[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 514 Reported in Senate (RS)]

<DOC>





                                                       Calendar No. 536
116th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                 S. 514

  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

                           February 14, 2019

Mr. Tester (for himself, Mr. Boozman, Mrs. Capito, Mrs. Blackburn, Ms. 
Stabenow, Mr. Schatz, Ms. Sinema, Ms. Warren, Mr. Menendez, Ms. Hassan, 
 Mr. Reed, Mr. Whitehouse, Ms. Baldwin, Ms. Duckworth, Mr. Blumenthal, 
   Mrs. Shaheen, Mrs. Murray, Ms. Cortez Masto, Mr. Van Hollen, Ms. 
Harris, Mrs. Gillibrand, Mr. Merkley, Mr. Booker, Mr. Casey, Mr. Brown, 
 Mr. Peters, Mrs. Feinstein, Mr. Sanders, Ms. McSally, Mr. Markey, Mr. 
 Sullivan, Mr. King, Ms. Smith, Mr. Kaine, Ms. Hirono, Mr. Moran, Mr. 
 Cramer, Mr. Coons, Ms. Klobuchar, Mr. Cornyn, Mr. Durbin, Mr. Warner, 
   Mr. Jones, Ms. Rosen, Ms. Collins, Mr. Wyden, Ms. Murkowski, Mr. 
 Gardner, Mr. Manchin, and Mr. Bennet) introduced the following bill; 
which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs

                           September 15, 2020

                Reported by Mr. Moran, with an amendment
 [Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed 
                               in italic]

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 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,

<DELETED>SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; TABLE OF CONTENTS.</DELETED>

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

<DELETED>Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents.
         <DELETED>TITLE I--READJUSTMENT AND RELATED ASSISTANCE

<DELETED>Sec. 101. Provision of reintegration and readjustment services 
                            to veterans and family members in group 
                            retreat settings.
<DELETED>Sec. 102. Expansion of capabilities of Women Veterans Call 
                            Center to include text messaging.
            <DELETED>TITLE II--LEGAL AND SUPPORTIVE SERVICES

<DELETED>Sec. 201. Department of Veterans Affairs public-private 
                            partnership on legal services for women 
                            veterans.
<DELETED>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.
<DELETED>Sec. 203. Gap analysis of Department of Veterans Affairs 
                            programs that provide assistance to women 
                            veterans who are homeless.
                    <DELETED>TITLE III--NEWBORN CARE

<DELETED>Sec. 301. Extension of period of eligibility for care for 
                            newborn children from the Department of 
                            Veterans Affairs.
           <DELETED>TITLE IV--ELIMINATING BARRIERS TO ACCESS

<DELETED>Sec. 401. Women Veterans Retrofit Initiative.
<DELETED>Sec. 402. Staffing of women's health primary care providers at 
                            medical facilities of the Department of 
                            Veterans Affairs.
<DELETED>Sec. 403. Additional funding for primary care and emergency 
                            care clinicians in Women Veterans Health 
                            Care Mini-Residency Program.
<DELETED>Sec. 404. Establishment of women veteran training module for 
                            non-Department of Veterans Affairs health 
                            care providers.
<DELETED>Sec. 405. Study on staffing of Women Veteran Program Manager 
                            program at medical centers of the 
                            Department of Veterans Affairs and training 
                            of staff.
            <DELETED>TITLE V--DATA COLLECTION AND REPORTING

<DELETED>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.
<DELETED>Sec. 502. Report on availability of prosthetics for women 
                            veterans from the Department of Veterans 
                            Affairs.
<DELETED>Sec. 503. Requirement for Department of Veterans Affairs 
                            internet website to provide information on 
                            services available to women veterans.
<DELETED>Sec. 504. Report on locations where women veterans are using 
                            health care from Department of Veterans 
                            Affairs.
<DELETED>Sec. 505. Report on models of medical facilities of Department 
                            of Veterans Affairs for the treatment of 
                            women.
<DELETED>Sec. 506. Report on staffing of Department of Veterans 
                            relating to the treatment of women.

    <DELETED>TITLE I--READJUSTMENT AND RELATED ASSISTANCE</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 101. PROVISION OF REINTEGRATION AND READJUSTMENT SERVICES 
              TO VETERANS AND FAMILY MEMBERS IN GROUP RETREAT 
              SETTINGS.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    (a) In General.--Section 1712A of title 38, United States 
Code, is amended--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) in subsection (a)(1)(B)--</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (A) in clause (ii), by redesignating 
                subclauses (I) and (II) as items (aa) and 
                (bb);</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (B) by redesignating clauses (i) and (ii) 
                as subclauses (I) and (II);</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (C) in the matter preceding subclause (I), 
                as redesignated by subparagraph (B), by striking 
                ``Counseling'' and inserting ``(i) Counseling''; 
                and</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (D) by adding at the end the following new 
                clause:</DELETED>
<DELETED>    ``(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.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    ``(II) Reintegration and readjustment services described 
in this subclause are the following:</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(aa) Information on reintegration of the 
        individual into family, employment, and community.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(bb) Financial counseling.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(cc) Occupational counseling.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(dd) Information and counseling on stress 
        reduction.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(ee) Information and counseling on conflict 
        resolution.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(ff) Such other information and counseling as 
        the Secretary considers appropriate to assist the individual in 
        reintegration into family, employment, and community.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    ``(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.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    ``(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.''.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (b) Request for Services.--Subsection (a)(2) of such 
section is amended--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) by striking ``Upon'' and inserting ``(A) 
        Upon'';</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) by striking ``paragraph (1)(B)'' and inserting 
        ``paragraph (1)(B)(i)''; and</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (3) by adding at the end the following new 
        subparagraph:</DELETED>
<DELETED>    ``(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).''.</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 102. EXPANSION OF CAPABILITIES OF WOMEN VETERANS CALL 
              CENTER TO INCLUDE TEXT MESSAGING.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    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.</DELETED>

       <DELETED>TITLE II--LEGAL AND SUPPORTIVE SERVICES</DELETED>

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

<DELETED>    (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.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (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.</DELETED>

<DELETED>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.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    Section 2044(e) of title 38, United States Code, is 
amended--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) in paragraph (1), by adding at the end the 
        following new subparagraph:</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(F) $400,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2020 
        through 2022.''; and</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) by adding at the end the following new 
        paragraph:</DELETED>
<DELETED>    ``(4) Not less than $20,000,000 shall be available under 
paragraph (1)(H) for the provision of financial assistance under 
subsection (a) to organizations that have a focus on providing 
assistance to women veterans and their families.''.</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 203. GAP ANALYSIS OF DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS 
              PROGRAMS THAT PROVIDE ASSISTANCE TO WOMEN VETERANS WHO 
              ARE HOMELESS.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    (a) In General.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall 
complete an analysis of programs of the Department of Veterans Affairs 
that provide assistance to women veterans who are homeless or 
precariously housed to identify the areas in which such programs are 
failing to meet the needs of such women.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (b) Report.--Not later than 270 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 report on the analysis completed 
under subsection (a).</DELETED>

               <DELETED>TITLE III--NEWBORN CARE</DELETED>

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

<DELETED>    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''.</DELETED>

      <DELETED>TITLE IV--ELIMINATING BARRIERS TO ACCESS</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 401. WOMEN VETERANS RETROFIT INITIATIVE.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    (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.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (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.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (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.</DELETED>

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

<DELETED>    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.</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 403. ADDITIONAL FUNDING FOR PRIMARY CARE AND EMERGENCY 
              CARE CLINICIANS IN WOMEN VETERANS HEALTH CARE MINI-
              RESIDENCY PROGRAM.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    (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.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (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.</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 404. ESTABLISHMENT OF WOMEN VETERAN TRAINING MODULE FOR 
              NON-DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS HEALTH CARE 
              PROVIDERS.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    (a) In General.--Not later than one year after the date of 
the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall 
establish and make available to community providers a training module 
that is specific to women veterans.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (b) Community Provider Defined.--In this section, the term 
``community provider'' means a non-Department of Veterans Affairs 
health care provider who provides health care to veterans under the 
laws administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs.</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 405. STUDY ON STAFFING OF WOMEN VETERAN PROGRAM MANAGER 
              PROGRAM AT MEDICAL CENTERS OF THE DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS 
              AFFAIRS AND TRAINING OF STAFF.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    (a) Study.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall 
conduct a study on the use of the Women Veteran Program Manager program 
of the Department of Veterans Affairs to determine--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) if the program is appropriately staffed at 
        each medical center of the Department;</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) whether each medical center of the Department 
        is staffed with a Women Veteran Program Manager; and</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (3) whether it would be feasible and advisable to 
        have a Women Veteran Program Ombudsman at each medical center 
        of the Department.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (b) Report.--Not later than 270 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 report on the study conducted under 
subsection (a).</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (c) Training.--The Secretary shall ensure that all Women 
Veteran Program Managers and Women Veteran Program Ombudsmen receive 
the proper training to carry out their duties.</DELETED>

       <DELETED>TITLE V--DATA COLLECTION AND REPORTING</DELETED>

<DELETED>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.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (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;</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) disaggregate such data by sex and minority 
        status, when the data lends itself to such disaggregation; 
        and</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (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.</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 502. REPORT ON AVAILABILITY OF PROSTHETICS FOR WOMEN 
              VETERANS FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS 
              AFFAIRS.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    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.</DELETED>

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

<DELETED>    (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.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (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--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) the name and contact information of each 
        women's health coordinator;</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (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</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (3) such other information as the Secretary 
        considers appropriate.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (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.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (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).</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (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.</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 504. REPORT ON LOCATIONS WHERE WOMEN VETERANS ARE USING 
              HEALTH CARE FROM DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS 
              AFFAIRS.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    (a) In General.--Not later than 90 days after the date of 
the enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter, 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 use by women veterans of health care 
from the Department of Veterans Affairs.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (b) Elements.--Each report required by subsection (a) 
shall include the following information:</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) The number of women veterans who reside in 
        each State.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) The number of women veterans in each State who 
        are enrolled in the system of patient enrollment of the 
        Department established and operated under section 1705(a) of 
        title 38, United States Code.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (3) Of the women veterans who are so enrolled, the 
        number who have received health care under the laws 
        administered by the Secretary at least one time during the one-
        year period preceding the submittal of the report.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (4) The number of women veterans who have been 
        seen at each medical facility of the Department during such 
        year.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (5) The number of appointments that women veterans 
        have had at each such facility during such year.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (6) If known, an identification of the medical 
        facility of the Department in each Veterans Integrated Service 
        Network with the largest rate of increase in patient population 
        of women veterans as measured by the increase in unique women 
        veteran patient use.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (7) If known, an identification of the medical 
        facility of the Department in each Veterans Integrated Service 
        Network with the largest rate of decrease in patient population 
        of women veterans as measured by the decrease in unique women 
        veterans patient use.</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 505. REPORT ON MODELS OF MEDICAL FACILITIES OF DEPARTMENT 
              OF VETERANS AFFAIRS FOR THE TREATMENT OF WOMEN.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    (a) In General.--Not later than 90 days after the date of 
the enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter, 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 use by the Department of Veterans 
Affairs of general primary care clinics, separate but shared spaces, 
and women's health centers as models of providing health care to women 
veterans.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (b) Elements.--Each report required by subsection (a) 
shall include the following:</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) The number of facilities of the Department 
        that fall into each model described in subsection (a), 
        disaggregated by Veterans Integrated Service Network and 
        State.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) A description of the criteria used by the 
        Department to determine which such model is most appropriate 
        for each facility of the Department.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (3) An assessment of how the Department decides to 
        make investments to upgrade facilities to the next higher-level 
        model.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (4) A description of what, if any, plans the 
        Department has to upgrade facilities from the lowest-level 
        model, general primary care clinics, to another 
        model.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (5) An assessment of whether any facilities could 
        be upgraded to the next higher-level model within planned 
        investments under the strategic capital investment planning 
        process of the Department.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (6) An assessment of whether any facilities could 
        be upgraded to the next higher-level model with minor 
        modifications to existing plans under the strategic capital 
        investment planning process of the Department.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (7) An assessment of whether the Department has a 
        goal for how many facilities should fall into each such 
        model.</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 506. REPORT ON STAFFING OF DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS 
              RELATING TO THE TREATMENT OF WOMEN.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    (a) In General.--Not later than 90 days after the date of 
the enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter, 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 staffing of the Department of Veterans 
Affairs relating to the treatment of women.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (b) Elements.--Each report required by subsection (a) 
shall include the following, disaggregated by Veterans Integrated 
Service Network and State (except with respect to paragraph 
(4)):</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) The number of women's health 
        centers.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) The number of patient aligned care teams of 
        the Department relating to women's health.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (3) The number of full- and part-time 
        gynecologists of the Department.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (4) The number of designated women's health care 
        providers of the Department, disaggregated by facility of the 
        Department.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (5) The number of health care providers of the 
        Department who have completed a mini-residency for women's 
        health care through Women Veterans Health Care Mini-Residency 
        Program of the Department during the one-year period preceding 
        the submittal of the report, and the number that plan to 
        participate in such a mini-residency during the one-year period 
        following such date.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (6) The number of designated women's health care 
        providers of the Department who have sufficient female patients 
        to retain their competencies and proficiencies.</DELETED>

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    (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.

   TITLE I--IMPROVING ACCESS FOR WOMEN VETERANS TO THE DEPARTMENT OF 
                            VETERANS AFFAIRS

Sec. 101. Office of Women's Health in Department of Veterans Affairs.
Sec. 102. Women veterans retrofit initiative.
Sec. 103. Establishment of environment of care standards and 
                            inspections at Department of Veterans 
                            Affairs medical centers.
Sec. 104. Provision of reintegration and readjustment services to 
                            veterans and family members in group 
                            retreat settings.
Sec. 105. Provision of legal services for women veterans.
Sec. 106. Comptroller General surveys and report on supportive services 
                            provided for very low-income women 
                            veterans.
Sec. 107. Programs on assistance for child care for certain veterans.
Sec. 108. Availability of prosthetics for women veterans from 
                            Department of Veterans Affairs.
Sec. 109. Requirement to improve Department of Veterans Affairs women 
                            veterans call center.
Sec. 110. Facilitation of reproduction and infertility research.
Sec. 111. Information for members of the Armed Forces regarding 
                            availability of services provided by 
                            Department of Veterans Affairs.
Sec. 112. Sense of Congress on access to facilities of Department of 
                            Veterans Affairs by reservists for 
                            counseling and treatment relating to 
                            military sexual trauma.

             TITLE II--INCREASING STAFF CULTURAL COMPETENCY

Sec. 201. Staffing of women's health primary care providers at medical 
                            facilities of Department of Veterans 
                            Affairs.
Sec. 202. Additional funding for primary care and emergency care 
                            clinicians in Women Veterans Health Care 
                            Mini-Residency Program.
Sec. 203. Establishment of women veteran training module for non-
                            Department of Veterans Affairs health care 
                            providers.
Sec. 204. Study on staffing of women veteran program manager program at 
                            medical centers of Department of Veterans 
                            Affairs and training of staff.
Sec. 205. Study on Women Veteran Coordinator program.
Sec. 206. Staffing improvement plan for peer specialists of Department 
                            of Veterans Affairs who are women.

             TITLE III--ELIMINATING HARASSMENT AND ASSAULT

Sec. 301. Expansion of coverage by Department of Veterans Affairs of 
                            counseling and treatment for sexual trauma.
Sec. 302. Assessment of effects of intimate partner violence on women 
                            veterans by Advisory Committee on Women 
                            Veterans.
Sec. 303. Anti-harassment and anti-sexual assault policy of Department 
                            of Veterans Affairs.
Sec. 304. Pilot program on assisting veterans who experience intimate 
                            partner violence or sexual assault.
Sec. 305. Study and task force on veterans experiencing intimate 
                            partner violence or sexual assault.

                TITLE IV--DATA COLLECTION AND REPORTING

Sec. 401. Requirement for collection and analysis of data on Department 
                            of Veterans Affairs benefits and services 
                            and disaggregation of such data by gender, 
                            race, and ethnicity.
Sec. 402. Study on barriers for women veterans to receipt of health 
                            care from Department of Veterans Affairs.
Sec. 403. Study on feasibility and advisability of offering Parenting 
                            STAIR program at all medical centers of 
                            Department of Veterans Affairs.
Sec. 404. Gap analysis of Department of Veterans Affairs programs that 
                            provide assistance to women veterans who 
                            are homeless.

                       TITLE V--BENEFITS MATTERS

Sec. 501. Standard of proof for service-connection of mental health 
                            conditions related to military sexual 
                            trauma.
Sec. 502. Choice of sex of Department of Veterans Affairs medical 
                            examiner for assessment of claims for 
                            compensation relating to disability 
                            resulting from physical assault of a sexual 
                            nature, battery of a sexual nature, or 
                            sexual harassment.
Sec. 503. Secretary of Veterans Affairs report on implementing 
                            recommendations of Inspector General of 
                            Department of Veterans Affairs in certain 
                            report on denied posttraumatic stress 
                            disorder claims related to military sexual 
                            trauma.

   TITLE I--IMPROVING ACCESS FOR WOMEN VETERANS TO THE DEPARTMENT OF 
                            VETERANS AFFAIRS

SEC. 101. OFFICE OF WOMEN'S HEALTH IN DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS.

    (a) Chief Officer of Women's Health.--Subsection (a) of section 
7306 of title 38, United States Code, is amended--
            (1) by redesignating paragraph (10) as paragraph (11); and
            (2) by inserting after paragraph (9) the following new 
        paragraph (10):
            ``(10) The Chief Officer of Women's Health.''.
    (b) Organization of Office and Annual Reports.--
            (1) In general.--Subchapter I of chapter 73 of title 38, 
        United States Code, is amended by adding at the end of the 
        following new sections:
``Sec. 7310. Office of Women's Health
    ``(a) Establishment.--(1) The Under Secretary for Health shall 
establish and operate in the Veterans Health Administration the Office 
of Women's Health (in this section referred to as the `Office').
    ``(2) The Office shall be located at the Central Office of the 
Department of Veterans Affairs.
    ``(3)(A) The head of the Office is the Chief Officer of Women's 
Health (in this section referred to as the `Chief Officer').
    ``(B) The Chief Officer shall report to the Under Secretary for 
Health.
    ``(4) The Under Secretary for Health shall provide the Office with 
such staff and other support as may be necessary for the Office to 
carry out effectively the functions of the Office under this section.
    ``(5) The Under Secretary for Health may reorganize existing 
offices within the Veterans Health Administration as of the date of the 
enactment of this section in order to avoid duplication with the 
functions of the Office.
    ``(b) Functions.--The functions of the Office include the 
following:
            ``(1) To provide a central office for monitoring and 
        encouraging the activities of the Veterans Health 
        Administration with respect to the provision, evaluation, and 
        improvement of health care services provided to women veterans 
        by the Department.
            ``(2) To develop and implement standards of care for the 
        provision of health care for women veterans by the Department.
            ``(3) To monitor and identify deficiencies in standards of 
        care for the provision of health care for women veterans by the 
        Department, to provide technical assistance to medical 
        facilities of the Department to address and remedy 
        deficiencies, and to perform oversight of implementation of 
        such standards of care.
            ``(4) To monitor and identify deficiencies in standards of 
        care for the provision of health care for women veterans 
        provided through the community pursuant to this title and to 
        provide recommendations to the appropriate office to address 
        and remedy any deficiencies.
            ``(5) To oversee distribution of resources and information 
        related to health programming for women veterans under this 
        title.
            ``(6) To promote the expansion and improvement of clinical, 
        research, and educational activities of the Veterans Health 
        Administration with respect to the health care of women 
        veterans.
            ``(7) To provide, as part of the annual budgeting process, 
        recommendations with respect to the amounts to be requested for 
        furnishing hospital care and medical services to women veterans 
        pursuant to chapter 17 of this title, including, at a minimum, 
        recommendations that ensure that such amounts either reflect or 
        exceed the proportion of veterans enrolled in the system of 
        patient enrollment of the Department established and operated 
        under section 1705(a) of this title who are women.
            ``(8) To provide recommendations to the Under Secretary for 
        Health with respect to modifying the Veterans Equitable 
        Resource Allocation system, or successor system, to ensure that 
        resource allocations under such system, or successor system, 
        reflect the health care needs of women veterans.
            ``(9) To carry out such other duties as the Under Secretary 
        for Health may require.
    ``(c) Recommendations.--(1) If the Under Secretary for Health 
determines not to implement any recommendation made by the Chief 
Officer with respect to the allocation of resources to address the 
health care needs of women veterans, the Secretary shall notify the 
appropriate congressional committees of such determination by not later 
than 30 days after the date on which the Under Secretary for Health 
receives the recommendation.
    ``(2) Each notification under paragraph (1) relating to a 
determination with respect to a recommendation shall include the 
following:
            ``(A) The reasoning of the Under Secretary for Health in 
        making the determination.
            ``(B) An alternative, if one is selected, to the 
        recommendation that the Under Secretary for Health will carry 
        out to fulfill the health care needs of women veterans.
    ``(d) Standards of Care.--For purposes of carrying out the 
functions of the Office under this section, the standards of care for 
the provision of health care for women veterans from the Department 
shall include, at a minimum, the following:
            ``(1) A requirement for--
                    ``(A) at least one designated women's health 
                primary care provider at each medical center of the 
                Department whose duties include, to the extent 
                practicable, providing training to other health care 
                providers of the Department with respect to the needs 
                of women veterans; and
                    ``(B) at least one designated women's health 
                primary care provider at each community-based 
                outpatient clinic of the Department who may serve women 
                patients as a percentage of the total duties of the 
                provider.
            ``(2) Other requirements as determined by the Under 
        Secretary for Health.
    ``(e) Outreach.--The Chief Officer shall ensure that--
            ``(1) not less frequently than biannually, each medical 
        facility of the Department holds a public forum for women 
        veterans that occurs outside of regular business hours; and
            ``(2) not less frequently than quarterly, each medical 
        facility of the Department convenes a focus group of women 
        veterans that includes a discussion of harassment occurring at 
        such facility.
    ``(f) Definitions.--In this section:
            ``(1) The term `appropriate congressional committees' has 
        the meaning given that term in section 7310A(h) of this title.
            ``(2) The term `facility of the Department' has the meaning 
        given the term `facilities of the Department' in section 
        1701(3) of this title.
            ``(3) The term `Veterans Equitable Resource Allocation 
        system' means the resource allocation system established 
        pursuant to section 429 of the Departments of Veterans Affairs 
        and Housing and Urban Development, and Independent Agencies 
        Appropriations Act, 1997 (Public Law 104-204; 110 Stat. 2929).
``Sec. 7310A. Annual reports on women's health
    ``(a) Annual Reports.--Not later than December 1 of each year, the 
Chief Officer of Women's Health shall submit to the appropriate 
congressional committees a report containing the matters under 
subsections (b) through (g).
    ``(b) Office of Women's Health.--Each report under subsection (a) 
shall include a description of--
            ``(1) actions taken by the Office of Women's Health 
        established under section 7310 of this title in the preceding 
        fiscal year to improve the provision of health care by the 
        Department to women veterans;
            ``(2) any identified deficiencies related to the provision 
        of health care by the Department to women veterans and the 
        standards of care established in such section and the plan of 
        the Department to address such deficiencies;
            ``(3) the funding and personnel provided to the Office and 
        whether additional funding or personnel are needed to meet the 
        requirements of such section; and
            ``(4) other information that would be of interest to the 
        appropriate congressional committees with respect to oversight 
        of the provision of health care by the Department to women 
        veterans.
    ``(c) Access to Gender-specific Services.--(1) Each report under 
subsection (a) shall include an analysis of the access of women 
veterans to gender-specific services under contracts, agreements, or 
other arrangements with non-Department medical providers entered into 
by the Secretary for the provision of hospital care or medical services 
to veterans.
    ``(2) The analysis under paragraph (1) shall include data and 
performance measures for the availability of gender-specific services 
described in such paragraph, including--
            ``(A) the average wait time between the preferred 
        appointment date of the veteran and the date on which the 
        appointment is completed;
            ``(B) the average driving time required for veterans to 
        attend appointments; and
            ``(C) reasons why appointments could not be scheduled with 
        non-Department medical providers.
    ``(d) Locations Where Women Veterans Are Using Health Care.--Each 
report under subsection (a) shall include an analysis of the use by 
women veterans of health care from the Department, including the 
following information:
            ``(1) The number of women veterans who reside in each 
        State.
            ``(2) The number of women veterans in each State who are 
        enrolled in the system of patient enrollment of the Department 
        established and operated under section 1705(a) of this title.
            ``(3) Of the women veterans who are so enrolled, the number 
        who have received health care under the laws administered by 
        the Secretary at least one time during the one-year period 
        preceding the submittal of the report.
            ``(4) The number of women veterans who have been seen at a 
        medical facility of the Department during such year, 
        disaggregated by facility.
            ``(5) The number of appointments that women veterans have 
        had at a medical facility of the Department during such year, 
        disaggregated by--
                    ``(A) facility; and
                    ``(B) appointments for--
                            ``(i) primary care;
                            ``(ii) specialty care; and
                            ``(iii) mental health care.
            ``(6) For each appointment type specified in paragraph 
        (5)(B), the number of appointments completed face-to-face and 
        the number completed via telehealth.
            ``(7) If known, an identification of the medical facility 
        of the Department in each Veterans Integrated Service Network 
        with the largest rate of increase in patient population of 
        women veterans as measured by the increase in unique women 
        veteran patient use.
            ``(8) If known, an identification of the medical facility 
        of the Department in each Veterans Integrated Service Network 
        with the largest rate of decrease in patient population of 
        women veterans as measured by the decrease in unique women 
        veteran patient use.
    ``(e) Models of Care.--(1) Each report under subsection (a) shall 
include an analysis of the use by the Department of general primary 
care clinics, separate but shared spaces, and women's health centers as 
delivery of care models for women veterans.
    ``(2) The analysis under paragraph (1) shall include the following:
            ``(A) The number of facilities of the Department that fall 
        into each delivery of care model described in such paragraph, 
        disaggregated by Veterans Integrated Service Network and State.
            ``(B) A description of the criteria used by the Department 
        to determine which such model is most appropriate for each 
        facility of the Department.
            ``(C) An assessment of how the Department decides to make 
        investments to modify facilities to a different model.
            ``(D) A description of what, if any, plans the Department 
        has to modify facilities from general primary care clinics to 
        another model.
            ``(E) An assessment of whether any facilities could be 
        modified to a separate but shared space for a women's health 
        center within planned investments under the strategic capital 
        investment planning process of the Department.
            ``(F) An assessment of whether any facilities could be 
        modified to a separate or shared space or a women's health 
        center with minor modifications to existing plans under the 
        strategic capital investment planning process of the 
        Department.
            ``(G) An assessment of whether the Department has a goal 
        for how many facilities should fall into each such model.
    ``(f) Staffing.--Each report under subsection (a) shall include an 
analysis of the staffing of the Department relating to the treatment of 
women, including the following, disaggregated by Veterans Integrated 
Service Network and State (except with respect to paragraph (4)):
            ``(1) The number of women's health centers.
            ``(2) The number of patient aligned care teams of the 
        Department relating to women's health.
            ``(3) The number of full- and part-time gynecologists of 
        the Department.
            ``(4) The number of designated women's health care 
        providers of the Department, disaggregated by facility of the 
        Department.
            ``(5) The number of health care providers of the Department 
        who have completed a mini-residency for women's health care 
        through the Women Veterans Health Care Mini-Residency Program 
        of the Department during the one-year period preceding the 
        submittal of the report and the number of mini-residency 
        training slots for such program that are available during the 
        one-year period following such date.
            ``(6) The number of designated women's health care 
        providers of the Department who have sufficient women patient 
        loads or case complexities to retain their competencies and 
        proficiencies.
    ``(g) Accessibility and Treatment Options.--Each report under 
subsection (a) shall include an analysis of the accessibility and 
treatment options for women veterans, including the following:
            ``(1) An assessment of wheelchair accessibility of women's 
        health centers of the Department, including, with respect to 
        each such center, an assessment of accessibility for each kind 
        of treatment provided at the center, including with respect to 
        radiology and mammography, that addresses all relevant factors, 
        including door sizes, hoists, and equipment.
            ``(2) The options for women veterans to access mental 
        health providers and primary care providers who are women.
            ``(3) The options for women veterans at medical facilities 
        of the Department with respect to clothing sizes, including for 
        gowns, drawstring pants, and pajamas.
    ``(h) Definitions.--In this section:
            ``(1) The term `appropriate congressional committees' 
        means--
                    ``(A) the Committee on Appropriations and the 
                Committee on Veterans' Affairs of the Senate; and
                    ``(B) the Committee on Appropriations and the 
                Committee on Veterans' Affairs of the House of 
                Representatives.
            ``(2) The term `gender-specific services' means 
        mammography, obstetric care, gynecological care, and such other 
        services as the Secretary determines appropriate.''.
            (2) Clerical amendment.--The table of sections for such 
        chapter is amended by inserting after the item relating to 
        section 7309A the following new items:

``7310. Office of Women's Health.
``7310A. Annual reports on women's health.''.
    (c) Initial Report.--The Chief Officer of Women's Health of the 
Department of Veterans Affairs shall submit the initial report under 
section 7310A of title 38, United States Code, as added by subsection 
(b), by not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this 
Act.

SEC. 102. WOMEN VETERANS RETROFIT INITIATIVE.

    (a) In General.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall prioritize 
the retrofitting of 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.--
            (1) In general.--Not later than one year 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.
            (2) Elements.--The plan required by paragraph (1) shall 
        include the following:
                    (A) An assessment of how the Secretary prioritizes 
                retrofitting existing medical facilities to support 
                provision of care to women veterans in comparison to 
                other requirements.
                    (B) A five-year strategic plan for retrofitting 
                medical facilities of the Department to support the 
                provision of care to women veterans as required under 
                subsection (a).
    (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. 103. ESTABLISHMENT OF ENVIRONMENT OF CARE STANDARDS AND 
              INSPECTIONS AT DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS MEDICAL 
              CENTERS.

    (a) In General.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall establish 
a policy under which the environment of care standards and inspections 
at medical centers of the Department of Veterans Affairs include--
            (1) an alignment of the requirements for such standards and 
        inspections with the women's health handbook of the Veterans 
        Health Administration;
            (2) a requirement for the frequency of such inspections;
            (3) delineation of the roles and responsibilities of staff 
        at each medical center who are responsible for compliance;
            (4) the requirement that each medical center submit to the 
        Secretary and make publicly available a report on the 
        compliance of the medical center with the standards; and
            (5) a remediation plan.
    (b) Report.--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 report certifying in writing that the 
policy required by subsection (a) has been finalized and disseminated 
to all medical centers of the Department.

SEC. 104. 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 described 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) if the Secretary determines the experience will be 
therapeutically appropriate.''.

SEC. 105. PROVISION OF LEGAL SERVICES FOR WOMEN VETERANS.

    (a) Agreement Required.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall 
enter into one or more agreements with public or private entities to 
provide legal services to women veterans.
    (b) Focus.--The focus of an agreement entered into under subsection 
(a) shall be to address the following 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:
            (1) Child support.
            (2) Prevention of eviction and foreclosure.
            (3) Discharge upgrades.
            (4) Financial guardianship.
            (5) Credit counseling.
            (6) Family reconciliation assistance.

SEC. 106. COMPTROLLER GENERAL SURVEYS AND REPORT ON SUPPORTIVE SERVICES 
              PROVIDED FOR VERY LOW-INCOME WOMEN VETERANS.

    (a) Surveys.--
            (1) Survey of women veterans.--The Comptroller General of 
        the United States shall survey women veterans who have received 
        or are receiving supportive services provided under section 
        2044 of title 38, United States Code, to determine satisfaction 
        with the ability of such services to meet the specific needs of 
        such veterans.
            (2) Survey of eligible entities.--The Comptroller General 
        shall survey eligible entities receiving financial assistance 
        under such section and other partners of the Department of 
        Veterans Affairs, including veterans service organizations and 
        the National Coalition of Homeless Veterans, on the view of 
        such entities and partners regarding--
                    (A) whether the Department is meeting the needs of 
                women veterans through the provision of supportive 
                services under such section; and
                    (B) any additional supportive services that may be 
                required to meet such needs.
    (b) Report.--
            (1) In general.--Not later than 18 months after the date of 
        the enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General of the 
        United States 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 efforts of the 
        Department of Veterans Affairs to provide supportive services 
        to women veterans under section 2044 of title 38, United 
        States.
            (2) Elements.--The report required by paragraph (1) shall 
        include the following:
                    (A) A review of how the Department determines which 
                categories of supportive services would be beneficial 
                to women veterans who receive services under such 
                section.
                    (B) A description of the challenges women veterans 
                who have children face in accessing supportive services 
                under such section, including with respect to 
                accessing--
                            (i) homeless shelters with their children;
                            (ii) homeless shelters that have 
                        restrictions on male children; and
                            (iii) affordable child care.
                    (C) A description of how the Department identifies 
                eligible entities under such section that can provide 
                supportive services to meet the needs of women 
                veterans, including eligible entities with experience 
                in--
                            (i) intimate partner violence;
                            (ii) legal matters pertaining especially to 
                        women veterans, including temporary restraining 
                        orders and child care orders;
                            (iii) supportive services for children; and
                            (iv) the evaluation of which categories of 
                        services would be beneficial to women veterans 
                        who receive such services under such section.
                    (D) A description of how much the Department 
                spends, from funds appropriated to carry out such 
                section and funds provided under the Coronavirus Aid, 
                Relief, and Economic Security Act (Public Law 116-136), 
                on supportive services specifically for women veterans, 
                and in particular, on the services described in 
                subparagraph (A).
                    (E) The results of the surveys conducted under 
                subsection (a).
                    (F) A review of the resources and programming 
                offered to woman veterans under such section.
                    (G) An assessment of such other areas as the 
                Comptroller General considers appropriate.

SEC. 107. PROGRAMS ON ASSISTANCE FOR CHILD CARE FOR CERTAIN VETERANS.

    (a) Assistance for Child Care for Certain Veterans Receiving Health 
Care.--
            (1) In general.--Subchapter I of chapter 17 of title 38, 
        United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the 
        following new section:
``Sec. 1709C. Assistance for child care for certain veterans receiving 
              health care
    ``(a) Program Required.--The Secretary shall carry out a program to 
provide, subject to subsection (b), assistance to qualified veterans 
described in subsection (c) to obtain child care so that such veterans 
can receive health care services described in subsection (c)(2).
    ``(b) Limitation on Period of Payments.--Assistance may be provided 
to a qualified veteran under this section for receipt of child care 
only during the period that the qualified veteran--
            ``(1) receives the types of health care services described 
        in subsection (c)(2) at a facility of the Department; and
            ``(2) requires travel to and return from such facility for 
        the receipt of such health care services.
    ``(c) Qualified Veterans.--For purposes of this section, a 
qualified veteran is a veteran who--
            ``(1) is the primary caretaker of a child or children; and
            ``(2)(A) receives from the Department--
                    ``(i) regular mental health care services;
                    ``(ii) intensive mental health care services; or
                    ``(iii) such other intensive health care services 
                that the Secretary determines that provision of 
                assistance to the veteran to obtain child care would 
                improve access to such health care services by the 
                veteran; or
            ``(B) is in need of regular or intensive mental health care 
        services from the Department, and but for lack of child care 
        services, would receive such health care services from the 
        Department.
    ``(d) Locations.--Not later than five years after the date of the 
enactment of the Deborah Sampson Act, the Secretary shall carry out the 
program at each medical center of the Department.
    ``(e) Forms of Child Care Assistance.--(1) Child care assistance 
under this section may include the following:
            ``(A) Stipends for the payment of child care offered by a 
        licensed child care center (either directly or through a 
        voucher program) that shall be, to the extent practicable, 
        modeled after the Department of Veterans Affairs Child Care 
        Subsidy Program established pursuant to section 630 of the 
        Treasury and General Government Appropriations Act, 2002 
        (Public Law 107-67; 115 Stat. 552).
            ``(B) Direct provision of child care at an on-site facility 
        of the Department.
            ``(C) Payments to private child care agencies.
            ``(D) Collaboration with facilities or programs of other 
        Federal agencies.
            ``(E) Such other forms of assistance as the Secretary 
        considers appropriate.
    ``(2) In providing child care assistance under this section, the 
child care needs of the local area shall be considered and the head of 
each medical center may select the type of care that is most 
appropriate or feasible for such medical center.
    ``(3) In the case that child care assistance under this section is 
provided as a stipend under paragraph (1)(A), such stipend shall cover 
the full cost of such child care.''.
            (2) Conforming amendment.--Section 205(e) of the Caregivers 
        and Veterans Omnibus Health Services Act of 2010 (Public Law 
        111-163; 38 U.S.C. 1710 note) is amended by striking 
        ``September 30, 2020'' and inserting ``the date of the 
        enactment of the Deborah Sampson Act''.
            (3) Clerical amendment.--The table of sections at the 
        beginning of chapter 17 of such title is amended by inserting 
        after the item relating to section 1709B the following new 
        item:

``1709C. Assistance for child care for certain veterans receiving 
                            health care,''.
    (b) Pilot Program on Assistance for Child Care for Certain Veterans 
Receiving Readjustment Counseling and Related Mental Health Services.--
            (1) In general.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall 
        carry out a pilot program to assess the feasibility and 
        advisability of providing, subject to paragraph (2), assistance 
        to qualified veterans described in paragraph (3) to obtain 
        child care so that such veterans can receive readjustment 
        counseling and related mental health services.
            (2) Limitation on period of payments.--Assistance may be 
        provided to a qualified veteran under the pilot program for 
        receipt of child care only during the period that the qualified 
        veteran receives readjustment counseling and related health 
        care services at a Vet Center.
            (3) Qualified veterans.--For purposes of this subsection, a 
        qualified veteran is a veteran who--
                    (A) is the primary caretaker of a child or 
                children; and
                    (B)(i) receives from the Department regular 
                readjustment counseling and related mental health 
                services; or
                    (ii) is in need of regular readjustment counseling 
                and related mental health services from the Department, 
                and but for lack of child care services, would receive 
                such counseling and services from the Department.
            (4) Locations.--The Secretary shall carry out the pilot 
        program in not fewer than three Readjustment Counseling Service 
        Regions selected by the Secretary for purposes of the pilot 
        program.
            (5) Forms of child care assistance.--
                    (A) In general.--Child care assistance under the 
                pilot program may include the following:
                            (i) Stipends for the payment of child care 
                        offered by a licensed child care center (either 
                        directly or through a voucher program) that 
                        shall be, to the extent practicable, modeled 
                        after the Department of Veterans Affairs Child 
                        Care Subsidy Program established pursuant to 
                        section 630 of the Treasury and General 
                        Government Appropriations Act, 2002 (Public Law 
                        107-67; 115 Stat. 552).
                            (ii) Payments to private child care 
                        agencies.
                            (iii) Collaboration with facilities or 
                        programs of other Federal agencies.
                            (iv) Such other forms of assistance as the 
                        Secretary considers appropriate.
                    (B) Local area.--In providing child care assistance 
                under the pilot program, the child care needs of the 
                local area shall be considered and the head of each Vet 
                Center may select the type of care that is most 
                appropriate or feasible for such Vet Center.
                    (C) Use of stipend.--In the case that child care 
                assistance under the pilot program is provided as a 
                stipend under subparagraph (A)(i), such stipend shall 
                cover the full cost of such child care.
            (6) Duration.--The pilot program shall be carried out 
        during the two-year period beginning on the date of the 
        commencement of the pilot program.
            (7) Report.--
                    (A) In general.--Not later than 180 days after the 
                completion of the pilot program, the Secretary shall 
                submit to Congress a report on the pilot program.
                    (B) Elements.--The report required by subparagraph 
                (A) shall include the findings and conclusions of the 
                Secretary regarding the pilot program, and shall 
                include such recommendations for the continuation or 
                expansion of the pilot program as the Secretary 
                considers appropriate.
            (8) Vet center defined.--In this subsection, the term ``Vet 
        Center'' has the meaning given that term in section 1712A(h) of 
        title 38, United States Code.

SEC. 108. AVAILABILITY OF PROSTHETICS FOR WOMEN VETERANS FROM 
              DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS.

    (a) Access at Each Medical Facility.--Section 1714(a) of title 38, 
United States Code, is amended--
            (1) by striking ``(a) Any veteran'' and inserting ``(a)(1) 
        Any veteran''; and
            (2) by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
    ``(2) In furnishing prosthetic appliances under paragraph (1), the 
Secretary shall ensure women veterans are able to access clinically 
appropriate prosthetic appliances through each medical facility of the 
Department.''.
    (b) Report.--
            (1) In general.--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 medical facilities of the Department.
            (2) Elements.--The report required by paragraph (1) shall 
        include--
                    (A) a list of all devices classified by the 
                Department as prosthetic devices, including a breakdown 
                of whether a device is considered gender-neutral or 
                gender-specific;
                    (B) for gender-neutral devices, a breakdown of 
                sizing;
                    (C) the average time it takes for a woman veteran 
                to receive a prosthetic device after it is prescribed, 
                disaggregated by Veterans Integrated Service Network 
                and medical center of the Department;
                    (D) the total number of women veterans utilizing 
                the Department for prosthetic services, disaggregated 
                by facility of the Department;
                    (E) an assessment of efforts by the Department on 
                research, development, and employment of additive 
                manufacture technology (commonly referred to as 3D 
                printing) to provide prosthetic items for women 
                veterans;
                    (F) the results of a survey with a representative 
                sample of not fewer than 50,000 veterans (of which 
                women shall be overrepresented) in an amputee care 
                program on satisfaction with prosthetics furnished or 
                procured by the Department that replace appendages or 
                their function; and
                    (G) such other information as the Secretary 
                considers appropriate.

SEC. 109. REQUIREMENT TO IMPROVE DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS WOMEN 
              VETERANS CALL CENTER.

    The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall enhance the capabilities of 
the women veterans call center of the Department of Veterans Affairs--
            (1) to respond to requests by women veterans for assistance 
        with accessing health care and benefits furnished under the 
        laws administered by the Secretary; and
            (2) to refer such veterans to resources provided by the 
        Federal Government and the community to obtain assistance with 
        services not furnished by the Department.

SEC. 110. FACILITATION OF REPRODUCTION AND INFERTILITY RESEARCH.

    (a) In General.--Subchapter II of chapter 73 of title 38, United 
States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new section:
``Sec. 7330D. Facilitation of reproduction and infertility research
    ``(a) Facilitation of Research Required.--The Secretary shall 
facilitate research conducted collaboratively by the Secretary of 
Defense and the Secretary of Health and Human Services to improve the 
ability of the Department of Veterans Affairs to meet the long-term 
reproductive health care needs of veterans who have a genitourinary 
service-connected disability or a condition that was incurred or 
aggravated in line of duty in the active military, naval, or air 
service, such as a spinal cord injury, that affects the ability of the 
veteran to reproduce.
    ``(b) Dissemination of Information.--The Secretary shall ensure 
that information produced by the research facilitated under this 
section that may be useful for other activities of the Veterans Health 
Administration is disseminated throughout the Veterans Health 
Administration.''.
    (b) Clerical Amendment.--The table of sections at the beginning of 
chapter 73 of such title is amended by inserting after the item 
relating to section 7330C the following new item:

``7330D. Facilitation of reproduction and infertility research.''.
    (c) Report.--Not later than three years after the date of the 
enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall submit 
to Congress a report on the research activities conducted by the 
Secretary under section 7330D of title 38, United States Code, as added 
by subsection (a).

SEC. 111. INFORMATION FOR MEMBERS OF THE ARMED FORCES REGARDING 
              AVAILABILITY OF SERVICES PROVIDED BY DEPARTMENT OF 
              VETERANS AFFAIRS.

    (a) In General.--The Secretary of Defense shall inform members of 
the Armed Forces, using mechanisms available to the Secretary, of the 
eligibility of such members for services provided by the Department of 
Veterans Affairs.
    (b) Information From Sexual Assault Response Coordinators.--The 
Secretary of Defense shall ensure that Sexual Assault Response 
Coordinators of the Department of Defense advise members of the Armed 
Forces who have experienced physical assault of a sexual nature, 
battery of a sexual nature, or sexual harassment regarding the 
eligibility of such members for services provided by the Department of 
Veterans Affairs.

SEC. 112. SENSE OF CONGRESS ON ACCESS TO FACILITIES OF DEPARTMENT OF 
              VETERANS AFFAIRS BY RESERVISTS FOR COUNSELING AND 
              TREATMENT RELATING TO MILITARY SEXUAL TRAUMA.

    (a) In General.--It is the sense of Congress that members of the 
reserve components of the Armed Forces, including members of the 
National Guard, should be able to access all health care facilities of 
the Department of Veterans Affairs, not just Vet Centers, to receive 
counseling and treatment relating to military sexual trauma.
    (b) Definitions.--In this section:
            (1) Military sexual trauma.--The term ``military sexual 
        trauma'' means a condition described in section 1720D(a)(1) of 
        title 38, United States Code.
            (2) Vet center.--The term ``Vet Center'' has the meaning 
        given that term in section 1712A(h) of such title.

             TITLE II--INCREASING STAFF CULTURAL COMPETENCY

SEC. 201. STAFFING OF WOMEN'S HEALTH PRIMARY CARE PROVIDERS AT MEDICAL 
              FACILITIES OF 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. 202. 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.

SEC. 203. ESTABLISHMENT OF WOMEN VETERAN TRAINING MODULE FOR NON-
              DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS.

    (a) In General.--Not later than one year after the date of the 
enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall 
establish and make available to community providers a training module 
that is specific to women veterans.
    (b) Training Materials Provided.--Under the training module 
established and made available to community providers under subsection 
(a), the Secretary shall provide to community providers the same 
training materials relating to treatment of women veterans that is 
provided to health care providers of the Department of Veterans Affairs 
to ensure that all health care providers treating women veterans have 
access to the same materials to support competency throughout the 
community.
    (c) Administration of Training Module.--The Secretary shall 
administer the training module established under subsection (a) to 
community providers through an internet website of the Department.
    (d) Annual Report.--Not later than one year after the establishment 
of the training module under subsection (a), and annually thereafter, 
the Secretary shall submit to Congress a report on--
            (1) the utilization by community providers of the training 
        module; and
            (2) the effectiveness of the training module.
    (e) Definitions.--In this section:
            (1) Community provider.--The term ``community provider'' 
        means a non-Department of Veterans Affairs health care provider 
        who provides preauthorized health care to veterans under the 
        laws administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs.
            (2) Preauthorized health care.--The term ``preauthorized 
        health care'' means health care provided to a veteran that is 
        authorized by the Secretary before being provided.

SEC. 204. STUDY ON STAFFING OF WOMEN VETERAN PROGRAM MANAGER PROGRAM AT 
              MEDICAL CENTERS OF DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS AND 
              TRAINING OF STAFF.

    (a) Study.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall conduct a study 
on the use of the Women Veteran Program Manager program of the 
Department of Veterans Affairs to determine--
            (1) if the program is appropriately staffed at each medical 
        center of the Department;
            (2) whether each medical center of the Department is 
        staffed with a Women Veteran Program Manager; and
            (3) whether it would be feasible and advisable to have a 
        Women Veteran Program Ombudsman at each medical center of the 
        Department.
    (b) Report.--Not later than 270 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 report on the study conducted under 
subsection (a).
    (c) Training.--The Secretary shall ensure that all Women Veteran 
Program Managers and Women Veteran Program Ombudsmen receive the proper 
training to carry out their duties.

SEC. 205. STUDY ON WOMEN VETERAN COORDINATOR PROGRAM.

    (a) Study and Report Required.--Not later than 180 days after the 
date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs 
shall--
            (1) complete a study on the Women Veteran Coordinator 
        program of the Veterans Benefits Administration of the 
        Department of Veterans Affairs; and
            (2) 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 findings of the Secretary with 
        respect to the study completed under paragraph (1).
    (b) Elements.--The study required by subsection (a)(1) shall 
identify the following:
            (1) If the program described in such subsection is 
        appropriately staffed at each regional benefits office of the 
        Department.
            (2) Whether each regional benefits office of the Department 
        is staffed with a Women Veteran Coordinator.
            (3) The position description of the Women Veteran 
        Coordinator.
            (4) Whether an individual serving in the Women Veteran 
        Coordinator position concurrently serves in any other position, 
        and if so, the allocation of time the individual spends in each 
        such position.
            (5) A description of the metrics the Secretary uses to 
        determine the job performance and effectiveness of the Women 
        Veteran Coordinator.

SEC. 206. STAFFING IMPROVEMENT PLAN FOR PEER SPECIALISTS OF DEPARTMENT 
              OF VETERANS AFFAIRS WHO ARE WOMEN.

    (a) Assessment of Capacity.--
            (1) In general.--Not later than 90 days after the date of 
        the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, 
        in consultation with the Inspector General of the Department of 
        Veterans Affairs, shall commence an assessment of the capacity 
        of peer specialists of the Department of Veterans Affairs who 
        are women.
            (2) Elements.--The assessment required by paragraph (1) 
        shall include an assessment of the following:
                    (A) The geographical distribution of peer 
                specialists of the Department who are women.
                    (B) The geographical distribution of women 
                veterans.
                    (C) The number and proportion of women peer 
                specialists who specialize in peer counseling on mental 
                health or suicide prevention.
                    (D) The number and proportion of women peer 
                specialists who specialize in peer counseling on non-
                mental health related matters.
    (b) Report.--Not later than one year after the assessment required 
by subsection (a) has commenced, 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 report detailing 
the findings of the assessment.
    (c) Staffing Improvement Plan.--
            (1) In general.--Not later than 180 days after submitting 
        the report under subsection (b), the Secretary, in consultation 
        with the Inspector General, shall submit to the Committee on 
        Veterans' Affairs of the Senate and the Committee on Veterans' 
        Affairs of the House of Representatives a plan, based on the 
        results of the assessment required by subsection (a), to hire 
        additional qualified peer specialists who are women, with 
        special consideration for areas that lack peer specialists who 
        are women.
            (2) Elements.--The peer specialist positions included in 
        the plan required by paragraph (1)--
                    (A) shall be non-volunteer, paid positions; and
                    (B) may be part-time positions.

             TITLE III--ELIMINATING HARASSMENT AND ASSAULT

SEC. 301. EXPANSION OF COVERAGE BY DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS OF 
              COUNSELING AND TREATMENT FOR SEXUAL TRAUMA.

    (a) Expansion of Eligibility for Counseling and Treatment.--Section 
1720D of title 38, United States Code, is amended--
            (1) in subsection (a)--
                    (A) in paragraph (1), by striking ``active duty, 
                active duty for training, or inactive duty training'' 
                and inserting ``duty, regardless of duty status or line 
                of duty determination (as that term is used in section 
                12323 of title 10)''; and
                    (B) in paragraph (2)(A), by striking ``active duty, 
                active duty for training, or inactive duty training'' 
                and inserting ``duty, regardless of duty status or line 
                of duty determination (as that term is used in section 
                12323 of title 10)'';
            (2) by striking ``veteran'' each place it appears and 
        inserting ``former member of the Armed Forces'';
            (3) by striking ``veterans'' each place it appears and 
        inserting ``former members of the Armed Forces''; and
            (4) by adding at the end the following new subsection:
    ``(g) In this section, the term `former member of the Armed Forces' 
includes the following:
            ``(1) A veteran.
            ``(2) An individual described in section 1720I(b) of this 
        title.''.
    (b) Inclusion of Treatment for Physical Health Conditions.--Such 
section is further amended--
            (1) in subsection (a)--
                    (A) in paragraph (1)--
                            (i) by inserting ``, to include care for 
                        physical health conditions, as appropriate,'' 
                        after ``counseling and appropriate care and 
                        services'';
                            (ii) by striking ``overcome psychological 
                        trauma'' and inserting ``treat a condition''; 
                        and
                            (iii) by striking ``mental health 
                        professional'' and inserting ``health care 
                        professional''; and
                    (B) in paragraph (2)(A), by striking ``overcome 
                psychological trauma'' and inserting ``treat a 
                condition''; and
            (2) in subsection (d)--
                    (A) in paragraph (1), by inserting ``and other 
                health care professionals'' after ``mental health 
                professionals''; and
                    (B) in paragraph (2)(A), by inserting ``and other 
                health care professionals'' after ``mental health 
                professionals''.

SEC. 302. ASSESSMENT OF EFFECTS OF INTIMATE PARTNER VIOLENCE ON WOMEN 
              VETERANS BY ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON WOMEN VETERANS.

    Section 542(c)(1) of title 38, United States Code, is amended--
            (1) in subparagraph (B), by striking ``and'' at the end;
            (2) by redesignating subparagraph (C) as subparagraph (D); 
        and
            (3) by inserting after subparagraph (B) the following new 
        subparagraph (C):
            ``(C) an assessment of the effects of intimate partner 
        violence on women veterans; and''.

SEC. 303. ANTI-HARASSMENT AND ANTI-SEXUAL ASSAULT POLICY OF DEPARTMENT 
              OF VETERANS AFFAIRS.

    (a) In General.--Subchapter II of chapter 5 of title 38, United 
States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new section:
``Sec. 533. Anti-harassment and anti-sexual assault policy
    ``(a) Establishment.--(1) The Secretary, acting through the Office 
of Assault and Prevention of the Veterans Health Administration, shall 
establish a comprehensive policy to end harassment and sexual assault, 
including sexual harassment and gender-based harassment, throughout the 
Department.
    ``(2) The policy required by paragraph (1) shall include the 
following:
            ``(A) A process for employees and contractors of the 
        Department to respond to reported incidents of harassment and 
        sexual assault committed by any non-Department individual 
        within a facility of the Department, including with respect to 
        accountability or disciplinary measures.
            ``(B) A process for employees and contractors of the 
        Department to respond to reported incidents of harassment and 
        sexual assault of any non-Department individual within a 
        facility of the Department.
            ``(C) A process for any non-Department individual to report 
        harassment and sexual assault described in subparagraph (A), 
        including an option for confidential reporting, and for the 
        Secretary to respond to and address such reports.
            ``(D) Clear mechanisms for non-Department individuals to 
        readily identify to whom and how to report incidents of 
        harassment and sexual assault committed by another non-
        Department individual.
            ``(E) Clear mechanisms for employees and contractors of the 
        Department to readily identify to whom and how to report 
        incidents of harassment and sexual assault and how to refer 
        non-Department individuals with respect to reporting an 
        incident of harassment or sexual assault.
            ``(F) A process for, and mandatory reporting requirement 
        applicable to, any employee or contractor of the Department who 
        witnesses harassment or sexual assault described in 
        subparagraph (A) or (B) within a facility of the Department, 
        regardless of whether the individual affected by such 
        harassment or sexual assault wants to report such harassment or 
        sexual assault.
            ``(G) The actions possible, including disciplinary actions, 
        for employees or contractors of the Department who fail to 
        report incidents of harassment and sexual assault described in 
        subparagraph (A) or (B) that the employees or contractors 
        witness.
            ``(H) On an annual or more frequent basis, mandatory 
        training for employees and contractors of the Department 
        regarding how to report and address harassment and sexual 
        assault described in subparagraphs (A) and (B), including 
        bystander intervention training.
            ``(I) On an annual or more frequent basis, the distribution 
        of the policy under this subsection and anti-harassment and 
        anti-sexual assault educational materials by mail or email to 
        each individual receiving a benefit under a law administered by 
        the Secretary.
            ``(J) The prominent display of anti-harassment and anti-
        sexual assault messages in each facility of the Department, 
        including how non-Department individuals may report harassment 
        and sexual assault described in subparagraphs (A) and (B) at 
        such facility and the points of contact under subsection (b).
            ``(K) The posting on internet websites of the Department, 
        including the main internet website regarding benefits of the 
        Department and the main internet website regarding health care 
        of the Department, of anti-harassment and anti-sexual assault 
        banners specifically addressing harassment and sexual assault 
        described in subparagraphs (A) and (B).
    ``(b) Points of Contact.--The Secretary shall designate, as a point 
of contact to receive reports of harassment and sexual assault 
described in subparagraphs (A) and (B) of subsection (a)(2)--
            ``(1) at least one individual, in addition to law 
        enforcement, at each facility of the Department (including Vet 
        Centers under section 1712A of this title), with regard to that 
        facility;
            ``(2) at least one individual employed in each Veterans 
        Integrated Service Network, with regard to facilities in that 
        Veterans Integrated Service Network;
            ``(3) at least one individual employed in each regional 
        benefits office;
            ``(4) at least one individual employed at each location of 
        the National Cemetery Administration; and
            ``(5) at least one individual employed at the Central 
        Office of the Department to track reports of such harassment 
        and sexual assault across the Department, disaggregated by 
        facility.
    ``(c) Accountability.--(1) The Secretary shall establish a policy 
to ensure that each facility of the Department and each director of a 
Veterans Integrated Service Network is responsible for addressing 
harassment and sexual assault at the facility and the Network.
    ``(2) The policy required by paragraph (1) shall include--
            ``(A) a remediation plan for facilities that experience 
        five or more incidents of sexual harassment, sexual assault, or 
        combination thereof, during any single fiscal year; and
            ``(B) taking appropriate actions under chapter 7 or 
        subchapter V of chapter 74 of this title.
    ``(d) Data.--The Secretary shall ensure that the in-take process 
for veterans at medical facilities of the Department includes a survey 
to collect the following information:
            ``(1) Whether the veteran feels safe at the facility and 
        whether any events occurred at the facility that affect such 
        feeling.
            ``(2) Whether the veteran wants to be contacted later by 
        the Department with respect to such safety issues.
    ``(e) Working Group.--(1) The Secretary shall establish a working 
group to assist the Secretary in implementing policies to carry out 
this section.
    ``(2) The working group established under paragraph (1) shall 
consist of representatives from--
            ``(A) veterans service organizations;
            ``(B) State, local, and Tribal veterans agencies; and
            ``(C) other persons the Secretary determines appropriate.
    ``(3) The working group established under paragraph (1) shall 
develop, and the Secretary shall carry out--
            ``(A) an action plan for addressing changes at the local 
        level to reduce instances of harassment and sexual assault;
            ``(B) standardized media for veterans service organizations 
        and other persons to use in print and on the internet with 
        respect to reducing harassment and sexual assault; and
            ``(C) bystander intervention training for veterans.
    ``(4) The working group established under paragraph (1) shall not 
be subject to the requirements of the Federal Advisory Committee Act (5 
U.S.C. App.).
    ``(f) Annual Reports.--(1) The Secretary shall submit to the 
Committee on Veterans' Affairs of the Senate and the Committee on 
Veterans' Affairs of the House of Representatives an annual report on 
harassment and sexual assault described in subparagraphs (A) and (B) of 
subsection (a)(2) in facilities of the Department.
    ``(2) Each report submitted under paragraph (1) shall include the 
following:
            ``(A) Results of harassment and sexual assault programming, 
        including the End Harassment program.
            ``(B) Results of studies from the Women's Health Practice-
        Based Research Network of the Department relating to harassment 
        and sexual assault.
            ``(C) Data collected on incidents of sexual harassment and 
        sexual assault.
            ``(D) A description of any actions taken by the Secretary 
        during the year preceding the date of the report to stop 
        harassment and sexual assault at facilities of the Department.
            ``(E) An assessment of the implementation of the training 
        required in subsection (a)(2)(H).
            ``(F) A list of resources the Secretary determines 
        necessary to prevent harassment and sexual assault at 
        facilities of the Department.
    ``(g) Definitions.--In this section:
            ``(1) The term `non-Department individual' means any 
        individual present at a facility of the Department who is not 
        an employee or contractor of the Department.
            ``(2) The term `sexual harassment' means unsolicited verbal 
        or physical contact of a sexual nature which is threatening in 
        character.''.
    (b) Clerical Amendment.--The table of sections at the beginning of 
such chapter is amended by adding after the item relating to section 
532 the following new item:

``533. Anti-harassment and anti-sexual assault policy.''.
    (c) Definition of Sexual Harassment.--Section 1720D(f) of such 
title is amended by striking ``repeated,''.
    (d) Deadline.--The Secretary shall commence carrying out section 
533 of such title, as added by subsection (a), not later than 180 days 
after the date of enactment of this Act.

SEC. 304. PILOT PROGRAM ON ASSISTING VETERANS WHO EXPERIENCE INTIMATE 
              PARTNER VIOLENCE OR SEXUAL ASSAULT.

    (a) Pilot Program Required.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs 
shall carry out a pilot program to assess the feasibility and 
advisability of assisting former members of the Armed Forces who have 
experienced or are experiencing intimate partner violence or sexual 
assault in accessing benefits from the Department of Veterans Affairs, 
including coordinating access to medical treatment centers, housing 
assistance, and other benefits from the Department.
    (b) Duration.--The Secretary shall carry out the pilot program 
under subsection (a) during the two-year period beginning on the date 
of the commencement of the pilot program.
    (c) Collaboration.--The Secretary shall carry out the pilot program 
under subsection (a) in collaboration with--
            (1) intimate partner violence shelters and programs;
            (2) rape crisis centers;
            (3) State intimate partner violence and sexual assault 
        coalitions; and
            (4) such other health care or other service providers that 
        serve intimate partner violence or sexual assault victims as 
        determined by the Secretary, particularly those providing 
        emergency services or housing assistance.
    (d) Authorized Activities.--In carrying out the pilot program under 
subsection (a), the Secretary may conduct the following activities:
            (1) Training for community-based intimate partner violence 
        or sexual assault service providers on--
                    (A) identifying former members of the Armed Forces 
                who have been victims of, or are currently 
                experiencing, intimate partner violence or sexual 
                assault;
                    (B) coordinating with local service providers of 
                the Department; and
                    (C) connecting former members of the Armed Forces 
                with appropriate housing, mental health, medical, and 
                other financial assistance or benefits from the 
                Department.
            (2) Assistance to service providers to ensure access of 
        veterans to intimate partner violence and sexual assault 
        emergency services, particularly in underserved areas, 
        including services for Native American veterans (as defined in 
        section 3765 of title 38, United States Code).
            (3) Such other outreach and assistance as the Secretary 
        determines necessary for the provision of assistance under 
        subsection (a).
    (e) Intimate Partner Violence and Sexual Assault Outreach 
Coordinators.--
            (1) In general.--In order to effectively assist veterans 
        who have experienced intimate partner violence or sexual 
        assault, the Secretary may establish local coordinators to 
        provide outreach under the pilot program required by subsection 
        (a).
            (2) Local coordinator knowledge.--The Secretary shall 
        ensure that each coordinator established under paragraph (1) is 
        knowledgeable about--
                    (A) the dynamics of intimate partner violence and 
                sexual assault, including safety concerns, legal 
                protections, and the need for the provision of 
                confidential services;
                    (B) the eligibility of veterans for services and 
                benefits from the Department that are relevant to 
                recovery from intimate partner violence and sexual 
                assault, particularly emergency housing assistance, 
                mental health care, other health care, and disability 
                benefits; and
                    (C) local community resources addressing intimate 
                partner violence and sexual assault.
            (3) Local coordinator assistance.--Each coordinator 
        established under paragraph (1) shall assist intimate partner 
        violence shelters and rape crisis centers in providing services 
        to veterans.
    (f) Report.--
            (1) In general.--Not later than 180 days after the 
        completion of the pilot program under subsection (a), the 
        Secretary shall submit to Congress a report on the pilot 
        program.
            (2) Contents.--The report required by paragraph (1) shall 
        include the following:
                    (A) The findings and conclusions of the Secretary 
                with respect to the pilot program.
                    (B) Such recommendations for continuing or 
                expanding the pilot program as the Secretary considers 
                appropriate.
    (g) Definitions.--In this section:
            (1) Intimate partner.--
                    (A) In general.--The term ``intimate partner'' 
                means a person with whom one has a close personal 
                relationship that may be characterized by the partners' 
                emotional connectedness, regular contact, ongoing 
                physical contact and sexual behavior, identity as a 
                couple, and familiarity and knowledge about each 
                other's lives.
                    (B) Close personal relationships.--In this 
                paragraph, the term ``close personal relationships'' 
                includes the following:
                            (i) A relationship between married spouses.
                            (ii) A relationship between common-law 
                        spouses.
                            (iii) A relationship between civil union 
                        spouses.
                            (iv) A relationship between domestic 
                        partners.
                            (v) A relationship between dating partners.
                            (vi) A relationship between ongoing sexual 
                        partners.
            (2) Intimate partner violence.--The term ``intimate partner 
        violence'' includes physical violence, sexual violence, 
        stalking, and psychological aggression, including coercive 
        tactics by a current or former intimate partner.

SEC. 305. STUDY AND TASK FORCE ON VETERANS EXPERIENCING INTIMATE 
              PARTNER VIOLENCE OR SEXUAL ASSAULT.

    (a) National Baseline Study.--
            (1) In general.--Not later than one year after the date of 
        the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, 
        in consultation with the Attorney General, shall conduct a 
        national baseline study to examine the scope of the problem of 
        intimate partner violence and sexual assault among veterans and 
        spouses and intimate partners of veterans.
            (2) Matters included.--The study under paragraph (1) 
        shall--
                    (A) include a literature review of all relevant 
                research on intimate partner violence and sexual 
                assault among veterans and spouses and intimate 
                partners of veterans;
                    (B) examine the prevalence of the experience of 
                intimate partner violence among--
                            (i) women veterans;
                            (ii) veterans who are minority group 
                        members (as defined in section 544 of title 38, 
                        United States Code, and including other 
                        minority populations as the Secretary 
                        determines appropriate);
                            (iii) urban and rural veterans;
                            (iv) veterans who are enrolled in a program 
                        under section 1720G of title 38, United States 
                        Code;
                            (v) veterans who are in intimate 
                        relationships with other veterans; and
                            (vi) veterans who are described in more 
                        than one clause of this subparagraph;
                    (C) examine the prevalence of the perpetration of 
                intimate partner violence by veterans; and
                    (D) include recommendations to address the findings 
                of the study.
            (3) Report.--Not later than 30 days after the date on which 
        the Secretary completes the study under paragraph (1), 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 report on such study.
    (b) Task Force.--
            (1) In general.--Not later than 90 days after the date on 
        which the Secretary completes the study under subsection (a), 
        the Secretary, in consultation with the Attorney General and 
        the Secretary of Health and Human Services, shall establish a 
        national task force (in this section referred to as the ``Task 
        Force'') to develop a comprehensive national program, including 
        by integrating facilities, services, and benefits of the 
        Department of Veterans Affairs into existing networks of 
        community-based intimate partner violence and sexual assault 
        services, to address intimate partner violence and sexual 
        assault among veterans.
            (2) Leadership.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall 
        lead the Task Force in collaboration with the Attorney General 
        and the Secretary of Health and Human Services.
    (c) Consultation With Stakeholders.--In carrying out this section, 
the Task Force shall consult with--
            (1) representatives from veteran service organizations and 
        military service organizations;
            (2) representatives from not fewer than three national 
        organizations or State coalitions with demonstrated expertise 
        in intimate partner violence prevention, response, or advocacy; 
        and
            (3) representatives from not fewer than three national 
        organizations or State coalitions, particularly those 
        representing underserved and ethnic minority communities, with 
        demonstrated expertise in sexual assault prevention, response, 
        or advocacy.
    (d) Duties.--The duties of the Task Force shall include the 
following:
            (1) To review existing services and policies of the 
        Department and develop a comprehensive national program to be 
        carried out by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, in 
        collaboration with the heads of relevant Federal agencies, to 
        address intimate partner violence and sexual assault 
        prevention, response, and treatment.
            (2) To review the feasibility and advisability of 
        establishing an expedited process to secure emergency, 
        temporary benefits, including housing or other benefits, for 
        veterans who are experiencing intimate partner violence or 
        sexual assault.
            (3) To review and make recommendations regarding the 
        feasibility and advisability of establishing dedicated, 
        temporary housing assistance for veterans experiencing intimate 
        partner violence or sexual assault.
            (4) To identify any requirements regarding intimate partner 
        violence assistance or sexual assault response and services 
        that are not being met by the Department and make 
        recommendations on how the Department can meet such 
        requirements.
            (5) To review and make recommendations regarding the 
        feasibility and advisability of providing direct services or 
        contracting for community-based services for veterans in 
        response to a sexual assault, including through the use of 
        sexual assault nurse examiners, particularly in underserved or 
        remote areas, including services for Native American veterans.
            (6) To review the availability of counseling services 
        provided by the Department and through peer network support, 
        and to provide recommendations for the enhancement of such 
        services, to address--
                    (A) the perpetration of intimate partner violence 
                and sexual assault; and
                    (B) the recovery of veterans, particularly women 
                veterans, from intimate partner violence and sexual 
                assault.
            (7) To review and make recommendations to expand services 
        available for veterans at risk of perpetrating intimate partner 
        violence.
    (e) Report.--Not later than one year after the date of the 
enactment of this Act, and not less frequently than annually thereafter 
by October 1 of each year, the Task Force shall submit to the Secretary 
of Veterans Affairs and Congress a report on the activities of the Task 
Force, including any recommendations for legislative or administrative 
action.
    (f) Nonapplicability of FACA.--The Task Force shall not be subject 
to the requirements of the Federal Advisory Committee Act (5 U.S.C. 
App.).
    (g) Definitions.--In this section:
            (1) Native american veteran.--The term ``Native American 
        veteran'' has the meaning given that term in section 3765 of 
        title 38, United States Code.
            (2) State.--The term ``State'' has the meaning given that 
        term in section 101 of title 38, United States Code.

                TITLE IV--DATA COLLECTION AND REPORTING

SEC. 401. REQUIREMENT FOR COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS OF DATA ON DEPARTMENT 
              OF VETERANS AFFAIRS BENEFITS AND SERVICES AND 
              DISAGGREGATION OF SUCH DATA BY GENDER, RACE, AND 
              ETHNICITY.

    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 gender, race, and ethnicity, 
        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. 402. STUDY ON BARRIERS FOR WOMEN VETERANS TO RECEIPT OF HEALTH 
              CARE FROM DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS.

    (a) Study Required.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall 
conduct a comprehensive study of the barriers to the provision of 
comprehensive health care by the Department of Veterans Affairs 
encountered by women who are veterans.
    (b) Survey.--In conducting the study required by subsection (a), 
the Secretary shall--
            (1) survey women veterans who seek or receive hospital care 
        or medical services provided by the Department as well as women 
        veterans who do not seek or receive such care or services;
            (2) administer the survey to a representative sample of 
        women veterans from each Veterans Integrated Service Network; 
        and
            (3) ensure that the sample of women veterans surveyed is of 
        sufficient size for the study results to be statistically 
        significant and is a larger sample than that of the study 
        specified in subsection (c)(1).
    (c) Use of Previous Studies.--In conducting the study required by 
subsection (a), the Secretary shall build on the work of the studies of 
the Department titled--
            (1) ``National Survey of Women Veterans in Fiscal Year 
        2007-2008''; and
            (2) ``Study of Barriers for Women Veterans to VA Health 
        Care 2015''.
    (d) Elements of Study.--In conducting the study required by 
subsection (a), the Secretary shall conduct research on the effects of 
the following on the women veterans surveyed in the study:
            (1) The barriers associated with seeking mental health care 
        services, including with respect to provider availability, 
        telehealth access, and family, work, and school obligations.
            (2) The effect of driving distance or availability of other 
        forms of transportation to the nearest medical facility on 
        access to care.
            (3) The effect of access to care from non-Department 
        providers.
            (4) The availability of child care.
            (5) The satisfaction of such veterans with the provision by 
        the Department of integrated primary care, women's health 
        clinics, or both, including perceptions of quality of care, 
        safety, and comfort.
            (6) The understanding and perceived accessibility among 
        such veterans of eligibility requirements for, and the scope of 
        services available under, hospital care and medical services.
            (7) The perception of such veterans of personal safety and 
        comfort in inpatient, outpatient, and behavioral health 
        facilities.
            (8) The gender sensitivity of health care providers and 
        staff to issues that particularly affect women.
            (9) The effectiveness of outreach for health care services 
        available to women veterans.
            (10) The location and operating hours of health care 
        facilities that provide services to women veterans.
            (11) The perception of such veterans of the motto of the 
        Department.
            (12) Such other significant barriers as the Secretary 
        considers appropriate.
    (e) Discharge by Contract.--The Secretary shall enter into a 
contract with a qualified independent entity or organization to carry 
out the study and research required under this section.
    (f) Mandatory Review of Data by Certain Department Divisions.--
            (1) Review.--
                    (A) In general.--The Secretary shall ensure that 
                the head of each division of the Department of Veterans 
                Affairs specified in paragraph (2) reviews the results 
                of the study conducted under this section.
                    (B) Submittal of findings.--The head of each 
                division specified in paragraph (2) shall submit 
                findings with respect to the study under this section 
                to the Under Secretary of the Department with 
                responsibilities relating to health care services for 
                women veterans.
            (2) Specified divisions.--The divisions of the Department 
        of Veterans Affairs specified in this paragraph are the 
        following:
                    (A) The Office of the Under Secretary for Health.
                    (B) The Office of Women's Health established under 
                section 7310 of title 38, United States Code.
                    (C) The Center for Women Veterans under section 318 
                of such title.
                    (D) The Advisory Committee on Women Veterans 
                established under section 542 of such title.
    (g) Report.--
            (1) In general.--Not later than 30 months after the date of 
        the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to 
        Congress a report on the study required under this section.
            (2) Elements.--The report under paragraph (1) shall 
        include--
                    (A) the findings of the head of each division of 
                the Department specified under subsection (f)(2); and
                    (B) recommendations for such administrative and 
                legislative action as the Secretary considers 
                appropriate.

SEC. 403. STUDY ON FEASIBILITY AND ADVISABILITY OF OFFERING PARENTING 
              STAIR PROGRAM AT ALL MEDICAL CENTERS OF DEPARTMENT OF 
              VETERANS AFFAIRS.

    (a) In General.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall conduct a 
study on the feasibility and advisability of expanding the Parenting 
STAIR program to all medical centers of the Department of Veterans 
Affairs and including such program as part of care for military sexual 
trauma for affected members and former members of the Armed Forces.
    (b) Elements.--In conducting the study under subsection (a), the 
Secretary shall assess--
            (1) staffing needed to offer the Parenting STAIR program at 
        all medical centers of the Department;
            (2) any additional infrastructure or resources (such as 
        child care during the program) needed for the expansion of the 
        program; and
            (3) such other factors relevant to the expansion of the 
        program as the Secretary considers appropriate.
    (c) Reports to Congress.--
            (1) Interim report.--Not later than one year 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 report 
        detailing--
                    (A) the current number and locations of all 
                facilities of the Department offering the Parenting 
                STAIR program; and
                    (B) the number of veterans served by such program 
                in the most recent fiscal year or calendar year for 
                which data is available.
            (2) Final report.--Not later than three years 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 report detailing--
                    (A) the results of the study conducted under 
                subsection (a);
                    (B) an update on how many veterans have used the 
                Parenting STAIR program since its development in fiscal 
                year 2017, disaggregated by year, including the 
                locations in which veterans have used such program; and
                    (C) a determination on the feasibility and 
                advisability of expanding the Parenting STAIR program 
                to all medical facilities of the Department offering 
                care for military sexual trauma.
    (d) Definitions.--In this section:
            (1) Affected members and former members of the armed 
        forces.--The term ``affected members and former members of the 
        Armed Forces'' means members and former members of the Armed 
        Forces who are parents and have experienced military sexual 
        trauma.
            (2) Military sexual trauma.--The term ``military sexual 
        trauma'' means a condition described in section 1720D(a)(1) of 
        title 38, United States Code.
            (3) Parenting stair program.--The term ``Parenting STAIR 
        program'' means the program of the Department of Veterans 
        Affairs that consists of a five-session, parenting-specific 
        treatment protocol based on skills training in affective and 
        interpersonal regulation (commonly referred to as ``STAIR''), 
        which is a cognitive behavioral therapy that has been 
        identified as a promising practice for treating post-traumatic 
        stress disorder, including chronic and complicated forms, among 
        individuals with co-occurring disorders.

SEC. 404. GAP ANALYSIS OF DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS PROGRAMS THAT 
              PROVIDE ASSISTANCE TO WOMEN VETERANS WHO ARE HOMELESS.

    (a) In General.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall complete 
an analysis of programs of the Department of Veterans Affairs that 
provide assistance to women veterans who are homeless or precariously 
housed to identify the areas in which such programs are failing to meet 
the needs of such women.
    (b) Report.--Not later than 270 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 report on the analysis completed 
under subsection (a).

                       TITLE V--BENEFITS MATTERS

SEC. 501. STANDARD OF PROOF FOR SERVICE-CONNECTION OF MENTAL HEALTH 
              CONDITIONS RELATED TO MILITARY SEXUAL TRAUMA.

    (a) Standard of Proof.--Section 1154 of title 38, United States 
Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new subsection:
    ``(c)(1)(A) In the case of any veteran who claims that a covered 
mental health condition was incurred or aggravated by military sexual 
trauma during active military, naval, or air service, the Secretary 
shall accept as sufficient proof of service-connection a diagnosis of 
such mental health condition by a mental health professional together 
with satisfactory lay or other evidence of such trauma and an opinion 
by the mental health professional that such covered mental health 
condition is related to such military sexual trauma, if consistent with 
the circumstances, conditions, or hardships of such service, 
notwithstanding the fact that there is no official record of such 
incurrence or aggravation in such service, and, to that end, shall 
resolve every reasonable doubt in favor of the veteran.
    ``(B) Service-connection of a covered mental health condition 
described in subparagraph (A) may be rebutted by clear and convincing 
evidence to the contrary.
    ``(C) The reasons for granting or denying service-connection in 
each case shall be recorded in full.
    ``(2) In this subsection:
            ``(A) The term `covered mental health condition' means 
        post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety, depression, or other 
        mental health diagnosis described in the current version of the 
        Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders published 
        by the American Psychiatric Association that the Secretary 
        determines to be related to military sexual trauma.
            ``(B) The term `military sexual trauma' means, with respect 
        to a veteran, a physical assault of a sexual nature, battery of 
        a sexual nature, technological abuse of a sexual nature, or 
        sexual harassment during active military, naval, or air 
        service.''.
    (b) Use of Evidence in Evaluating Disability Claims Involving 
Military Sexual Trauma.--
            (1) In general.--Subchapter VI of chapter 11 of such title 
        is amended by adding at the end the following new section:
``Sec. 1164. Evaluation of claims involving military sexual trauma
    ``(a) Nonmilitary Sources of Evidence.--(1) In carrying out section 
1154(c) of this title, the Secretary shall ensure that if a claim for 
compensation under this chapter is received by the Secretary for a 
covered mental health condition (as defined in such section) based on 
military sexual trauma experienced by a veteran during active military, 
naval, or air service, evidence from sources other than official 
records of the Department of Defense regarding the veteran's service 
may corroborate the veteran's account of the assault, battery, or 
harassment.
    ``(2) Examples of evidence described in paragraph (1) include the 
following:
            ``(A) Records from law enforcement authorities, rape crisis 
        centers, mental health counseling centers, hospitals, and 
        physicians.
            ``(B) Pregnancy tests and tests for sexually transmitted 
        diseases.
            ``(C) Statements from family members, roommates, other 
        members of the Armed Forces or veterans, and clergy.
    ``(b) Behavior Changes Corroborating Evidence.--(1) In carrying out 
section 1154(c) of this title, the Secretary shall ensure that evidence 
of a behavior change following military sexual trauma is one type of 
relevant evidence that may be found in sources described in such 
subsection.
    ``(2) Examples of behavior changes that may be relevant evidence of 
military sexual trauma include the following:
            ``(A) A request for a transfer to another military duty 
        assignment.
            ``(B) Deterioration in work performance.
            ``(C) Substance abuse.
            ``(D) Episodes of depression, panic attacks, or anxiety 
        without an identifiable cause.
            ``(E) Unexplained economic or social behavior changes.
    ``(c) Notice and Opportunity to Supply Evidence.--The Secretary may 
not deny a claim of a veteran for compensation under this chapter for a 
covered mental health condition that is based on military sexual trauma 
without first--
            ``(1) advising the veteran that evidence described in 
        subsections (a) and (b) may constitute credible corroborating 
        evidence of the military sexual trauma; and
            ``(2) allowing the veteran an opportunity to furnish such 
        corroborating evidence or advise the Secretary of potential 
        sources of such evidence.
    ``(d) Review of Evidence.--In reviewing a claim for compensation 
described in subsection (a)(1), for any evidence received with such 
claim that is described in subsection (a) or (b), the Secretary may 
submit such evidence to such medical or mental health professional as 
the Secretary considers appropriate, including clinical and counseling 
experts employed by the Department, to obtain a credible opinion as to 
whether the evidence indicates that military sexual trauma occurred.
    ``(e) Point of Contact.--The Secretary shall ensure that each 
document provided to a veteran relating to a claim for compensation 
described in subsection (a)(1) includes contact information for an 
appropriate point of contact with the Department.
    ``(f) Specialized Teams.--(1) The Secretary shall establish 
specialized teams to process claims for compensation described in 
subsection (a)(1).
    ``(2) The Secretary shall ensure that members of teams established 
under paragraph (1) are trained to identify markers indicating military 
sexual trauma.
    ``(3) In any case in which the Secretary obtains conflicting 
evidence relating to the substantiation of a claim for compensation 
described in subsection (a)(1), the Secretary shall give more credence 
to the evidence that is more beneficial to the claimant.
    ``(g) Definitions.--In this section, the terms `covered mental 
health condition' and `military sexual trauma' have the meanings given 
such terms in section 1154(c) of this title.''.
            (2) Clerical amendment.--The table of sections at the 
        beginning of such chapter is amended by adding at the end the 
        following new item:

``1164. Evaluation of claims involving military sexual trauma.''.
    (c) Annual Reports.--
            (1) In general.--Subchapter VI of chapter 11 of title 38, 
        United States Code, as amended by subsection (b), is further 
        amended by adding at the end the following new section:
``Sec. 1166. Annual reports on claims for disabilities incurred or 
              aggravated by military sexual trauma
    ``(a) Reports.--Not later than March 1, 2021, and not less 
frequently than once each year thereafter through 2027, the Secretary 
shall submit to Congress a report on covered claims submitted during 
the previous fiscal year to identify and track the consistency of 
decisions across regional offices.
    ``(b) Elements.--Each report under subsection (a) shall include the 
following:
            ``(1) The number of covered claims submitted to or 
        considered by the Secretary during the fiscal year covered by 
        the report.
            ``(2) Of the covered claims listed under paragraph (1), the 
        number and percentage of such claims--
                    ``(A) submitted by each sex;
                    ``(B) that were approved, including the number and 
                percentage of such approved claims submitted by each 
                sex; and
                    ``(C) that were denied, including the number and 
                percentage of such denied claims submitted by each sex.
            ``(3) Of the covered claims listed under paragraph (1) that 
        were approved, the number and percentage, disaggregated by sex, 
        of claims assigned to each rating percentage.
            ``(4) Of the covered claims listed under paragraph (1) that 
        were denied--
                    ``(A) the three most common reasons given by the 
                Secretary under section 5104(b)(1) of this title for 
                such denials; and
                    ``(B) the number of denials that were based on the 
                failure of a veteran to report for a medical 
                examination.
            ``(5) The number of covered claims that, as of the end of 
        the fiscal year covered by the report, are pending and, 
        separately, the number of such claims on appeal.
            ``(6) For the fiscal year covered by the report, the 
        average number of days that covered claims take to complete, 
        beginning on the date on which the claim is submitted.
            ``(7) A description of the training that the Secretary 
        provides to employees of the Veterans Benefits Administration, 
        or such contractors or other individuals as the Secretary 
        considers appropriate, specifically with respect to covered 
        claims, including the frequency, length, and content of such 
        training.
    ``(c) Definitions.--In this section:
            ``(1) The term `covered claims' means claims for disability 
        compensation submitted to the Secretary based on a covered 
        mental health condition alleged to have been incurred or 
        aggravated by military sexual trauma.
            ``(2) The terms `covered mental health condition' and 
        `military sexual trauma' have the meanings given such terms in 
        section 1154(c) of this title.''.
            (2) Clerical amendment.--The table of sections at the 
        beginning of such chapter, as amended by subsection (b), is 
        further amended by adding at the end the following new item:

``1166. Annual reports on claims for disabilities incurred or 
                            aggravated by military sexual trauma.''.
    (d) Effective Date.--Subsection (c) of section 1154 of title 38, 
United States Code, as added by subsection (a), shall apply with 
respect to any claim for disability compensation under laws 
administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs for which no final 
decision has been made before the date of the enactment of this Act.

SEC. 502. CHOICE OF SEX OF DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS MEDICAL 
              EXAMINER FOR ASSESSMENT OF CLAIMS FOR COMPENSATION 
              RELATING TO DISABILITY RESULTING FROM PHYSICAL ASSAULT OF 
              A SEXUAL NATURE, BATTERY OF A SEXUAL NATURE, OR SEXUAL 
              HARASSMENT.

    (a) In General.--Subchapter VI of chapter 11 of title 38, United 
States Code, as amended by section 501, is further amended by inserting 
after section 1164, as added by section 501, the following new section:
``Sec. 1165. Choice of sex of medical examiner for certain disabilities
    ``(a) In General.--The Secretary shall ensure that a veteran who 
requires a medical examination from a covered medical provider in 
support of a claim for compensation under this chapter for a mental or 
physical health condition that resulted from a physical assault of a 
sexual nature, battery of a sexual nature, or sexual harassment may 
designate the sex of the medical provider who provides such medical 
examination.
    ``(b) Covered Medical Providers.--For purposes of this section, a 
covered medical provider is any medical provider who is employed by the 
Department or is under any contract with the Department to provide 
medical examinations for the purpose of assessing a claim for 
compensation under this chapter.
    ``(c) Notice.--Before providing any medical examination for a 
veteran in support for a claim described in subsection (a), the 
Secretary shall notify the veteran of the veteran's rights under 
subsection (a).''.
    (b) Clerical Amendment.--The table of sections at the beginning of 
chapter 11 of such title, as amended by section 501, is further amended 
by inserting after the item relating to section 1164 the following new 
item:

``1165. Choice of sex of medical examiner for certain disabilities.''.

SEC. 503. SECRETARY OF VETERANS AFFAIRS REPORT ON IMPLEMENTING 
              RECOMMENDATIONS OF INSPECTOR GENERAL OF DEPARTMENT OF 
              VETERANS AFFAIRS IN CERTAIN REPORT ON DENIED 
              POSTTRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER CLAIMS RELATED TO MILITARY 
              SEXUAL TRAUMA.

    Not later than 90 days 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 a report on the progress of the Secretary in implementing 
the recommendations from the report of the Inspector General of the 
Department of Veterans Affairs entitled ``Denied Posttraumatic Stress 
Disorder Claims Related to Military Sexual Trauma'' (17-05248-241).
                                                       Calendar No. 536

116th CONGRESS

  2d Session

                                 S. 514

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 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.

_______________________________________________________________________

                           September 15, 2020

                       Reported with an amendment