II 

114TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. 469 

To improve the reproductive assistance provided by the Department of Defense and the Department of Veterans Affairs to severely wounded, 

ill, or injured members of the Armed Forces, veterans, and their spouses 

or partners, and for other purposes. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

FEBRUARY 11, 2015 

Mrs. MURRAY (for herself, Mrs. GILLIBRAND, Mr. TESTER, Ms. BALDWIN, 

Mr. SANDERS, and Mr. BENNET) introduced the following bill; which was 

read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs 

A BILL 

To improve the reproductive assistance provided by the Department of Defense and the Department of Veterans 

Affairs to severely wounded, ill, or injured members of 

the Armed Forces, veterans, and their spouses or partners, 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; TABLE OF CONTENTS. 

4 (a) SHORT TITLE.—This Act may be cited as the 

5 ‘‘Women Veterans and Families Health Services Act of 

6 2015’’. 


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1 (b) TABLE OF CONTENTS.—The table of contents for 

2 this Act is as follows: 

Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents. 

TITLE I—REPRODUCTIVE AND FERTILITY PRESERVATION 

ASSISTANCE FOR MEMBERS OF THE ARMED FORCES 

Sec. 101. Provision of fertility treatment and counseling to spouses, partners, 

and gestational surrogates of certain members of the Armed 

Forces. 

Sec. 102. Establishment of fertility preservation procedures after an injury or 

illness. 

Sec. 103. Cryopreservation and storage of gametes of members of the Armed 

Forces on active duty. 

Sec. 104. Coordination between Department of Defense and Department of 

Veterans Affairs on furnishing of fertility treatment and counseling. 

TITLE II—REPRODUCTIVE, ADOPTION, AND CHILD CARE 

ASSISTANCE FOR VETERANS 

Sec. 201. Inclusion of fertility treatment and counseling under the definition of 

medical services in title 38. 

Sec. 202. Fertility treatment and counseling for spouses, partners, and gestational surrogates of veterans. 

Sec. 203. Adoption assistance for severely wounded veterans. 

Sec. 204. Annual report on fertility treatment and counseling furnished by Department of Veterans Affairs. 

Sec. 205. Regulations on furnishing of fertility treatment and counseling and 

adoption assistance by Department of Veterans Affairs. 

Sec. 206. Facilitation of reproduction and infertility research. 

Sec. 207. Requirement to improve Department of Veterans Affairs women veterans contact center. 

Sec. 208. Modification of pilot program on counseling in retreat settings for 

women veterans newly separated from service in the Armed 

Forces. 

Sec. 209. Program on assistance for child care for certain veterans. 


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1 TITLE I—REPRODUCTIVE AND 

2 FERTILITY PRESERVATION 

3 ASSISTANCE FOR MEMBERS 

4 OF THE ARMED FORCES 

5 SEC. 101. PROVISION OF FERTILITY TREATMENT AND 

6 COUNSELING TO SPOUSES, PARTNERS, AND 

7 GESTATIONAL SURROGATES OF CERTAIN 

8 MEMBERS OF THE ARMED FORCES. 

9 (a) FERTILITY TREATMENT AND COUNSELING.— 

10 (1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Defense 

11 shall furnish fertility treatment and counseling, in12 cluding through the use of assisted reproductive 

13 technology, to a spouse, partner, or gestational sur14 rogate of a severely wounded, ill, or injured member 

15 of the Armed Forces who has an infertility condition 

16 incurred or aggravated while serving on active duty 

17 in the Armed Forces. 

18 (2) ELIGIBILITY FOR TREATMENT AND COUN19 SELING.—Fertility treatment and counseling shall be 

20 furnished under paragraph (1) to a spouse, partner, 

21 or gestational surrogate of a member of the Armed 

22 Forces described in such paragraph without regard 

23 to the sex or marital status of such member. 

24 (3) IN VITRO FERTILIZATION.—In the case of 

25 in vitro fertilization treatment furnished under paraVerDate Sep 11 2014 23:27 Feb 18, 2015 Jkt 049200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\S469.IS S469

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1 graph (1), the Secretary may furnish not more than 

2 three completed cycles or six attempted cycles of in 

3 vitro fertilization, whichever occurs first, to a 

4 spouse, partner, or gestational surrogate described 

5 in such paragraph. 

6 (b) PROCUREMENT OF GAMETES.—If a member of 

7 the Armed Forces described in subsection (a) is unable 

8 to provide their gametes for purposes of fertility treatment 

9 under subsection (a), the Secretary shall, at the election 

10 of such member, allow such member to receive such treat11 ment with donated gametes and pay or reimburse such 

12 member the reasonable costs of procuring gametes from 

13 a donor. 

14 (c) CONSTRUCTION.—Nothing in this section shall be 

15 construed to require the Secretary— 

16 (1) to find or certify a gestational surrogate for 

17 a member of the Armed Forces or to connect a ges18 tational surrogate with a member of the Armed 

19 Forces; or 

20 (2) to find or certify gametes from a donor for 

21 a member of the Armed Forces or to connect a 

22 member of the Armed Forces with gametes from a 

23 donor. 

24 (d) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 


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1 (1) FERTILITY TREATMENT.—The term ‘‘fer2 tility treatment’’ includes the following: 

3 (A) Procedures that use assisted reproduc4 tive technology. 

5 (B) Sperm retrieval. 

6 (C) Egg retrieval. 

7 (D) Artificial insemination. 

8 (E) Embryo transfer. 

9 (F) Such other treatments as the Sec10 retary of Defense considers appropriate. 

11 (2) ASSISTED REPRODUCTIVE TECHNOLOGY.— 

12 The term ‘‘assisted reproductive technology’’ in13 cludes in vitro fertilization and other fertility treat14 ments in which both eggs and sperm are handled 

15 when clinically appropriate. 

16 (3) PARTNER.—The term ‘‘partner’’, with re17 spect to a member of the Armed Forces, means an 

18 individual selected by the member who agrees to 

19 share with the member the parental responsibilities 

20 with respect to any child born as a result of the use 

21 of any fertility treatment under this section. 

22 SEC. 102. ESTABLISHMENT OF FERTILITY PRESERVATION 

23 PROCEDURES AFTER AN INJURY OR ILLNESS. 

24 (a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Defense, acting 

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1 fairs, shall establish procedures for the retrieval of 

2 gametes, as soon as medically appropriate, from a member 

3 of the Armed Forces in cases in which the fertility of such 

4 member is potentially jeopardized as a result of an injury 

5 or illness incurred or aggravated while serving on active 

6 duty in the Armed Forces in order to preserve the medical 

7 options of such member. 

8 (b) CONSENT FOR RETRIEVAL OF GAMETES.— 

9 Gametes may be retrieved from a member of the Armed 

10 Forces under subsection (a) only— 

11 (1) with the specific consent of the member; or 

12 (2) if the member is unable to consent, if a 

13 medical professional determines that— 

14 (A) the future fertility of the member is 

15 potentially jeopardized as a result of an injury 

16 or illness described in subsection (a) or will be 

17 potentially jeopardized as a result of treating 

18 such injury or illness; 

19 (B) the member lacks the capacity to con20 sent to the retrieval of gametes and is likely to 

21 regain such capacity; and 

22 (C) the retrieval of gametes under this sec23 tion is in the medical interest of the member. 


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1 (c) CONSENT FOR USE OF RETRIEVED GAMETES.— 

2 Gametes retrieved from a member of the Armed Forces 

3 under subsection (a) may be used only— 

4 (1) with the specific consent of the member; or 

5 (2) if the member has lost the ability to consent 

6 permanently, as determined by a medical profes7 sional, as specified in an advance directive or testa8 mentary instrument executed by the member. 

9 (d) DISPOSAL OF GAMETES.—In accordance with 

10 regulations prescribed by the Secretary for purpose of this 

11 subsection, the Secretary shall dispose of gametes re12 trieved from a member of the Armed Forces under sub13 section (a)— 

14 (1) with the specific consent of the member; or 

15 (2) if the member— 

16 (A) has lost the ability to consent perma17 nently, as determined by a medical professional; 

18 and 

19 (B) has not specified the use of their 

20 gametes in an advance directive or testa21 mentary instrument executed by the member. 


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1 SEC. 103. CRYOPRESERVATION AND STORAGE OF GAMETES 

2 OF MEMBERS OF THE ARMED FORCES ON AC3 TIVE DUTY. 

4 (a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Defense shall 

5 provide members of the Armed Forces on active duty in 

6 the Armed Forces with the opportunity to cryopreserve 

7 and store their gametes prior to deployment to a combat 

8 zone. 

9 (b) PERIOD OF TIME.— 

10 (1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall provide 

11 for the cryopreservation and storage of gametes of 

12 any member of the Armed Forces under subsection 

13 (a), at no cost to the member, in a facility of the 

14 Department of Defense or of a private entity pursu15 ant to a contract under subsection (d) until the date 

16 that is one year after the retirement, separation, or 

17 release of the member from the Armed Forces. 

18 (2) CONTINUED CRYOPRESERVATION AND

19 STORAGE.—At the end of the one-year period speci20 fied in paragraph (1), the Secretary shall permit an 

21 individual whose gametes were cryopreserved and 

22 stored in a facility of the Department as described 

23 in that paragraph to select, including pursuant to an 

24 advance medical directive or military testamentary 

25 instrument completed under subsection (c), one of 

26 the following options: 


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1 (A) To continue such cryopreservation and 

2 storage in such facility with the cost of such 

3 cryopreservation and storage borne by the indi4 vidual. 

5 (B) To transfer the gametes to a private 

6 cryopreservation and storage facility selected by 

7 the individual. 

8 (C) To transfer the gametes to a facility of 

9 the Department of Veterans Affairs if 

10 cryopreservation and storage is available to the 

11 individual at such facility. 

12 (3) DISPOSAL OF GAMETES.—If an individual 

13 described in paragraph (2) does not make a selection 

14 under subparagraph (A), (B), or (C) of such para15 graph, the Secretary may dispose of the gametes of 

16 the individual not earlier than the date that is 90 

17 days after the end of the one-year period specified 

18 in paragraph (1) with respect to the individual. 

19 (c) ADVANCE MEDICAL DIRECTIVE AND MILITARY

20 TESTAMENTARY INSTRUMENT.—A member of the Armed 

21 Forces who elects to cryopreserve and store their gametes 

22 under this section must complete an advance medical di23 rective, as defined in section 1044c(b) of title 10, United 

24 States Code, and a military testamentary instrument, as 

25 defined in section 1044d(b) of such title, that explicitly 


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1 specifies the use of their cryopreserved and stored gametes 

2 if such member dies or otherwise loses the capacity to con3 sent to the use of their cryopreserved and stored gametes. 

4 (d) AGREEMENTS.—To carry out this section, the 

5 Secretary may enter into agreements with private entities 

6 that provide cryopreservation and storage services for 

7 gametes. 

8 SEC. 104. COORDINATION BETWEEN DEPARTMENT OF DE9 FENSE AND DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AF10 FAIRS ON FURNISHING OF FERTILITY TREAT11 MENT AND COUNSELING. 

12 (a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Defense and the 

13 Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall share best practices 

14 and facilitate referrals, as they consider appropriate, on 

15 the furnishing of fertility treatment and counseling to in16 dividuals eligible for the receipt of such counseling and 

17 treatment from the Secretaries. 

18 (b) MEMORADUM OF UNDERSTANDING.—The Sec19 retary of Defense and the Secretary of Veterans Affairs 

20 shall enter into a memorandum of understanding— 

21 (1) providing that the Secretary of Defense will 

22 ensure access by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs 

23 to gametes of veterans stored by the Department of 

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1 ment under section 1788 of title 38, United States 

2 Code, as added by section 202; and 

3 (2) authorizing the Department of Veterans Af4 fairs to compensate the Department of Defense for 

5 the cryopreservation and storage of gametes of vet6 erans under section 103. 

7 TITLE II—REPRODUCTIVE, 

8 ADOPTION, AND CHILD CARE 

9 ASSISTANCE FOR VETERANS 

10 SEC. 201. INCLUSION OF FERTILITY TREATMENT AND 

11 COUNSELING UNDER THE DEFINITION OF 

12 MEDICAL SERVICES IN TITLE 38. 

13 Section 1701(6) of title 38, United States Code, is 

14 amended by adding at the end the following new subpara15 graph: 

16 ‘‘(H) Fertility treatment and counseling, 

17 including treatment using assisted reproductive 

18 technology.’’. 

19 SEC. 202. FERTILITY TREATMENT AND COUNSELING FOR 

20 SPOUSES, PARTNERS, AND GESTATIONAL 

21 SURROGATES OF VETERANS. 

22 (a) IN GENERAL.—Subchapter VIII of chapter 17 of 

23 title 38, United States Code, is amended by adding at the 

24 end the following new section: 


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1 ‘‘§ 1788. Fertility treatment and counseling for 

2 spouses, partners, and gestational surro3 gates of veterans 

4 ‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—(1) The Secretary shall furnish 

5 fertility treatment and counseling, including through the 

6 use of assisted reproductive technology, to a spouse, part7 ner, or gestational surrogate of a severely wounded, ill, 

8 or injured veteran who has an infertility condition in9 curred or aggravated in line of duty in the active military, 

10 naval, or air service and who is enrolled in the system of 

11 annual patient enrollment established under section 

12 1705(a) of this title if the spouse, partner, or gestational 

13 surrogate and the veteran apply jointly for such counseling 

14 and treatment through a process prescribed by the Sec15 retary. 

16 ‘‘(2) Fertility treatment and counseling shall be fur17 nished under paragraph (1) to a spouse, partner, or gesta18 tional surrogate of a veteran described in such paragraph 

19 without regard to the sex or marital status of such vet20 eran. 

21 ‘‘(3) In the case of in vitro fertilization treatment fur22 nished under paragraph (1), the Secretary may furnish 

23 not more than three completed cycles or six attempted cy24 cles of in vitro fertilization, whichever occurs first, to a 

25 spouse, partner, or gestational surrogate described in such 

26 paragraph. 


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1 ‘‘(b) COORDINATION OF CARE FOR OTHER SPOUSES, 

2 PARTNERS, AND GESTATIONAL SURROGATES.—In the 

3 case of a spouse, partner, or gestational surrogate of a 

4 veteran not described in subsection (a) who is seeking fer5 tility treatment and counseling, the Secretary may coordi6 nate fertility treatment and counseling for such spouse, 

7 partner, or gestational surrogate. 

8 ‘‘(c) CONSTRUCTION.—Nothing in this section shall 

9 be construed to require the Secretary— 

10 ‘‘(1) to find or certify a gestational surrogate 

11 for a veteran or to connect a gestational surrogate 

12 with a veteran; or 

13 ‘‘(2) to furnish maternity care to a spouse, 

14 partner, or gestational surrogate of a veteran in ad15 dition to what is otherwise required by law. 

16 ‘‘(d) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 

17 ‘‘(1) The term ‘fertility treatment’ includes the 

18 following: 

19 ‘‘(A) Procedures that use assisted repro20 ductive technology. 

21 ‘‘(B) Sperm retrieval. 

22 ‘‘(C) Egg retrieval. 

23 ‘‘(D) Artificial insemination. 

24 ‘‘(E) Embryo transfer. 


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1 ‘‘(F) Such other treatments as the Sec2 retary of Veterans Affairs considers appro3 priate. 

4 ‘‘(2) The term ‘assisted reproductive tech5 nology’ includes in vitro fertilization and other fer6 tility treatments in which both eggs and sperm are 

7 handled when clinically appropriate. 

8 ‘‘(3) The term ‘partner’, with respect to a vet9 eran, means an individual selected by the veteran 

10 who agrees to share with the veteran the parental 

11 responsibilities with respect to any child born as a 

12 result of the use of any fertility treatment under this 

13 section.’’. 

14 (b) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sections 

15 at the beginning of chapter 17 of such title is amended 

16 by inserting after the item relating to section 1787 the 

17 following new item: 

‘‘1788. Fertility treatment and counseling for spouses, partners, and gestational 

surrogates of veterans.’’. 

18 SEC. 203. ADOPTION ASSISTANCE FOR SEVERELY WOUND19 ED VETERANS. 

20 (a) IN GENERAL.—Subchapter VIII of chapter 17 of 

21 title 38, United States Code, as amended by section 202, 

22 is further amended by adding at the end the following new 

23 section: 


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1 ‘‘§ 1789. Adoption assistance 

2 ‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary may pay an 

3 amount, not to exceed the limitation amount, to assist a 

4 covered veteran in the adoption of one or more children. 

5 ‘‘(b) COVERED VETERAN.—For purposes of this sec6 tion, a covered veteran is any severely wounded, ill, or in7 jured veteran who— 

8 ‘‘(1) has an infertility condition incurred or ag9 gravated in line of duty in the active military, naval, 

10 or air service; and 

11 ‘‘(2) is enrolled in the system of annual patient 

12 enrollment established under section 1705(a) of this 

13 title. 

14 ‘‘(c) LIMITATION AMOUNT.—For purposes of this 

15 section, the limitation amount is the amount equal to the 

16 cost the Department would incur by paying the expenses 

17 of three adoptions by covered veterans, as determined by 

18 the Secretary.’’. 

19 (b) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sections 

20 at the beginning of chapter 17 of such title, as amended 

21 by section 202, is further amended by inserting after the 

22 item relating to section 1788 the following new item: 

‘‘1789. Adoption assistance.’’. 


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1 SEC. 204. ANNUAL REPORT ON FERTILITY TREATMENT AND 

2 COUNSELING FURNISHED BY DEPARTMENT 

3 OF VETERANS AFFAIRS. 

4 (a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than one year after the 

5 date of the enactment of this Act and not less frequently 

6 than once each year thereafter, the Secretary of Veterans 

7 Affairs shall submit to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs 

8 of the Senate and the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of 

9 the House of Representatives a report on the fertility 

10 treatment and counseling furnished by the Department of 

11 Veterans Affairs during the year preceding the submittal 

12 of the report. 

13 (b) ELEMENTS.—Each report submitted under sub14 section (a) shall include, for the period covered by the re15 port, the following: 

16 (1) The number of veterans who received fer17 tility treatment or counseling furnished by the De18 partment of Veterans Affairs, disaggregated by era 

19 of military service of such veterans. 

20 (2) The number of spouses, partners, and ges21 tational surrogates of veterans who received fertility 

22 treatment or counseling furnished by the Depart23 ment. 

24 (3) The cost to the Department of furnishing 

25 fertility treatment and counseling, disaggregated by 

26 cost of services and administration. 


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1 (4) The average cost to the Department per re2 cipient of fertility treatment and counseling. 

3 (5) In cases in which the Department furnished 

4 fertility treatment through the use of assisted repro5 ductive technology, the average number of cycles per 

6 person furnished, disaggregated by type of treat7 ment. 

8 (6) A description of how fertility treatment and 

9 counseling services of the Department are coordi10 nated with similar services of the Department of De11 fense. 

12 (c) DEFINITIONS.—In this section, the terms ‘‘as13 sisted reproductive technology’’ and ‘‘partner’’ have the 

14 meanings given those term in section 1788 of title 38, 

15 United States Code, as added by section 202. 

16 SEC. 205. REGULATIONS ON FURNISHING OF FERTILITY 

17 TREATMENT AND COUNSELING AND ADOP18 TION ASSISTANCE BY DEPARTMENT OF VET19 ERANS AFFAIRS. 

20 (a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 540 days after the 

21 date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Vet22 erans Affairs shall prescribe regulations— 

23 (1) on the furnishing of fertility treatment to 

24 veterans using assisted reproductive technology; 


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1 (2) to carry out section 1788 of title 38, United 

2 States Code, as added by section 202; and 

3 (3) to carry out section 1789 of such title, as 

4 added by section 203. 

5 (b) LIMITATION.—Notwithstanding any other provi6 sion of law, during the period beginning on the date of 

7 the enactment of this Act and ending on the date on which 

8 the Secretary prescribes regulations under subsection (a), 

9 the Secretary may not furnish— 

10 (1) to a veteran any fertility treatment that 

11 uses an assisted reproductive technology that the 

12 Secretary has not used in the provision of a fertility 

13 treatment to a veteran before the date of the enact14 ment of this Act; 

15 (2) any fertility treatment or counseling under 

16 section 1788 of title 38, United States Code, as 

17 added by section 202; or 

18 (3) any assistance under section 1789 of such 

19 title, as added by section 203. 

20 (c) ASSISTED REPRODUCTIVE TECHNOLOGY DE21 FINED.—In this section, the term ‘‘assisted reproductive 

22 technology’’ has the meaning given the term in section 

23 1788 of such title, as added by section 202. 


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1 SEC. 206. FACILITATION OF REPRODUCTION AND INFER2 TILITY RESEARCH. 

3 (a) IN GENERAL.—Subchapter II of chapter 73 of 

4 title 38, United States Code, is amended by adding at the 

5 end the following new section: 

6 ‘‘§ 7330B. Facilitation of reproduction and infertility 

7 research 

8 ‘‘(a) FACILITATION OF RESEARCH REQUIRED.—The 

9 Secretary shall facilitate research conducted collabo10 ratively by the Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of 

11 Health and Human Services to improve the ability of the 

12 Department of Veterans Affairs to meet the long-term re13 productive health care needs of veterans who have a geni14 tourinary service-connected disability or a condition that 

15 was incurred or aggravated in line of duty in the active 

16 military, naval, or air service, such as a spinal cord injury, 

17 that affects the veterans’ ability to reproduce. 

18 ‘‘(b) DISSEMINATION OF INFORMATION.—The Sec19 retary shall ensure that information produced by the re20 search facilitated under this section that may be useful 

21 for other activities of the Veterans Health Administration 

22 is disseminated throughout the Veterans Health Adminis23 tration.’’. 

24 (b) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sections 

25 at the beginning of chapter 73 of such title is amended 


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1 by inserting after the item relating to section 7330A the 

2 following new item: 

‘‘7330B. Facilitation of reproduction and infertility research.’’. 

3 (c) REPORT.—Not later than three years after the 

4 date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Vet5 erans Affairs shall submit to Congress a report on the re6 search activities conducted by the Secretary under section 

7 7330B of title 38, United States Code, as added by sub8 section (a). 

9 SEC. 207. REQUIREMENT TO IMPROVE DEPARTMENT OF 

10 VETERANS AFFAIRS WOMEN VETERANS CON11 TACT CENTER. 

12 The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall enhance the 

13 capabilities of the women veterans contact center of the 

14 Department of Veterans Affairs— 

15 (1) to respond to requests by women veterans 

16 for assistance with accessing health care and bene17 fits furnished under the laws administered by the 

18 Secretary; and 

19 (2) to refer such veterans to resources provided 

20 by the Federal Government and the community to 

21 obtain assistance with services not furnished by the 

22 Department. 


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1 SEC. 208. MODIFICATION OF PILOT PROGRAM ON COUN2 SELING IN RETREAT SETTINGS FOR WOMEN 

3 VETERANS NEWLY SEPARATED FROM SERV4 ICE IN THE ARMED FORCES. 

5 (a) INCREASE IN NUMBER OF LOCATIONS.—Sub6 section (c) of section 203 of the Caregivers and Veterans 

7 Omnibus Health Services Act of 2010 (Public Law 111– 

8 163; 38 U.S.C. 1712A note) is amended by striking ‘‘three 

9 locations’’ and inserting ‘‘14 locations’’. 

10 (b) EXTENSION OF DURATION.—Subsection (d) of 

11 such section is amended by striking ‘‘December 31, 2015’’ 

12 and inserting ‘‘December 31, 2018’’. 

13 (c) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—Sub14 section (f) of such section is amended by striking ‘‘Sec15 retary of Veterans Affairs for each’’ and all that follows 

16 through the period at the end and inserting ‘‘Secretary 

17 of Veterans Affairs to carry out the pilot program— 

18 ‘‘(1) for each of fiscal years 2010, 2011, and 

19 2015, $2,000,000; and 

20 ‘‘(2) for each of fiscal years 2016, 2017, and 

21 2018, such sums as may be necessary.’’. 

22 SEC. 209. PROGRAM ON ASSISTANCE FOR CHILD CARE FOR 

23 CERTAIN VETERANS. 

24 (a) ASSISTANCE FOR CHILD CARE FOR CERTAIN

25 VETERANS RECEIVING HEALTH CARE.— 


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1 (1) IN GENERAL.—Subchapter I of chapter 17 

2 of title 38, United States Code, is amended by add3 ing at the end the following new section: 

4 ‘‘§ 1709B. Assistance for child care for certain vet5 erans receiving health care 

6 ‘‘(a) PROGRAM REQUIRED.—The Secretary shall 

7 carry out a program to provide, subject to subsection (b), 

8 assistance to qualified veterans described in subsection (c) 

9 to obtain child care so that such veterans can receive 

10 health care services described in subsection (c)(2). 

11 ‘‘(b) LIMITATION ON PERIOD OF PAYMENTS.—As12 sistance may be provided to a qualified veteran under this 

13 section for receipt of child care only during the period that 

14 the qualified veteran— 

15 ‘‘(1) receives the types of health care services 

16 described in subsection (c)(2) at a facility of the De17 partment; and 

18 ‘‘(2) requires travel to and return from such fa19 cility for the receipt of such health care services. 

20 ‘‘(c) QUALIFIED VETERANS.—For purposes of this 

21 section, a qualified veteran is a veteran who— 

22 ‘‘(1) is the primary caretaker of a child or chil23 dren; and 

24 ‘‘(2)(A) receives from the Department— 

25 ‘‘(i) regular mental health care services; 


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1 ‘‘(ii) intensive mental health care services; 

2 or 

3 ‘‘(iii) such other intensive health care serv4 ices that the Secretary determines that provi5 sion of assistance to the veteran to obtain child 

6 care would improve access to such health care 

7 services by the veteran; or 

8 ‘‘(B) is in need of regular or intensive mental 

9 health care services from the Department, and but 

10 for lack of child care services, would receive such 

11 health care services from the Department. 

12 ‘‘(d) LOCATIONS.—Not later than five years after the 

13 date of the enactment of the Women Veterans and Fami14 lies Health Services Act of 2015, the Secretary shall carry 

15 out the program at each medical center of the Depart16 ment. 

17 ‘‘(e) FORMS OF CHILD CARE ASSISTANCE.—(1) 

18 Child care assistance under this section may include the 

19 following: 

20 ‘‘(A) Stipends for the payment of child care of21 fered by licensed child care centers (either directly 

22 or through a voucher program) that shall be, to the 

23 extent practicable, modeled after the Department of 

24 Veterans Affairs Child Care Subsidy Program estab25 lished pursuant to section 630 of the Treasury and 


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1 General Government Appropriations Act, 2002 

2 (Public Law 107–67; 115 Stat. 552). 

3 ‘‘(B) Direct provision of child care at an on-site 

4 facility of the Department of Veterans Affairs. 

5 ‘‘(C) Payments to private child care agencies. 

6 ‘‘(D) Collaboration with facilities or programs 

7 of other Federal departments or agencies. 

8 ‘‘(E) Such other forms of assistance as the Sec9 retary considers appropriate. 

10 ‘‘(2) In the case that child care assistance under this 

11 section is provided as a stipend under paragraph (1)(A), 

12 such stipend shall cover the full cost of such child care.’’. 

13 (2) CONFORMING AMENDMENT.—Section 

14 205(e) of the Caregivers and Veterans Omnibus 

15 Health Services Act of 2010 (Public Law 111–163; 

16 38 U.S.C. 1710 note) is amended by striking ‘‘De17 cember 31, 2015’’ and inserting ‘‘the date of the en18 actment of the Women Veterans and Families 

19 Health Services Act of 2015’’. 

20 (3) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sec21 tions at the beginning of such chapter is amended 

22 by inserting after the item relating to section 1709A 

23 the following new item: 

‘‘1709B. Assistance for child care for certain veterans receiving health care.’’. 


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1 (b) ASSISTANCE FOR CHILD CARE FOR CERTAIN

2 VETERANS RECEIVING READJUSTMENT COUNSELING

3 AND RELATED MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES.— 

4 (1) IN GENERAL.—Subchapter I of chapter 17 

5 of such title, as amended by subsection (a)(1), is 

6 further amended by adding at the end the following 

7 new section: 

8 ‘‘§ 1709C. Assistance for child care for certain vet9 erans receiving readjustment counseling 

10 and related mental health services 

11 ‘‘(a) PROGRAM REQUIRED.—The Secretary shall 

12 carry out a program to provide, subject to subsection (b), 

13 assistance to qualified veterans described in subsection (c) 

14 to obtain child care so that such veterans can receive read15 justment counseling and related mental health services. 

16 ‘‘(b) LIMITATION ON PERIOD OF PAYMENTS.—As17 sistance may be provided to a qualified veteran under this 

18 section for receipt of child care only during the period that 

19 the qualified veteran receives readjustment counseling and 

20 related health care services at a Vet Center. 

21 ‘‘(c) QUALIFIED VETERANS.—For purposes of this 

22 section, a qualified veteran is a veteran who— 

23 ‘‘(1) is the primary caretaker of a child; and 


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•S 469 IS

1 ‘‘(2)(A) receives from the Department regular 

2 readjustment counseling and related mental health 

3 services; or 

4 ‘‘(B) is in need of readjustment counseling and 

5 related mental health services from the Department, 

6 and but for lack of child care services, would receive 

7 such counseling and services from the Department. 

8 ‘‘(d) LOCATIONS.—The Secretary shall carry out the 

9 program under this section in not fewer than three Read10 justment Counseling Service Regions selected by the Sec11 retary for purposes of the program. 

12 ‘‘(e) FORMS OF CHILD CARE ASSISTANCE.—(1) 

13 Child care assistance under this section may include the 

14 following: 

15 ‘‘(A) Stipends for the payment of child care of16 fered by licensed child care centers (either directly 

17 or through a voucher program) that shall be, to the 

18 extent practicable, modeled after the Department of 

19 Veterans Affairs Child Care Subsidy Program estab20 lished pursuant to section 630 of the Treasury and 

21 General Government Appropriations Act, 2002 

22 (Public Law 107–67; 115 Stat. 552). 

23 ‘‘(B) Payments to private child care agencies. 

24 ‘‘(C) Collaboration with facilities or programs 

25 of other Federal departments or agencies. 


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1 ‘‘(D) Such other forms of assistance as the Sec2 retary considers appropriate. 

3 ‘‘(2) In the case that child care assistance under this 

4 subsection is provided as a stipend under paragraph 

5 (1)(A), such stipend shall cover the full cost of such child 

6 care. 

7 ‘‘(f) VET CENTER DEFINED.—In this section, the 

8 term ‘Vet Center’ means a center for readjustment coun9 seling and related mental health services for veterans 

10 under section 1712A of this title.’’. 

11 (2) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sec12 tions at the beginning of such chapter, as amended 

13 by subsection (a)(3), is further amended by inserting 

14 after the item relating to section 1709B the fol15 lowing new item: 

‘‘1709C. Assistance for child care for certain veterans receiving readjustment 

counseling and related mental health services.’’. 

Æ 


emcdonald on DSK67QTVN1PROD with BILLS