{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://hayes.house.gov/media/press-releases/hayes-sponsored-legislation-improve-mental-health-care-veterans-included-0", "HAYES-SPONSORED LEGISLATION TO IMPROVE MENTAL HEALTH CARE FOR VETERANS INCLUDED IN LEGISLATION SIGNED BY THE PRESIDENT", "2020-10-26", "2020", "2020-10", "Democrat", "House", "CT", "Jahana Hayes", "H001081", "hayes.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Legislation introduced by Congresswoman Jahana Hayes (CT-05)to strengthen mental health care for veterans was signed into law by the President of the United States. The bipartisanVA Mental Health Staffing Actand provisions from theVA Mental Health Counseling Act were included in the CommanderJohn Scott Hannon Veterans Mental Health Care Improvement Act, Public Law 116-171.\nTheCommander JSH Veterans Mental Health Care Improvement Actis a comprehensive approach to bolster mental health care for veterans and address veteran suicide,said Congresswoman Jahana Hayes.Too many veterans, in Connecticut and across the country, do not have access to affordable and effective mental health care and this bill addresses that issue.\nSocial isolation and anxiety has worsened for many veterans and their families as a result ofthe Coronavirus pandemic. While this legislation ensures critical care and services that will support veterans, my hope is this law will serve as an indication to our veterans and service members that they are not alone. This legislation aims to reach every veteran, including those who live in rural and hard-to-reach areas.\nWith this legislation we are taking another step to provide veterans with greater and earlier access to mental health care and end veteran suicide.\n###\nRep. Jahana Hayes has been a public school teacher in Connecticut for more than 15 yearsand was recognized in 2016 as the National Teacher of the Year.\nCurrently serving her first term in the U.S. House of Representatives, Rep. Hayes sits on the Committees on Education & Labor and Agriculture and proudly represents Connecticut's 5th District.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://hayes.house.gov/media/press-releases/hayes-sponsored-legislation-improve-mental-health-care-veterans-included-0"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 0.6867269985377789, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}