A new Senate bill is being introduced that would encourage research into the therapeutic potential of psychedelics, create a new office at the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to develop innovative treatments for serious mental health illnesses, and help review the scheduling status of drugs like psilocybin, ibogaine and MDMA.

The legislation, titled the “Veterans Health Administration New Therapeutics Training Act,” is sponsored by Senator Tim Sheehy (R-MT). According to bill text obtained by Marijuana Moment, it would direct the VA to take steps to ease studies on psychedelics and other emerging therapies.

This is one of the latest examples of Congressional efforts to encourage scientific research on psychedelics, focusing on military veterans with conditions such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), treatment-resistant depression, substance use disorder, traumatic brain injury (TBI), chronic pain, and more.

The bill is expected to be formally introduced on Wednesday, according to a source familiar with the planning. Marijuana Moment reached out to Sheehy’s office for comment, but a representative was not immediately available.

“Ongoing therapeutic interventions, including some psychedelic-assisted therapies, that have been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration since the enactment of this Act could significantly change the landscape of treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, and other mental health conditions affecting veterans,” the bill finds.

“The administration of certain emerging therapies may require intensive clinical engagement, interdisciplinary teams, dedicated clinical space, structured preparation and post-treatment integration that differ significantly from traditional outpatient mental health services,” he continues, adding that the VA is “uniquely positioned to provide comprehensive veteran-centered care that combines mental health, medical health services and support into a single system.”

That’s the only explicit mention of “psychedelics” in the legislation, and it doesn’t list the specific psychedelic substances that would be prioritized for research, but that’s a common feature of recent bills on the subject, with many other examples using catchy terminology, such as innovative or novel treatments or therapies that effectively serve as “substitutes for psychedelics.”

The measure would establish a new Office of New Therapeutics under the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) to facilitate research initiatives. Studies examining alternative treatments would focus on substances such as psychedelics that are being considered for approval by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

“In the absence of centralized governance and implementation planning, the Department may experience delays, safety risks, or inconsistent access following regulatory approval of these therapies,” the bill’s findings section says. “Establishing a dedicated Office of New Therapeutics will enable the Department to proactively evaluate, research and implement emerging treatment modalities consistent with patient safety and evidence-based practice.”

There would be at least one “Center of Excellence” in each VA regional district to help develop a national model for the program facilitation initiative. A Veterans Advisory Board, made up of veterans, experts and health professionals, would be created to advise on issues such as access barriers and safety protocols.

VA should also coordinate with other federal agencies—including the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), FDA, Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services (CMS), Department of Defense (DOD), and Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)—to explore regulatory issues, possible rescheduling action for new therapies, and resources to provide psychiatric health care access and treatment.

The VA should provide annual reports to Congress to update lawmakers on its progress. Within 180 days of the bill’s passage, the department would have to report on practical issues, such as staffing needs and regulatory hurdles.

The bill is somewhat Similar intent to another bipartisan measure introduced earlier this monthSponsored by Senators Ruben Gallego (D-AZ) and David McCormick (R-PA), it would provide $30 million in annual funding to establish psychedelic-focused “centers of excellence” at VA facilities where veterans can receive innovative treatments involving substances such as psilocybin, MDMA and ibogaine.

Supplemental version of the house bill—Sponsored by the Chair of the Congressional Psychedelics Advancing Therapies (PATH) Caucus Reps. Lou Correa (D-CA) and Jack Bergman (R-MI)—were introduced last year, but have yet to advance in the House. The measures of the House and Senate are very similar, with minor format differences.

Lawmakers and advocates supporting those reform bills have allies in senior Trump administration positions, including VA Secretary Doug Collins and Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. Secretary of HHS, both of whom have endorsed psychedelic policy reform.

Kennedy recently told Joe Rogan on a podcast episode The administration is “very keen” to create a pathway for novel therapies and that federal agency officials want to “get the public up to speed as quickly as possible.”

Multiple veterans groups also recently advised lawmakers in Congress about the need continue to explore psychedelics and marijuana as alternative treatments At hearings on Capitol Hill for the military veteran population. The Wounded Warrior Project (WWP) and Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) specifically cited the Innovative Therapy Centers of Excellence Act as an example of a reform they are supporting.

Correa and Bergman, the sponsors of this legislation, submitted separately in January also to promote research into the therapeutic potential of certain psychedelics in the treatment of serious mental health conditions experienced by veterans.

January’s bipartisan pair also discussed it the importance of strategically advancing psychedelic reform in a way that mitigates bureaucratic conflict and the influence of external interests. They said even a single mistake could threaten to turn the movement upside down.

Last year, VA Secretary He proclaimed his mission to promote access to psychedelics for veterans with serious mental health conditions, it was possible to say that it “opened that door wider than most probably thought”. The department came under fire in 2024 after rejecting an organization’s grant application It helps connect veterans to programs overseas where they can receive psychedelic therapy to treat serious mental health conditions.

Meanwhile, in November, Kennedy, Vice President JD Vance, FDA Commissioner and other Trump administration officials attended the “Make America Healthy Again” summit. it was a session dedicated to studying psychedelic medicine.

In June, Kennedy said that his agency “Fully committed” to expanding research into the benefits of psychedelic therapy. and, along with the head of the FDA, aims to give military veterans legal access to these substances “within 12 months.”

The secretary also said that in April He had a “wonderful experience” with LSD at the age of 15He took it because he thought they would be able to see dinosaurs, as depicted in a comic he was a fan of.

Last October, Kennedy specifically criticized the FDA under the previous administration for the agency’s “eradication of psychedelics” and a laundry list of other issues that he said was a “war on public health” that would end under the Trump administration.

read it the text Under the Veterans Health Administration’s New Therapeutics Training Act: