H.R. 91 would require the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to establish a permanent program that provides counseling in group retreat settings to certain women veterans who have recently separated from military service. The bill also would require the VA to submit to the Congress a biennial report on the outcomes of the program.
VA is completing the final year of a pilot program that provides similar services to women veterans. According to VA, roughly 270 women participated in the program at 12 retreats over the 2011-2016 period at an average cost of $3,400 per participant. On the basis of information from VA, CBO expects that the department would use the authority provided under H.R. 91 to hold six retreats a year. CBO estimates that implementing this program would cost $3 million over the 2018-2022 period after accounting for anticipated inflation; such spending would be subject to the availability of appropriated funds.
Enacting the legislation would not affect direct spending or revenues; therefore, pay-as-you-go procedures do not apply. CBO estimates that enacting H.R. 91 would not increase net direct spending or on-budget deficits in any of the four consecutive 10-year periods beginning in 2028.
