Ruth Moore Act of 2015

Summary: (This measure has not been amended since it was reported to the House on July 16, 2015.  Ruth Moore Act of 2015 (Sec. 2) This bill directs the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to report to Congress, by December 1, 2015 and each year thereafter through 2019, on claims submitted during the previous fiscal year for disability compensation based on a covered mental health condition alleged to have been incurred or aggravated by military sexual trauma (covered claims).  Each report shall include:   the number of covered claims submitted or considered;  the number and percentage of such claims submitted by each sex, and the number of claims approved or denied;  the number and percentage, listed by each sex, of approved covered claims assigned to each rating percentage;  the three most common reasons for denial of covered claims, and the number of denials based on the veteran's failure to report for a medical examination;  the number of covered claims pending and the number on appeal;  the average number of days that covered claims take to complete; and  a description of related training provided to Veterans Benefits Administration employees.  The VA shall submit to Congress an initial report within 90 days after enactment of this Act, and annual reports beginning in December 2015.  It is the sense of Congress that the VA should update regulations regarding military sexual trauma by:   ensuring that military sexual trauma is specified as an in-service stressor in determining the service-connection of post-traumatic stress disorder, and  recognizing the full range of physical and mental disabilities (including depression, anxiety, and other disabilities as indicated in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders published by the American Psychiatric Association) that can result from military sexual trauma.   For the period starting fifteen months after enactment of this Act and lasting until VA publishes updated regulations, the VA shall provide:   a copy of the congressional report to each veteran who has submitted a covered claim or been treated for military sexual trauma at a VA medical facility; and  monthly to each such veteran information that includes the date that the VA plans to complete such updated regulations, the number of granted or denied covered claims, a comparison to the rate of grants and denials with the rate for other claims regarding post-traumatic stress disorder, the three most common reasons for claim denials, and the average time for processing covered claims at each regional office.   The VA shall report to Congress monthly regarding: (1) all adjudicated covered claims and their outcomes, and (2) the reason for denial of any covered claim.  (Sec. 3) The Veterans Access, Choice, and Accountability Act of 2014 is amended to limit to $2 million during each of FY2016-FY2018 the aggregate amount of awards and bonuses paid to VA employees who are members of the Senior Executive Service.

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Ruth Moore Act of 2015''.

SEC. 2. REPORTS ON CLAIMS FOR DISABILITIES INCURRED OR AGGRAVATED BY 
              MILITARY SEXUAL TRAUMA.

    (a) Annual Reports.--
            (1) In general.--Subchapter VI of chapter 11 of title 38, 
        United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the 
        following new section:
``Sec. 1164. Reports on claims for disabilities incurred or aggravated 
              by military sexual trauma
    ``(a) Reports.--Not later than December 1, 2015, and each year 
thereafter through 2019, the Secretary shall submit to Congress a 
report on covered claims submitted during the previous fiscal year.
    ``(b) Elements.--Each report under subsection (a) shall include the 
following:
            ``(1) The number of covered claims submitted to or 
        considered by the Secretary during the fiscal year covered by 
        the report.
            ``(2) Of the covered claims listed under paragraph (1), the 
        number and percentage of such claims--
                    ``(A) submitted by each sex;
                    ``(B) that were approved, including the number and 
                percentage of such approved claims submitted by each 
                sex; and
                    ``(C) that were denied, including the number and 
                percentage of such denied claims submitted by each sex.
            ``(3) Of the covered claims listed under paragraph (1) that 
        were approved, the number and percentage, listed by each sex, 
        of claims assigned to each rating percentage.
            ``(4) Of the covered claims listed under paragraph (1) that 
        were denied--
                    ``(A) the three most common reasons given by the 
                Secretary under section 5104(b)(1) of this title for 
                such denials; and
                    ``(B) the number of denials that were based on the 
                failure of a veteran to report for a medical 
                examination.
            ``(5) The number of covered claims that, as of the end of 
        the fiscal year covered by the report, are pending and, 
        separately, the number of such claims on appeal.
            ``(6) For the fiscal year covered by the report, the 
        average number of days that covered claims take to complete 
        beginning on the date on which the claim is submitted.
            ``(7) A description of the training that the Secretary 
        provides to employees of the Veterans Benefits Administration 
        specifically with respect to covered claims, including the 
        frequency, length, and content of such training.
    ``(c) Definitions.--In this section:
            ``(1) The term `covered claims' means claims for disability 
        compensation submitted to the Secretary based on a covered 
        mental health condition alleged to have been incurred or 
        aggravated by military sexual trauma.
            ``(2) The term `covered mental health condition' means 
        post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety, depression, or other 
        mental health diagnosis described in the current version of the 
        Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders published 
        by the American Psychiatric Association that the Secretary 
        determines to be related to military sexual trauma.
            ``(3) The term `military sexual trauma' means, with respect 
        to a veteran, psychological trauma, which in the judgment of a 
        mental health professional, resulted from a physical assault of 
        a sexual nature, battery of a sexual nature, or sexual 
        harassment which occurred during active military, naval, or air 
        service.''.
            (2) Clerical amendment.--The table of sections at the 
        beginning of such chapter is amended by adding at the end the 
        following new item:

``1164. Reports on claims for disabilities incurred or aggravated by 
                            military sexual trauma.''.
            (3) Initial report.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs 
        shall submit to Congress an initial report described in section 
        1164 of title 38, United States Code, as added by paragraph 
        (1), by not later than 90 days after the date of the enactment 
        of this Act. Such initial report shall be in addition to the 
        annual reports required under such section beginning in 
        December 2015.
    (b) Sense of Congress.--It is the sense of Congress that the 
Secretary of Veterans Affairs should update and improve the regulations 
of the Department of Veterans Affairs with respect to military sexual 
trauma by--
            (1) ensuring that military sexual trauma is specified as an 
        in-service stressor in determining the service-connection of 
        post-traumatic stress disorder by including military sexual 
        trauma as a stressor described in section 3.304(f)(3) of title 
        38, Code of Federal Regulations; and
            (2) recognizing the full range of physical and mental 
        disabilities (including depression, anxiety, and other 
        disabilities as indicated in the Diagnostic and Statistical 
        Manual of Mental Disorders published by the American 
        Psychiatric Association) that can result from military sexual 
        trauma.
    (c) Provision of Information.--During the period beginning on the 
date that is 15 months after the date of the enactment of this Act and 
ending on the date on which the Secretary updates and improves 
regulations as described in subsection (b), the Secretary shall--
            (1) provide to each veteran who has submitted a covered 
        claim or been treated for military sexual trauma at a medical 
        facility of the Department with a copy of the report under 
        subsection (a)(3) or section 1164 of title 38, United States 
        Code, as added by subsection (a)(1), that has most recently 
        been submitted to Congress;
            (2) provide on a monthly basis to each veteran who has 
        submitted any claim for disability compensation or been treated 
        at a medical facility of the Department information that 
        includes--
                    (A) the date that the Secretary plans to complete 
                such updates and improvements to such regulations;
                    (B) the number of covered claims that have been 
                granted or denied during the month covered by such 
                information;
                    (C) a comparison to such rate of grants and denials 
                with the rate for other claims regarding post-traumatic 
                stress disorder;
                    (D) the three most common reasons for such denials;
                    (E) the average time for completion of covered 
                claims;
                    (F) the average time for processing covered claims 
                at each regional office; and
                    (G) any information the Secretary determines 
                relevant with respect to submitting a covered claim;
            (3) in addition to providing to veterans the information 
        described in paragraph (2), the Secretary shall make available 
        on a monthly basis such information on a conspicuous location 
        of the Internet website of the Department; and
            (4) submit to Congress on a monthly basis a report that 
        includes--
                    (A) a list of all adjudicated covered claims, 
                including ancillary claims, during the month covered by 
                the report;
                    (B) the outcome with respect to each medical 
                condition included in the claim; and
                    (C) the reason given for any denial of such a 
                claim.
    (d) Military Sexual Trauma Defined.--In this section:
            (1) The term ``covered claim'' has the meaning given that 
        term in section 1164(c)(1) of title 38, United States Code, as 
        added by subsection (a)(1).
            (2) The term ``military sexual trauma'' has the meaning 
        given that term in section 1164(c)(3) of title 38, United 
        States Code, as added by subsection (a)(1).

SEC. 3. LIMITATION ON AWARDS AND BONUSES PAID TO SENIOR EXECUTIVE 
              EMPLOYEES OF DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS.

    Section 705 of the Veterans Access, Choice, and Accountability Act 
of 2014 (Public Law 113-146; 38 U.S.C. 703 note) is amended by striking 
the period at the end and inserting the following: ``, of which, during 
fiscal years 2016 through 2018, not more than an aggregate amount of 
$2,000,000 in each such fiscal year may be paid to employees of the 
Department of Veterans Affairs who are members of the Senior Executive 
Service.''.

            Passed the House of Representatives July 27, 2015.

            Attest:

                                                 KAREN L. HAAS,

                                                                 Clerk.