[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 97 (Monday, July 20, 1998)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1350-E1351]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




DEPARTMENTS OF VETERANS AFFAIRS AND HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT, AND 
             INDEPENDENT AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 1999

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                         HON. LUIS V. GUTIERREZ

                              of illinois

                    in the house of representatives

                         Friday, July 17, 1998

       The House in Committee of the Whole House on the State of 
     the Union had under consideration the bill (H.R. 4194) making 
     appropriations for the Departments of Veterans Affairs and 
     Housing and Urban Development, and for sundry independent 
     agencies, boards, commissions, corporations, and offices for 
     the fiscal year ending September 30, 1999, and for other 
     purposes:

  Mr. GUTIERREZ. Mr. Chairman, my amendment is simple. It accomplishes 
a goal that America's veterans believe is important and that Congress 
should strongly support.
  My amendment has been endorsed by the American Legion, AMVETS, the 
Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States and the Vietnam Veterans 
of America.
  Almost identical legislation that I introduced last year received 
strong bipartisan support.
  As the ranking Democrat on the Veterans Affairs Committee, 
Subcommittee on Health, I have become very familiar with the serious 
problem of sexual abuse and harassment in the military.
  The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is responsible for treating 
the victims of these crimes and abuses. In my oversight role on the 
Health Subcommittee I have had the opportunity to speak with and learn 
from women veterans who suffered from this abuse.
  The high rate of sexual abuse in the armed services requires 
continued action on this issue.
  In 1996, approximately 190,000 women served in our armed services.
  That year, the Pentagon conducted a survey of active duty women and 
found that five percent of women had been the victims of sexual assault 
during their period of military service.
  National surveys conducted by the VA indicate that approximately 20 
percent of women seeking services from VA medical facilities report 
having experienced a rape or other form of assault on active duty while 
35 to 50 percent report suffering some form of sexual harassment.
  Such findings--and high profile news reports of incidents of abuse--
have made clear the existence of a very serious problem in our armed 
forces and the need to move more aggressively to end the tragedy of 
sexual violence and harassment.
  Rick Schultz, the executive director of the Vietnam Veterans of 
America, which supports this initiative, said, ``in our nation's fervor 
to prosecute the offenders, we must not forget to attend to the needs 
of the victims.''
  This amendment puts those words into law.
  This amendment also is smart policy.
  The prevalence of substance abuse, homelessness, family breakdown, 
poverty and the receipt of public assistance is higher among women 
veterans who suffered from abuse during their military service than it 
is among the general women veterans population.
  The women veterans that I have spoke with told me that the VA's 
program had helped them turn their lives around. Helped them get off 
public assistance, to treat their addictions and become active in their 
families and communities once again.
  Sadly, the VA's sexual trauma treatment program is scheduled to 
expire at the end of their year.
  The possible termination of this program would be tragic for the 
thousands of women who have benefited from the services provided by the 
VA.
  More than 18,000 women veterans and 200 male veterans have sought and 
received therapeutic counseling at hundreds of VA medical facilities 
throughout America.

[[Page E1351]]

  I believe we have an obligation to maintain these services.
  Our failure to ensure a safe environment for women in the armed 
services compels us to reauthorize this vital program.
  Unfortunately, current law also does not enable all the victims of 
sexual abuse in the military to receive counseling at the VA.
  Current law excludes active and former reservists and national guard 
members from seeking this vital care.
  This is a serious oversight that needs correction.
  Female reservists have been the victims of sexual abuse while on 
active duty in the Gulf and in Bosnia. They have come back with the 
scars of these crimes and have not been afforded care at VA facilities.
  Reservists have also been the victims of these serious crimes during 
their active training.
  Unfortunately, these crimes often go unreported because the Defense 
Department refuses to investigate offenses that affect non-active duty 
soldiers.
  Because of this policy, no recourse exists for reservists and no care 
is provided.
  This is wrong and my amendment will correct this loophole.
  The Department of Veterans Affairs wants this program reauthorized 
until 2002 and Congress should comply with this request.
  The veterans community wants this program reauthorized and wants all 
the victims of sexual abuse during their military service to be 
eligible for proper treatment.
  As Josephus Vandengoobergh (VAN-DEN-GO-BER), the National Commander 
of AMVETS, states in a letter of support for my amendment, ``AMVETS 
strongly supports Congressman Guiterrez's amendment to HR 4194, to 
reauthorize and improve the VA's sexual trauma program. If nothing is 
done, this program will expire in December. We would like to see it 
established as a permanent program, we believe it has proved its 
worth.''
  Today, our nation has more than 1.2 million women veterans.
  This amendment would respond to their needs and help them gain the 
recognition they deserve and care they have earned.
  I urge my colleagues to support this amendment and honor our 
obligations to women veterans.
  Mr. Chairman, I ask unanimous consent to enter for the Record the 
letter from Josephus Vandengoobergh, the National Commander of AMVETS, 
in support of my amendment.

                                                        AMVETS

                                        Lanham, MD, July 14, 1998.
     Hon. Gerald Solomon,
     House of Representatives,
     Washington, DC.
       Dear Mr. Chairman: AMVETS strongly supports Congressman 
     Luis Gutierrez's amendment to H.R. 4194 (the VA/HUD 
     Appropriations Bill) to reauthorize and improve the 
     ``Veterans Sexual Trauma Treatment Act.''
       AMVETS, along with other veterans service organizations, 
     the Department of Veterans Affairs and the Government 
     Accounting Office, testified earlier this year to the House 
     Veterans Affairs Subcommittee on Health that this program 
     needs to be reauthorized. We would like to see it established 
     as a permanent program; we believe it has proved its worth.
       Enclosed is our testimony, as well as the testimony of the 
     VA and GAO. Mr. Gutierrez's amendment would reauthorize the 
     program and expand its scope to cover Reservists and National 
     Guard who experienced sexual trauma during military duty. 
     Currently VA includes these groups in the program; therefore, 
     no additional costs will be incurred by their addition.
       If nothing is done, the program will expire in December of 
     this year. According to VA, more than 18,000 women veterans 
     and 200 male veterans have accessed sexual trauma counseling 
     services. Please help save this viable program.
           Sincerely,
                                       Josephus C. Vandengoobergh,
                                               National Commander.

     

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