Herbert Conaway (D-NJ)
Get Justice-Involved Veterans BACK HOME Act
A Democratic bill with 1 Republican cosponsor · See all 3 cosponsors
Last activity — Committee Hearings Held
In committee
Introduced and handed to a committee in the chamber it started in.
The committee holds it, and most bills are never heard from again. A hearing or a committee vote would be news; silence is the usual outcome, and it kills the bill without anyone voting against it.
Its path through Congress
- Introduced
- In Committee
What this bill would do
This bill, known as the "Get Justice-Involved Veterans BACK HOME Act," aims to improve services provided by the Department of Veterans Affairs to incarcerated veterans. It establishes a pilot program to provide mental health care to these individuals, prioritizing those with service-connected disabilities like PTSD or traumatic brain injury. The legislation also directs the Bureau of Prisons to establish dedicated housing units or structured programs for veterans in Federal institutions. Additionally, the bill mandates the automatic resumption of compensation payments once a veteran is released from incarceration for a felony. Finally, it requires the collection and reporting of data regarding incarcerated veterans to Congress.
Yes· 3 of 10
- Scored +9
Does this help veterans get medical care?
It enhances healthcare services through a new pilot program and mental health support for incarcerated veterans.
- Scored +9
Would veterans be better off under this, taking everything together?
The bill significantly improves mental health and financial support systems for justice-involved veterans.
- Scored +8
Does this make mental health care easier to get?
The bill establishes a pilot program to provide mental health services specifically to incarcerated veterans.
The opposite
No question was scored the opposite.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
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Access to Mental Health Care: The Secretary of Veterans Affairs will carry out a pilot program to provide mental health services, including telemental health or mobile mental health units, to incarcerated veterans (Section 2(a), 2(d)).
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Financial Relief for Veterans: The pilot program prohibits the charging of copayments for the receipt of services (Section 2(d)(3)).
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Supportive Living Environments: The Bureau of Prisons is directed to establish dedicated housing units or structured programs designed to provide discipline, structure, and order to facilitate effective treatment and rehabilitation (Section 3(a)).
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Automated Financial Recovery: For individuals whose compensation was interrupted due to incarceration, payments will resume automatically on the date the individual is released (Section 4(a)).
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Increased Accountability and Information: The bill requires the collection and analysis of information concerning incarcerated veterans, with annual reports submitted to Congress to describe the data (Section 5).
Potential Negative Impacts for People
- Limitations on Medical Assessments: While the pilot program provides treatment and assessment of medical conditions, providers are specifically prohibited from providing assessment or evaluation of current or future disability claims (Section 2(e)(2)).
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 enhances healthcare services through a new pilot program and mental health support for incarcerated veterans. Does this make mental health care easier to get? — The bill establishes a pilot program to provide mental health services specifically to incarcerated veterans. Does this make health care easier to get in general? — The bill expands access to mental health services for a specific underserved veteran population.
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Would veterans be better off under this, taking everything together? — The bill significantly improves mental health and financial support systems for justice-involved veterans. Would people with disabilities be better off under this? — It prioritizes veterans with service-connected disabilities for mental health programming. Would households on low incomes be better off under this? — The bill helps low-income veterans by ensuring the continuation of their compensation.
- Social Issues And Justice
- Does this expand the rights of people with disabilities? — By targeting mental health support for service-connected disabilities, it supports rights for those with impairments. Is this likely to lift people out of poverty? — The bill ensures the automatic resumption of compensation payments, providing financial stability upon release.
- National Security And Foreign Policy
- Does this increase the pay, pensions or support veterans receive? — The bill expands benefits to include mental health care and housing structure for incarcerated veterans.
- Governance And Ideology
- Does this make what the government does easier for the public to see? — The bill mandates data collection and annual reporting to Congress regarding incarcerated veterans.
- 10/22/2026
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 6/25/2026
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 5/20/2026
- Committee Hearings Held
- 3/24/2026
- Referred to the Committee on the Judiciary, and in addition to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
- 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.
Rick LarsenDemocrat · Washington
Morgan LuttrellRepublican · Texas
Melanie StansburyDemocrat · New Mexico