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Q: SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the ''Columbia River Habitat Protection
and Recreational Access Act of 1997''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

The Congress makes the following findings:
(1) The 51-mile stretch of the Columbia River, known as the
''Hanford Reach'', provides 80 percent of the fall Chinook
salmon in the river system, critical habitat for wildlife, a
high-quality waterfowl sanctuary, as well as numerous scenic,
historic, and recreational opportunities for the public.
(2) In 1996 Congress, through Public Law 104-333,
prohibited damming, dredging, channeling, or other such
activities along the Hanford Reach in order to help preserve
and protect the unique environmental benefits of the region.
(3) The lands surrounding the Hanford Reach area of the
Columbia River, Washington, should be properly managed in order
to protect plant, fish, wildlife, cultural, recreational, and
scenic resources, while preserving access to these lands.
(4) Recognizing the unique and pristine values of the area,
local citizens in cooperation with Federal and State
authorities have developed a comprehensive protection plan
which has enhanced salmon habitat along the Hanford Reach. This
plan, known as the Vernita Bar Agreement, has preserved the
free flowing, riparian character of the Hanford Reach, and
serves as a blueprint for further successful management along
the Columbia River.
(5) Although dozens of local, State, and Federal
environmental protection and management laws and regulations
exist for the Hanford Reach, management efforts can be better
integrated and can lead to more efficient use of public
resources and improved habitat and recreation management.
(6) Several of the areas adjacent to the Hanford Reach of
the Columbia River, including lands known as the Wahluke Slope,
currently owned by the United States, have been extensively
studied and reviewed through environmental impact statements
and have been declared environmentally sound and certified
suitable for conveyance.
(7) Inasmuch as Federal financial resources are
constrained, joint partnerships among Federal, State, and local
entities can provide long-term habitat and wildlife management,
maintain recreational opportunities, and develop a responsible
and environmentally sound local land use plan for the region.
(8) The people and the governments of Benton, Franklin,
Grant, and Adams Counties desire to enter into such a
partnership with the State of Washington and the United States
to ensure the continued protection of plant, fish, wildlife,
cultural, recreational, and scenic resources on the lands
surrounding the Hanford Reach.
(9) Such a cooperative partnership will provide a forum for
public input from the entire region and ensure the long-term
protection of the river as wild, scenic, and accessible.
(10) Congress recommends the formation of a commission, of
which a majority of the members of such a commission represent
the local entities, to ensure that the above goals are achieved
and to maintain maximum involvement by the citizens of Benton,
Franklin, Grant, and Adams Counties.

SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.

For purposes of this Act--
(1) the term ''Secretary'' means the Secretary of Energy;
(2) the term ''Hanford Works'' means the property
represented as ''Department of Energy'' under the Land Status
Legend on the Bureau of Land Management topographic map of
Priest Rapids, Washington, Edition-1991; and
(3) the term ''Commission'' means the Hanford Reach
Protection and Management Commission.

SEC. 4. GENERAL AUTHORITY; PROPERTY DESCRIPTIONS.

(a) Authority.--As soon as practicable after the date of the
enactment of this Act, the Secretary for no consideration shall convey
to the governmental entities referred to in subsection (b) all right,
title, and interest of the United States in and to the properties
described in subsection (b).
(b) Conveyances.--
(1) State of washington.--The Secretary shall convey to the
State of Washington the property that consists of the portion
of the Hanford Works that runs along both banks of the Columbia
River and lies within the one quarter mile to the north of the
mean high water mark on the north bank of the Columbia River,
and that lies within the one quarter mile to the south of the
mean high water mark on the south bank of the Columbia River.
(2) Adams county, washington.--The Secretary shall convey
to Adams County, Washington, the property that consists of the
portion of the Hanford Works that lies within Adams County,
Washington.
(3) Grant county, washington.--The Secretary shall convey
to Grant County, Washington, the property that consists of the
portion of the Hanford Works that lies within Grant County,
Washington, to the north of the Columbia River and that is not
part of the conveyance made pursuant to paragraph (1) of this
subsection.
(4) Franklin county, washington.--The Secretary shall
convey to Franklin County, Washington, the property that
consists of the portion of Hanford Works that lies within
Franklin County, Washington, to the north of the Columbia River
and that is not part of the conveyance made pursuant to
paragraph (1) of this subsection.
(5) Additional properties.--In addition to properties
described in paragraphs (1) through (4), the Secretary may
convey to a State or local government referred to in paragraphs
(1) through (4) such property within the Hanford Works as the
Secretary and the State or local government agree is
appropriate to carry out this Act.

SEC. 5. TERMS AND CONDITIONS.

(a) Special Rules for State of Washington.--
(1) Environmental safety.--The conveyance made under
section 4(b)(1) shall be made only after the Administrator of
the Environmental Protection Agency certifies to the Secretary
that--
(A) the properties described in section 4(b)(1) are
clean of hazardous, toxic, or radioactive materials or
substances;
(B) all corrective, remedial, or response actions
have been completed; and
(C) all obligations of the Secretary at the Hanford
Nuclear Reservation under the Comprehensive
Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act
of 1980 (42 U.S.C. 9601 et seq.) and other applicable
laws have been fulfilled.
(2) Federal leaseholds.--Any leasehold interest by any
agency of the United States on lands described under section
4(b) shall terminate upon enactment of this Act, and such
interest shall be transferred pursuant to section 4.
(3) Water rights and utility easements.--The conveyances
under section 4 shall be made subject to all existing water
rights and all easements and rights of any public and private
utility districts which operate and maintain transmission and
generation facilities along the lands described under section
4.
(b) Establishment of Hanford Reach Protection and Management
Commission.--Not later than 6 months after the conveyances under
section 4(b)(1) are made, the State of Washington shall enter into a
written joint agreement with the governments of Benton, Franklin, and
Grant Counties to establish the Hanford Reach Protection and Management
Commission as follows:
(1) Membership appointment.--The Commission shall be
composed of 7 members. As soon as practicable, but not more
than 6 months after the date of the enactment of this Act, the
members shall be appointed as follows:
(A) One member who shall be a resident of Benton
County, appointed by the government of such county.
(B) One member who shall be a resident of Franklin
County, appointed by the government of such county.
(C) One member who shall be a resident of Grant
County, appointed by the government of such county.
(D) One member who shall be a resident of the State
of Washington, appointed by the Governor of the State
of Washington.
(E) One member who shall be a resident of the State
of Washington, appointed by the Secretary of Energy.
(F) One member who shall be a resident of the State
of Washington, appointed by the Secretary of the
Interior.
(G) One member who shall be a resident of any
county in the State of Washington through or along
which the Columbia River runs, appointed by a majority
vote of the other members of the Commission.
(2) Terms of office.--The length of the terms of office of
the members appointed under (1) shall be fixed by each
appointing governmental entity at the time of appointment, but
no term shall exceed 4 years.
(3) Vacancy.--Any vacancy that may occur prior to the
expiration of a member's term shall be filled for the balance
of such term by appointment made by the entity which appointed
the vacating member.
(4) Restriction.--Except as provided herein, no person
shall be appointed to the Commission who is an employee, agent,
or independent contractor of the United States or any agency
thereof.
(5) Failure to appoint.--In the event a member has not been
appointed within 6 months of the establishment of the
Commission, any such vacancy shall be filled by joint
appointment by the governments of Benton, Franklin, and Grant
Counties.
(6) Establishment of commission authority.--As soon as
practicable after the appointment of a majority of the members
of the Commission, such members shall be authorized to convene
meetings of the Commission and to adopt rules and provisions
governing the administration, voting, meeting, terms of
service, and finances of the Commission. The first meeting
shall be held no later than 1 year from the date of the
establishment of the Commission.
(7) Development of hanford reach protection and management
plan.--
(A) The primary duty of the Commission shall be to
develop and implement a plan to manage the lands
conveyed pursuant to section 4(b)(1) to protect and
enhance plant resources, fish and wildlife resources,
cultural resources, recreational access, and other uses
or resources prescribed by the Commission.
(B) From the date the conveyances under section
4(b)(1) are made until such time as a permanent
protection and management plan is approved by the
Commission, the lands conveyed pursuant to such section
shall be managed under an interim management plan
approved by the governments of Benton, Franklin, and
Grant Counties, which shall be consistent with the
purposes of this Act.
(c) Nonperformance of State of Washington, Transfer to and
Management by Counties Authorized.--If the State of Washington does not
fulfill its obligations under subsection (b), all right, title, and
interest to the property conveyed pursuant to section 4(b)(1) shall be
transferred to the counties, with the consent of such counties, in
which the lands are situated in order to carry out the purposes of this
Act, and the governments of such counties shall jointly establish the
Commission pursuant to subsection (b) and to provide for the management
of the lands conveyed pursuant to section 4(b)(1).
(d) Reversion and Right To Reenter.--If the State of Washington
does not fulfill its obligations under subsection (b), and if the
governments of Benton, Franklin, and Grant Counties do not fulfill
their obligations under subsection (c), all right, title, and interest
to the property conveyed pursuant to section 4(b)(1) shall revert to
the United States and the United States shall have the right of
immediate entry thereon.
(e) Use of Federal Resources Authorized.--The Secretary of the
Interior may enter into agreements with the State of Washington and the
governmental entities referred to in paragraphs (1) through (4) of
section 4(b) to allow the utilization of personnel, and the provision
of technical and financial assistance from the United States Fish and
Wildlife Service to assist the county governments in the administration
and management of the lands transferred under this Act.
(f) Special Rule for Adams County, Grant County, and Franklin
County.--The properties described under paragraphs (2) through (4) of
section 4(b) shall be conveyed only after Adams County, Grant County,
and Franklin County, Washington, have submitted a written report to the
Secretary of the Interior which shall include--
(1) a risk analysis of debris slides in the White Bluffs
Wasteway;
(2) any recommendations necessary to address the risk of
such slides; and
(3) a comprehensive land use plan of the Wahluke Slope.

A: Columbia River Habitat Protection and Recreational Access Act of 1997 - Directs the Secretary of Energy to convey to the State of Washington and to Adams, Grant, and Franklin counties in Washington specified portions of the Hanford Works, an area of property along the Columbia River in Washington. Allows such conveyances only after the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency has made specified certifications to the Secretary with respect to the appropriate environmental cleanup of such area.
Directs the State of Washington to enter into a joint agreement with Benton, Franklin, and Grant Counties to establish the Hanford Reach Protection and Management Commission, which shall develop and implement a plan to manage the lands conveyed by the Secretary in order to protect and enhance plant, fish and wildlife, and cultural resources, as well as recreational access to, and other uses of, Hanford Reach (a 51-mile stretch of land along the Columbia River containing fish, wildlife, and other resources).
Requires Adams, Grant, and Franklin Counties to submit to the Secretary: (1) a risk analysis of debris slides in the White Bluffs Wasteway; and (2) a comprehensive land use plan of the Wahluke Slope.
****
Q: SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the ''Teacher and Nurse Support Act of
2007''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS AND PURPOSE.

(a) Findings.--Congress finds the following:
(1) According to the National Center for Education
Statistics, over the next 10 years, the United States will need
more than 2,000,000 new teachers to replace the teachers who
are retiring or leaving the classroom for other careers.
(2) The Hart-Rudman National Security Report on education
recommended that the President direct the Department of
Education to work with the States to devise a comprehensive
plan to avert a looming shortage of high-quality teachers.
(3) According to the National Center for Education
Statistics, 20 percent of all new teachers leave the teaching
profession within 3 years. Providing loan forgiveness or loan
cancellation is one step that would help retain high-quality
teachers in schools that need teachers.
(4) The American Hospital Association has reported more
than 118,000 unfilled registered nurse positions in hospitals
in the United States. Additionally, the National Commission on
Nursing Workforce for Long-Term Care released a report in May,
2005, stating that there are nearly 100,000 vacant nursing
positions in long-term care facilities on any given day, and
the nurse turnover rate exceeds 50 percent. The shortage is
costing long-term care facilities an estimated $4 billion a
year in recruitment and training expenses.
(5) College loans are more of a burden than ever for
students and families. According to a recent United States
Public Interest Research Group report, average student loan
debt almost doubled from $9,200 in 1992-1993 to $16,928 in
1999-2000.
(b) Purpose.--The purpose of this Act is to improve access to, and
the delivery of, high-quality educational and health services
throughout the United States by reducing the shortage of qualified
teachers and nurses.

SEC. 3. LOAN FORGIVENESS.

(a) Loan Forgiveness.--Section 428J of the Higher Education Act of
1965 (20 U.S.C. 1078-10) is amended to read as follows:

''SEC. 428J. LOAN FORGIVENESS FOR TEACHERS AND NURSES.

''(a) Statement of Purpose.--It is the purpose of this section to
encourage individuals to enter and continue in the teaching and nursing
professions.
''(b) Program Authorized.--
''(1) In general.--The Secretary shall carry out a program
to forgive, in accordance with this section, the student loan
debt of any borrower who has one or more loans described under
paragraph (2) made on or after October 1, 1998, and who--
''(A) has been employed--
''(i) as a full-time teacher--
''(I) in a school that qualifies
under section 465(a)(2)(A) for loan
cancellation for Perkins loan
recipients who teach in those schools;
''(II) if employed as a secondary
school teacher, is teaching a subject
area that is relevant to the borrower's
academic major as certified by the
chief administrative officer of the
public or nonprofit private secondary
school in which the borrower is
employed; and
''(III) if employed as an
elementary school teacher, has
demonstrated, as certified by the chief
administrative officer of the public or
nonprofit private elementary school in
which the borrower is employed,
knowledge and teaching skills in
reading, writing, mathematics, and
other areas of the elementary school
curriculum; or
''(ii) as a full-time eligible nurse--
''(I) in a clinical setting; or
''(II) as a member of the nursing
faculty at an accredited school of
nursing (as those terms are defined in
section 801 of the Public Health
Service Act (42 U.S.C. 296)); and
''(B) is not in default on a loan for which the
borrower seeks forgiveness.
''(2) Method of loan forgiveness.--To provide the loan
forgiveness authorized in paragraph (1), the Secretary shall,
subject to paragraph (3), carry out a program--
''(A) through the holder of the loan, to assume the
obligation to repay a qualified loan amount (as
determined under subsection (c)) for a loan made under
section 428 or 428H of this part; and
''(B) to cancel a qualified loan amount (as so
determined) for a Federal Direct Stafford Loan or a
Federal Direct Unsubsidized Stafford Loan made under
part D of this title;
''(3) Treatment of consolidation loans.--A loan amount for
a loan made under section 428C or section 455(g) may be a
qualified loan amount for the purposes of paragraph (2) only to
the extent that such loan amount was used to repay a loan made
under section 428 or 428H, a Federal Direct Stafford Loan, or a
Federal Direct Unsubsidized Stafford Loan for a borrower who
meets the requirements of paragraph (1), as determined in
accordance with regulations prescribed by the Secretary.
''(c) Qualified Loan Amount.--
''(1) In general.--
''(A) Aggregate amount.--The Secretary shall, in
installments in accordance with subparagraph (B),
forgive under this section not more than $17,500 in the
aggregate of the student loan obligation of a borrower.
''(B) Annual installments.--The Secretary shall
forgive the student loan obligation of a borrower in
annual installments after each of 5 years of service
described in clause (i) or (ii) of subsection
(b)(1)(A)(i) in an amount not to exceed the lesser of
the remaining outstanding obligation of the borrower
or--
''(i) $2,000 at the completion of the first
year of such service;
''(ii) $2,500 at the completion of the
second year of such service;
''(iii) $3,500 at the completion of the
third year of such service;
''(iv) $4,500 at the completion of the
fourth year of such service; and
''(v) $5,000 at the completion of the fifth
year of such service.
''(2) Forbearance on qualified loan amount.--A holder of a
loan on which a borrower is seeking forgiveness under this
section--
''(A) shall grant forbearance, at the request of
the borrower, in annual increments for each of the
years of qualifying service if the holder believes, at
the time of the borrower's annual request, that the
amount expected to be forgiven under this section at
the completion of the period of qualifying service will
satisfy the anticipated remaining outstanding balance
on the loan; and
''(B) may offer other forbearance options to the
borrower.
''(d) Regulations.--The Secretary is authorized to issue such
regulations as may be necessary to carry out the provisions of this
section.
''(e) Construction.--Nothing in this section shall be construed to
authorize any refunding of any repayment of a loan.
''(f) List of Schools.--If the list of schools in which a teacher
may perform service pursuant to subsection (b)(1)(A)(i) is not
available before May 1 of any year, the Secretary may use the list for
the year preceding the year for which the determination is made to make
the service determination.
''(g) Additional Eligibility Provisions.--
''(1) Continued eligibility for teachers.--Any teacher who
performs service in a school that--
''(A) meets the requirements of subsection
(b)(1)(A)(i)(I) in any year during such service; and
''(B) in a subsequent year fails to meet the
requirements of that subsection,
may continue to teach in the school and shall be eligible for
loan forgiveness pursuant to subsection (b).
''(2) Prevention of double benefits.--No borrower may, for
the same service, receive a benefit under both this subsection
and--
''(A) subtitle D of title I of the National and
Community Service Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 12571 et
seq.); or
''(B) section 846 of the Public Health Service Act
(42 U.S.C. 297n).
''(h) Definitions.--In this section:
''(1) Eligible nurse.--The term 'eligible nurse' means a
nurse who meets all of the following:
''(A) The nurse graduated from--
''(i) an accredited school of nursing (as
those terms are defined in section 801 of the
Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 296));
''(ii) a nursing center; or
''(iii) an academic health center that
provides nurse training.
''(B) The nurse holds a valid and unrestricted
license to practice nursing in the State in which the
nurse practices in a clinical setting.
''(C) The nurse holds 1 or more of the following:
''(i) A graduate degree in nursing or
equivalent degree.
''(ii) A nursing degree from a collegiate
school of nursing (as defined in section 801 of
the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 296)).
''(iii) A nursing degree from an associate
degree school of nursing (as defined in section
801 of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C.
296)).
''(iv) A nursing degree from a diploma
school of nursing (as defined in section 801 of
the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 296)).
''(2) Year.--The term 'year', where applied to service as a
teacher (or service as a member of the nursing faculty at an
accredited school of nursing (as those terms are defined in
section 801 of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 296))),
means an academic year as defined by the Secretary.''.
(b) Repeal of Loan Cancellation Provision.--Section 460 of the
Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1087j) is repealed.

SEC. 4. PHASE OUT OF CURRENT PROGRAM.

An individual who began the required period of teaching described
in section 428J(b)(1) or 460(b)(1)(A) of the Higher Education Act of
1965 (20 U.S.C. 1078-10 and 1087j) as such sections were in effect on
the day before the date of enactment of this Act, shall--
(1) be eligible to receive loan forgiveness or loan
cancellation in the amount described in, and in accordance with
the requirements of, such sections as in effect on the day
before the date of enactment of this Act; and
(2) not be eligible to receive loan forgiveness under
section 428J of the Higher Education Act of 1965 as in effect
on the date of enactment of this Act.

A: Teacher and Nurse Support Act of 2007 - Amends the Higher Education Act of 1965 to increase to a maximum of $17,500 the aggregate student loan obligation eligible for forgiveness or cancellation under the Federal Family Education Loan or Direct Loan programs for teachers who serve full-time in certain elementary or secondary schools that enroll a high proportion of disadvantaged students.

Includes, under these student loan forgiveness and cancellation programs, nurses who serve in a clinical setting or as a member of the nursing faculty at an accredited school of nursing. Directs the Secretary of Education to repay such loan obligation in annual installments up to specified maximum amounts after each of five years of such service.
****
Q: SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the ''Mental Health Care for Our Wounded
Warriors Act''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

Congress makes the following findings:
(1) An estimated one in six members of the Armed Forces
returning from service in Iraq or Afghanistan has a diagnosable
condition of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
(2) One in ten members of the Armed Forces who have served
in Iraq or Afghanistan may suffer from a traumatic brain injury
(TBI).
(3) Since 2001, approximately 1,500,000 members of the
Armed Forces have been deployed in support of the conflicts in
Iraq and Afghanistan, of whom approximately one-third have
served at least two tours of duty, 70,000 have served three
tours of duty, and 20,000 have served at least five tours of
duty.
(4) Currently, there are 700,000 children in the United
States with at least one parent deployed to support ongoing
military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan.
(5) The Department of Defense is facing a shortage of
mental health professionals. The Department has had as many as
450 psychologists on active duty in the Armed Forces in past
years. However, the Department currently has only 350
psychologists on active duty in the Armed Forces in support of
combat operations.
(6) The demands placed on the Department of Defense mental
health system exceed its capacity to provide services in a
timely manner to all those in need.
(7) The long-term costs of treating members of the Armed
Forces returning from Iraq and Afghanistan could ultimately
reach $700,000,000,000, with post-traumatic stress disorder
projected to be one of the most expensive conditions to treat.
(8) Women now constitute 16 percent of the members of the
Armed Forces and are assigned to 90 percent all military
occupations. As a result, there is a need for research on
whether or not women in combat roles have unique mental health
needs that should be addressed by the mental health system of
the Department of Defense.
(9) More than 25 percent of the members of the Armed Forces
deployed in support combat operations in Iraq and Afghanistan
are ethnic minorities. There is a need for research on whether
or not minorities have unique mental health needs that should
be addressed by the mental health system of the Department of
Defense.
(10) Three out of every five deployed members of the Armed
Forces have a spouse, child, or both. However, there is a
paucity of research on the mental health needs of members of
the Armed Forces and their families.
(11) Approximately 40 percent of the billets for licensed
clinical psychologists in the Army are vacant, and there are
shortages in other mental health professions, including
psychiatry and clinical social work.
(12) The long-term needs associated with mental health
conditions and brain injuries will require a robust mental
health professional workforce.

SEC. 3. SENSE OF CONGRESS ON MENTAL HEALTH OF THE MEMBERS OF THE ARMED
FORCES.

It is the sense of Congress that--
(1) members of the Armed Forces deserve the best possible
treatment for injuries sustained while in service to the United
States;
(2) injuries sustained by members of the Armed Forces in
combat produce both physical and mental illnesses;
(3) members of the Armed Forces should have access to
mental health providers to facilitate their treatment for
mental illness sustained during combat;
(4) mental health disorders, such as post-traumatic stress
disorder (PTSD), incurred by members of the Armed Forces in
combat should be treated with an urgency similar to physical
ailments incurred by such members in combat;
(5) there is a need to train, recruit, and retain more
psychologists, social workers, psychiatrists, neurologists, and
other health care professionals to diagnose and provide short-
term and long-term care for members of the Armed Forces with
mental health conditions, including traumatic brain injuries
(TBIs), sustained in combat; and
(6) there is a continued need for--
(A) basic science research on post-traumatic stress
disorder, traumatic brain injury, and other combat-
related conditions;
(B) the development of new treatments for post-
traumatic stress disorder, traumatic brain injury, and
other combat-related conditions;
(C) the dissemination of best practices for
treating and managing post-traumatic stress disorder,
traumatic brain injury, and other combat-related
conditions; and
(D) a long-term strategy for education, training,
recruitment, and retention for the mental health
workforce of the Department of Defense in order to
expand and improve that workforce.

SEC. 4. CENTERS OF EXCELLENCE IN MILITARY MENTAL HEALTH.

(a) Establishment.--
(1) In general.--Chapter 55 of title 10, United States
Code, is amended by inserting after section 1105 the following
new section:
''Sec. 1105a. Centers of Excellence in Military Mental Health
''(a) In General.--The Secretary of Defense shall establish within
the Department of Defense at least two centers of excellence in
military mental health to carry out the responsibilities specified in
subsection (c). Each such center shall be known as a 'Center of
Excellence in Military Mental Health'.
''(b) Partnerships.--The Secretary shall authorize each Center of
Excellence in Military Mental Health to enter into such partnerships,
agreements, or other arrangements as the Secretary considers
appropriate with institutions of higher education and other appropriate
public and private entities to carry out the responsibilities specified
in subsection (c).
''(c) Responsibilities.--Each Center of Excellence in Military
Mental Health shall have responsibilities as follows:
''(1) To direct and oversee, based on expert research, the
development and implementation of a long-term, comprehensive
plan and strategy for the Department of Defense for the
prevention, identification, and treatment of combat-related
mental health conditions and brain injuries, with an emphasis
on post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and traumatic brain
injury (TBI).
''(2) To provide for the development, testing, and
dissemination within the Department of best practices for the
treatment of combat-related mental health conditions and brain
injuries, including post-traumatic stress disorder, traumatic
brain injury, acute depression, and substance abuse.
''(3) To provide guidance for the mental health system of
the Department in determining the mental health and
neurological health personnel required to provide quality
mental health care for members of the armed forces.
''(4) To establish, implement, and oversee a comprehensive
program to train mental health and neurological health
professionals of the Department in the treatment of combat-
related mental health conditions and brain injuries.
''(5) To facilitate advancements in the study of the short-
term and long-term psychological effects of traumatic brain
injury.
''(6) To disseminate within the military medical treatment
facilities of the Department best practices for training mental
health professionals, including neurological health
professionals.
''(7) To develop a strategic plan to reduce the stigma
among members of the armed forces regarding the presence of
mental illness or other mental health conditions in such
members.
''(8) To conduct basic science and translational research
on combat-related mental health conditions and brain injuries
for the purposes of understanding the etiology of such
conditions and injuries and developing preventive interventions
and new treatments.
''(9) To develop outreach strategies and treatments for
families of members of the armed forces with combat-related
mental health conditions or brain injuries in order to mitigate
the negative impacts of such conditions and injuries on such
family members and to support the recovery of such members from
such conditions and injuries.
''(10) To conduct research on the unique mental health
needs of women members of the armed forces who serve in combat
zones and develop treatments to meet any needs identified
through such research.
''(11) To conduct research on the unique mental health
needs of ethnic minority members of the armed forces who serve
in combat and develop treatments to meet any needs identified
through such research.
''(12) To conduct research on the mental health needs of
families of members of the armed forces who are deployed to
combat zones and develop treatments to meet any needs
identified through such research.
''(13) To develop and oversee a long-term plan to increase
the number of mental health and neurological health
professionals within the Department in order to facilitate the
meeting by the Department of the long-term needs of members of
the armed forces with combat-related mental health conditions
or brain injuries.
''(14) Such other responsibilities as the Secretary shall
specify.''.
(2) Clerical amendment.--The table of sections at the
beginning of chapter 55 of such title is amended by inserting
after the item relating to section 1105 the following new item:

''1105a. Centers of Excellence in Military Mental Health.''.
(3) Report on establishment.--Not later than 180 days after
the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense
shall submit to Congress a report on the establishment of
Centers of Excellence in Military Mental Health under section
1105a of title 10, United States Code (as added by paragraph
(1)). The report shall--
(A) set forth the number and location of the
Centers of Excellence in Military Mental Health so
established;
(B) for each Center so established, describe in
detail the activities and proposed activities of such
Center; and
(C) assess the general progress of the Centers in
discharging the responsibilities set forth in that
section.
(b) Oversight.--
(1) Board of oversight.--The Secretary of Defense shall
establish a board to oversee the activities of the Centers of
Excellence in Military Mental Health of the Department of
Defense established under section 1105a of title 10, United
States Code (as added by subsection (a)). The board shall be
known as the ''Board of Oversight of Excellence in Military
Mental Health'' (in this subsection referred to as the
''Board'').
(2) Membership.--
(A) Required members.--The members of the Board
shall include the following:
(i) The director of each Center of
Excellence in Military Mental Health.
(ii) The commanding officer of Walter Reed
Army Medical Center, District of Columbia.
(iii) The Surgeon General of the Army, the
Surgeon General of the Navy, and the Surgeon
General of the Air Force.
(iv) The Assistant Secretary of Defense for
Health Affairs.
(B) Authorized members.--With the joint approval of
the Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of Veterans
Affairs, the members of the Board may include any of
the following:
(i) The Under Secretary of Veterans Affairs
for Health.
(ii) Any director of a polytrauma center of
the Department of Veterans Affairs.
(3) Meetings.--The Board shall meet not less often than
four times each year.
(4) Responsibilities.--The responsibilities of the Board
shall include the following:
(A) To consider and evaluate proposals of the
Centers of Excellence in Military Mental Health in the
discharge of the responsibilities of such Centers.
(B) To develop mechanisms for the dissemination and
implementation of recommendations and best practices on
military mental health developed by the Centers of
Excellence in Military Mental Health.
(C) Such other responsibilities as the Secretary
shall establish for purposes of this section.

SEC. 5. PERSONNEL SHORTAGES IN MENTAL HEALTH WORKFORCE OF THE
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE.

(a) Recommendations on Means of Addressing Shortages.--
(1) Report.--Not later than 45 days after the date of the
enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall submit to
the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and the House of
Representatives a report setting forth the recommendations of
the Secretary for such legislative or administrative actions as
the Secretary considers appropriate to address current
personnel shortages in the mental health workforce of the
Department of Defense.
(2) Elements.--The report required by paragraph (1) may
include recommendations on the following:
(A) Enhancements or improvements of financial
incentives for personnel in the mental health workforce
of the Department of Defense in order to enhance the
recruitment and retention of such personnel, including
recruitment, accession, or retention bonuses and
scholarship, tuition, and other financial assistance.
(B) Modifications of service obligations of
personnel in the mental health workforce.
(C) Such other matters as the Secretary considers
appropriate.
(b) Recruitment.--Commencing not later than 180 days after the date
of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall implement
programs to recruit qualified individuals in mental health fields to
service in the Armed Forces as mental health personnel of the Armed
Forces.

A:
Mental Health Care for Our Wounded Warriors Act - Expresses the sense of Congress that: (1) members of the Armed Forces (members) deserve the best possible treatment for mental and physical illnesses and injuries sustained while in military service; (2) members should have access to mental health providers; (3) mental health disorders such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) should be treated with an urgency similar to physical ailments incurred by members; (4) there is a need to recruit, train, and retain more mental health care professionals to diagnose and treat members; and (5) there is a continued need for research, new treatments, and best practices for treating PTSD, as well as a long-term strategy for recruiting, training, and retaining the mental health workforce of the Department of Defense (DOD).

Directs the Secretary of Defense to establish at least two centers of excellence in military mental health for, among other things, the development and implementation of DOD strategy for the prevention, identification, and treatment of combat-related mental health conditions, with an emphasis on PTSD and traumatic brain injury.

Requires a report from the Secretary to the congressional defense committees on appropriate actions to address current personnel shortages in the DOD mental health workforce.
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