MST Claims Coordination Act

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.

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

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

(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.

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.

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. 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.

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.

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. Speaker, I encourage my colleagues to support this bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Veterans' Affairs be discharged and that the Senate proceed to the immediate consideration of the following bills en bloc: H.R. 6064, H.R. 6604, H.R. 6961, H.R. 7299, H.R. 7335, and S. 4949.

I ask unanimous consent that the bills, en bloc, be considered read a third time and passed and that the motions to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table, all en bloc.

Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.