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H.R. 203: Clay Hunt Suicide Prevention for American Veterans Act

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H.R. 203: Clay Hunt Suicide Prevention for American Veterans Act

114th Congress · introduced 2015-01-07 · Armed Forces and National Security · Latest: By Senator Isakson from Committee on Veterans' Affairs filed written report. Report No. 114-34.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

  1. Where it came from: introduced 2015-01-07 · official record
  2. Who proposed it: Rep. Walz, Timothy J. [D-MN-1] · what a sponsor is
  3. What happened next: 2 recorded votes in our records. Latest: Senate vote 50 (2015): On Passage of the Bill, HR203 (2015-02-03), Bill Passed. See all
  4. Where it stands now: By Senator Isakson from Committee on Veterans' Affairs filed written report. Report No. 114-34. Not final yet: this can still change. We check for updates every day.
  5. If it becomes law and spends money: follow the money to money laws, then agencies and contracts and grants.

What does this mean?

Official title

Clay Hunt Suicide Prevention for American Veterans Act

Plain summary

(This measure has not been amended since it was introduced. The expanded summary of the House passed version is repeated here.) Clay Hunt Suicide Prevention for American Veterans Act or the Clay Hunt SAV Act (Sec. 2) Requires the Secretary of Veterans Affairs (VA) to: (1) arrange for an independent third party evaluation, to be conducted by September 30, 2018, and each fiscal year thereafter, of the VA's mental health care and suicide prevention programs; and (2) submit a report to Congress, by December 1, 2018, and each year thereafter, containing the most recent evaluations not yet submitted to Congress and any recommendations the Secretary considers appropriate. Directs the Secretary to submit interim reports to Congress by September 30, 2016, and September 30, 2017, on the VA's mental health care and suicide prevention programs. (Sec. 3) Directs the Secretary to survey the VA's websites and information resources to publish a website that serves as a centralized source to provide veterans with information, updated at least once every 90 days, regarding the VA's mental health care services. (Sec. 4) Requires the Secretary to carry out a three-year pilot program to repay the education loans relating to psychiatric medicine that are incurred by individuals who: are eligible to practice psychiatric medicine in the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) or are enrolled in the final year of a residency program leading to a specialty qualification in psychiatric medicine; demonstrate a commitment to a long-term career as a psychiatrist in the VHA; and agree to a period of two or more years of obligated service with the VHA in the field of psychiatric medicine, as determined by the Secretary. Limits the loan repayment to no more than $30,000 for each year an individual performs such obligated service, as determined by the Secretary. Directs the Secretary to submit interim and final reports to Congress on such pilot program. (Sec. 5) Directs the Secretary to establish a three-year pilot program at not less than five Veterans Integrated Service Networks (VISNs) to assist veterans transitioning from active duty and to improve the access of veterans to mental health services. Requires the pilot program at each VISN to include: (1) a community oriented veteran peer support network carried out in partnership with an entity that has experience in peer support programs, and (2) a community outreach team for each medical center in such VISN. Directs the Secretary to submit interim and final reports to Congress on such pilot program. (Sec. 6) Authorizes the Secretary to collaborate with nonprofit mental health organizations to prevent suicide among veterans. Requires the Secretary and any such organization to exchange training sessions and best practices. Directs the Secretary to select a VA Director of Suicide Prevention Coordination to undertake any collaboration with nonprofit mental health organizations. (Sec. 7) Extends for one year combat veterans' eligibility for VA hospital care, medical services, and nursing home care for illnesses that have not been medically proven to be attributable to their service, provided they: (1) were discharged or released from active duty between January 1, 2009, and January 1, 2011, and (2) did not enroll to receive such care during the five-year period of eligibility following their discharge. (Sec. 8) Prohibits the authorization of any additional appropriations to carry out this Act's provisions.

Congressional Research Service summary (Public Law), quoted unchanged (nonpartisan). Read the source.

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What does this mean? (plain words)

Official text

Clay Hunt Suicide Prevention for American Veterans Act

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Public Law)

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How did my representative vote? · This bill's floor votes

Officials and money

Sponsor: Rep. Walz, Timothy J. [D-MN-1] · 39 cosponsors

Cost estimate: CBO cost estimate: H.R. 203, Clay Hunt Suicide Prevention for American Veterans Act (2015-01-29)

Cosponsors on this site

Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Joe Courtney (D-CT), Christopher H. Smith (R-NJ), Austin Scott (R-GA), Scott H. Peters (D-CA), Bill Foster (D-IL), Emanuel Cleaver (D-MO), John Garamendi (D-CA), Ben Ray Luján (D-NM), Peter Welch (D-VT), Chellie Pingree (D-ME), Mike Quigley (D-IL), Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR), Todd Young (R-IN), Kevin Cramer (R-ND)

Recorded votes

Words on this page, explained (4)
Appropriation
Money a legislature sets aside by law for a specific purpose. Government agencies may spend public money only as it has been appropriated.
Authorization
A law that creates or continues a government program and says what it may do, often with a suggested spending ceiling. An authorization alone does not provide money; a separate appropriation does.
Fiscal year
The 12-month period a government uses for its budget. The federal fiscal year runs from October 1 to September 30 and is named for the calendar year in which it ends. Most states use July 1 to June 30.
Obligation
A binding promise by a government agency to pay money, for example by signing a contract or awarding a grant. Spending data such as USAspending.gov counts money when it is obligated, which can be before it is actually paid out.

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Record fed-us-cong114-hr203 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong114 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong114