US Congress House Bill 1963 (Prior Session Legislation)

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Spectrum: Strong Partisan Bill (Democrat 10-1)
Status: Introduced on March 28 2019 - 25% progression, died in committee
Action: 2019-03-28 - Referred to the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
Pending: House Veterans' Affairs Committee
Text: Latest bill text (Introduced) [PDF]

Requires the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to develop a plan to expand the scope of research and education on and delivery of complementary and integrative medicine services (products and practices that are not currently part of mainstream, conventional medical practice) for veterans. The bill also requires the VA to define in regulations the meaning of complementary and integrative medicine. The VA must implement a three-year program at not fewer than 15 VA medical centers to assess the feasibility and advisability of integrating the delivery of complementary and integrative medicine services for veterans with mental health conditions, chronic pain conditions, and other chronic conditions. The bill requires the VA to contract with a qualified independent entity to conduct studies of the barriers encountered by veterans in receiving (and administrators and clinicians in providing) complementary and integrative medicine services. The National Research Advisory Council must review the results of the studies and submit findings to the VA. Finally, the VA must implement a three-year grant program awarding grants to public or private nonprofit entities to assess the feasibility and advisability of using wellness programs to complement the provision of mental health care to veterans and family members who are eligible for readjustment counseling from the VA.

Expanding Care for Veterans Act

Rep. Julia Brownley [D-CA]	Rep. Yvette Clarke [D-NY]	Rep. Katie Hill [D-CA]	Rep. Alcee Hastings [D-FL]
Rep. Jeff Van Drew [R-NJ]	Rep. Zoe Lofgren [D-CA]	Rep. Grace Napolitano [D-CA]	Rep. Christopher Pappas [D-NH]
Rep. Debbie Dingell [D-MI]	Rep. Sheila Jackson-Lee [D-TX]	Rep. Ann Kuster [D-NH]

Date	Chamber	Action
2019-03-28	House	Referred to the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
2019-03-28	House	Introduced in House

Type	Source
Summary	https://www.congress.gov/bill/116th-congress/house-bill/1963/all-info
Text	https://www.congress.gov/116/bills/hr1963/BILLS-116hr1963ih.pdf