[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 2014 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

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118th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                S. 2014

To ensure that certain members of the Armed Forces who served in female 
cultural support teams receive proper credit for such service, and for 
                            other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             June 15, 2023

  Ms. Rosen (for herself, Ms. Ernst, Ms. Duckworth, and Mr. Sullivan) 
introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the 
                     Committee on Veterans' Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To ensure that certain members of the Armed Forces who served in female 
cultural support teams receive proper credit for such service, and for 
                            other purposes.

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

SECTION 1. CREDIT FOR CERTAIN MEMBERS OF THE ARMED FORCES WHO SERVED IN 
              FEMALE CULTURAL SUPPORT TEAMS.

    (a) Findings.--Congress finds the following:
            (1) In 2010, the Commander of United States Special 
        Operations Command established the Cultural Support Team 
        Program to overcome significant intelligence gaps during the 
        Global War on Terror.
            (2) From 2010 through 2021, approximately 310 female 
        members, from every Armed Force, passed and were selected as 
        members of female cultural support teams, and deployed with 
        special operations forces.
            (3) Members of female cultural support teams served 
        honorably, demonstrated commendable courage, overcame such 
        intelligence gaps, engaged in direct action, and suffered 
        casualties during the Global War on Terror.
            (4) The Federal Government has a duty to recognize members 
        and veterans of female cultural support teams who volunteered 
        to join the Armed Forces, to undergo arduous training for 
        covered service, and to execute dangerous and classified 
        missions in the course of such covered service.
            (5) Members who performed covered service have sought 
        treatment from the Department of Veterans Affairs for traumatic 
        brain injuries, post-traumatic stress, and disabling physical 
        trauma incurred in the course of such covered service, but have 
        been denied such care.
    (b) Sense of Congress.--It is the sense of Congress that 
individuals who performed covered service performed exceptional service 
to the United States.
    (c) Military Service: Records; Calculation of Retired Pay.--Not 
later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, each 
Secretary concerned shall--
            (1) ensure that the performance of covered service is 
        included in--
                    (A) the military service record of each individual 
                who performed covered service; and
                    (B) the computation of retired pay for each 
                individual who performed covered service; and
            (2) transmit to the Secretary of Veterans Affairs a list of 
        each veteran who performed covered service whose military 
        service record was modified pursuant to paragraph (1).
    (d) Claims for Veterans Benefits Arising From Covered Service.--
            (1) Determination of service connection.--Upon the filing 
        of a claim by an individual described in paragraph (3)(C) for 
        service-connected disability or death incurred or aggravated in 
        the course of covered service, the Secretary of Veterans 
        Affairs shall--
                    (A) determine whether such disability or death was 
                service-connected; and
                    (B) adjust the computation of any disability 
                compensation awarded accordingly.
            (2) Treatment of covered service.--In the consideration of 
        a claim under this subsection, the Secretary shall treat 
        covered service as engagement in combat with the enemy in the 
        course of active military, naval, air, or space service.
            (3) Effective date of award.--
                    (A) In general.--Except as provided by subparagraph 
                (B), the effective date of an award under this 
                subsection shall be determined in accordance with 
                section 5110 of title 38, United States Code.
                    (B) Exception.--Notwithstanding subsection (g) of 
                such section, the Secretary shall determine the 
                effective date of an award based on a claim under this 
                subsection for an individual described in subparagraph 
                (C) by treating the date on which the individual filed 
                the initial claim specified in clause (i) of such 
                subparagraph as the date on which the individual filed 
                the claim so awarded under this section.
                    (C) Eligible individuals.--An individual described 
                in this subparagraph is an individual who performed 
                covered service, or a survivor of such an individual--
                            (i) who, before the date of the enactment 
                        of this Act, submitted a claim for service-
                        connected disability or death of such 
                        individual;
                            (ii) whose such claim was denied by reason 
                        of the claim not establishing that the 
                        disability or death was service-connected;
                            (iii) who submits a claim during the period 
                        of three years beginning on the date of the 
                        enactment of this Act, for the same condition 
                        covered by the prior claim under clause; and
                            (iv) whose such claim is approved pursuant 
                        to this subsection.
            (4) Processing of claims.--The Secretary of Veterans 
        Affairs, in consultation with the Secretary of Defense, shall 
        improve training and guidance for employees who may process a 
        claim under this subsection.
            (5) Outreach.--
                    (A) In general.--The Secretary shall conduct 
                outreach to inform individuals who performed covered 
                service (and survivors of such individuals) that they 
                may submit supplemental claims for service-connected 
                disability or death incurred or aggravated in the 
                course of covered service.
                    (B) Elements.--Outreach conducted pursuant to 
                subparagraph (A) shall include the following:
                            (i) Contact individuals described in 
                        subparagraph (A), especially individuals who 
                        are veterans included in the list transmitted 
                        pursuant to subsection (c)(2) and survivors of 
                        such veterans, directly to inform them of the 
                        treatment of covered service described in 
                        subsection (d)(2) and that they may submit 
                        supplemental claims as described in such 
                        subparagraph.
                            (ii) Publishing on the internet website of 
                        the Department a notice that such individuals 
                        may elect to file a supplemental claim.
                            (iii) Notifying, in writing or by 
                        electronic means, veterans service 
                        organizations of the ability of such 
                        individuals to file a supplemental claim.
    (e) Definitions.--In this section:
            (1) Active military, naval, air, or space service.--The 
        term ``active military, naval, air, or space service'' has the 
        meaning given such term in section 101 of title 38, United 
        States Code.
            (2) Covered service.--The term ``covered service'' means 
        service--
                    (A) as a member of the Armed Forces;
                    (B) in a female cultural support team;
                    (C) with the personnel development skill identifier 
                of R2J or 5DK, or any other validation methods, such as 
                valid sworn statements, officer and enlisted 
                performance evaluations, training certificates, or 
                records of an award from completion of tour with a 
                cultural support team; and
                    (D) during the period beginning on January 1, 2010, 
                and ending on August 31, 2021.
            (3) Secretary concerned.--The term ``Secretary concerned'' 
        has the meaning given such term in section 101 of title 10, 
        United States Code.
            (4) Service-connected.--The term ``service-connected'' has 
        the meaning given such term in section 101 of title 38, United 
        States Code.
            (5) Veteran.--The term ``veteran'' has the meaning given 
        such term in section 101 of title 38, United States Code.
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