I 

111TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 2583 

To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to improve health care for women 

veterans, and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

MAY 21, 2009 

Mr. BOSWELL (for himself, Mr. LATHAM, Mr. BRALEY of Iowa, Mrs. CAPPS, 

and Mr. LOEBSACK) introduced the following bill; which was referred to 

the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs 

A BILL 

To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to improve health 

care for women veterans, 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 ‘‘Women Veterans Ac5 cess to Care Act’’. 

6 SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 

7 Congress makes the following findings: 

8 (1) As of 2008, 15 percent of members of the 

9 Armed Forces are women. 


hsrobinson on PROD1PC76 with BILLS
2 

•HR 2583 IH

1 (2) As of 2008, one of every 10 members of the 

2 Armed Forces serving in Iraq is a woman. 

3 (3) As of 2006, more than 16,000 single moth4 ers have served in Iraq and Afghanistan. 

5 (4) As of 2008, an estimated one-third of 

6 women veterans who have sought counseling at the 

7 Department of Veterans Affairs report having been 

8 the victim of rape or attempted rape during their 

9 service. 

10 (5) As of 2008, women are the fastest growing 

11 group within the veteran population. 

12 (6) As of 2008, 11 percent of Operation Endur13 ing Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom veterans 

14 were women. 

15 (7) As of 2006, more than 155,000 women have 

16 served in Operation Enduring Freedom or Operation 

17 Iraqi Freedom. 

18 (8) As of 2008, nearly half of all women vet19 erans who served in Operation Enduring Freedom or 

20 Operation Iraqi Freedom have enrolled with Depart21 ment of Veterans Affairs health care. 


hsrobinson on PROD1PC76 with BILLS
3 

•HR 2583 IH

1 SEC. 3. EMPHASIS ON HEALTH CARE FOR WOMEN VET2 ERANS. 

3 (a) EMPHASIS.—In providing health care services to 

4 women veterans, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall 

5 ensure that an emphasis is placed on the following: 

6 (1) With respect to physical health, conditions 

7 including— 

8 (A) sexual reproductive health; 

9 (B) preventative medicine and early detec10 tion of problems; 

11 (C) sexual trauma; 

12 (D) special needs of women with pros13 thetics; 

14 (E) rehabilitation; and 

15 (F) other conditions the Secretary con16 siders appropriate. 

17 (2) With respect to mental health, issues in18 cluding— 

19 (A) stress reduction (including the reduc20 tion of stress associated with balancing chil21 dren, family, and work responsibilities); 

22 (B) services for depression, anxiety, post23 traumatic stress disorder, and substance abuse; 

24 (C) conflict resolution; and 

25 (D) other issues the Secretary considers 

26 appropriate. 


hsrobinson on PROD1PC76 with BILLS
4 

•HR 2583 IH

1 (3) Improving health-related telecommuni2 cations technologies. 

3 (4) Providing care to women veterans who— 

4 (A) served in Operation Enduring Free5 dom or Operation Iraqi Freedom; 

6 (B) live in a rural location; or 

7 (C) are homebound or elderly. 

8 (5) With respect to health professionals em9 ployed by the Department of Veterans Affairs, issues 

10 including— 

11 (A) hiring health professionals who are 

12 specialists in fields related to women’s health; 

13 and 

14 (B) offering additional training on special 

15 issues regarding women veterans. 

16 (b) STUDY.—The Secretary shall conduct a study on 

17 health care for women veterans. Such study shall— 

18 (1) identify the main causes of stress among 

19 women veterans; 

20 (2) determine the most effective method to re21 duce such stress; and 

22 (3) evaluate the various private and public 

23 health care systems in which women veterans receive 

24 care (including mental health care). 


hsrobinson on PROD1PC76 with BILLS
5 

•HR 2583 IH

1 (c) REPORT.—Not later than one year after the date 

2 of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit 

3 to Congress a report containing— 

4 (1) an evaluation of the activities conducted by 

5 the Secretary pursuant to subsection (a); 

6 (2) the findings of the study required by sub7 section (b); and 

8 (3) such recommendations for legislative or ad9 ministrative action the Secretary considers appro10 priate to improve health care for women veterans. 

11 SEC. 4. OUTREACH TO WOMEN VETERANS AND FAMILIES. 

12 (a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Veterans Affairs 

13 shall carry out an outreach program to provide women vet14 erans and families of such veterans with information con15 cerning the following: 

16 (1) The various resources available to such vet17 erans and families, including mental and behavioral 

18 resources. 

19 (2) The conditions and issues such veterans 

20 may experience, including those described under sec21 tion 3(a). 

22 (3) The challenges that family members of such 

23 veterans, especially spouses and children, may expe24 rience. 


hsrobinson on PROD1PC76 with BILLS
6 

•HR 2583 IH

1 (b) AUTHORITY TO CONTRACT.—The Secretary may 

2 enter into a contract with a public or private entity to 

3 carry out this section. 

Æ 


hsrobinson on PROD1PC76 with BILLS