Expand access to Vet Center mental health counseling by directing the VA to use census and VA statistical data to ensure every veteran has access to a Vet Center.

The Veterans Centers-Enabled National Treatment Equitable Resource Supplement (CENTERS) for Mental Health Act of 2026 directs the VA to use census data and the VA's statistical data to ensure every veteran has access to a Vet Center. “Veterans sacrifice so much to keep our nation safe and deserve access to quality mental health care close to home,” said Congressman Kean . “Many veterans in New Jersey and across the country are faced with long, sometimes impossible travel to get the help they need. I worked across the aisle to find a solution. This bill, the Vet CENTERS for Mental Health Act , would increase access to mental health facilities and ensure our veterans receive access to the benefits they earned.

Kean said his bipartisan Vet CENTERS for Mental Health Act would expand access to mental health facilities and ensure veterans can access earned benefits by directing the VA to use data to ensure every veteran has access to a Vet Center.

Kean Introduces Bipartisan Legislation to Expand Access to Veteran Mental Health Services | Congressman Thomas Kean Jr.
primary · press_release · model gpt-5.5

unverified · Source version 80880 · locator unknown

8/27/2026 | H.R. 10160 | Vet CENTERS for Mental Health Act of 2026 ... Lastest Action September 7, 2026 - Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.

Unverified model/legacy excerpt; not proof. AI summary (separate from source): Latest lookback-window action found: the 2026 Kean bill was referred to the House Veterans' Affairs Health Subcommittee, not enacted.

unresolved later_term A for effort

live.house.gov, U.S. House of Representatives
secondary · model gpt-5.5 · confidence 86%

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Mr. Kean (for himself, Ms. Schrier, Mr. Fitzpatrick, Mr. Casten, and Mr. Cohen) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs

Fetched verbatim passage. AI summary (separate from source): Kean sponsored a 2026 bill to pursue the Vet Center access commitment, but the introduced bill itself is only an attempt absent enactment.

unresolved later_term A for effort

H.R. 10160 Introduced in House Text
secondary · model gpt-5.5 · confidence 95%

verified · Source version 80882 · locator 2113

One covered Vet Center per every 55,000 veterans located in the State (calculated by using the number of veterans in the State as determined by the Director of the United States Census Bureau for the most recent census).

Fetched verbatim passage. AI summary (separate from source): The 2026 bill text matches the promise's census-data mechanism for setting minimum Vet Center access thresholds.

unresolved later_term A for effort

H. R. 10160 (Introduced-in-House)
secondary · model gpt-5.5 · confidence 94%

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Ms. Sherrill (for herself, Mr. Kean of New Jersey, Mr. Sablan, Mr. Fitzpatrick, Mr. Cohen, Mrs. Watson Coleman, Mr. Trone, Mr. Ruppersberger, Ms. Ross, Mr. Van Drew, Ms. Lois Frankel of Florida, Ms. Houlahan, and Mr. Casten) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs

Fetched verbatim passage. AI summary (separate from source): In Kean's first House term, he joined the 2023 version of the Vet CENTERS bill as an original cosponsor, showing concrete effort but not enactment.

unresolved same_term A for effort

H.R. 733 (IH) - Veterans Census-Enabled National Treatment Equitable Resource Supplement for Mental Health Act of 2023 - BILLS-118hr733ih | Content Details | GovInfo
secondary · model gpt-5.5 · confidence 95%

verified · Source version 80885 · locator 3203

Dr. Elnahal unveiled plans for the new Morris County “CAP” along with a new Vet Center Outstation in Warren County.

Fetched verbatim passage. AI summary (separate from source): VA announced district-area Vet Center access expansions in 2024, which partially advanced access but did not deliver the national census/VA-data mandate.

partial same_term

New Federal Veteran Access Point Opening in Morris County – Morris County, NJ
secondary · model gpt-5.5 · confidence 86%

unverified · Source version 80887 · locator unknown

RCS will increase access to care by opening a Vet Center in Fredericksburg, VA and Vet Center Outstations in Hackettstown, NJ; Leesburg, VA; and Saipan, CNMI.

Unverified model/legacy excerpt; not proof. AI summary (separate from source): VA planned additional Vet Center and outstation openings, including Hackettstown, indicating partial access expansion but not completion of the promised nationwide standard.

partial later_term

2026-Volume-2-Medical-Programs.pdf
secondary · model gpt-5.5 · confidence 80%