[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 22 (Thursday, February 26, 2004)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E243-E244]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                 MILITARY SEXUAL TRAUMA COUNSELING ACT

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. CIRO D. RODRIGUEZ

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, February 26, 2004

  Mr. RODRIGUEZ. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to speak on behalf of 
legislation I am introducing today, the ``Military Sexual Trauma

[[Page E244]]

Counseling Act of 2004.'' This legislation would permanently extend 
VA's authority to offer services to women and men who experienced 
sexual harassment, abuse or assault while serving on active duty in the 
armed services.
  Congress originally authorized VA to offer sexual trauma counseling 
in November 1992 in the wake of the Tailhook Scandal where U.S. naval 
aviators were found to have sexually abused 14 women officers and 12 
civilians at a 1991 convention in Las Vegas. In the wake of another 
scandal at the Aberdeen Proving Ground in 1998, legislation resulting 
in the extension and expansion of authority for the sexual trauma 
counseling program was enacted. I want to commend my colleague on the 
VA Committee, Luis Gutierrez, for his hard work in support of this 
legislation.
  As the number of women serving in the military continues to grow, the 
need for this program is sadly more evident. According to a VA report, 
more than half (55%) of all women in VA's patient population said they 
had experienced sexual harassment while in the military, and almost 
one-quarter claimed to have been sexually assaulted. Although the 
military is moving to address some of the long-standing problems it has 
had in managing sexism of all kinds in its increasingly integrated 
armed services workforce, we cannot expect the military's culture to 
change overnight.
  VA's sexual trauma counseling programs are designed to create a 
secure and sensitive environment in which women who served in the 
military can deal with the emotional burden of being a victim of sexual 
abuse. Studies have shown that almost a third of all rape victims have 
active cases of post-traumatic stress disorder. Typically individuals 
who seek care may need other types of VA services including appropriate 
treatment for the psychological effects of trauma, in addition to 
medication and treatment for the substance use disorders that sometimes 
arise from victims' attempts to ``self-medicate'' symptoms such as 
stress, impaired concentration and nightmares.
  Since the program was authorized, VA has embraced the challenge of 
developing unique resources to serve women and men who suffered such 
abuses during their military service. The program does not limit its 
services to veterans and is authorized to provide services to members 
of the National Guard and Reserve and others who were on active duty, 
such as trainees, who may never attain veteran status.
  To date, thousands of veterans have received VA sexual trauma 
services and a General Accounting Office study shows a general 
satisfaction with the programs provided. All VA medical centers, in 
addition to some vet centers, have resources available to veterans and 
reservists. It is through effective intervention and counseling that 
individuals may overcome some of the problems associated with sexual 
trauma and return to normal, productive lives.
  In 2002, the Committee on Veterans Affairs examined the status of 
VA's health programs for women. One witness, Linda Spoonster-Schwartz, 
the former Chairperson of the VA's Advisory Committee on Women Veterans 
and now the Commissioner of Veterans Affairs in Connecticut had this to 
say:

       Surely by now, this Committee is aware that the need for 
     this treatment program will persist as long as incidents of 
     sexual assault and trauma continue to occur in the ranks of 
     our military. For all practical purposes, this problem is not 
     going away. Indeed, there is no question that there is 
     sufficient utilization of VA resources committed to treat 
     veterans who were victimized while in the service of their 
     country. Women of all ages and periods of service continue to 
     seek assistance from VA for the physical and emotional 
     aftermath of these traumatic events. The burning question to 
     this Committee is why hasn't this become a permanent program 
     of the VA?

  The time is right to give this proven program the permanent authority 
it deserves. I urge this Congress to pass this bill so sexual trauma 
counseling services will be available to current and future generations 
of veterans.

                          ____________________