EXPANSION OF ELIGIBILITY FOR READJUSTMENT COUNSELING AND CERTAIN RELATED COUNSELING SERVICES.

SEC. 331. EXPANSION OF ELIGIBILITY FOR READJUSTMENT COUNSELING AND CERTAIN RELATED COUNSELING SERVICES. (a) Expansion of Eligibility.—Subsection (a) of section 1712A is amended to read as follows: “(a)(1)(A) Upon the request of any veteran referred to in subparagraph (B), the Secretary shall furnish counseling to the veteran to assist the veteran in readjusting to civilian life. Such counseling may include a general mental and psychological assessment of the veteran to ascertain whether such veteran has mental or psychological problems associated with readjustment to civilian life. “(B) Subparagraph (A) applies to the following veterans: “(i) Any veteran who served on active duty— “(I) in a theater of combat operations (as determined by the Secretary in consultation with the Secretary of Defense) during the Vietnam era; or “(II) after May 7, 1975, in an area at a time during which hostilities occurred in that area. “(ii) Any veteran (other than a veteran covered by clause (i)) who served on active duty during the Vietnam era who seeks or is furnished such counseling before January 1, 2000. “(2)(A) Upon the request of any veteran (other than a veteran covered by paragraph (1)) who served in the active military, naval, or air service in a theater of combat operations (as so determined) during a period of war, or in any other area during a period in which hostilities (as defined in subparagraph (B)) occurred in such area, the Secretary may furnish counseling to the veteran to assist the veteran in readjusting to civilian life. “(B) For the purposes of subparagraph (A), the term ‘hostilities’ means an armed conflict in which the members of the Armed Forces are subjected to danger comparable to the danger to which members of the Armed Forces have been subjected in combat with enemy armed forces during a period of war, as determined by the Secretary in consultation with the Secretary of Defense”. 110 STAT. 3198 (b) Repeal of Referral Provisions.—Subsection (c) of such section is repealed.