Rural Veterans Mental Health Care Improvement Act

Committee on Veterans' Affairs. Hearings held. Hearings printed: S.Hrg. 113-280.

S.1155 through Congress

S.1155 keeps its number as it moves between the House and Senate.

SenateJun 12, 2013IntroducedOfficial record

Major milestones in the imported record. See all actions.

No House action is available in our imported record yet.

Separate related House measures (1)

These are different measures identified as related by Congress.gov. Their text and outcomes may differ; they are not the House stage of S.1155.

Related House bill: H.R.3499 Rural Veterans Mental Health Care Improvement Act

Congressional Research Service

Official summary

Version 00 · Introduced in Senate · Jun 12, 2013

Rural Veterans Mental Health Care Improvement Act - Amends appropriations authorities for veterans' benefits to provide advanced appropriations for information technology relating to medical services, support, compliance, and facilities of the Veterans Health Administration (VHA).

Directs the Secretary of Veterans Affairs (VA) to include, as a component of VHA health-care personnel education and training programs, education and training of marriage and family therapists as well as licensed professional mental health counselors.

Amends the Caregivers and Veterans Omnibus Health Services Act of 2010 to require the Secretary, through VA medical centers, to provide mental health services, including outpatient care, to the immediate families of certain veterans returning from Operation Enduring Freedom or Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Requires the Secretary to report to Congress regarding telemedicine services (the use by a health care provider of telecommunications to assist in the diagnosis or treatment of a patient's medical condition) for veterans, including updates on VA teleconsultation and telemedicine initiatives, training, and partnerships with primary care providers.

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People & committees

Who introduced it

Sen. Tester, Jon [D-MT] · D–MT

Committees

Veterans' Affairs Committee

4 cosponsorship records, including any withdrawals

Legislative record

Actions

A procedural vote is different from passage. Passage in one chamber does not establish enactment. Explore the glossary.

Oct 30, 2013
Committee on Veterans' Affairs. Hearings held. Hearings printed: S.Hrg. 113-280.
Jun 12, 2013
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
Jun 12, 2013
Introduced in Senate

Primary sources

Bill text & related measures

Text links open the official source. We currently store references to these documents.

Introduced in Senate · Jun 12, 2013 Formatted Text PDF Formatted XML

Related bills identified by Congress.gov

HR 3499 · Rural Veterans Mental Health Care Improvement Act

Source last updated: Jan 13, 2026. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.

AI Conversation Starters

Explore the bill from different angles

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Neutral evidence review

Objective

Analyze S.1155 as objectively as possible. Explain its main provisions, who would be affected, possible benefits and harms, implementation, exceptions, and uncertainties. Present the strongest arguments for and against it, and identify evidence needed to assess its public impact.

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Discuss S.1155, 113th Congress: Rural Veterans Mental Health Care Improvement Act

Official record: https://www.congress.gov/bill/113th-congress/senate-bill/1155

Text version to examine: Introduced in Senate · 2013-06-12.

Official full text: https://www.congress.gov/113/bills/s1155/BILLS-113s1155is.htm

Imported record last updated by the source: 2026-01-13T19:21:35Z. Verify current status and distinguish any later version from the version above.

Read the official text before answering. If you cannot access it, say so and ask me to provide it; do not assume a link means you have read the document. Distinguish proposals from enacted law, cite sources, and separate facts, interpretation, and uncertain predictions. Include counterarguments even when using a particular perspective.

Analyze S.1155 as objectively as possible. Explain its main provisions, who would be affected, possible benefits and harms, implementation, exceptions, and uncertainties. Present the strongest arguments for and against it, and identify evidence needed to assess its public impact.

Fairness and public impact

Progressive lens

Examine S.1155 through a progressive lens, focusing on fairness, access, economic inequality, and effects on vulnerable communities. Explain potential benefits, costs, and unintended consequences. Consider the strongest counterarguments and distinguish stated goals from demonstrated outcomes.

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Discuss S.1155, 113th Congress: Rural Veterans Mental Health Care Improvement Act

Official record: https://www.congress.gov/bill/113th-congress/senate-bill/1155

Text version to examine: Introduced in Senate · 2013-06-12.

Official full text: https://www.congress.gov/113/bills/s1155/BILLS-113s1155is.htm

Imported record last updated by the source: 2026-01-13T19:21:35Z. Verify current status and distinguish any later version from the version above.

Read the official text before answering. If you cannot access it, say so and ask me to provide it; do not assume a link means you have read the document. Distinguish proposals from enacted law, cite sources, and separate facts, interpretation, and uncertain predictions. Include counterarguments even when using a particular perspective.

Examine S.1155 through a progressive lens, focusing on fairness, access, economic inequality, and effects on vulnerable communities. Explain potential benefits, costs, and unintended consequences. Consider the strongest counterarguments and distinguish stated goals from demonstrated outcomes.

Institutions and government scope

Conservative lens

Examine S.1155 through a conservative lens, focusing on fiscal responsibility, institutional stability, federalism, and the scope of government. Explain potential benefits, costs, and unintended consequences. Consider the strongest counterarguments and any provisions that challenge this perspective.

View full prompt & sources

Discuss S.1155, 113th Congress: Rural Veterans Mental Health Care Improvement Act

Official record: https://www.congress.gov/bill/113th-congress/senate-bill/1155

Text version to examine: Introduced in Senate · 2013-06-12.

Official full text: https://www.congress.gov/113/bills/s1155/BILLS-113s1155is.htm

Imported record last updated by the source: 2026-01-13T19:21:35Z. Verify current status and distinguish any later version from the version above.

Read the official text before answering. If you cannot access it, say so and ask me to provide it; do not assume a link means you have read the document. Distinguish proposals from enacted law, cite sources, and separate facts, interpretation, and uncertain predictions. Include counterarguments even when using a particular perspective.

Examine S.1155 through a conservative lens, focusing on fiscal responsibility, institutional stability, federalism, and the scope of government. Explain potential benefits, costs, and unintended consequences. Consider the strongest counterarguments and any provisions that challenge this perspective.

Individual rights and government power

Liberty lens

Examine S.1155 through a civil-liberties and limited-government lens. Consider individual rights, privacy, voluntary choice, accountability, and government power. Explain tradeoffs, possible safeguards, and the strongest counterarguments without assuming the proposal is beneficial or harmful.

View full prompt & sources

Discuss S.1155, 113th Congress: Rural Veterans Mental Health Care Improvement Act

Official record: https://www.congress.gov/bill/113th-congress/senate-bill/1155

Text version to examine: Introduced in Senate · 2013-06-12.

Official full text: https://www.congress.gov/113/bills/s1155/BILLS-113s1155is.htm

Imported record last updated by the source: 2026-01-13T19:21:35Z. Verify current status and distinguish any later version from the version above.

Read the official text before answering. If you cannot access it, say so and ask me to provide it; do not assume a link means you have read the document. Distinguish proposals from enacted law, cite sources, and separate facts, interpretation, and uncertain predictions. Include counterarguments even when using a particular perspective.

Examine S.1155 through a civil-liberties and limited-government lens. Consider individual rights, privacy, voluntary choice, accountability, and government power. Explain tradeoffs, possible safeguards, and the strongest counterarguments without assuming the proposal is beneficial or harmful.