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

Bill: 109-hr-2411
Sponsor: Rep. Meehan, Martin T. [D-MA-5]
Introduced: 2005-05-17 in the House
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security
Subjects: Access to health care
Administrative procedure
Afghanistan
Armed forces reserves
Case management
Commerce
Congress
Congressional reporting requirements
Continuing education
Counseling
Crime and Law Enforcement
Department of Defense
Department of Veterans Affairs
Directories
Disabled
Drug abuse
Drug abuse treatment
Education
Electronic data interchange
Electronic government information
Employee rights
Entrepreneurs
Environmental Protection
Families
Finance and Financial Sector
Government Operations and Politics
Government contractors
Government paperwork
Government procurement
Government publicity
Group counseling
Health
Health counseling
Higher education
Homeless
Housing and Community Development
Housing finance
Housing subsidies
Iraq
Iraq compilation
Job hunting
Labor and Employment
Law
Licenses
Medical education
Medical records
Medical research
Medical screening
Medical tests
Mental health services
Middle East and North Africa
Military bases
Military dependents
Military discharges
Military hospitals
Military housing
Military medicine
Military occupation
Military operations
Military pay
Military training
Mortgages
National Guard
Nonprofit organizations
Personnel records
Physical examinations
Poisons
Post-traumatic stress disorder
Preventive medicine
Psychiatrists
Public service advertising
Quality of care
Retired military personnel
Science, Technology, Communications
Security classification (Government documents)
Small business
Social Welfare
South Asia
Standards
Suicide
Terrorism
Toxicology
Veterans' benefits
Veterans' disability compensation
Veterans' education
Veterans' employment
Veterans' hospitals
Veterans' medical care
Veterans' organizations
Veterans' pensions
Vocational and technical education
War
War casualties

Summary:
action_date: 2005-05-17
text: 
Matthew Voisbert Help Extend Respect Owed to Every Soldier (HEROES) Act - Requires: (1) the Secretary of Defense to establish minimum uniform standards for postdeployment medical examinations; (2) that such examinations include screening for mental health and substance abuse disorders; and (3) follow-up services in appropriate cases.
 
Directs the Secretary of Defense to foster the early identification and treatment of mental health and substance abuse disorders experienced by members of the Armed Forces, with special emphasis on members who have served in a theater of combat operations within the preceding 12 months.
 
Directs the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to employ at least one psychiatrist and a complementary medical team at each Department of Veterans Affairs (Department) medical center to conduct a specialized program for the diagnosis and treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder, and to employ additional mental health services specialists at such center. Authorizes such Secretary to contract for mental health and substance abuse treatment services in non-Department facilities when such services are not available in Department facilities.
 
Requires the Secretary of Defense to transmit to the Secretary of Veterans Affairs: (1) within seven days the medical records of all military personnel being discharged, released from active duty, or retired; and (2) a roster of all personnel who have served in the theater of operations during Operations Iraqi Freedom or Enduring Freedom.
 
Directs the Secretary of Defense to assist eligible persons in obtaining employment in stable and permanent positions. Requires individualized transitional services to be provided to separating military personnel. Includes additional elements within a program under which the Secretary of Labor provides services and information to separating military personnel and their spouses.
 
Requires the Secretaries of Defense and Homeland Security to: (1) ensure that transition programs are provided at each military installation, National Guard armory and military family support center, and inpatient medical care facility; (2) ensure that military and veterans' service organizations and representatives are permitted to participate in such transition programs; and (3) facilitate the access of such State organizations and representatives to provide preseparation counseling and services to separating members.
 
Directs the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to facilitate the access of such organizations and representatives to provide member information on the care and services available.
 
Requires the Secretaries of Defense and Veterans Affairs to facilitate the sharing between their respective departments of information concerning member duties and assignments, exposures to toxic or hazardous substances, and illnesses or injuries incurred or aggravated in the course of such duties and assignments. Rescinds a Department Memorandum entitled &quot;Status of VHA Enrollment and Associated Issues.&quot;
 
Directs the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development to provide mortgage assistance to members who are seriously injured during military service.
 
Repeals the $1,200 reduction in basic pay currently required for participation in the Montgomery GI Bill educational assistance program.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2005-06-21
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Military Personnel.
action_date: 2005-06-15
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.
action_date: 2005-06-15
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity.
action_date: 2005-06-03
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Housing and Community Opportunity.
action_date: 2005-05-17
text: Referred to the Committee on Armed Services, and in addition to the Committees on Veterans' Affairs, 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: 2005-05-17
text: Referred to the Committee on Armed Services, and in addition to the Committees on Veterans' Affairs, 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: 2005-05-17
text: Referred to the Committee on Armed Services, and in addition to the Committees on Veterans' Affairs, 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: 2005-05-17
text: Referred to the Committee on Armed Services, and in addition to the Committees on Veterans' Affairs, 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: 2005-05-17
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2005-05-17
text: Introduced in House