Get Justice-Involved Veterans BACK HOME Act
- Bill Number
- S. 4162
- Origin Chamber
- Senate
- Congress
- 119th Congress, Session 2
- Policy Area
- Armed Forces and National Security
- Status
- Introduced
- Latest Action
- 2026-03-23: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
- Last Updated
- 2026-04-09T16:44:05Z
AI-Generated Summary
Summary of S. 4162: Get Justice-Involved Veterans BACK HOME Act
Purpose
The legislation aims to enhance mental health services, housing, benefits administration, and data collection for incarcerated veterans by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and other federal agencies, prioritizing those with service-related conditions like post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), traumatic brain injury (TBI), or military sexual trauma.
Key Provisions
- Pilot Program for Mental Health Care (Sec. 2):
- VA must run a pilot at least 5 facilities (mix of large/small, urban/rural) with existing separate veteran housing units.
- Priority for veterans with PTSD, TBI, or military sexual trauma.
- Provides telemental health services (remote video care) if infrastructure allows; alternatives include mobile units or other VA/Vet Center services.
- No copayments; uses only VA providers in a dedicated "hub" separate from regular VA facilities.
- Coordinates with state/federal incarceration agencies; overrides limits on VA care in prisons.
- Dedicated Housing Units in Federal Prisons (Sec. 3):
- Bureau of Prisons (BOP) must create veteran-specific wards or units where feasible, designed for discipline, peer support, and rehabilitation.
- Requires staff training, resource allocation, and tailored programs in coordination with local VA facilities.
- If full units aren't possible, implement veteran-focused programs with VA oversight.
- Automatic Resumption of VA Benefits (Sec. 4):
- VA compensation or dependency payments (for survivors) automatically restart upon release from felony incarceration, without manual application.
- Data Collection and Reporting (Sec. 5):
- Bureau of Justice Statistics must collect/analyze incarceration data on veterans and report annually to Congress starting 180 days after enactment.
Significant Changes to Existing Law
- Adds new Section 4015 to 18 U.S.C. Chapter 301 (prisons and correction) for veteran housing.
- Amends 38 U.S.C. § 5313(a) to mandate automatic benefits resumption post-incarceration (effective 180 days after enactment).
- Amends 34 U.S.C. § 10132 (crime statistics) to include veteran incarceration data and require annual reports.
- Overrides 38 U.S.C. § 1710(h), which generally limits VA care for incarcerated veterans.
Potential Impacts
- Government Agencies: VA implements pilot and coordinates care (added workload/costs); BOP builds housing/programs (infrastructure needs); Bureau of Justice Statistics expands data efforts.
- Citizens: Improves access to mental health, rehabilitation, and benefits for ~tens of thousands of incarcerated veterans, potentially reducing recidivism and aiding reentry.
- No direct international relations impact.
Main Stakeholders Affected
- Incarcerated veterans (primary beneficiaries, especially those with PTSD/TBI/military sexual trauma).
- VA and Vet Centers (service providers).
- BOP and state/local prisons (housing/program operators).
- Veteran families (benefits resumption).
- Congress (receives reports for oversight).
Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications
- Legal: Streamlines benefits and care access, bypassing some VA restrictions; promotes inter-agency coordination without new funding mandates.
- Constitutional: No apparent conflicts; aligns with federal authority over veterans' benefits (Art. I) and prisons.
- Political: Supports veteran rehabilitation amid justice reform debates; pilot nature allows testing before expansion, with data-driven evaluation.
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.
Sponsor
Sen. King, Angus S., Jr. [I-ME]
Cosponsors (1)
Recent Actions
- 2026-03-23: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
- 2026-03-23: Introduced in Senate
Bill Versions
- Get Justice-Involved Veterans Behavioral Assistance and Care for Key Health Outcomes to Maintain Empowerment Act — issued 2026-03-23 — PDF (8 pages)