To direct the Attorney General, in consultation with the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, to establish a pilot program to help State prisons and local jails improve the documentation of incarcerated veterans.

Bill: 116-hr-5973
Sponsor: full_name: Rep. Horn, Kendra S. [D-OK-5]
Introduced: 2020-02-26
Policy area: Crime and Law Enforcement
Subjects: Correctional facilities and imprisonment

Criminal justice information and records

Criminal procedure and sentencing

Detention of persons

Judicial procedure and administration

State and local courts

State and local government operations

Veterans' education, employment, rehabilitation

Veterans' medical care

Veterans' pensions and compensation
Latest action: action_date: 2020-03-10
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, and Homeland Security.

Summaries:
action_date: 2020-02-26
action_desc: Introduced in House
text: <p>This bill directs the Department of Justice, in consultation with the Department of Veterans Affairs, to establish a pilot program to improve documentation of whether inmates of state prisons and local jails are veterans.</p>

tv_txt: I 116th CONGRESS 2d Session H. R. 5973 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES February 26, 2020 Ms. Kendra S. Horn of Oklahoma (for herself, Mr. Crenshaw , Mr. Cole , Ms. Sherrill , Mr. Crow , Mr. Case , Mr. Larsen of Washington , Mrs. Murphy of Florida , Ms. Norton , and Mrs. Rodgers of Washington ) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary A BILL To direct the Attorney General, in consultation with the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, to establish a pilot program to help State prisons and local jails improve the documentation of incarcerated veterans.

1. Findings Congress finds the following: (1) Approximately 200,000 veterans are incarcerated in the United States. (2) More than half of all veterans involved in the criminal justice system suffer from a mental health condition or substance abuse disorder. (3) Such veterans may be at a greater risk for suicide. (4) Veterans released from incarceration have specialized needs and face different issues relating to reentry into society. 2. Pilot program to improve documentation of incarcerated veterans (a) Establishment The Attorney General, in consultation with the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, shall carry out a pilot program to provide grants and technical assistance to State prisons and local jails to improve documentation of whether inmates of such institutions are veterans. (b) Purpose The purposes of the pilot program are the following: (1) To assist the Secretary in providing benefits to incarcerated veterans under laws administered by the Secretary. (2) To assist veterans affairs offices of States in providing benefits to incarcerated veterans under laws administered by such offices. (3) To increase the number of veterans involved in the criminal justice system whose cases are diverted to veterans treatment courts. (c) Priority In selecting grant recipients under the pilot program, the Attorney General shall give priority to State prisons and local jails located in— (1) States that contain the greatest populations of veterans per capita; (2) States with the highest rates of veterans living in poverty; and (3) jurisdictions that contain a veterans treatment court or veterans diversion program. (d) Definitions In this section, the terms veterans treatment court and veterans diversion program mean a State or local court that is participating in the veterans treatment court program (as defined in section 2991(i)(1) of the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968; 34 U.S.C. 10651(i)(1) ).