H. R. 6064 

One Hundred Seventeenth Congress 

of the 

United States of America 

AT THE SECOND SESSION 

Begun and held at the City of Washington on Monday, 

the third day of January, two thousand and twenty-two 

An Act 

To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to seek to enter into an agreement 

with the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine for a review 

of examinations, furnished by the Secretary, to individuals who submit claims 

to the Secretary for compensation under chapter 11 of title 38, United States 

Code, for mental and physical conditions linked to military sexual trauma. 

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 

the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

SECTION 1. INDEPENDENT REVIEW OF ASSESSMENTS BY THE SECRETARY OF VETERANS AFFAIRS OF MENTAL AND PHYSICAL CONDITIONS LINKED TO MILITARY SEXUAL 

TRAUMA FOR PURPOSES OF AWARDING DISABILITY 

COMPENSATION. 

(a) AGREEMENT.—Not later than 90 days after the date of 

the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall 

seek to enter into an agreement with the National Academies 

of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (in this Act referred to 

as the ‘‘National Academies’’) to perform the services covered by 

this section. 

(b) COMPREHENSIVE REVIEW.—Under an agreement between 

the Secretary and the National Academies under this section, the 

National Academies shall conduct a comprehensive review of 

examinations, furnished by the Secretary to individuals who submit 

claims to the Secretary for compensation under chapter 11 of title 

38, United States Code, for mental and physical conditions linked 

to military sexual trauma (in this Act referred to as ‘‘MST’’), for 

the purpose of assessing the impairments of such individuals arising 

from MST. The review carried out pursuant to paragraph (1) shall 

include the following elements: 

(1) A determination of the adequacy of tools and protocols 

used by the Secretary to provide examinations described in 

this subsection, including— 

(A) the Disability Benefits Questionnaires; 

(B) the Department’s schedule of rating disabilities; 

(C) consideration of whether certain conditions linked 

to MST should require referral for both a mental health 

examination and a physical health examination; and 

(D) the necessity of internal pelvic examinations to 

diagnose certain conditions linked to MST, and whether 

alternatives to such examinations could be considered if 

a veteran objects to or cannot complete such examination. 

(2) A determination of what credentials and training are 

necessary for a health care specialist or provider to perform 
H. R. 6064—2 

such examinations related to physical conditions linked to MST, 

for men and for women, including— 

(A) sexual dysfunction; 

(B) pelvic pain; 

(C) pelvic dysfunction; 

(D) musculoskeletal disabilities; and 

(E) cardiovascular conditions (including stroke). 

(3) A determination of what credentials and training are 

necessary for a health care specialist or provider to perform 

such examinations related to mental health conditions linked 

to MST, for men and for women. 

(4) An assessment of the quality of MST training for 

individuals who perform such examinations, including recommendations for improvements to such training. 

(c) REPORTS.— 

(1) REPORT OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMIES.—Not later than 

540 days after the date on which the Secretary enters into 

an agreement under subsection (a), the National Academies 

shall submit to the Committees on Veterans’ Affairs of the 

Senate and House of Representatives a report on the comprehensive review conducted under subsection (b). Such report 

shall include the following elements: 

(A) The findings of the National Academies under subsection (b). 

(B) Recommendations of the National Academies 

regarding legislative or administrative action to improve 

of the adjudication of claims described in subsection (b). 

(2) REPORT OF THE SECRETARY.—Not later than 90 days 

after submission of the report under paragraph (1), the Secretary shall submit to the Committees on Veterans’ Affairs 

of the House of Representatives and the Senate a report on 

the plans of the Secretary to carry out any action based on 

the findings and recommendations of the National Academies. 

Speaker of the House of Representatives. 

Vice President of the United States and

President of the Senate.