WHAT THE LAW DOINCongress, in plain words

S. 609 · 119th Congress

BRAVE Act of 2025

IntroducedArmed Forces and National Security
IntroducedFeb 18, 2025
Passed SenateNot yet
Passed HouseNot yet
To PresidentNot yet
Became lawNot yet

Where it stands

Introduced. Latest step, Feb 18, 2025: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs. It would change 2 sections of existing law and would add 12 new provisions of its own.

How this bill changes the law

Sourced

S. 609 would change 2 sections of existing law, and would create 12 new provisions of its own. Read from the bill text as introduced in the Senate (Feb 18, 2025).

38 U.S.C. 7402 Qualifications of appointees

  • (b) (1) Physician.—To be eligible to be appointed to a physician position, a person… changed · Sec. 102(a), Sec. 102(b) · see the words

Public Law 116-171 An earlier law, changed directly

New provisions of the bill's own

  • Sec. 101 Report on market pay surveys for Readjustment Counseling Service positions
  • Sec. 103 Report on coordination of Veterans Health Administration with Readjustment Counseling Service
  • Sec. 201 Vet Center defined
  • Sec. 202 Comptroller General report on Readjustment Counseling Service model for expansion of Vet Center footprint
  • Sec. 203 Improvement of guidance and information to improve veteran outreach efforts by Vet Centers
  • Sec. 204 Report on information technology system of Readjustment Counseling Service
  • Sec. 301 Study on effectiveness of suicide prevention and mental health outreach programs of Department of Veterans Affairs for women veterans
  • Sec. 302 Requirement for Department of Veterans Affairs to modify the REACH VET program to incorporate risk factors weighted for women veterans
  • Sec. 303 Review of and report on reintegration and readjustment services for veterans and family members in group retreat settings
  • Sec. 402 Access to mental health residential rehabilitation treatment programs for veterans with spinal cord injury or disorder
  • Sec. 403 Mental health consultations and outreach on mental health services for veterans receiving compensation for disabilities relating to mental health diagnoses
  • Sec. 404 Joint report on effectiveness of programs of Department of Veterans Affairs and Department of Defense that promote access to mental health services for transitioning members of the Armed Forces
What the words would change: every change, in place (4)

Today's wording of each part of the law, with what would be struck out and added. Each change also gives the bill's own instruction, word for word.

  1. 38 U.S.C. 7402(b)(8)(C)changedby S. 609 Sec. 102(a)

    (C) be licensed or certified as a psychologist in a State, except that the Secretary may waive the requirement of licensure or certification for an individual psychologist for a period not to exceedfor a reasonable period of time recommended by the Under Secretary for Health. two years on the condition that that psychologist provide patient care only under the direct supervision of a psychologist who is so licensed or certified.

    The bill says: Section 7402(b)(8)(C) of title 38, United States Code, is amended by striking "for a period not to exceed" and all that follows through the period at the end and inserting "for a reasonable period of time recommended by the Under Secretary for Health.".

    Bill text · Current law (38 U.S.C. 7402)

  2. 38 U.S.C. 7402(b)(11)(B)changedby S. 609 Sec. 102(b)

    (B) be licensed or certified to independently practice mental health counseling., except that the Secretary may waive the requirement of licensure or certification for an individual licensed professional mental health counselor for a reasonable period of time recommended by the Under Secretary for Health.

    The bill says: Section 7402(b)(11)(B) of title 38, United States Code, is amended by striking the period at the end and inserting ", except that the Secretary may waive the requirement of licensure or certification for an individual licensed professional mental health counselor for a reasonable period of time recommended by the Under Secretary for Health.".

    Bill text · Current law (38 U.S.C. 7402)

  3. Public Law 116-171(c)(2)(A)changedby S. 609 Sec. 401(1)

    The bill says: in subsection (c)(2)(A), by striking "$750,000" and inserting "$1,000,000"; and

    Bill text

  4. Public Law 116-171(j)changedby S. 609 Sec. 401(2)

    The bill says: in subsection (j), by striking "three years" and inserting "six years".

    Bill text

From the bill's official text on GovInfo and the U.S. Code, 2024 edition, which may not yet show changes made since.

What it does

Sourced

Building Resources and Access for Veterans' Mental Health Engagement Act of 2025 or the BRAVE Act of 2025

This bill addresses mental health services and care provided by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), including matters related to personnel, Vet Center administration, care for women veterans, and access to care.

The bill authorizes the VA to waive the licensure or certification requirement for individual licensed professional mental health counselor appointees for a reasonable period of time.

The bill also extends the Staff Sergeant Parker Gordon Fox Suicide Prevention Grant Program and increases the maximum annual grant amount.

The VA must provide Vet Centers with guidance for assessing outreach activities and implement processes to periodically assess the extent to which (1) veterans and eligible members of the Armed Forces experience barriers to obtaining services at Vet Centers, and (2) Vet Center staff may encounter barriers to providing services.

Among other requirements, the VA must also

• survey and host listening sessions with women veterans to gauge the effectiveness of the VA’s suicide prevention, lethal-means safety, and mental health resources and messaging campaigns;

Read the whole official summary (252 words, about 1 min)

• initiate efforts to modify the Recovery Engagement and Coordination for Health-Veterans Enhanced Treatment (REACH VET) program to incorporate risk factors weighted for women;

• annually offer a mental health consultation to veterans who are receiving compensation for a service-connected disability relating to a mental health diagnosis; and

• implement a pilot program to provide access to mental health residential treatment programs for veterans with a spinal cord injury or disorder.

Official summary by the Congressional Research Service (Introduced in Senate, Feb 18, 2025).

Our plain-language breakdown, with what it means for you and the case for and against, is written once a bill starts to move.

What has happened

Sourced
  1. Feb 18, 2025Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.Senate
  2. Feb 18, 2025Introduced in SenateLibrary of Congress

Show key steps only

Cosponsors

  • Lisa Blunt Rochester D-DE
  • Angus S. King, Jr. I-ME
  • Jon Ossoff D-GA
  • Jeanne Shaheen D-NH