Bipartisan Senate Bill Would Expand Mental Health Services for Military Families

May 2, 2023

Sens. Jon Ossoff (D-Ga.) and Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.) introduced legislation last week that “will allow the Secretary of Defense to waive out-of-pocket expenses for military families on TRICARE for their first three outpatient mental health visits per year, lowering costs and helping families access the treatment they need,” according to a joint press release.

“Our bipartisan bill will expand free access to counseling and mental health services for military families, who make great sacrifices for our nation, endure great stress in so doing, and deserve nothing less than the care they need when they need it,” Ossoff said.

Ossoff and Cramer worked together last year to get similar legislation enacted to help veterans access mental health treatment, Cramer noted in the release.

“These men and women have bravely served our country and have gone above and beyond the call of duty to keep our country safe,” Cramer said. “It is only right we break down these barriers for our active duty as well.”

Marine Corps photo by Nathan Hanks

May 2, 2023

Recent News

New Guidance on DOD Civilian Hiring Freeze

New Guidance on DOD Civilian Hiring Freeze

The heads of the military services may now ask for exemptions to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s blanket hiring freeze for all civilian positions, according to a new memo. “While the Department remains under the hiring freeze, DOD will only hire mission-essential...

Military Reopens Recruitment Test Sites

Military Reopens Recruitment Test Sites

The sites across the country where military recruits take the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery test are open again. They had been briefly closed because of sweeping DOGE cuts, as Task & Purpose reported. DOGE leaders had deemed that military officials’...

Navy Destroyer Deployed in Immigration Policy Push

Navy Destroyer Deployed in Immigration Policy Push

In an unusual move, the Trump administration has deployed Navy Destroyer USS Gravely from Naval Weapons Station Yorktown, Virginia as part of its military buildup on and near the Mexico border, as Military.com reported. “Gravely’s sea-going capacity improves our...

Shutdown Averted; Leaders to Discuss Budget at Summit

Shutdown Averted; Leaders to Discuss Budget at Summit

President Trump signed a stopgap spending bill Saturday that kept the government open and operating at fiscal year 2024 spending levels through September, the end of fiscal year 2025. The bill provides a small boost for defense spending and secures funding for a...

Feinberg Confirmed as Deputy Secretary

Feinberg Confirmed as Deputy Secretary

Stephen Feinberg was confirmed by the Senate Friday to become deputy secretary of defense. “His appointment is well-deserved, and he’s the right man for the job, the stakes couldn’t be higher. Let’s get to work,” Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said, according to a DOD...

PAST STORIES