Bill Text: TX HCR46 | 2015-2016 | 84th Legislature | Enrolled
Bill Title: Urging Congress to require the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs to provide VA services to incarcerated veterans detained in state hospitals and to consider expanding such services to all incarcerated veterans.
Spectrum: Slight Partisan Bill (Democrat 2-1)
Status: (Passed) 2015-06-17 - Signed by the Governor [HCR46 Detail]
Download: Texas-2015-HCR46-Enrolled.html
| H.C.R. No. 46 | ||
|
|
||
| WHEREAS, Citizens of the United States owe an incalculable | ||
| debt to the nation's military personnel, who have served so | ||
| valiantly and sacrificed so much in this country's behalf; and | ||
| WHEREAS, The current U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs | ||
| policy of suspending hospital and outpatient care services to | ||
| incarcerated veterans is especially detrimental to those | ||
| individuals in need of mental health care; some of these men and | ||
| women are committed to the state hospitals awaiting restoration of | ||
| competency in order to stand trial, and the scarcity of timely | ||
| access to services in these facilities can prolong their detention; | ||
| and | ||
| WHEREAS, Veterans suffer disproportionately from | ||
| post-traumatic stress disorder, which is often worsened by | ||
| incarceration and can lead to depression and suicidal thoughts and | ||
| actions, and incarcerated veterans too often lack access to | ||
| treatment for this condition; and | ||
| WHEREAS, Improved coordination between the VA and state and | ||
| local jurisdictions would enable eligible veterans to continue to | ||
| receive mental health care and other VA services; in addition, VA | ||
| reimbursement provided to secure mental health facilities for | ||
| forensic beds and services would ensure better medical treatment | ||
| for veterans and help alleviate the legal delays frequently | ||
| experienced by incarcerated veterans with mental health issues; and | ||
| WHEREAS, Veterans of the U.S. armed forces have earned the | ||
| lasting gratitude of all Americans for their devotion to duty, and | ||
| they are deserving of prompt and compassionate assistance in their | ||
| time of need; now, therefore, be it | ||
| RESOLVED, That the 84th Legislature of the State of Texas | ||
| hereby respectfully urge the Congress of the United States to | ||
| require the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs to provide VA | ||
| services to veterans on forensic commitments at state hospitals; | ||
| and, be it further | ||
| RESOLVED, That Congress consider expanding such services to | ||
| all incarcerated veterans; and, be it further | ||
| RESOLVED, That the Texas secretary of state forward official | ||
| copies of this resolution to the president of the United States, to | ||
| the president of the Senate and the speaker of the House of | ||
| Representatives of the United States Congress, and to all the | ||
| members of the Texas delegation to Congress with the request that | ||
| this resolution be entered in the Congressional Record as a | ||
| memorial to the Congress of the United States of America. | ||
| Farias | ||
| Guillen | ||
| ______________________________ | ______________________________ | |
| President of the Senate | Speaker of the House | |
| I certify that H.C.R. No. 46 was adopted by the House on April | ||
| 30, 2015, by the following vote: Yeas 139, Nays 0, 1 present, not | ||
| voting. | ||
| ______________________________ | ||
| Chief Clerk of the House | ||
| I certify that H.C.R. No. 46 was adopted by the Senate on May | ||
| 26, 2015, by the following vote: Yeas 31, Nays 0. | ||
| ______________________________ | ||
| Secretary of the Senate | ||
| APPROVED: __________________ | ||
| Date | ||
| __________________ | ||
| Governor | ||
