[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 85 (Wednesday, May 18, 2022)]
[House]
[Pages H5105-H5107]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      MST CLAIMS COORDINATION ACT

  Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill

[[Page H5106]]

(H.R. 7335) to improve coordination between the Veterans Health 
Administration and the Veterans Benefits Administration with respect to 
claims for compensation arising from military sexual trauma, and for 
other purposes.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                               H.R. 7335

       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 ``MST Claims Coordination 
     Act''.

     SEC. 2. VETERANS HEALTH ADMINISTRATION AND VETERANS BENEFITS 
                   ADMINISTRATION COORDINATION FOR CERTAIN CLAIMS 
                   ARISING FROM MILITARY SEXUAL TRAUMA.

       (a) Coordinated Provision of Materials.--
       (1) Required materials.--During or immediately after each 
     covered event, and together with each covered document, in a 
     claim for compensation arising from military sexual trauma 
     experienced by a covered individual, the Under Secretary for 
     Benefits of the Veterans Benefits Administration, in 
     coordination with the Under Secretary for Health of the 
     Veterans Health Administration, shall provide, to the covered 
     individual--
       (A) outreach letters;
       (B) information on the Veterans Crisis Line;
       (C) information on how to make an appointment with a mental 
     health provider; and
       (D) other information on available resources relating to 
     military sexual trauma (including information on military 
     sexual trauma coordinators of the Veterans Health 
     Administration, mental health providers trained in military 
     sexual trauma issues, and peer support specialists).
       (2) Format of materials.--Materials described in paragraph 
     (1) may be provided electronically.
       (b) Automatic Notification System.--In a claim for 
     compensation arising from military sexual trauma experienced 
     by a veteran, if the veteran is enrolled in the patient 
     enrollment system of the Department of Veterans Affairs under 
     section 1705 of title 38, United States Code, and consents to 
     the notification system under this subsection, the Under 
     Secretary for Benefits shall automatically notify the Under 
     Secretary for Health shortly before the veteran--
       (1) participates in any covered event; or
       (2) receives any covered document.
       (c) Implementation Deadline.--The Secretary of Veterans 
     Affairs shall implement this Act not later than 18 months 
     after the date of the enactment of this Act.
       (d) Definitions.--In this section:
       (1) The term ``compensation'' has the meaning given that 
     term in section 101 of title 38, United States Code.
       (2) The term ``covered document'' means a determination 
     (including a rating determination) that the Secretary of 
     Veterans Affairs provides to the claimant in connection with 
     a claim for compensation.
       (3) The term ``covered event'' includes, with respect to a 
     claim for compensation--
       (A) a medical examination under section 5103A of title 38, 
     United States Code;
       (B) a hearing before the Board of Veterans' Appeals under 
     section 7107 of such title; and
       (C) any other event determined relevant by the Secretary of 
     Veterans Affairs.
       (4) The term ``covered individual'' means a former member 
     of the Armed Forces (as that term is defined in section 1720D 
     of title 38, United States Code) who elects to receive 
     materials under subsection (a).
       (5) The term ``military sexual trauma'' has the meaning 
     given that term in section 1166 of title 38, United States 
     Code.
       (6) The term ``Veterans Crisis Line'' means the toll-free 
     hotline for veterans established under section 1720F(h) of 
     title 38, United States Code.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
California (Mr. Takano) and the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Bost) each 
will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from California.


                             General Leave

  Mr. TAKANO. Mr. 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. 7335.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from California?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  I rise in strong support of H.R. 7335, the MST Claims Coordination 
Act, introduced by Chairwoman Luria. Information is power, but access 
to information is empowering.
  Given the traumatic nature of military sexual trauma, equipping 
veterans with information about the MST claims process may help to ease 
the apprehension that may be associated with pursuing MST claims.
  The outreach materials mandated by this legislation will provide MST 
survivors a variety of resources on how to pursue and file claims; 
identify mental health resources for treatment; and contact information 
for the Veterans Crisis Line, should the need arise.
  By improving the notification mechanisms between the Veterans Health 
Administration and the Veterans Benefit Administration, veteran 
survivors of MST will benefit from claims coordination between the 
administrations, which will hopefully lead to a more streamlined MST 
claims process and accelerated compensation decisions, and will avoid 
the complications that often lead to frustration among survivors.
  I thank Chair Luria for offering this legislation, and I urge my 
colleagues to support it.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. BOST. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 7335, the MST Claims 
Coordination Act. This bill requires VBA to provide claimants with 
outreach materials on VHA services for military sexual trauma survivors 
during the benefits claim process.
  Additionally, this legislation will allow the veterans to opt into a 
requirement that the VBA notify VHA when the veteran receives a 
disability exam or board hearing for a claim related to MST. This will 
allow the VHA to be better informed about the events in the claims 
process that may cause distress to the MST survivor in order to improve 
their care.
  Veteran claimants have reported that they are unaware of the services 
VHA provides to assist veterans who experienced MST, regardless of 
their service-connected disability status.
  It is critical that VA improves coordination between VHA and VBA to 
better support survivors of MST.
  I appreciate Congresswoman Luria, the Chairwoman of the Disability 
Assistance and Memorial Affairs Subcommittee, for introducing this 
bill, and I urge my colleagues to support this bill.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman from 
Virginia (Mrs. Luria), my good friend, author of H.R. 7335, and the 
chair of the Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs Subcommittee.
  Mrs. LURIA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today on behalf of the survivors of 
military sexual trauma, or MST, who struggle to access the medical 
care, mental health services, and the compensation that they deserve.
  Sexual assault in the military continues to be a pervasive issue. 
These assaults are often unreported and can culminate in post-traumatic 
stress disorder, depression, and even suicide.
  When a veteran has the courage to report the impact of that trauma to 
the VA, it is essential that we treat these claims with the utmost 
empathy, compassion, and concern.
  For many veterans, submitting the claim means opening themselves up. 
For those who have not filed a report while in the military, this is 
the first opportunity for their experience to be acknowledged. And far 
too often, MST survivors encounter bureaucratic processes when filing 
their claims through the VA, which can be re-traumatizing, and further 
delays access to critical healthcare and mental healthcare services.

                              {time}  1245

  My bill is one in a series of bills drafted to improve the veteran's 
experience during the MST claims process. It would require the VA to 
provide guidance to help veterans understand what mental health 
resources and other supports are in place and available to support them 
as they go through the claims process.
  By ensuring veterans who file an MST-related claim are given 
information on the Veterans Crisis Line, how to make appointments with 
mental healthcare providers, and connect them with VHA MST 
coordinators, we empower veterans to access the network of trauma-
informed care that the VHA provides.
  For veterans who already have access to the VHA system of care, my 
bill would, with the veteran's consent, allow for relevant healthcare 
providers

[[Page H5107]]

to be notified when a veteran in their care has filed an MST claim, has 
an examination related to the MST claim, or been notified of a decision 
or a determination. This notification can be especially helpful when a 
claim has been denied or the decision is lower than the veteran feels 
is warranted.
  We must ensure that survivors of sexual assault and sexual harassment 
in the military are treated respectfully and receive proper care at all 
stages of the process, including mental healthcare services.
  It is especially critical in light of the August 2021 VA Office of 
Inspector General report which showed that claims were still being 
inappropriately denied. Thus, ``veteran survivors of military sexual 
trauma remain at risk of not receiving the VA benefits to which they 
are entitled and experiencing additional distress when claims are 
improperly handled or denied.''
  That is why I introduced the MST Claims Coordinator Act, to improve 
communication and coordination in the claims process between the 
Veterans Benefits Administration and the Veterans Health 
Administration.
  As a 20-year Navy veteran, I am proud to have worked with my 
colleagues in a bipartisan fashion to introduce this legislation, and I 
urge my colleagues to support its final passage.
  Mr. BOST. Mr. Speaker, I encourage my colleagues to support this 
bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I truly appreciate the diligent work of 
Chairwoman Luria. I ask all of my colleagues to join me in passing her 
legislation, H.R. 7335, 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. 7335.
  The question was taken.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds 
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
  Mr. HICE of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to section 3(s) of House Resolution 
8, the yeas and nays are ordered.
  Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX, further proceedings on this motion 
are postponed.

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