I
106TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
H. R. 1799
To amend title 38, United States Code, to revise and improve the authorities
of the Secretary of Veterans Affairs relating to the provision of coun-
seling and treatment for sexual trauma experienced by veterans.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
MAY 13, 1999
Mr. GUTIERREZ introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on Veterans Affairs
A BILL
To amend title 38, United States Code, to revise and improve
the authorities of the Secretary of Veterans Affairs relat-
ing to the provision of counseling and treatment for
sexual trauma experienced by veterans.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Veterans Sexual Trau-
ma Treatment Act’’.
SEC. 2. COUNSELING AND TREATMENT FOR VETERANS
WHO HAVE EXPERIENCED SEXUAL TRAUMA.
(a) DURATION OF PROGRAM.—Section 1720D of title
38, United States Code, is amended in subsection (a)—
(1) in paragraph (1), by striking ‘‘During the
period through December 31, 2001, the’’ and insert-
ing ‘‘The’’;
(2) in paragraph (2), by striking ‘‘During the
period referred to in paragraph (1), the’’ and insert-
ing ‘‘The’’; and
(3) in paragraph (3), by striking ‘‘, during the
period through December 31, 2001,’’.
(b) MANDATORY NATURE OF PROGRAM.—Subsection
(a) of such section is further amended in paragraphs (1)
and (2) by striking ‘‘may’’ and inserting ‘‘shall’’.
(c) PROVISION OF TREATMENT FOR SEXUAL TRAU-
MA.—Such subsection is further amended in paragraphs
(1) and (3) by inserting ‘‘and treatment’’ after ‘‘coun-
seling’’ each place it appears.
(d) DETERMINATIONS TO BE MADE BY MENTAL
HEALTH PROFESSIONALS.—Such subsection is further
amended in paragraph (1) by striking ‘‘the Secretary de-
termines’’ and inserting ‘‘a mental health professional em-
ployed by the Department determines’’.
(e) OUTREACH EFFORTS.—Subsection (c) of such
section is amended—
(1) by inserting ‘‘and treatment’’ in the first
sentence and in paragraph (2) after ‘‘counseling’’;
(2) by striking ‘‘and’’ at the end of paragraph
(1);
(3) by redesignating paragraph (2) as para-
graph (3); and
(4) by inserting after paragraph (1) the fol-
lowing new paragraph (2):
‘‘(2) shall ensure that information about the
counseling and treatment available to veterans under
this section (which shall be revised and updated not
less often than every two years)—
‘‘(A) is made available and visibly posted
at each facility of the Department; and
‘‘(B) is advertised through public service
announcements, 
pamphlets, 
billboards, 
and
other appropriate means of communication;
and’’.
(f) PERSONS
ELIGIBLE
FOR
COUNSELING
AND
TREATMENT.—Such section is further amended by adding
at the end the following new subsection:
‘‘(e)(1) A veteran shall be eligible for counseling and
treatment under this section without regard to the provi-
sions of section 5303A of this title.
‘‘(2) An individual who is a member of a reserve com-
ponent shall be eligible for counseling and treatment under
this section in the same manner as a veteran and without
regard to the provisions of section 5303A of this title.
‘‘(3) An individual who is a former member of a re-
serve component (but who is not a veteran within the
meaning of section 101 of this title) and who was dis-
charged or released from service as a member of a reserve
component under conditions other than dishonorable shall
be eligible for counseling and treatment under this section
in the same manner as a veteran and without regard to
the provisions of section 5303A of this title.’’.
(g) OVERSIGHT
OF OUTREACH ACTIVITIES.—Not
later than four months after the date of the enactment
of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall com-
plete the design and updating of public service announce-
ments, pamphlets, billboards, and other appropriate
means of communication as required for implementation
of paragraph (2) of section 1720D(c) of title 38, United
States Code, as added by subsection (e)(3). Not later than
six months after that date, the Secretary shall submit to
the Committees on Veterans’ Affairs of the Senate and
House of Representatives examples of the documents and
other means of communication developed for compliance
with that paragraph.
(h) REPORT
ON
IMPLEMENTATION
OF
SEXUAL
TRAUMA TREATMENT PROGRAM.—Not later than 14
months after the date of the enactment of this Act, the
Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall submit to the Commit-
tees on Veterans’ Affairs of the Senate and House of Rep-
resentatives a report on the use made of the authority pro-
vided under section 1720D of title 38, United States Code,
as amended by this section. The report shall include the
following with respect to activities under that section since
the enactment of such section:
(1) The number of persons who have sought
counseling under such section.
(2) The number of veterans who have received
counseling under such section.
(3) The number of veterans who have been re-
ferred to non-Department mental health facilities
and providers in connection with sexual trauma
counseling and treatment.
(4) The number of veterans who have been de-
termined by the Secretary to have a service-con-
nected disease or disability resulting from sexual
trauma.
SEC. 3. REPORT ON EFFORTS TO PROVIDE VETERANS WITH
INFORMATION CONCERNING SEXUAL TRAU-
MA COUNSELING AND TREATMENT SERV-
ICES.
(a) REPORT REQUIRED.—Not later than 14 months
after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary
of Veterans Affairs and the Secretary of Defense shall
submit to the congressional committees specified in sub-
section (b) a joint report describing in detail the collabo-
rative efforts of the Department of Veterans Affairs and
the Department of Defense to ensure that members of the
Armed Forces, upon separation from active military,
naval, or air service, are provided appropriate and current
information about programs of the Department of Vet-
erans Affairs to provide counseling and treatment for sex-
ual trauma that may have been experienced by those mem-
bers while in the active military, naval, or air service, in-
cluding information about eligibility requirements for, and
procedures for applying for, such counseling and treat-
ment. The report shall include proposed recommendations
from both the Secretary of Veterans Affairs and the Sec-
retary of Defense for the improvement of their collabo-
rative efforts to provide such information.
(b) SPECIFIED COMMITTEES.—The committees re-
ferred to in subsection (a) are the following:
(1) The Committee on Veterans’ Affairs and
the Committee on Armed Services of the House of
Representatives
(2) The Committee on Veterans’ Affairs and
the Committee on Armed Services of the Senate.
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