 of 
title 10, United States Code, to retired pay for nonregular service or, 
but for age, would be entitled under such chapter to retired pay for 
nonregular service.
                                 <all>