I 
116TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 4554 
To amend title 38, United States Code, to direct the Secretary of Veterans 
Affairs to establish and implement a comprehensive anti-harassment and 
anti-sexual assault policy of the Department of Veterans Affairs. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
SEPTEMBER 27, 2019 
Ms. BROWNLEY of California introduced the following bill; which was referred 
to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs 
A BILL 
To amend title 38, United States Code, to direct the Sec-
retary of Veterans Affairs to establish and implement 
a comprehensive anti-harassment and anti-sexual assault 
policy of the Department of Veterans Affairs. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. ANTI-HARASSMENT AND ANTI-SEXUAL ASSAULT 
POLICY OF THE DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS 
AFFAIRS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Subchapter II of chapter 5 of title 
38, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end 
the following new section: 
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‘‘§ 533. Anti-harassment and anti-sexual assault pol-
icy 
‘‘(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—The Secretary of Veterans 
Affairs shall establish a comprehensive policy to end har-
assment and sexual assault, including sexual and gender- 
based harassment, at all facilities of the Department of 
Veterans Affairs. This policy shall include the following: 
‘‘(1) Responses to incidents of harassment and 
sexual assault committed by any veteran or other 
public visitor within a facility of the Department. 
‘‘(2) Responses to incidents of harassment and 
sexual assault of any veteran or other public visitor 
within a facility of the Department. 
‘‘(3) A process for reporting and responding to 
harassment and sexual assault described in para-
graph (1). 
‘‘(4) A process for reporting and responding to 
harassment and sexual assault described in para-
graph (2). 
‘‘(5) A mandatory reporting requirement appli-
cable to any employee or contractor of the Depart-
ment who witnesses harassment or sexual assault 
within a facility of the Department. 
‘‘(6) Mandatory annual training for employees 
and contractors of the Department regarding how to 
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report and address harassment and sexual assault 
described in paragraphs (1) and (2). 
‘‘(7) Annual distribution of anti-harassment 
and anti-sexual assault educational materials by mail 
or email to each individual entitled to a benefit 
under a law administered by the Secretary. 
‘‘(8) The prominent display of anti-harassment 
and anti-sexual assault messages in each facility of 
the Department, including how to report harassment 
and sexual assault at such facility. 
‘‘(9) The posting of anti-harassment and anti- 
sexual assault banners on websites of the Depart-
ment, 
including 
eBenefits.va.gov 
and 
myHealthEVet.va.gov. 
‘‘(b) POINTS OF CONTACT.—The Secretary shall des-
ignate, as a point of contact to receive reports of harass-
ment and sexual assault— 
‘‘(1) at least one individual at each facility of 
the Department, with regards to that facility; 
‘‘(2) at least one individual employed in each 
Veterans Integrated Service Network (‘VISN’), with 
regards to facilities in that VISN; and 
‘‘(3) at least one individual employed at the 
Central Office of the Department to track reports of 
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harassment across the Department, disaggregated 
by facility. 
‘‘(c) REPORTING.—The Secretary of Veterans Affairs 
shall submit to the Committees on Veterans’ Affairs of 
the Senate and the House of Representatives an annual 
report on harassment and sexual assault in facilities of 
the Department. Each such report shall include the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘(1) Results of harassment and sexual assault 
programming, including the End Harassment pro-
gram. 
‘‘(2) Results of studies from the Women’s 
Health Practice Based Research Network related to 
harassment and sexual assault. 
‘‘(3) Data collected on incidents of sexual har-
assment and sexual assault. 
‘‘(4) A description of any actions taken by the 
Secretary during the year preceding the date of the 
report to stop harassment and sexual assault at fa-
cilities of the Department. 
‘‘(5) An assessment of the implementation of 
the training required in subsection (a)(5). 
‘‘(6) A list of resources the Secretary deter-
mines necessary to prevent harassment and sexual 
assault at facilities of the Department.’’. 
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(b) TECHNICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sections 
at the beginning of such chapter is amended by adding 
after the item relating to section 532 the following new 
item: 
‘‘533. Anti-harassment and anti-sexual assault policy.’’. 
(c) DEADLINE.—The Secretary shall carry out sec-
tion 533 of such title, as added by subsection (a), not later 
than 180 days after the date of enactment of this Act. 
Æ 
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