Servicemembers and Veterans Empowerment and Support Act of 2025
Latest action · Jul 30, 2025 Committee on Veterans' Affairs. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably.
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.
- IntroducedApr 1, 2025
- Passed SenateNot reached
- Passed HouseNot reached
- To the PresidentNot reached
- Became lawNot reached
Summary
Servicemembers and Veterans Empowerment and Support Act of 2025
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.
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 consider (1) a diagnosis of the condition by a mental health professional, (2) a medically proven link between current symptoms and MST, and (3) credible corroborating evidence that MST occurred.
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 eligibility for MST counseling and treatment to former members of the reserve components regardless of duty status, and (2) requires various outreach by the VA to inform potentially eligible individuals about MST care.
Cosponsors 16
Members who signed on, in the order they did. Signatures ran from Apr 1, 2025 to Nov 9, 2026; 7 are original cosponsors, there from the day it was introduced.
| Seat | Cosponsor | Signed on | |
|---|---|---|---|
| D-MD | Chris Van Hollen | Original | Apr 1, 2025 |
| D-NH | Jeanne Shaheen | Original | Apr 1, 2025 |
| D-PA | John Fetterman | Original | Apr 1, 2025 |
| R-AK | Lisa Murkowski | Original | Apr 1, 2025 |
| D-HI | Mazie K. Hirono | Original | Apr 1, 2025 |
| D-WA | Patty Murray | Original | Apr 1, 2025 |
| D-RI | Sheldon Whitehouse | Original | Apr 1, 2025 |
| D-DE | Christopher A. Coons | Jul 14, 2025 | |
| R-AR | John Boozman | Sep 29, 2025 | |
| D-CO | John W. Hickenlooper | Oct 15, 2025 | |
| D-GA | Jon Ossoff | Oct 27, 2025 | |
| I-ME | Angus S. King Jr. | Jan 14, 2026 | |
| D-NJ | Cory A. Booker | Jan 28, 2026 | |
| D-NY | Kirsten E. Gillibrand | Aug 3, 2026 | |
| D-CA | Adam B. Schiff | Sep 15, 2026 |
Committees 1
Where it was sent and what each committee and subcommittee did with it, in order.
| Chamber | Committee | What it did |
|---|---|---|
| Senate | Veterans' Affairs Committee | Referred Apr 1, 2025Markup Jul 30, 2025 |
Actions 3
Everything that happened, newest first.
- Jul 30, 2025Committee on Veterans' Affairs. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably.
- Apr 1, 2025Introduced in Senate
- Apr 1, 2025Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
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.
Congressional Budget Office cost estimate
- Feb 6, 2026S. 1245, Servicemembers and Veterans Empowerment and Support Act of 2025As ordered reported by the Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs on July 30, 2025
Related bills 1
Companion bills and other measures the record links to this one.
| Bill | Title | Relationship | Latest action |
|---|---|---|---|
| HR 2576 | Servicemembers and Veterans Empowerment and Support Act of 2025 | Identical bill | Apr 9, 2025 |
Titles 2
Every title it has carried, official and short, at each stage.
- Official Title as Introduced
- A bill 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 2025
Subjects
Assigned by the Library of Congress. Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security.
- Advisory bodies
- Armed Forces and National Security
- Assault and harassment offenses
- Congressional oversight
- Crime victims
- Disability assistance
- Employment and training programs
- Evidence and witnesses
- Government information and archives
- Government studies and investigations
- Health care coverage and access
- Mental health
- Sex offenses
- Veterans' medical care
- Veterans' pensions and compensation
Text 1
Each version as it was printed, newest first.
- Apr 1, 2025Introduced in Senate
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.
