IIB 

117TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 2724 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

MAY 19 (legislative day, MAY 17), 2022 

Received; read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs 

AN ACT 

To amend title 38, United States Code, to direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to provide for peer support 

specialists for claimants who are survivors of military 

sexual trauma, 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, 


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HR 2724 RFS

1 SECTION 1. IMPROVEMENTS TO THE PROCESSING OF 

2 CLAIMS BY VETERANS FOR COMPENSATION 

3 FOR CERTAIN MENTAL HEALTH CONDITIONS 

4 BASED ON MILITARY SEXUAL TRAUMA. 

5 (a) IN GENERAL.—Section 1166 of title 38, United 

6 States Code, is amended— 

7 (1) by striking ‘‘or air service’’ both places it 

8 appears and inserting ‘‘air, or space service’’; 

9 (2) in subsection (a)— 

10 (A) in the heading, by striking ‘‘IN GEN11 ERAL’’ and inserting ‘‘PROCESSING’’; 

12 (B) by inserting ‘‘(1)’’ before ‘‘The Sec13 retary’’; and 

14 (C) by adding at the end the following new 

15 paragraphs: 

16 ‘‘(2) A peer support specialist of the Department— 

17 ‘‘(A) shall not be responsible for providing any 

18 assistance to a veteran regarding a claim described 

19 in paragraph (1), other than counseling services, 

20 guidance, and support, pursuant to duties deter21 mined by the Under Secretary for Health; and 

22 ‘‘(B) shall not participate in the adjudication of 

23 such a claim.’’; 

24 (3) by redesignating subsections (b) and (c) as 

25 subsections (c) and (d), respectively; 


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HR 2724 RFS

1 (4) by inserting, after subsection (a), the fol2 lowing new subsection (b): 

3 ‘‘(b) REFERRALS TO MST COORDINATORS.—The 

4 Secretary shall include, in forms for claims described in 

5 subsection (a), an option for a veteran to elect to be re6 ferred to a military sexual trauma coordinator of the Vet7 erans Health Administration at the facility of the Depart8 ment nearest to the residence of such veteran.’’; and 

9 (5) in subsection (c), as redesignated— 

10 (A) by inserting ‘‘(1)’’ before ‘‘The Sec11 retary’’; and 

12 (B) by adding at the end the following new 

13 paragraphs: 

14 ‘‘(2) The Secretary shall ensure that peer support 

15 specialists of the Department receive annual training on 

16 how to provide peer support regarding military sexual 

17 trauma. 

18 ‘‘(3) The Secretary shall provide annual training, re19 garding the processing of claims described in subsection 

20 (a), to the following individuals: 

21 ‘‘(A) Military sexual trauma coordinators of the 

22 Veterans Health Administration. 

23 ‘‘(B) Peer support specialists of the Depart24 ment.’’; 

25 (b) CLERICAL AMENDMENTS.— 


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HR 2724 RFS

1 (1) SECTION HEADING.—The heading of such 

2 section is amended by striking ‘‘Specialized 

3 teams to evaluate claims’’ and inserting 

4 ‘‘Claims’’. 

5 (2) TABLE OF SECTIONS.—The table of sections 

6 at the beginning of chapter 11 of such title is 

7 amended by striking the item relating to section 

8 1166 and inserting the following: 

‘‘1166. Claims involving military sexual trauma.’’. 

Passed the House of Representatives May 18, 2022. 

Attest: CHERYL L. JOHNSON, 

Clerk. 


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