[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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