[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 161 (2015), Part 2]
[House]
[Pages 1691-1692]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




    PROVIDING TRAVEL BENEFITS FOR VICTIMS OF MILITARY SEXUAL TRAUMA

  (Ms. KUSTER asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute.)
  Ms. KUSTER. Mr. Speaker, today, I am proud to again partner with my 
colleague Jackie Walorski from Indiana to reintroduce legislation to 
extend veterans' travel benefits to veterans who are traveling to seek 
treatment for injuries resulting from sexual trauma in the military.
  It is an honor to serve with Mrs. Walorski on the Veterans' Affairs 
Committee--one of the most bipartisan committees in the House--and it 
is a privilege to work with all of our colleagues, Republicans and 
Democrats, in service to our Nation's veterans. We must ensure that 
victims can access the high-quality care that every veteran is 
guaranteed when he or she joins the military.
  The occurrence of sexual trauma in the military is outrageous enough, 
but it is something our brave servicemen and -women should never be 
forced to experience. What is even worse is that many survivors of 
military sexual trauma have trouble accessing the physical and mental 
health services

[[Page 1692]]

they need when they return home because the VA does not provide travel 
benefits to all victims of MST.
  This legislation is a great first step in further protecting the 
thousands of servicemen and -women who are survivors of military sexual 
violence. I urge its swift passage.

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