[Congressional Bills 115th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 681 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

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115th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                 S. 681

  To amend title 38, United States Code, to improve the benefits and 
   services provided by the Department of Veterans Affairs to women 
                   veterans, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             March 21, 2017

 Mr. Tester (for himself, Mr. Boozman, Mr. Kaine, Mrs. Gillibrand, Mr. 
 Blumenthal, Mrs. Murray, Ms. Baldwin, Mr. Nelson, Ms. Hassan, and Mr. 
    Schatz) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and 
             referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
  To amend title 38, United States Code, to improve the benefits and 
   services provided by the Department of Veterans Affairs to women 
                   veterans, and for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; TABLE OF CONTENTS.

    (a) Short Title.--This Act may be cited as the ``Deborah Sampson 
Act''.
    (b) Table of Contents.--The table of contents for this Act is as 
follows:

Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents.
                    TITLE I--PEER-TO-PEER ASSISTANCE

Sec. 101. Pilot program on peer-to-peer assistance for women veterans.
Sec. 102. Expansion of capabilities of Women Veterans Call Center to 
                            include text messaging.
Sec. 103. Provision of reintegration and readjustment services to 
                            veterans and family members in group 
                            retreat settings.
                TITLE II--LEGAL AND SUPPORTIVE SERVICES

Sec. 201. Department of Veterans Affairs public-private partnership on 
                            legal services for women veterans.
Sec. 202. Additional amount for Supportive Services for Veteran 
                            Families grant program to support 
                            organizations that have a focus on 
                            providing assistance to women veterans and 
                            their families.
                        TITLE III--NEWBORN CARE

Sec. 301. Extension of period of eligibility for care for newborn 
                            children from the Department of Veterans 
                            Affairs.
Sec. 302. Source of amounts for medically necessary travel paid by the 
                            Department of Veterans Affairs in 
                            connection with care for newborn children.
                TITLE IV--ELIMINATING BARRIERS TO ACCESS

Sec. 401. Women Veterans Retrofit Initiative.
Sec. 402. Staffing of women's health primary care providers at medical 
                            facilities of the Department of Veterans 
                            Affairs.
Sec. 403. Staffing of Women Veteran Program Manager program at medical 
                            centers of the Department of Veterans 
                            Affairs.
Sec. 404. Additional funding for primary care and emergency care 
                            clinicians in Women Veterans Health Care 
                            Mini-Residency Program.
                 TITLE V--DATA COLLECTION AND REPORTING

Sec. 501. Requirement for collection and analysis of data on Department 
                            of Veterans Affairs benefits and services 
                            and disaggregation of such data by sex and 
                            minority status.
Sec. 502. Report on availability of prosthetics for women veterans from 
                            the Department of Veterans Affairs.
Sec. 503. Requirement for Department of Veterans Affairs Internet 
                            website to provide information on services 
                            available to women veterans.
Sec. 504. Sense of Congress on changing motto of Department of Veterans 
                            Affairs to be more inclusive.

                    TITLE I--PEER-TO-PEER ASSISTANCE

SEC. 101. PILOT PROGRAM ON PEER-TO-PEER ASSISTANCE FOR WOMEN VETERANS.

    (a) Pilot Program Required.--Commencing not later than January 1, 
2018, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall carry out a pilot program 
to assess the feasibility and advisability of facilitating peer-to-peer 
assistance for women veterans, including those who are separating or 
newly separated from service in the Armed Forces.
    (b) Peer-to-Peer Assistance.--Peer-to-peer assistance under the 
pilot program shall consist of the following:
            (1) Provision of information about services and benefits 
        provided under laws administered by the Secretary of Veterans 
        Affairs.
            (2) Employment mentoring.
    (c) Duration.--The Secretary shall carry out the pilot program 
during the three-year period beginning on the date of the commencement 
of the pilot program.
    (d) Emphasis.--In carrying out the pilot program, the Secretary 
shall emphasize facilitating peer-to-peer assistance for women 
described in subsection (a) who suffered sexual trauma while serving in 
the Armed Forces, have post-traumatic stress disorder or suffer from 
another mental health condition, or are otherwise at risk of becoming 
homeless.
    (e) Outreach.--As part of the pilot program, the Secretary shall 
conduct a program of outreach to inform women veterans about the pilot 
program and the assistance available under the pilot program.
    (f) Training.--As part of the pilot program, the Secretary may 
conduct training for peer counselors and develop training materials for 
peer counselors.
    (g) Coordination.--
            (1) With government and community organizations.--Under the 
        pilot program, the Secretary shall facilitate engagement and 
        coordination with such community organizations, State and local 
        governments, institutions of higher education, chambers of 
        commerce, local business organizations, organizations that 
        provide legal assistance, and other organizations as the 
        Secretary considers appropriate to facilitate the transition of 
        women described in subsection (a) into their communities.
            (2) With transition assistance program.--To the degree 
        practicable, the Secretary shall coordinate facilitation of 
        assistance under the pilot program with the program carried out 
        under section 1144 of title 10, United States Code.
    (h) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be 
appropriated to the Secretary such funds as may be necessary to carry 
out the pilot program.

SEC. 102. EXPANSION OF CAPABILITIES OF WOMEN VETERANS CALL CENTER TO 
              INCLUDE TEXT MESSAGING.

    The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall expand the capabilities of 
the Women Veterans Call Center of the Department of Veterans Affairs to 
include a text messaging capability.

SEC. 103. PROVISION OF REINTEGRATION AND READJUSTMENT SERVICES TO 
              VETERANS AND FAMILY MEMBERS IN GROUP RETREAT SETTINGS.

    (a) In General.--Section 1712A of title 38, United States Code, is 
amended--
            (1) in subsection (a)(1)(B)--
                    (A) in clause (ii), by redesignating subclauses (I) 
                and (II) as items (aa) and (bb);
                    (B) by redesignating clauses (i) and (ii) as 
                subclauses (I) and (II);
                    (C) in the matter preceding subclause (I), as 
                redesignated by subparagraph (B), by striking 
                ``Counseling'' and inserting ``(i) Counseling''; and
                    (D) by adding at the end the following new clause:
    ``(ii)(I) Except as provided in subclause (IV), counseling 
furnished to an individual under subparagraph (A) may include 
reintegration and readjustment services described in subclause (II) 
furnished in group retreat settings.
    ``(II) Reintegration and readjustment services described in this 
subclause are the following:
            ``(aa) Information on reintegration of the individual into 
        family, employment, and community.
            ``(bb) Financial counseling.
            ``(cc) Occupational counseling.
            ``(dd) Information and counseling on stress reduction.
            ``(ee) Information and counseling on conflict resolution.
            ``(ff) Such other information and counseling as the 
        Secretary considers appropriate to assist the individual in 
        reintegration into family, employment, and community.
    ``(III) In furnishing reintegration and readjustment services under 
subclause (I), the Secretary shall offer women the opportunity to 
receive such services in group retreat settings in which the only 
participants are women.
    ``(IV) An individual referred to in subparagraph (C)(v) may receive 
reintegration and readjustment services under subclause (I) only if the 
individual receives such services with a family member described in 
subclause (I) or (II) of such subparagraph.''.
    (b) Request for Services.--Subsection (a)(2) of such section is 
amended--
            (1) by striking ``Upon'' and inserting ``(A) Upon'';
            (2) by striking ``paragraph (1)(B)'' and inserting 
        ``paragraph (1)(B)(i)''; and
            (3) by adding at the end the following new subparagraph:
    ``(B) Upon the request of an individual described in paragraph 
(1)(C), the Secretary shall furnish the individual reintegration and 
readjustment services in group retreat settings under paragraph 
(1)(B)(ii).''.

                TITLE II--LEGAL AND SUPPORTIVE SERVICES

SEC. 201. DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP ON 
              LEGAL SERVICES FOR WOMEN VETERANS.

    (a) Partnership Required.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall 
establish a partnership with at least one nongovernmental organization 
to provide legal services to women veterans.
    (b) Focus.--The focus of the partnership established under 
subsection (a) shall be on the 10 highest unmet needs of women veterans 
as set forth in the most recently completed Community Homelessness 
Assessment, Local Education and Networking Groups for Veterans (CHALENG 
for Veterans) survey.

SEC. 202. ADDITIONAL AMOUNT FOR SUPPORTIVE SERVICES FOR VETERAN 
              FAMILIES GRANT PROGRAM TO SUPPORT ORGANIZATIONS THAT HAVE 
              A FOCUS ON PROVIDING ASSISTANCE TO WOMEN VETERANS AND 
              THEIR FAMILIES.

    Section 2044(e) of title 38, United States Code, is amended--
            (1) in paragraph (1)--
                    (A) in subparagraph (E), by striking ``2017'' and 
                inserting ``2016''; and
                    (B) by adding at the end the following new 
                subparagraph:
            ``(F) $340,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2017 and 
        2018.''; and
            (2) by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
    ``(4) Not less than $20,000,000 shall be available under paragraph 
(1)(F) for the provision of financial assistance under subsection (a) 
to organizations that have a focus on providing assistance to women 
veterans and their families.''.

                        TITLE III--NEWBORN CARE

SEC. 301. EXTENSION OF PERIOD OF ELIGIBILITY FOR CARE FOR NEWBORN 
              CHILDREN FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS.

    Section 1786(a) of title 38, United States Code, is amended, in the 
matter preceding paragraph (1), by striking ``seven days'' and 
inserting ``14 days''.

SEC. 302. SOURCE OF AMOUNTS FOR MEDICALLY NECESSARY TRAVEL PAID BY THE 
              DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS IN CONNECTION WITH CARE 
              FOR NEWBORN CHILDREN.

    Section 1786 of title 38, United States Code, is amended by adding 
at the end the following new subsection:
    ``(c) Source of Amounts for Travel.--Amounts paid by the Department 
for medically necessary travel in connection with health care services 
furnished under this section shall be derived from the Medical Services 
appropriations account of the Department.''.

                TITLE IV--ELIMINATING BARRIERS TO ACCESS

SEC. 401. WOMEN VETERANS RETROFIT INITIATIVE.

    (a) In General.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall retrofit 
existing medical facilities of the Department of Veterans Affairs with 
fixtures, materials, and other outfitting measures to support the 
provision of care to women veterans at such facilities.
    (b) Plan.--Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment 
of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Veterans' 
Affairs of the Senate and the Committee on Veterans' Affairs of the 
House of Representatives a plan to address deficiencies in environment 
of care for women veterans at medical facilities of the Department.
    (c) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be 
appropriated to the Secretary $20,000,000 to carry out subsection (a) 
in addition to amounts otherwise made available to the Secretary for 
the purposes set forth in such subsection.

SEC. 402. STAFFING OF WOMEN'S HEALTH PRIMARY CARE PROVIDERS AT MEDICAL 
              FACILITIES OF THE DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS.

    The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall ensure that each medical 
facility of the Department of Veterans Affairs has not fewer than one 
full-time or part-time women's health primary care provider whose 
duties include, to the extent possible, providing training to other 
health care providers of the Department on the needs of women veterans.

SEC. 403. STAFFING OF WOMEN VETERAN PROGRAM MANAGER PROGRAM AT MEDICAL 
              CENTERS OF THE DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS.

    (a) In General.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall ensure 
that the Women Veteran Program Manager program of the Department of 
Veterans Affairs is supported at each medical center of the Department 
with a Women Veteran Program Manager and a Women Veteran Program 
Ombudsman.
    (b) Training.--The Secretary shall ensure that the staff required 
under subsection (a) receive the proper training to carry out their 
duties.

SEC. 404. ADDITIONAL FUNDING FOR PRIMARY CARE AND EMERGENCY CARE 
              CLINICIANS IN WOMEN VETERANS HEALTH CARE MINI-RESIDENCY 
              PROGRAM.

    (a) In General.--There is authorized to be appropriated to the 
Secretary of Veterans Affairs $1,000,000 for each fiscal year for the 
Women Veterans Health Care Mini-Residency Program of the Department of 
Veterans Affairs to provide opportunities for participation in such 
program for primary care and emergency care clinicians.
    (b) Treatment of Amounts.--The amounts authorized to be 
appropriated under subsection (a) shall be in addition to amounts 
otherwise made available to the Secretary for the purposes set forth in 
such subsection.

                 TITLE V--DATA COLLECTION AND REPORTING

SEC. 501. REQUIREMENT FOR COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS OF DATA ON DEPARTMENT 
              OF VETERANS AFFAIRS BENEFITS AND SERVICES AND 
              DISAGGREGATION OF SUCH DATA BY SEX AND MINORITY STATUS.

    The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall--
            (1) collect and analyze data on each program of the 
        Department of Veterans Affairs that provides a service or 
        benefit to a veteran, including the program carried out under 
        section 1144 of title 10, United States Code;
            (2) disaggregate such data by sex and minority status, when 
        the data lends itself to such disaggregation; and
            (3) publish the data collected and analyzed under paragraph 
        (1), except for such cases in which the Secretary determines 
        that some portions of the data would undermine the anonymity of 
        a veteran.

SEC. 502. REPORT ON AVAILABILITY OF PROSTHETICS FOR WOMEN VETERANS FROM 
              THE DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS.

    Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this 
Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall submit to the Committee on 
Veterans' Affairs of the Senate and the Committee on Veterans' Affairs 
of the House of Representatives a report on the availability from the 
Department of Veterans Affairs of prosthetics made for women veterans, 
including an assessment of the availability of such prosthetics at each 
medical facility of the Department.

SEC. 503. REQUIREMENT FOR DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS INTERNET 
              WEBSITE TO PROVIDE INFORMATION ON SERVICES AVAILABLE TO 
              WOMEN VETERANS.

    (a) In General.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall survey the 
Internet websites and information resources of the Department of 
Veterans Affairs in effect on the day before the date of the enactment 
of this Act and publish an Internet website that serves as a 
centralized source for the provision to women veterans of information 
about the benefits and services available to them under laws 
administered by the Secretary.
    (b) Elements.--The Internet website published under subsection (a) 
shall provide to women veterans information regarding all of the 
services available in the district in which that the veteran is seeking 
such services, including, with respect to each medical center and 
community-based outpatient clinic in the applicable Veterans Integrated 
Service Network--
            (1) the name and contact information of each women's health 
        coordinator;
            (2) a list of appropriate staff for other benefits 
        available from the Veterans Benefits Administration, the 
        National Cemetery Administration, and such other entities as 
        the Secretary considers appropriate; and
            (3) such other information as the Secretary considers 
        appropriate.
    (c) Updated Information.--The Secretary shall ensure that the 
information described in subsection (b) that is published on the 
Internet website required by subsection (a) is updated not less 
frequently than once every 90 days.
    (d) Outreach.--In carrying out this section, the Secretary shall 
ensure that the outreach conducted under section 1720F(i) of title 38, 
United States Code, includes information regarding the Internet website 
required by subsection (a).
    (e) Derivation of Funds.--Amounts used by the Secretary to carry 
out this section shall be derived from amounts made available to the 
Secretary to publish Internet websites of the Department.

SEC. 504. SENSE OF CONGRESS ON CHANGING MOTTO OF DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS 
              AFFAIRS TO BE MORE INCLUSIVE.

    In is the sense of Congress that the Secretary of Veterans Affairs 
should change the motto of the Department of Veterans Affairs to be 
more inclusive.
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