Sgt. Ketchum Rural Veterans Mental Health Act of 2021
Public Law 117-21 · H.R. 2441 · 117th Congress · began in the House
Signed by Joe Biden (D) on Jun 30, 2021 · Armed Forces and National Security
Sponsor: Rep. Cynthia Axne (D-IA-3)
Cosponsors (37): Rep. Ashley Hinson, Rep. Tim Ryan,
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.
Summary
The Congressional Research Service’s plain-language summary of what the law does.
This bill requires the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), during FY2022, to establish and maintain three new centers of the Rural Access Network for Growth Enhancement (RANGE) Program in areas with interest from personnel and a need for additional mental health care for rural veterans. The RANGE Program serves veterans in rural areas who are experiencing mental illness.
The bill requires the Government Accountability Office to conduct a study and report on whether the VA has sufficient resources to serve rural veterans who need mental health care that is more intensive than traditional outpatient therapy.
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.
Related bills
2 bills the Library of Congress relates to this one.
H.Res. 403Related bill
Providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 1629) to amend the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act with respect to limitations on exclusive approval or licensure of orphan drugs, and for other purposes; providing for…
S. 1468Related bill
Sgt. Ketchum Rural Veterans Mental Health 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.
Timeline
From introduction to signing, newest first: the committees, the floor and the president. 22 actions.
- Jun 30, 2021Became lawBecame law · Became Public Law No: 117-21.
- Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
- FloorFloor · Presented to President.
- Jun 28, 2021FloorFloor · Message on Senate action sent to the House.
- Jun 24, 2021FloorFloor · Passed Senate without amendment by Unanimous Consent.
- CommitteeCommittee · Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs discharged by Unanimous Consent.
- May 19, 2021CommitteeCommittee · Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
- May 18, 2021FloorFloor · Pursuant to section 5 of H. Res. 403, and the motion offered by Mr. Hoyer, the following bills passed under suspension of the rules: H.R. 144, as amended; H.R. 204, as amended; H.R. 210, as amended; H.R. 240; H.R. 707, as amended; H.R. 711, as amended; H.R. 1157, as amended; H.R…
- FloorFloor · Pursuant to section 5 of H. Res. 403, and the motion offered by Mr. Hoyer, the following bills passed under suspension of the rules: H.R. 144, as amended; H.R. 204, as amended; H.R. 210, as amended; H.R. 240; H.R. 707, as amended; H.R. 711, as amended;…
- FloorFloor · Pursuant to the provisions of H. Res. 403, proceedings on H.R. 2441 are considered vacated.
- May 17, 2021FloorFloor · 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.
- FloorFloor · DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 2441.
- FloorFloor · Considered under suspension of the rules.
- FloorFloor · Mr. Takano moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill.
- May 4, 2021CommitteeCommittee · Ordered to be Reported by the Yeas and Nays: 22 - 6.
- CommitteeCommittee · Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
- CommitteeCommittee · Subcommittee on Health Discharged.
- Apr 15, 2021CommitteeCommittee · Subcommittee Hearings Held.
- CommitteeCommittee · Hearings by Health Subcommittee of the House Veterans' Affairs Committee
- Apr 14, 2021CommitteeCommittee · Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.
- Apr 12, 2021CommitteeCommittee · Referred to the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
- IntroducedIntroduced · Introduced in House
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.
Amendments
No amendments to this bill are on record.
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.
Official record
The bill’s full text is on Congress.gov. Data through Oct 7, 2026.