Servicemembers and Veterans Empowerment and Support Act of 2021
Latest action · Nov 2, 2021 Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.
Progress
Where this bill reached, and when. A stage with no date was not reached; one that failed a vote and later carried shows the date it carried.
- IntroducedOct 21, 2021
- Passed HouseNot reached
- Passed SenateNot reached
- To the PresidentNot reached
- Became lawNot reached
Summary
Servicemembers and Veterans Empowerment and Support Act of 2021
This bill modifies and implements policies and procedures related to Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) health care and benefits for veterans who have experienced military sexual trauma (MST), which is generally defined as physical assault of a sexual nature, battery of a sexual nature, or sexual harassment that occurred while the veteran was serving in the military.
The VA must revise its regulations to update the definition of MST to include matters relating to technological abuse.
In the case of any veteran who claims that a covered mental health condition (e.g., post-traumatic stress disorder) based on MST was incurred or aggravated by active service, the VA must accept specified diagnoses and evidence as proof of service-connection.
The VA may not deny a veteran's claim of compensation for a covered mental health condition based on MST without first (1) advising the veteran that nonmilitary evidence and behavioral evidence may constitute credible corroborating evidence, and (2) allowing the veteran an opportunity to furnish the corroborating evidence or advise the VA of potential sources of such evidence.
The Veterans Benefits Administration must conduct an annual special focus review on the accuracy of the processing of claims for disability compensation for disabilities relating to MST.
Additionally, the bill (1) expands access to mental health care at VA facilities for survivors of MST, and (2) requires the VA and the Government Accountability Office to report on access to such care for MST survivors.
Cosponsors 21
Members who signed on, in the order they did. Signatures ran from Oct 21, 2021 to Sep 30, 2022; 9 are original cosponsors, there from the day it was introduced.
| Seat | Cosponsor | Signed on | |
|---|---|---|---|
| D-NH | Ann M. Kuster | Original | Oct 21, 2021 |
| D-IL | Bobby L. Rush | Original | Oct 21, 2021 |
| D-MI | Debbie Dingell | Original | Oct 21, 2021 |
| D-WA | Derek Kilmer | Original | Oct 21, 2021 |
| D-NV | Dina Titus | Original | Oct 21, 2021 |
| D-DC | Eleanor Holmes Norton | Original | Oct 21, 2021 |
| D-MA | James P. McGovern | Original | Oct 21, 2021 |
| D-CA | Julia Brownley | Original | Oct 21, 2021 |
| D-WA | Suzan K. DelBene | Original | Oct 21, 2021 |
| D-NH | Chris Pappas | Feb 8, 2022 | |
| D-WI | Ron Kind | Mar 3, 2022 | |
| D-MP | Gregorio Kilili Camacho Sablan | Mar 16, 2022 | |
| D-CO | Joe Neguse | Mar 16, 2022 | |
| D-GA | Carolyn Bourdeaux | May 3, 2022 | |
| D-CO | Ed Perlmutter | May 3, 2022 | |
| D-CA | Juan Vargas | May 3, 2022 | |
| D-PA | Madeleine Dean | May 11, 2022 | |
| D-MI | Rashida Tlaib | May 11, 2022 | |
| D-CA | Mike Levin | Jul 20, 2022 | |
| D-NJ | Tom Malinowski | Jul 20, 2022 | |
| D-CO | Diana DeGette | Sep 30, 2022 |
Committees 2
Where it was sent and what each committee and subcommittee did with it, in order.
| Chamber | Committee | What it did |
|---|---|---|
| House | Veterans' Affairs Committee | Referred Oct 21, 2021 |
| Health Subcommittee | Referred Nov 2, 2021 | |
| House | Armed Services Committee | Referred Oct 21, 2021 |
Actions 3
Everything that happened, newest first.
- Nov 2, 2021Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.
- Oct 21, 2021Introduced in House
- Oct 21, 2021Referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs, and in addition to the Committee on Armed Services, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Research
What has been written about this bill: committee reports, cost estimates, the sponsor’s authority statement, printed hearings and the Congressional Research Service’s work.
Constitutional authority
The sponsor’s statement, as printed in the Congressional Record, vol. 167, no. 185, October 21, 2021, page H5792.
Related bills 1
Companion bills and other measures the record links to this one.
| Bill | Title | Relationship | Latest action |
|---|---|---|---|
| S 3025 | Servicemembers and Veterans Empowerment and Support Act of 2021 | Identical bill | Mar 1, 2022 |
Titles 2
Every title it has carried, official and short, at each stage.
- Official Title as Introduced
- To amend title 38, United States Code, to expand health care and benefits from the Department of Veterans Affairs for military sexual trauma, and for other purposes.
- Short Title(s) as Introduced
- Servicemembers and Veterans Empowerment and Support Act of 2021
Subjects
Assigned by the Library of Congress. Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security.
Text 1
Each version as it was printed, newest first.
- Oct 21, 2021Introduced in House
Everything here is as published by Congress: the summary is the Congressional Research Service's, the action wording is the clerks', and the subjects are the Library of Congress's. How far it got is read from the actions themselves, taking the most recent one of each kind, so a bill that failed a vote and later passed is shown as having passed. Records come from this bill on Congress.gov and govinfo.gov; cost estimates are the Congressional Budget Office's, and the hearings are the printed hearings GovInfo publishes, which can appear months after the hearing.
