# 117-hr-2441: Sgt. Ketchum Rural Veterans Mental Health Act of 2021

117-hr-2441, Sgt. Ketchum Rural Veterans Mental Health Act of 2021, is a 117th Congress bill sponsored by Rep. Axne, Cynthia [D-IA-3] (D-IA); status became_law; PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-01-05).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/legislation/117-hr-2441
- As of: 2026-01-05
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: 117-hr-2441
- Congress: 117
- Title: Sgt. Ketchum Rural Veterans Mental Health Act of 2021
- Status: became_law
- Introduced: 2021-04-12
- Sponsor: Rep. Axne, Cynthia [D-IA-3] (D-IA)
- Cosponsors: 37
- Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security
- Touches household money: yes
- Last recorded action: 2026-01-05

## Summary

**This law expands access to intensive mental health care for rural veterans** by directing the Department of Veterans Affairs to establish three new Rural Access Network for Growth Enhancement (RANGE) centers in areas of need and facility interest. It also requires the Government Accountability Office to study whether VA has enough intensive mental health resources, how best to expand and locate them, demand and average wait times, and deaths by suicide or overdose while veterans are on waitlists, with a report due within 18 months. - Rural veterans: Gain three new RANGE centers targeted to areas of greatest need, aiming to reach veterans who need care beyond traditional outpatient therapy. - VA operations: The Secretary must establish the centers during fiscal year 2022 and the law authorizes $1.2 million per year for each of FY2022–FY2024 to support implementation. - Oversight and planning: The Government Accountability Office will assess the sufficiency and placement of VA’s intensive mental health services, measure demand and wait times, and count suicides or overdoses while veterans wait, then report findings to congressional veterans committees within 18 months. *Authorizes up to $3.6 million over FY2022–FY2024 for the new centers and, if appropriated, would increase federal spending.*

## Cosponsors (37)

- Rep. Hinson, Ashley [R-IA-2] (R-IA), 2021-04-12T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Ryan, Tim [D-OH-13] (D-OH), 2021-04-12T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Miller-Meeks, Mariannette [R-IA-1] (R-IA), 2021-04-12T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Feenstra, Randy [R-IA-4] (R-IA), 2021-04-12T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Case, Ed [D-HI-1] (D-HI), 2021-04-12T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. O'Halleran, Tom [D-AZ-1] (D-AZ), 2021-04-13T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Panetta, Jimmy [D-CA-19] (D-CA), 2021-04-13T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Khanna, Ro [D-CA-17] (D-CA), 2021-04-16T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Katko, John [R-NY-24] (R-NY), 2021-04-16T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Rice, Tom [R-SC-7] (R-SC), 2021-04-16T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Craig, Angie [D-MN-2] (D-MN), 2021-04-22T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Lawson, Al, Jr. [D-FL-5] (D-FL), 2021-04-22T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Valadao, David G. [R-CA-22] (R-CA), 2021-04-30T00:00:00.000Z
- Del. San Nicolas, Michael F. Q. [D-GU-At Large] (D-GU), 2021-04-30T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. McClain, Lisa C. [R-MI-9] (R-MI), 2021-04-30T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Wild, Susan [D-PA-7] (D-PA), 2021-04-30T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Fitzpatrick, Brian K. [R-PA-1] (R-PA), 2021-04-30T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Joyce, David P. [R-OH-14] (R-OH), 2021-05-07T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Kirkpatrick, Ann [D-AZ-1] (D-AZ), 2021-05-07T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Strickland, Marilyn [D-WA-10] (D-WA), 2021-05-07T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. DeFazio, Peter A. [D-OR-4] (D-OR), 2021-05-12T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Delgado, Antonio [D-NY-19] (D-NY), 2021-05-12T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Auchincloss, Jake [D-MA-4] (D-MA), 2021-05-13T00:00:00.000Z
- Resident Commissioner González-Colón, Jenniffer [R-PR-At Large] (R-PR), 2021-05-13T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Kind, Ron [D-WI-3] (D-WI), 2021-05-13T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Omar, Ilhan [D-MN-5] (D-MN), 2021-05-13T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Costa, Jim [D-CA-21] (D-CA), 2021-05-13T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Sherrill, Mikie [D-NJ-11] (D-NJ), 2021-05-13T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Larsen, Rick [D-WA-2] (D-WA), 2021-05-17T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Bustos, Cheri [D-IL-17] (D-IL), 2021-05-17T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Taylor, Van [R-TX-3] (R-TX), 2021-05-17T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Young, Don [R-AK-At Large] (R-AK), 2021-05-17T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Larson, John B. [D-CT-1] (D-CT), 2021-05-17T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Davidson, Warren [R-OH-8] (R-OH), 2021-05-17T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Clyde, Andrew S. [R-GA-9] (R-GA), 2021-05-18T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Harder, Josh [D-CA-9] (D-CA), 2021-05-18T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Schrier, Kim [D-WA-8] (D-WA), 2021-05-18T00:00:00.000Z

## Provisions PRIA read

- More mental health care for rural veterans: benefit, low. The Department of Veterans Affairs must open and run three new centers in fiscal year 2022. These centers give more intensive mental health care than standard outpatient therapy. Locations are chosen based on local need and staff interest. A rural veteran means living in a rural or highly rural are…

## Related bills

- 117-hr-2471: Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2022
- 117-hr-5577: To designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 3900 Crown Road Southwest in Atlanta, Georgia, as the "John R. Lewis Post Office Build…
- 117-hr-3630: Lymphedema Treatment Act
- 117-hr-3577: United States Army Rangers Veterans of World War II Congressional Gold Medal Act
- 117-hr-3642: Harlem Hellfighters Congressional Gold Medal Act
- 117-hr-1916: Ensuring Lasting Smiles Act

## Sources
- [117-hr-2441 on Congress.gov](https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/2441)

## Related
- [117-hr-2471: Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2022](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/117-hr-2471)
- [117-hr-5577: To designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 3900 C…](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/117-hr-5577)
- [117-hr-3630: Lymphedema Treatment Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/117-hr-3630)
- [117-hr-3577: United States Army Rangers Veterans of World War II Congressional Gold Medal Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/117-hr-3577)
- [117-hr-3642: Harlem Hellfighters Congressional Gold Medal Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/117-hr-3642)
- [117-hr-1916: Ensuring Lasting Smiles Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/117-hr-1916)
- [All bills in Congress](https://policyrisk.com/legislation)

Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/legislation/117-hr-2441 (as of 2026-01-05).