I 
115TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 6869 
To require the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to improve the provision of 
services and benefits from the Department of Veterans Affairs for vet-
erans who experience domestic violence or sexual assault, and for other 
purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
SEPTEMBER 25, 2018 
Ms. VELA´ZQUEZ (for herself, Mr. COFFMAN, Ms. CLARKE of New York, Mr. 
MEEKS, Mr. SERRANO, Mr. SEAN PATRICK MALONEY of New York, Mr. 
ENGEL, Mr. SUOZZI, Mrs. RADEWAGEN, Ms. JUDY CHU of California, 
Ms. ROYBAL-ALLARD, Mr. COHEN, Ms. WILSON
of Florida, Mr. 
DESAULNIER, Mr. PAYNE, Mr. HASTINGS, Mr. JONES, Mr. THOMPSON 
of Mississippi, Ms. HANABUSA, Mr. KHANNA, Ms. EDDIE BERNICE 
JOHNSON of Texas, Ms. NORTON, Mr. SIRES, Mrs. TORRES, Mr. MCGOV-
ERN, Mr. VELA, Ms. MCCOLLUM, Mr. TAKANO, Ms. MOORE, Ms. SPEIER, 
Ms. JAYAPAL, Ms. BROWNLEY of California, Mr. PALLONE, Ms. LOF-
GREN, Ms. SHEA-PORTER, Mrs. DINGELL, Ms. BORDALLO, Ms. 
WASSERMAN
SCHULTZ, Ms. JACKSON
LEE, Mrs. DEMINGS, Ms. 
MICHELLE LUJAN GRISHAM of New Mexico, Mr. MCEACHIN, Mr. KIL-
MER, Mr. MCNERNEY, Mrs. NAPOLITANO, Mr. SOTO, Mr. ESPAILLAT, 
Mr. CARBAJAL, Mr. SABLAN, Mrs. CAROLYN B. MALONEY of New York, 
Mr. RICHMOND, Mr. VARGAS, Ms. MATSUI, Mr. CARTWRIGHT, Ms. 
GABBARD, Mr. RASKIN, Mrs. WATSON COLEMAN, Ms. KUSTER of New 
Hampshire, Mr. QUIGLEY, Ms. PINGREE, Mr. BISHOP of Georgia, Mr. 
JEFFRIES, Mr. TONKO, Mr. PANETTA, Mr. GUTIE´RREZ, Mr. MOULTON, 
Mr. CROWLEY, Ms. SA´NCHEZ, Mr. YARMUTH, Ms. ESTY of Connecticut, 
Ms. DELBENE, Mr. TED LIEU of California, Mr. BROWN of Maryland, 
Ms. MENG, Ms. ROSEN, Mr. RUPPERSBERGER, Mr. CARSON of Indiana, 
and Mr. CORREA) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
Committee on Veterans’ Affairs 
A BILL 
To require the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to improve 
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the provision of services and benefits from the Depart-
ment of Veterans Affairs for veterans who experience 
domestic violence or sexual assault, and for other pur-
poses. 
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 ‘‘Violence Against 
Women Veterans Act’’. 
SEC. 2. PURPOSE. 
The purpose of this Act is to better integrate the 
medical, housing, mental health, and other benefits pro-
vided by the Department of Veterans Affairs with existing 
community-based domestic violence and sexual assault 
services— 
(1) to provide a more efficient and coordinated 
network of support for veterans experiencing domes-
tic violence or sexual assault; and 
(2) to better understand the impact of domestic 
violence and sexual assault on veterans, particularly 
female veterans. 
SEC. 3. PROGRAM TO ASSIST VETERANS WHO EXPERIENCE 
DOMESTIC VIOLENCE OR SEXUAL ASSAULT. 
(a) PROGRAM REQUIRED.—The Secretary of Vet-
erans Affairs shall carry out a program to assist veterans 
that have experienced or are experiencing domestic vio-
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lence or sexual assault in accessing benefits from the De-
partment of Veterans Affairs, including coordinating ac-
cess to medical treatment centers, housing assistance, and 
other benefits from the Department. 
(b) PARTNERSHIP.—The Secretary shall carry out 
the program under subsection (a) in partnership with— 
(1) domestic violence shelters and programs; 
(2) rape crisis centers; 
(3) State domestic violence and sexual assault 
coalitions; and 
(4) such other health care or other service pro-
viders that serve domestic violence or sexual assault 
victims as determined by the Secretary, particularly 
those providing emergency services or housing assist-
ance. 
(c) AUTHORIZED ACTIVITIES.—In carrying out the 
program under subsection (a), the Secretary may conduct 
the following activities: 
(1) Training for community-based domestic vio-
lence or sexual assault service providers on— 
(A) identifying veterans who have been vic-
tims of domestic violence or sexual assault; 
(B) coordinating with local service pro-
viders of the Department; and 
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(C) connecting veterans with appropriate 
housing, mental health, medical, and other fi-
nancial assistance or benefits from the Depart-
ment. 
(2) Assistance to service providers to ensure ac-
cess of veterans to domestic violence and sexual as-
sault emergency services, particularly in underserved 
areas, including services for members of Indian 
tribes. 
(3) Such other outreach and assistance as the 
Secretary determines necessary for the provision of 
assistance under subsection (a). 
(d) DOMESTIC VIOLENCE
AND SEXUAL ASSAULT 
OUTREACH COORDINATORS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—In order to effectively assist 
veterans who have experienced domestic violence or 
sexual assault, the Secretary may establish local co-
ordinators to provide outreach under the program 
required by subsection (a). 
(2) LOCAL
COORDINATOR
KNOWLEDGE.—The 
Secretary shall ensure that each coordinator estab-
lished under paragraph (1) is knowledgeable about— 
(A) the dynamics of domestic violence and 
sexual assault, including safety concerns, legal 
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protections, and the need for the provision of 
confidential services; 
(B) the eligibility of veterans for services 
and benefits from the Department that are rel-
evant to recovery from domestic violence and 
sexual assault, particularly emergency housing 
assistance, mental health care, other health 
care, and disability benefits; and 
(C) local community resources addressing 
domestic violence and sexual assault. 
(3) LOCAL COORDINATOR ASSISTANCE.—Each 
coordinator established under paragraph (1) shall 
assist domestic violence shelters and rape crisis cen-
ters in providing services to veterans. 
SEC. 4. NATIONAL TASK FORCE ON VETERANS EXPERI-
ENCING DOMESTIC VIOLENCE OR SEXUAL AS-
SAULT. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Veterans Af-
fairs, in consultation with the Attorney General and the 
Secretary of Health and Human Services, shall establish 
a national task force (in this section referred to as the 
‘‘Task Force’’) to develop a comprehensive national pro-
gram, including by integrating facilities, services, and ben-
efits of the Department of Veterans Affairs into existing 
networks of community-based domestic violence and sex-
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ual assault services, to address domestic violence and sex-
ual assault among veterans. 
(b) CONSULTATION WITH STAKEHOLDERS.—In car-
rying out this section, the Task Force shall consult with— 
(1) representatives from not fewer than three 
national organizations or State coalitions with dem-
onstrated expertise in domestic violence prevention, 
response, or advocacy; and 
(2) representatives from not fewer than three 
national organizations or State coalitions, particu-
larly those representing underserved or ethnic mi-
nority communities, with demonstrated expertise in 
sexual assault prevention, response, or advocacy. 
(c) DUTIES.—The duties of the Task Force shall in-
clude the following: 
(1) To review existing services and policies of 
the Department and develop a comprehensive na-
tional program to address domestic violence and sex-
ual assault prevention, response, and treatment. 
(2) To review the feasibility and advisability of 
establishing an expedited process to secure emer-
gency, temporary benefits, including housing or 
other benefits, for veterans who are experiencing do-
mestic violence or sexual assault. 
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(3) To review and make recommendations re-
garding the feasibility and advisability of estab-
lishing dedicated, temporary housing assistance for 
veterans experiencing domestic violence or sexual as-
sault. 
(4) To identify any requirements regarding do-
mestic violence assistance or sexual assault response 
and services that are not being met by the Depart-
ment and make recommendations on how the De-
partment can meet such requirements. 
(5) To review and make recommendations re-
garding the feasibility and advisability of providing 
direct services or contracting for community-based 
services for veterans in response to a sexual assault, 
including through the use of sexual assault nurse ex-
aminers, particularly in underserved or remote 
areas, including services for members of Indian 
tribes. 
(6) To review the availability of counseling serv-
ices provided by the Department and through peer 
network support, and to provide recommendations 
for the enhancement of such services, to address— 
(A) the perpetration of domestic violence 
and sexual assault; and 
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(B) the recovery of veterans, particularly 
female veterans, from domestic violence and 
sexual assault. 
(7) To review and make recommendations to 
expand services available for veterans at risk of per-
petrating domestic violence. 
(d) REPORT.—Not later than one year after the date 
of the enactment of this Act, and not less frequently than 
annually thereafter, the Task Force shall submit to the 
Secretary of Veterans Affairs and Congress a report on 
the activities of the Task Force, including any rec-
ommendations for legislative or administrative action. 
SEC. 5. NATIONAL BASELINE STUDY ON PROBLEM OF DO-
MESTIC VIOLENCE AND SEXUAL ASSAULT 
AMONG VETERANS AND SPOUSES OF VET-
ERANS. 
The Secretary of Veterans Affairs, in consultation 
with the Attorney General, shall conduct a national base-
line study to examine the scope of the problem of domestic 
violence and sexual assault among veterans and spouses 
of veterans. 
Æ 
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