Matthew Boisvert Help Extend Respect Owed to Every Soldier (HEROES) Act

Bill: 108-hr-5332
Sponsor: Rep. Meehan, Martin T. [D-MA-5]
Introduced: 2004-10-08 in the House
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security
Subjects: Access to health care
Administrative procedure
Afghanistan
Case management
Clothing
Counseling
Crime and Law Enforcement
Data banks
Demography
Department of Defense
Department of Veterans Affairs
Directories
Disabled
Economics and Public Finance
Education
Electronic data interchange
Electronic government information
Employee training
Executive reorganization
Federal-state relations
Federally-assisted loans
Finance and Financial Sector
Government Operations and Politics
Government paperwork
Government publicity
Health
Health counseling
Health education
Health information systems
Health surveys
Higher education
Housing and Community Development
Housing subsidies
Iraq
Iraq compilation
Labor and Employment
Law
Medical records
Medical research
Medical tests
Mental health services
Middle East and North Africa
Military hospitals
Military housing
Military medicine
Military operations
Military pay
Mortgages
Physical examinations
Post-traumatic stress disorder
Quality of care
Science, Technology, Communications
Social Welfare
South Asia
Standards
Terrorism
Veterans' benefits
Veterans' disability compensation
Veterans' education
Veterans' employment
Veterans' hospitals
Veterans' medical care
Veterans' organizations
War
War casualties

Summary:
action_date: 2004-10-08
text: 
Matthew Boisvert Help Extend Respect Owed to Every Soldier (HEROES) Act - Directs the Secretary of Veterans Affairs and the Secretary of Defense to allow certain military and veterans' service organizations access to veterans being furnished hospital care and medical services, subject to the consent of such veterans, for the purpose of providing information and counseling to such veterans.
 
Authorizes payment or reimbursement up to $250 for civilian clothing and personal care products for members of the Armed Forces (members) who are evacuated for medical treatment.
 
Requires the Secretary of Defense to establish minimum uniform standards for postdeployment medical examinations. Requires that such examinations include screening for mental health disorders.
 
Requires the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to: (1) provide veterans who live more than 50 miles from a Department of Veterans Affairs (DVA) medical facility with vouchers for psychiatric services at private facilities; (2) establish and maintain a health status registry for veterans of Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduing Freedom. Rescinds a DVA Memorandum dated July 18, 2002, entitled &quot;Status of VHA Enrollment and Associated Issues.&quot; 
 
Directs the Secretary of each military department to establish a support system for members who incur severe disabilities on or after September 11, 2001, to assist in the transition to civilian life. Directs the Secretary of Defense to carry out a program of employment training for veterans.
 
Directs the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development to provide mortgage assistance to members who were seriously injured while on active duty.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2004-11-03
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Housing and Community Opportunity, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Chairman.
action_date: 2004-10-21
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.
action_date: 2004-10-21
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Benefits.
action_date: 2004-10-08
text: Referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs, and in addition to the Committees on Armed Services, and Financial Services, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2004-10-08
text: Referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs, and in addition to the Committees on Armed Services, and Financial Services, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2004-10-08
text: Referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs, and in addition to the Committees on Armed Services, and Financial Services, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2004-10-08
text: Referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs, and in addition to the Committees on Armed Services, and Financial Services, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2004-10-08
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2004-10-08
text: Introduced in House