II 

114TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION S. 3434 

To require the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to improve the provision of 

services and benefits from the Department of Veterans Affairs for veterans who experience domestic violence or sexual assault, and for other 

purposes. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

SEPTEMBER 28, 2016 

Mrs. SHAHEEN introduced the following bill; which was read twice and 

referred to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs 

A BILL 

To require the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to improve 

the provision of services and benefits from the Department of Veterans Affairs for veterans who experience 

domestic violence or sexual assault, 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 ‘‘Violence Against 

5 Women Veterans Act’’. 


SSpencer on DSK4SPTVN1PROD with BILLS
2 

•S 3434 IS

1 SEC. 2. PURPOSE. 

2 The purpose of this Act is to better integrate the 

3 medical, housing, mental health, and other benefits pro4 vided by the Department of Veterans Affairs (in this Act 

5 referred to as the ‘‘Department’’) with existing commu6 nity-based domestic violence and sexual assault services— 

7 (1) to provide a more efficient and coordinated 

8 network of support for veterans experiencing domes9 tic violence or sexual assault; and 

10 (2) to better understand the impact of domestic 

11 violence and sexual assault on veterans, particularly 

12 female veterans. 

13 SEC. 3. PROGRAM TO ASSIST VETERANS WHO EXPERIENCE 

14 DOMESTIC VIOLENCE OR SEXUAL ASSAULT. 

15 (a) PROGRAM REQUIRED.—The Secretary of Vet16 erans Affairs (in this Act referred to as the ‘‘Secretary’’) 

17 shall carry out a program to assist veterans that have ex18 perienced or are experiencing domestic violence or sexual 

19 assault in accessing benefits from the Department, includ20 ing coordinating access to medical treatment centers, 

21 housing assistance, and other benefits from the Depart22 ment. 

23 (b) PARTNERSHIP.—The Secretary shall carry out 

24 the program under subsection (a) in partnership with— 

25 (1) domestic violence shelters and programs; 

26 (2) rape crisis centers; 


SSpencer on DSK4SPTVN1PROD with BILLS
3 

•S 3434 IS

1 (3) State domestic violence and sexual assault 

2 coalitions; and 

3 (4) such other health care or other service pro4 viders that serve domestic violence or sexual assault 

5 victims as determined by the Secretary, particularly 

6 those providing emergency services or housing assist7 ance. 

8 (c) AUTHORIZED ACTIVITIES.—In carrying out the 

9 program under subsection (a), the Secretary may conduct 

10 the following activities: 

11 (1) Training for community-based domestic vio12 lence or sexual assault service providers on— 

13 (A) identifying veterans who have been vic14 tims of domestic violence or sexual assault; 

15 (B) coordinating with local service pro16 viders of the Department; and 

17 (C) connecting veterans with appropriate 

18 housing, mental health, medical, and other fi19 nancial assistance or benefits from the Depart20 ment. 

21 (2) Assistance to service providers to ensure ac22 cess of veterans to domestic violence and sexual as23 sault emergency services, particularly in underserved 

24 areas, including services for members of Indian 

25 tribes. 


SSpencer on DSK4SPTVN1PROD with BILLS
4 

•S 3434 IS

1 (3) Such other outreach and assistance as the 

2 Secretary determines necessary for the provision of 

3 assistance under subsection (a). 

4 (d) DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND SEXUAL ASSAULT

5 OUTREACH COORDINATORS.— 

6 (1) IN GENERAL.—In order to effectively assist 

7 veterans who have experienced domestic violence or 

8 sexual assault, the Secretary may establish local co9 ordinators to provide outreach under the program 

10 required by subsection (a). 

11 (2) LOCAL COORDINATOR KNOWLEDGE.—The 

12 Secretary shall ensure that each coordinator estab13 lished under paragraph (1) is knowledgeable about— 

14 (A) the dynamics of domestic violence and 

15 sexual assault, including safety concerns, legal 

16 protections, and the need for the provision of 

17 confidential services; 

18 (B) veteran eligibility for Department serv19 ices and benefits relevant to recovery from do20 mestic violence and sexual assault, particularly 

21 emergency housing assistance, mental health 

22 care, other health care, and disability benefits; 

23 and 

24 (C) local community resources addressing 

25 domestic violence and sexual assault. 


SSpencer on DSK4SPTVN1PROD with BILLS
5 

•S 3434 IS

1 (3) LOCAL COORDINATOR ASSISTANCE.—Each 

2 coordinator established under paragraph (1) shall 

3 assist domestic violence shelters and rape crisis cen4 ters in providing services to veterans. 

5 SEC. 4. NATIONAL TASK FORCE ON VETERANS EXPERI6 ENCING DOMESTIC VIOLENCE OR SEXUAL AS7 SAULT. 

8 (a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Veterans Af9 fairs, in consultation with the Attorney General and the 

10 Secretary of Health and Human Services, shall establish 

11 a national task force (in this section referred to as the 

12 ‘‘Task Force’’) to develop a comprehensive national pro13 gram, including by integrating facilities, services, and ben14 efits of the Department into existing networks of commu15 nity-based domestic violence and sexual assault services, 

16 to address domestic violence and sexual assault among vet17 erans. 

18 (b) CONSULTATION WITH STAKEHOLDERS.—In car19 rying out this section, the Task Force shall consult with— 

20 (1) representatives from not fewer than 3 na21 tional organizations and State coalitions with dem22 onstrated expertise in domestic violence prevention, 

23 response, or advocacy; and 

24 (2) representatives from not fewer than 3 na25 tional organizations and State coalitions, particularly 


SSpencer on DSK4SPTVN1PROD with BILLS
6 

•S 3434 IS

1 those representing underserved or ethnic minority 

2 communities, with demonstrated expertise in sexual 

3 assault prevention, response, or advocacy. 

4 (c) DUTIES.—The duties of the Task Force shall in5 clude the following: 

6 (1) To review existing services and policies of 

7 the Department and develop a comprehensive na8 tional program to address domestic violence and sex9 ual assault prevention, response, and treatment. 

10 (2) To review the feasibility and advisability of 

11 establishing an expedited process to secure emer12 gency, temporary benefits, including housing or 

13 other benefits, for veterans who are experiencing do14 mestic violence or sexual assault. 

15 (3) To review and make recommendations re16 garding the feasibility and advisability of estab17 lishing dedicated, temporary housing assistance for 

18 veterans experiencing domestic violence or sexual as19 sault. 

20 (4) To identify any requirements regarding do21 mestic violence assistance or sexual assault response 

22 and services that are not being met by the Depart23 ment and make recommendations on how the De24 partment can meet such requirements. 


SSpencer on DSK4SPTVN1PROD with BILLS
7 

•S 3434 IS

1 (5) To review and make recommendations re2 garding the feasibility and advisability of providing 

3 direct services or contracting for community-based 

4 services for veterans in response to a sexual assault, 

5 including through the use of sexual assault nurse ex6 aminers, particularly in underserved or remote 

7 areas, including services for members of Indian 

8 tribes. 

9 (6) To review the availability of counseling serv10 ices provided by the Department and through peer 

11 network support, and to provide recommendations 

12 for the enhancement of such services, to address— 

13 (A) the perpetration of domestic violence 

14 and sexual assault; and 

15 (B) the recovery of veterans, particularly 

16 female veterans, from domestic violence and 

17 sexual assault. 

18 (7) To review and make recommendations to 

19 expand services available for veterans at risk of per20 petrating domestic violence. 

21 (d) REPORT.—Not later than one year after the date 

22 of the enactment of this Act, and not less frequently than 

23 annually thereafter, the Task Force shall submit to the 

24 Secretary and Congress a report on the activities of the 


SSpencer on DSK4SPTVN1PROD with BILLS
8 

•S 3434 IS

1 Task Force, including any recommendations for legislative 

2 or administrative action. 

3 SEC. 5. NATIONAL BASELINE STUDY ON PROBLEM OF DO4 MESTIC VIOLENCE AND SEXUAL ASSAULT 

5 AMONG VETERANS AND SPOUSES OF VET6 ERANS. 

7 The Secretary, in consultation with the Attorney 

8 General, shall conduct a national baseline study to exam9 ine the scope of the problem of domestic violence and sex10 ual assault among veterans and spouses of veterans. 

Æ 


SSpencer on DSK4SPTVN1PROD with BILLS