Nikki Budzinski (D-IL)
VA Mental Health Outreach and Engagement Act
A Democratic bill with 2 Republican cosponsors · See all 4 cosponsors
Last activity — Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 550.
Cleared committee, waiting for its first floor vote
A committee approved it and it is on the calendar of the chamber it started in.
This is further than most bills get, and still no promise of a vote: the calendar is a queue, and the majority leadership decides what is called. A bill can sit here until the Congress ends.
Its path through Congress
- Introduced
- On Calendar
What this bill would do
This bill, known as the "VA Mental Health Outreach and Engagement Act," directs the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to provide annual mental health consultations to veterans receiving compensation for service-connected mental health disabilities. The Secretary must offer these consultations and conduct outreach via telephone, text, email, or letter to discuss mental health needs and services. The Act requires the Secretary to submit annual reports regarding outreach success rates to congressional committees. Additionally, the Comptroller General is tasked with conducting a review of these amendments to evaluate their effectiveness and any barriers veterans face. Finally, the bill extends a specific date in the housing loan fee table.
Yes· 3 of 5
- Scored +9
Would veterans be better off under this, taking everything together?
This bill provides significant targeted benefits through mental health outreach and extended housing loan fee protections.
- Scored +8
Does this help veterans get medical care?
It specifically enhances care through required annual mental health assessments and outreach for veterans.
- Scored +7
Does this make mental health care easier to get?
The bill mandates annual mental health consultations and proactive outreach for veterans with service-connected mental health disabilities.
The opposite
No question was scored the opposite.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
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Improved Mental Health Support: The Secretary is required to offer a mental health consultation at least once a year to veterans receiving compensation for service-connected mental health disabilities to assess their needs and discuss care options (Section 2(a)(3)).
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Increased Outreach Efforts: The bill mandates specific outreach methods, including telephone calls, text messages, emails, or letters, to ensure veterans are informed about available mental health services (Section 2(a)(3)).
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Accountability and Oversight: The Secretary must submit annual reports to congressional committees regarding the success and failure of outreach attempts (Section 2(c)). Furthermore, the Comptroller General must submit a report within two years to evaluate the effect of these changes and identify any barriers veterans encountered (Section 2(d)).
Potential Negative Impacts for People
- Potential for Unwanted Contact: The bill notes that outreach will be conducted unless a veteran explicitly elects not to receive such outreach (Section 2(a)(3)).
Groups and Interests Ranking
Every group the model scored this bill for, from -10 to +10. Tap or hover a score for the reason it gave.
- Healthcare
- Does this help veterans get medical care? — It specifically enhances care through required annual mental health assessments and outreach for veterans. Does this make mental health care easier to get? — The bill mandates annual mental health consultations and proactive outreach for veterans with service-connected mental health disabilities.
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Would veterans be better off under this, taking everything together? — This bill provides significant targeted benefits through mental health outreach and extended housing loan fee protections.
- National Security And Foreign Policy
- Does this increase the pay, pensions or support veterans receive? — The bill enhances veteran benefits through better mental health support and adjusted housing loan fee schedules.
- Governance And Ideology
- Does this make what the government does easier for the public to see? — The bill mandates annual reporting to Congress and a GAO review to ensure outreach success.
- 5/4/2026
- Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Veterans' Affairs. H. Rept. 119-634.
- Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 550.
- 4/22/2026
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 10/14/2025
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 7/23/2025
- Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held
- Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by Voice Vote.
- 6/17/2025
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 6/10/2025
- Referred to the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- Introduced in House
One bill Congress.gov lists as related to this one — companions in the other chamber, earlier versions, and bills this one absorbed or was folded into.
Steve CohenDemocrat · Tennessee
Chuck EdwardsRepublican · North Carolina
Brian FitzpatrickRepublican · Pennsylvania
Maggie GoodlanderDemocrat · New Hampshire