{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://www.ricketts.senate.gov/news/press-releases/ricketts-introduces-package-to-support-servicemembers-veterans/", "Ricketts Introduces Package to Support Servicemembers, Veterans", "2025-11-20", "2025", "2025-11", "Republican", "Senate", "NE", "Pete Ricketts", "R000618", "www.ricketts.senate.gov", "ricketts", "https://www.ricketts.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/?jsf=jet-engine:press-list&pagenum=", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 This week, U.S. Senator Pete Ricketts (R-NE) introduced a package of bills to support servicemembers and veterans. He introduced the Medical Integrity in Necessary Diagnostics (MIND) for Our Veterans Act of 2025 with Elissa Slotkin (D-MI). The bipartisan bill ensures that servicemembers receive effective, evidence-based mental health screenings prior to separation from active duty. Ricketts also introduced the Service Members Tax Relief Act of 2025. The bill would fully exempt active duty and reserve military compensation from federal income taxes.\n\n\u201cOur servicemembers and veterans sacrifice for the country. We owe them more than we can ever repay,\u201d said Ricketts. \u201cThat\u2019s why I\u2019m working to ensure these brave women and men keep all the benefits they earn during military service. We also need to make sure that servicemembers are set up for success when they transition back to civilian life. These bills strengthen our support for Nebraska servicemembers, veterans, and their families.\u201d\n\n\u201cFar too many veterans moving from active duty to civilian status slip through the cracks, said Senator Slotkin. \u201cHaving served alongside our military, I know that our veterans deserve nothing less than the highest medical standards when it comes to their mental health. The MIND Our Veterans Act is about making sure every servicemember gets the mental health care they\u2019ve earned from day one of civilian life.\u201d\n\n\u201cThese bills are in keeping with my commitment to America First principles and advances President Trump\u2019s Peace Through Strength agenda by alleviating the burdens on our service members in some small measure,\u201d said Congressman Abe Hamadeh (R-AZ-8), the House lead of the Service Members Tax Relief Act. \u201cOur service members face high operational demands and cost-of-living pressures that outpace pay tables. So, anything we can cost-effectively do to ease those pressures, should be done. These bills are fiscally conservative in that they offer relief through the tax code instead of new spending. It is a win-win; the exemption instantly improves take-home pay, while helping with recruitment and retention, which in turn keeps our war fighters strong.\u201d\n\nTheMIND Our Veterans Actwould:\n\nMandate that the Department of Defense (DoD) and Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) use only validated, evidence-based tools for screening PTSD, alcohol misuse, and violence risk during the separation process;\n\nEnsures that a drug-use assessment is considered a core part of mental health screening, recognizing the critical connection between substance use and mental health challenges;\n\nDirects Joint Executive Committee of the DoD and VA to oversee validation, implementation, and reporting on all screenings;\n\nRequires DoD to fully implement the improved Separation Health Assessment within 120 days, creating urgency and accountability.\n\nThis bill is endorsed by the American Legion.\n\nBill text can be found here.\n\nThe Service Members Tax Relief Act would:\n\nAmend the Internal Revenue Code to exclude all military compensation from gross income for federal tax purposes;\n\nApply to both active duty and reserve members of the Uniformed Services of the United States;\n\nMaintain that retirement pay and pensions remain taxable under current law to preserve the distinction between active service compensation and post-service retirement benefits;\n\nEnsures that these changes take effect for income earned after the date of enactment.\n\nBackground\n\nMIND Our Veterans Act\n\nEvery year, thousands of servicemembers transition from active duty into veteran status. This transition can bring significant challenges, especially when it comes to mental health. Research consistently shows that recently separated servicemembers face heightened risks of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), substance misuse, depression, and even suicide.\n\nCurrently, the Separation Health Assessment (SHA) lacks a standardized, validated mental health and drug-use screening. This jeopardizes early identification and intervention for servicemembers in crisis, leaving the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to address problems after they have escalated.\n\nService Member Tax Relief Act\n\nServicemembers\u2019 basic pay is fully taxable, along with most forms of special duty pay and bonuses. While certain allowances like housing (BAH), subsistence (BAS), and combat zone pay are excluded, these exemptions only partially ease tax burdens.\n\nWhile some states already exempt portions of military income, the federal tax system continues to treat active duty and reserve military salaries as taxable income. This legislation would recognize the extraordinary service of America\u2019s men and women in uniform by ensuring they keep more of what they earn. This bill would support readiness, recruitment, and retention while honoring the sacrifices servicemembers make every day to defend the United States.\n\nCompanion legislation was introduced in the House by U.S. Representative Abe Hamadeh (R-AZ-8).", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:52:45Z"]], "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://www.ricketts.senate.gov/news/press-releases/ricketts-introduces-package-to-support-servicemembers-veterans/"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 2.1489919163286686, "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"}