I 

116TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 8130 

To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to conduct an assessment of 

the capacity of peer specialists of the Department of Veterans Affairs 

who are women, and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

AUGUST 28, 2020 

Miss RICE of New York (for herself and Mr. GONZALEZ of Ohio) introduced 

the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs 

A BILL 

To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to conduct an 

assessment of the capacity of peer specialists of the 

Department of Veterans Affairs who are women, and 

for other purposes. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘VA Peer Specialists 

5 Act’’. 


pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with BILLS
2 

•HR 8130 IH

1 SEC. 2. STAFFING IMPROVEMENT PLAN FOR PEER SPE2 CIALISTS OF DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AF3 FAIRS WHO ARE WOMEN. 

4 (a) ASSESSMENT OF CAPACITY.— 

5 (1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 90 days after 

6 the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary 

7 of Veterans Affairs, in consultation with the Inspec8 tor General of the Department of Veterans Affairs, 

9 shall commence an assessment of the capacity of 

10 peer specialists of the Department of Veterans Af11 fairs who are women. 

12 (2) ELEMENTS.—The assessment required by 

13 paragraph (1) shall include an assessment of the fol14 lowing: 

15 (A) The geographical distribution of peer 

16 specialists of the Department who are women. 

17 (B) The geographical distribution of 

18 women veterans. 

19 (C) The number and proportion of women 

20 peer specialists who specialize in peer coun21 seling on mental health or suicide prevention. 

22 (D) The number and proportion of women 

23 peer specialists who specialize in peer coun24 seling on non-mental health related matters. 

25 (E) A description of the duties and respon26 sibilities of women peer specialists, including 


pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with BILLS
3 

•HR 8130 IH

1 number of hours worked per week, to better de2 fine, delineate, and standardize qualifications, 

3 performance goals, performance duties, and 

4 performance outcomes for peer specialists and 

5 their managers. 

6 (F) Department funds and other resources 

7 dedicated to supporting the work of women peer 

8 specialists. 

9 (b) REPORT.—Not later than one year after the as10 sessment required by subsection (a) has commenced, the 

11 Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Veterans’ Af12 fairs of the Senate and the Committee on Veterans’ Af13 fairs of the House of Representatives a report detailing 

14 the findings of the assessment, including the ratio of how 

15 many hours were worked by women peer specialists rel16 ative to the population of women veterans at each Depart17 ment medical center. 

18 (c) STAFFING IMPROVEMENT PLAN.— 

19 (1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 180 days 

20 after submitting the report under subsection (b), the 

21 Secretary, in consultation with the Inspector Gen22 eral, shall submit to the Committee on Veterans’ Af23 fairs of the Senate and the Committee on Veterans’ 

24 Affairs of the House of Representatives a plan, 

25 based on the results of the assessment required by 


pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with BILLS
4 

•HR 8130 IH

1 subsection (a), to hire additional qualified peer spe2 cialists who are women, with special consideration 

3 for areas that lack peer specialists who are women. 

4 (2) ELEMENTS.—The peer specialist positions 

5 included in the plan required by paragraph (1)— 

6 (A) shall be non-volunteer, paid positions; 

7 and 

8 (B) may be part-time positions. 

Æ 


pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with BILLS