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Solid Start Act of 2022

Public Law 117-205 · S. 1198 · 117th Congress · began in the Senate

Signed by Joe Biden (D) on Oct 17, 2022 · Armed Forces and National Security

Sponsor: Sen. Maggie Hassan (D-NH)

Cosponsors (5): Sen. Kevin Cramer,

Passage votes

  • HouseMethod not stated
  • SenateUnanimous consent
Data notes

The final version of the law, as each chamber passed it. A chamber that passed it by voice vote or unanimous consent has no count. “Method not stated” means the record does not say how the chamber voted. Where the record has a member-by-member vote, the “Who voted for it” section shows who voted yea.

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Summary

The Congressional Research Service’s plain-language summary of what the law does.

This act permanently authorizes and expands the Solid Start program, which is an outreach program for veterans in their first year of separation from the military.

Specifically, the act requires the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to coordinate with the Department of Defense to

• collect updated contact information during transition classes or separation counseling for members of the Armed Forces who are separating from service;

• explain the existence and purpose of the program;

• call veterans three times within the first year of separation;

• publish information about the program in booklets and on the VA website;

• provide women veterans with information tailored to their health care and benefit needs;

• provide information on access to state and local resources, such as Vet Centers;

• gather and analyze data that assesses the effectiveness of the program;

• ensure calls are tailored to each veteran's needs by conducting quality assurance tests; and

• prioritize outreach to veterans who have accessed mental health resources prior to separation from the Armed Forces.

Under the act, the VA is authorized to (1) encourage members of the Armed Forces to provide additional contact information if they are unreachable following their separation, and (2) follow up on missed phone calls.

Committees

The committees the bill was sent to, and what each did with it.

Data notes

A committee links to its page only where it exists in the current Congress; older and renamed committees are named without a link.

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Related bills

3 bills the Library of Congress relates to this one.

  • H.R. 2819Identical bill

    Solid Start Act of 2021

  • H.Res. 1396Related bill

    Providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 3843) to promote antitrust enforcement and protect competition through adjusting premerger filing fees, and increasing antitrust enforcement resources; providing for conside…

  • S. 1396Related bill

    America’s College Promise Act of 2021

Data notes

Related bills are identified by the Congressional Research Service, the House and the Senate: companion and identical bills, bills with similar text, bills that were folded into this law, and rules that brought it to the floor. A bill that is itself a public law in this site’s data links here; the others link to Congress.gov.

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Timeline

From introduction to signing, newest first: the committees, the floor and the president. 32 actions.

  1. Oct 17, 2022Became lawBecame law · Became Public Law No: 117-205.
  2. Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
  3. FloorFloor · Presented to President.
  4. Sep 29, 2022FloorFloor · Pursuant to section 10 of H. Res. 1396, and the motion offered by Mr. Hoyer, the following bills passed under suspension of the rules: H.R. 1638, as amended; H.R. 3304, as amended; H.R. 4081, as amended; H.R. 4821, as amended; H.R. 6889, as amended; H.R. 6967, as amended; H.R. 8…
  5. FloorFloor · Pursuant to section 10 of H. Res. 1396, and the motion offered by Mr. Hoyer, the following bills passed under suspension of the rules: H.R. 1638, as amended; H.R. 3304, as amended; H.R. 4081, as amended; H.R. 4821, as amended; H.R. 6889, as amended; H.…
  6. FloorFloor · Pursuant to the provisions of H. Res. 1396, proceedings on S. 1198 are considered vacated.
  7. Sep 28, 2022FloorFloor · At the conclusion of debate, the Yeas and Nays were demanded and ordered. Pursuant to the provisions of clause 8, rule XX, the Chair announced that further proceedings on the motion would be postponed.
  8. FloorFloor · DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on S. 1198.
  9. FloorFloor · Considered under suspension of the rules.
  10. FloorFloor · Mr. Takano moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill.
  11. Sep 20, 2022FloorFloor · Held at the desk.
  12. FloorFloor · Message on Senate action sent to the House.
  13. Sep 19, 2022FloorFloor · Passed Senate, under the order of 9/15/22, with an amendment by Unanimous Consent.
  14. FloorFloor · The committee substitute, under the order of 9/15/22, withdrawn by Unanimous Consent.
  15. FloorFloor · Measure laid before Senate by unanimous consent.
  16. FloorFloor · Senate vitiated previous passage, under the order of 9/15/22. (CR S4812)
  17. FloorFloor · Papers returned to Senate
  18. FloorFloor · Message on Senate action sent to the House.
  19. FloorFloor · Senate request return of papers
  20. FloorFloor · UNANIMOUS CONSENT REQUEST RETURN OF PAPERS - That the Secretary of the Senate be directed to request the House of Representatives to return to the Senate the bill (S. 1198) entitled "An Act to amend title 38, United States Code, to improve and expand the Solid State program of t…
  21. Sep 15, 2022FloorFloor · Senate requests return of papers with respect to S. 1198 by Unanimous Consent.
  22. Sep 9, 2022FloorFloor · Held at the desk.
  23. FloorFloor · Received in the House.
  24. Sep 8, 2022FloorFloor · Message on Senate action sent to the House.
  25. FloorFloor · Passed Senate with an amendment by Voice Vote.
  26. Aug 4, 2022CalendarCalendar · Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 478.
  27. CommitteeCommittee · Committee on Veterans' Affairs. Reported by Senator Tester with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. Without written report.
  28. Jul 28, 2021CommitteeCommittee · Committee on Veterans' Affairs. Ordered to be reported without amendment favorably.
  29. Jun 23, 2021CommitteeCommittee · Committee on Veterans' Affairs. Hearings held. Hearings printed: S.Hrg. 117-231.
  30. CommitteeCommittee · Hearings by Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee
Data notes

Every action the Library of Congress lists for the bill, from introduction to signing, plus the dated committee hearings. The source lists many steps twice (the chamber’s own entry and the Library of Congress copy, or a presidential and a became-law entry with the same words); those are shown once. Amendments are listed in their own section.

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Amendments

1 amendment offered to the bill, with the last recorded step of each.

  • S.Amdt. 5505SenateSen. Jon TesterD-MT· offered Sep 19, 2022Agreed to

    In the nature of a substitute.

    Sep 19, 2022: Amendment SA 5505, under the order of 9/15/22, agreed to in Senate by Unanimous Consent.

    Agreed to
Data notes

Amendments offered to this bill in either chamber, as the Library of Congress records them: each with a status read from its last recorded step: agreed to, rejected, withdrawn, ruled out of order, fell with another amendment, or offered with no vote recorded (most Senate amendments are only ever offered). The wording of each amendment is the source’s. Amendments to amendments and amendments to other bills are not listed.

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Official record

The bill’s full text is on Congress.gov. Data through Oct 7, 2026.