[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 124 (Tuesday, July 23, 2019)]
[House]
[Pages H7206-H7207]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
HELPING EXPAND AND LAUNCH TRANSITIONAL HEALTH FOR WOMEN VETERANS ACT
Mr. TAKANO. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the
bill (H.R. 2942) to direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to carry
out the Women's Health Transition Training pilot program through at
least fiscal year 2020, and for other purposes, as amended.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
H.R. 2942
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Helping Expand and Launch
Transitional Health for Women Veterans Act'' or ``HEALTH
Act''.
SEC. 2. ENCOURAGEMENT OF PARTICIPATION IN WOMEN'S HEALTH
TRANSITION TRAINING PILOT PROGRAM.
(a) Duration.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall
carry out the Women's Health Transition Training pilot
program (in this section referred to as the ``pilot
program'') until at least September 30, 2020.
(b) Report.--Not later than September 30, 2020, the
Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of Veterans Affairs
shall jointly submit to the appropriate congressional
committees a report on the pilot program that includes the
following:
(1) For the period since the commencement of the pilot
program--
(A) the number of women members by military department
(with respect to Department of the Navy, separately for the
Navy and Marine Corps) who participated in the pilot program;
(B) the number of courses held under the pilot program; and
(C) the locations at which such courses were held, and the
number of seats available and the number of participants at
each such location.
(2) With respect to the number of members who participated
in the pilot program as specified under paragraph (1)--
(A) the number who enrolled in the health care system
established under section 1705(a) of title 38, United States
Code; and
(B) the number who attended at least one health care
appointment at a medical facility of the Department of
Veterans Affairs.
(3) Data relating to--
(A) satisfaction with courses held under the pilot program;
(B) improved awareness of health care services administered
by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs; and
(C) any other available statistics regarding the pilot
program.
(4) A discussion of regulatory, legal, or resource barriers
to--
(A) making the pilot program permanent to enable access by
a greater number of women members at locations throughout the
United States;
(B) offering the pilot program online for women members who
are unable to attend courses held under the pilot program in
person; and
(C) the feasibility of automatically enrolling pilot
program participants in the health care system established
under section 1705(a) of title 38, United States Code.
(c) Appropriate Congressional Committees Defined.--In this
section, the term ``appropriate congressional committees''
means the Committees on Veterans' Affairs and the Committees
on Armed Services of the House of Representatives and the
Senate.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
California (Mr. Takano) and the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Bilirakis)
each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from California.
General Leave
Mr. TAKANO. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members
may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks
and to insert extraneous material on H.R. 2942, as amended.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from California?
There was no objection.
Mr. TAKANO. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Madam Speaker, women veterans are the fastest growing demographic
within the veteran population yet underutilize VA healthcare resources.
This is primarily due to misperceptions about eligibility and available
resources.
Many women leaving the military may not realize that they are
eligible to use VA services, nor that VA offers extensive gender-
specific care, such as mammography; prenatal, maternity, and
infertility care; and mental healthcare that addresses complex trauma,
including military sexual trauma, otherwise known as MST, and combat-
related post-traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD.
The VA and U.S. Air Force Women's Health Transition Training pilot
program works to address issues commonly experienced by women veterans
when accessing VA care. This successful improvement to the Transition
Assistance Program, or the TAP, is jointly run by the USAF and VA.
Transitioning women servicemembers can attend an additional day of TAP
to learn about women's healthcare, counseling, and social services
available at the VA to ensure that they receive a warm handoff between
the Department of Defense and the Veterans Administration.
Mr. Cisneros' bill would expand the Women's Health Transition
Training pilot program to more locations and authorizes the program
through the end of fiscal year 2020.
This great legislation has my full support.
Madam Speaker, although women are the fastest growing cohort of
veterans, women veterans are less likely to seek care and services at
VA. This bill aims to address that and make the VA more accessible and
responsive to women veterans.
Madam Speaker, this pilot program educates transitioning servicewomen
about VA's healthcare services. The data collected from this pilot
program can be applied to the Transition Assistance Program to better
meet the needs of all transitioning servicemembers.
Madam Speaker, I thank Mr. Cisneros for his hard work on this
legislation, and I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. BILIRAKIS. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 2942, as amended, the
Helping Expand and Launch Transitional Health, or HEALTH, for Women
Veterans Act.
I thank and congratulate Representative Cisneros on this very good
bill,
[[Page H7207]]
and I thank the chairman and the ranking member for bringing this bill
forward.
{time} 1715
Women are joining the armed services in record numbers, Madam
Speaker, and are an important part of the military and veteran
communities. In recognition of the brave services these women are
providing our country, it is incumbent on us to ensure that they are
aware of the many benefits afforded to them.
Unfortunately, far too many women veterans are unaware of the
healthcare services available for women through the Department of
Veterans Affairs Veterans Health Administration. That is why VA and the
Air Force partnered together to create a Women's Health Transition
Training pilot program.
The pilot program provides servicewomen who are on the verge of
leaving the military with information about the care they may be
eligible to receive from VA, how to enroll in VA, and how to
successfully transition to civilian life. In short, it empowers women
to make informed decisions about their healthcare by educating them
about the benefits available.
As of June 5, there have been 50 pilot sessions, Madam Speaker, and
the women who have attended those sessions have reported a 98 percent
satisfaction rate.
The Helping Expand and Launch Transitional Health for Women Veterans
Act would extend the Women's Health Transition Training pilot program
through fiscal year 2020 to ensure that women leaving the military
continue to benefit from it.
This bill is sponsored, again, by Representative Gil Cisneros from
California, and I thank the gentleman for his work. It is a very, very
important bill.
Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting this
bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. TAKANO. Madam Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from
California (Mr. Cisneros), a veteran himself, the author of this
legislation, and a member of the Veterans' Affairs Committee.
Mr. CISNEROS. Madam Speaker, I thank the chairman for yielding, and I
again want to thank the gentleman from Florida for his support on this
bill as well.
Madam Speaker, I want to thank Chairman Takano and Ranking Member Roe
of the House Veterans' Affairs Committee for working with me to ensure
my bill passed out of committee on a bipartisan basis.
Today, I rise to ask my colleagues for their support on my bill, H.R.
2942, the Helping Expand and Launch Transitional Health for Women
Veterans Act, introduced with my colleague and fellow veteran,
Congresswoman Chrissy Houlahan.
As a Navy veteran, one of my top priorities is ensuring that active
servicemembers transitioning into the civilian world are connected to
the VA system and provided the best education and tools needed to
succeed.
Despite being the fastest growing cohort in our military community,
many servicewomen face unique challenges with their VA benefits.
Studies have shown that women veterans, on average, connect with the VA
nearly 3 years after military service, which can result in higher rates
of physical and mental health issues. In a male-dominated VA system, it
is not surprising why women veterans often report that they are
uncomfortable seeking women-specific care.
My bill would require the Department of Veterans Affairs to extend an
ongoing initiative with the Air Force and the Transition Assistance
Program, which educates transitioning servicewomen about women's
healthcare at the VA.
Specifically, the bill would mandate an extension of the program
across all military service branches and require a report on the
feasibility of making it permanent. Participants of this pilot program
report an increased likelihood to use VA healthcare and have shown
higher rates of confidence with the VA.
It is time our women servicemembers and veterans receive the care
they need, and this bill will do just that. I urge my colleagues to
join me in support of my bill to ensure that, when servicewomen
transition to civilian life, they are provided with the information
that will help them navigate their VA benefits in a commonsense way.
Mr. BILIRAKIS. Madam Speaker, I have no other speakers, and I am
prepared to close.
I want to say that this is an outstanding bill. I am glad we worked
on this bill because we have a lot of women veterans who need this, and
I want to make it permanent. So, again, let's pass this bill as soon as
possible and get it to the Senate.
Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. TAKANO. Madam Speaker, I am also prepared to close.
I will say in my final remarks that I urge all of my colleagues to
support our women veterans by joining me in passing this very important
legislation, H.R. 2942, as amended, and I yield back the balance of my
time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentleman from California (Mr. Takano) that the House suspend the rules
and pass the bill, H.R. 2942, as amended.
The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the
rules were suspended and the bill, as amended, was passed.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
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