HR 3447 107th Congress House Armed Forces and National Security Access to health care Ambulatory care Animals Annuities Armed forces abroad Auditing Blind Brain Building construction Chiropractic and chiropractors Civil Service pensions Civil service retirement Clinics Coinsurance Collection of accounts Community health services Congress Congressional reporting requirements Construction costs

Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Programs Enhancement Act of 2001

Introduced: December 11, 2001 Introduced by: Smith, Christopher H. Republican · New Jersey See on congress.gov

Everywhere this bill has been 15 steps

Introduced

In committee

Reported out

Passed House

Passed Senate

To President

Became law

Jan 23, 2002

Became Public Law No: 107-135.

Jan 23, 2002

Signed by President.

Jan 11, 2002

Presented to President.

Dec 21, 2001

Message on Senate action sent to the House.

Dec 20, 2001

Passed Senate without amendment by Unanimous Consent. (consideration: CR S14075-14080)

Dec 20, 2001

Passed/agreed to in Senate: Passed Senate without amendment by Unanimous Consent.(consideration: CR S14075-14080)

Dec 12, 2001

Received in the Senate, read twice.

Dec 11, 2001

Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.

Dec 11, 2001

On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR H9217-9223)

Dec 11, 2001

Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by voice vote.(text: CR H9217-9223)

Dec 11, 2001

DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 3447.

Dec 11, 2001

Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H9217-9225)

Dec 11, 2001

Mr. Smith (NJ) moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill.

Dec 11, 2001

Referred to the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs.

Dec 11, 2001

Introduced in House

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Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service

Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Programs Enhancement Act of 2001 - Revises various requirements relating to the Department of Veterans Affairs employee incentive scholarship program, including by reducing the period of employment required for eligibility and by increasing the years for which a scholarship may be paid.

Makes permanent the education debt reduction program.

Authorizes: (1) additional pay for Saturday duty for health care professionals in the Department's Veterans Health Administration (VHA); and (2) unused sick leave to be included in the annuity computation for VHA nurses.

Establishes the National Commission on VA Nursing.

Authorizes the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to provide service dogs to veterans enrolled in the veterans' patient enrollment system.

Provides the basis for maintenance of the Department's capacity to provide for the specialized treatment and rehabilitative needs of disabled veterans who: (1) are seriously mentally ill; or (2) have spinal cord dysfunction, traumatic brain injury, blindness, or prosthetics and sensory aids.

Directs the Secretary to provide chiropractic care and services to veterans enrolled in the veterans' patient enrollment system.

Authorizes the Secretary to carry out a major medical facility project at the Department's Medical Center in Miami, Florida.

Urges the Secretary to assess the Department's provision of special telephone services for veterans.

Directs the Secretary to provide consultation, counseling, training and mental health services to family members of a veteran receiving treatment for a service-connected disability and authorizes the Secretary to provide such services in connection with a veteran receiving treatment for a non-service-connected disability.

Authorizes: (1) bereavement counseling to family members of veterans who die in the line of duty or were participating in a hospice program; and (2) humanitarian hospital or medical care in emergency cases.

What's happening now January 23, 2002

Became Public Law No: 107-135.

Related & companion bills 3

Bill text 5 versions

Considered and Passed House Formatted Text PDF
Engrossed in House Formatted Text PDF
Enrolled Bill Formatted Text PDF
Public Law Formatted Text PDF
Received in Senate Formatted Text PDF

Source documents hosted by congress.gov.

Committees of jurisdiction 1

Veterans' Affairs Committee
House of Representatives

Cosponsors 1

Moran, Jerry

Kansas · Dec 11, 2001

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APA

U.S. Congress. (2026). H.R. 3447: Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Programs Enhancement Act of 2001. 107th Congress. Open America. https://openamerica.io/bill/107-HR-3447/

MLA

"H.R. 3447: Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Programs Enhancement Act of 2001." 107th Congress, 2026, Open America, https://openamerica.io/bill/107-HR-3447/.

Bluebook (legal)

H.R. 3447, 107th Cong. (2026), https://openamerica.io/bill/107-HR-3447/.

Markdown link

[H.R. 3447: Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Programs Enhancement Act of 2001](https://openamerica.io/bill/107-HR-3447/)