I 
116TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 8130 
To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to conduct an assessment of 
the capacity of peer specialists of the Department of Veterans Affairs 
who are women, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
AUGUST 28, 2020 
Miss RICE of New York (for herself and Mr. GONZALEZ of Ohio) introduced 
the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs 
A BILL 
To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to conduct an 
assessment of the capacity of peer specialists of the 
Department of Veterans Affairs who are women, and 
for other purposes. 
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 ‘‘VA Peer Specialists 
Act’’. 
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SEC. 2. STAFFING IMPROVEMENT PLAN FOR PEER SPE-
CIALISTS OF DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AF-
FAIRS WHO ARE WOMEN. 
(a) ASSESSMENT OF CAPACITY.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 90 days after 
the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary 
of Veterans Affairs, in consultation with the Inspec-
tor General of the Department of Veterans Affairs, 
shall commence an assessment of the capacity of 
peer specialists of the Department of Veterans Af-
fairs who are women. 
(2) ELEMENTS.—The assessment required by 
paragraph (1) shall include an assessment of the fol-
lowing: 
(A) The geographical distribution of peer 
specialists of the Department who are women. 
(B) 
The 
geographical 
distribution 
of 
women veterans. 
(C) The number and proportion of women 
peer specialists who specialize in peer coun-
seling on mental health or suicide prevention. 
(D) The number and proportion of women 
peer specialists who specialize in peer coun-
seling on non-mental health related matters. 
(E) A description of the duties and respon-
sibilities of women peer specialists, including 
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number of hours worked per week, to better de-
fine, delineate, and standardize qualifications, 
performance goals, performance duties, and 
performance outcomes for peer specialists and 
their managers. 
(F) Department funds and other resources 
dedicated to supporting the work of women peer 
specialists. 
(b) REPORT.—Not later than one year after the as-
sessment required by subsection (a) has commenced, the 
Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Veterans’ Af-
fairs of the Senate and the Committee on Veterans’ Af-
fairs of the House of Representatives a report detailing 
the findings of the assessment, including the ratio of how 
many hours were worked by women peer specialists rel-
ative to the population of women veterans at each Depart-
ment medical center. 
(c) STAFFING IMPROVEMENT PLAN.— 
(1) IN
GENERAL.—Not later than 180 days 
after submitting the report under subsection (b), the 
Secretary, in consultation with the Inspector Gen-
eral, shall submit to the Committee on Veterans’ Af-
fairs of the Senate and the Committee on Veterans’ 
Affairs of the House of Representatives a plan, 
based on the results of the assessment required by 
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subsection (a), to hire additional qualified peer spe-
cialists who are women, with special consideration 
for areas that lack peer specialists who are women. 
(2) ELEMENTS.—The peer specialist positions 
included in the plan required by paragraph (1)— 
(A) shall be non-volunteer, paid positions; 
and 
(B) may be part-time positions. 
Æ 
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