Title: Deborah Sampson Act
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security

Summary:
Deborah Sampson Act
This bill implements or expands various programs and services related to health care, readjustment assistance, legal and supportive services, newborn care, and benefits for women veterans at the Department of Veterans Affairs.

[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 514 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

<DOC>






116th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                 S. 514

  To amend title 38, United States Code, to improve the benefits and 
   services provided by the Department of Veterans Affairs to women 
                   veterans, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                           February 14, 2019

Mr. Tester (for himself, Mr. Boozman, Mrs. Capito, Mrs. Blackburn, Ms. 
Stabenow, Mr. Schatz, Ms. Sinema, Ms. Warren, Mr. Menendez, Ms. Hassan, 
 Mr. Reed, Mr. Whitehouse, Ms. Baldwin, Ms. Duckworth, Mr. Blumenthal, 
   Mrs. Shaheen, Mrs. Murray, Ms. Cortez Masto, Mr. Van Hollen, Ms. 
Harris, Mrs. Gillibrand, Mr. Merkley, Mr. Booker, Mr. Casey, Mr. Brown, 
 Mr. Peters, and Mrs. Feinstein) introduced the following bill; which 
   was read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
  To amend title 38, United States Code, to improve the benefits and 
   services provided by the Department of Veterans Affairs to women 
                   veterans, and for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; TABLE OF CONTENTS.

    (a) Short Title.--This Act may be cited as the ``Deborah Sampson 
Act''.
    (b) Table of Contents.--The table of contents for this Act is as 
follows:

Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents.
              TITLE I--READJUSTMENT AND RELATED ASSISTANCE

Sec. 101. Provision of reintegration and readjustment services to 
                            veterans and family members in group 
                            retreat settings.
Sec. 102. Expansion of capabilities of Women Veterans Call Center to 
                            include text messaging.
                TITLE II--LEGAL AND SUPPORTIVE SERVICES

Sec. 201. Department of Veterans Affairs public-private partnership on 
                            legal services for women veterans.
Sec. 202. Additional amount for Supportive Services for Veteran 
                            Families grant program to support 
                            organizations that have a focus on 
                            providing assistance to women veterans and 
                            their families.
Sec. 203. Gap analysis of Department of Veterans Affairs programs that 
                            provide assistance to women veterans who 
                            are homeless.
                        TITLE III--NEWBORN CARE

Sec. 301. Extension of period of eligibility for care for newborn 
                            children from the Department of Veterans 
                            Affairs.
                TITLE IV--ELIMINATING BARRIERS TO ACCESS

Sec. 401. Women Veterans Retrofit Initiative.
Sec. 402. Staffing of women's health primary care providers at medical 
                            facilities of the Department of Veterans 
                            Affairs.
Sec. 403. Additional funding for primary care and emergency care 
                            clinicians in Women Veterans Health Care 
                            Mini-Residency Program.
Sec. 404. Establishment of women veteran training module for non-
                            Department of Veterans Affairs health care 
                            providers.
Sec. 405. Study on staffing of Women Veteran Program Manager program at 
                            medical centers of the Department of 
                            Veterans Affairs and training of staff.
                 TITLE V--DATA COLLECTION AND REPORTING

Sec. 501. Requirement for collection and analysis of data on Department 
                            of Veterans Affairs benefits and services 
                            and disaggregation of such data by sex and 
                            minority status.
Sec. 502. Report on availability of prosthetics for women veterans from 
                            the Department of Veterans Affairs.
Sec. 503. Requirement for Department of Veterans Affairs internet 
                            website to provide information on services 
                            available to women veterans.
Sec. 504. Report on locations where women veterans are using health 
                            care from Department of Veterans Affairs.
Sec. 505. Report on models of medical facilities of Department of 
                            Veterans Affairs for the treatment of 
                            women.
Sec. 506. Report on staffing of Department of Veterans relating to the 
                            treatment of women.

              TITLE I--READJUSTMENT AND RELATED ASSISTANCE

SEC. 101. PROVISION OF REINTEGRATION AND READJUSTMENT SERVICES TO 
              VETERANS AND FAMILY MEMBERS IN GROUP RETREAT SETTINGS.

    (a) In General.--Section 1712A of title 38, United States Code, is 
amended--
            (1) in subsection (a)(1)(B)--
                    (A) in clause (ii), by redesignating subclauses (I) 
                and (II) as items (aa) and (bb);
                    (B) by redesignating clauses (i) and (ii) as 
                subclauses (I) and (II);
                    (C) in the matter preceding subclause (I), as 
                redesignated by subparagraph (B), by striking 
                ``Counseling'' and inserting ``(i) Counseling''; and
                    (D) by adding at the end the following new clause:
    ``(ii)(I) Except as provided in subclause (IV), counseling 
furnished to an individual under subparagraph (A) may include 
reintegration and readjustment services described in subclause (II) 
furnished in group retreat settings.
    ``(II) Reintegration and readjustment services described in this 
subclause are the following:
            ``(aa) Information on reintegration of the individual into 
        family, employment, and community.
            ``(bb) Financial counseling.
            ``(cc) Occupational counseling.
            ``(dd) Information and counseling on stress reduction.
            ``(ee) Information and counseling on conflict resolution.
            ``(ff) Such other information and counseling as the 
        Secretary considers appropriate to assist the individual in 
        reintegration into family, employment, and community.
    ``(III) In furnishing reintegration and readjustment services under 
subclause (I), the Secretary shall offer women the opportunity to 
receive such services in group retreat settings in which the only 
participants are women.
    ``(IV) An individual referred to in subparagraph (C)(v) may receive 
reintegration and readjustment services under subclause (I) only if the 
individual receives such services with a family member described in 
subclause (I) or (II) of such subparagraph.''.
    (b) Request for Services.--Subsection (a)(2) of such section is 
amended--
            (1) by striking ``Upon'' and inserting ``(A) Upon'';
            (2) by striking ``paragraph (1)(B)'' and inserting 
        ``paragraph (1)(B)(i)''; and
            (3) by adding at the end the following new subparagraph:
    ``(B) Upon the request of an individual described in paragraph 
(1)(C), the Secretary shall furnish the individual reintegration and 
readjustment services in group retreat settings under paragraph 
(1)(B)(ii).''.

SEC. 102. EXPANSION OF CAPABILITIES OF WOMEN VETERANS CALL CENTER TO 
              INCLUDE TEXT MESSAGING.

    The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall expand the capabilities of 
the Women Veterans Call Center of the Department of Veterans Affairs to 
include a text messaging capability.

                TITLE II--LEGAL AND SUPPORTIVE SERVICES

SEC. 201. DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP ON 
              LEGAL SERVICES FOR WOMEN VETERANS.

    (a) Partnership Required.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall 
establish a partnership with at least one nongovernmental organization 
to provide legal services to women veterans.
    (b) Focus.--The focus of the partnership established under 
subsection (a) shall be on the 10 highest unmet needs of women veterans 
as set forth in the most recently completed Community Homelessness 
Assessment, Local Education and Networking Groups for Veterans (CHALENG 
for Veterans) survey.

SEC. 202. ADDITIONAL AMOUNT FOR SUPPORTIVE SERVICES FOR VETERAN 
              FAMILIES GRANT PROGRAM TO SUPPORT ORGANIZATIONS THAT HAVE 
              A FOCUS ON PROVIDING ASSISTANCE TO WOMEN VETERANS AND 
              THEIR FAMILIES.

    Section 2044(e) of title 38, United States Code, is amended--
            (1) in paragraph (1), by adding at the end the following 
        new subparagraph:
            ``(F) $400,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2020 through 
        2022.''; and
            (2) by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
    ``(4) Not less than $20,000,000 shall be available under paragraph 
(1)(H) for the provision of financial assistance under subsection (a) 
to organizations that have a focus on providing assistance to women 
veterans and their families.''.

SEC. 203. GAP ANALYSIS OF DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS PROGRAMS THAT 
              PROVIDE ASSISTANCE TO WOMEN VETERANS WHO ARE HOMELESS.

    (a) In General.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall complete 
an analysis of programs of the Department of Veterans Affairs that 
provide assistance to women veterans who are homeless or precariously 
housed to identify the areas in which such programs are failing to meet 
the needs of such women.
    (b) Report.--Not later than 270 days after the date of the 
enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to the Committee on 
Veterans' Affairs of the Senate and the Committee on Veterans' Affairs 
of the House of Representatives a report on the analysis completed 
under subsection (a).

                        TITLE III--NEWBORN CARE

SEC. 301. EXTENSION OF PERIOD OF ELIGIBILITY FOR CARE FOR NEWBORN 
              CHILDREN FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS.

    Section 1786(a) of title 38, United States Code, is amended, in the 
matter preceding paragraph (1), by striking ``seven days'' and 
inserting ``14 days''.

                TITLE IV--ELIMINATING BARRIERS TO ACCESS

SEC. 401. WOMEN VETERANS RETROFIT INITIATIVE.

    (a) In General.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall retrofit 
existing medical facilities of the Department of Veterans Affairs with 
fixtures, materials, and other outfitting measures to support the 
provision of care to women veterans at such facilities.
    (b) Plan.--Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment 
of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Veterans' 
Affairs of the Senate and the Committee on Veterans' Affairs of the 
House of Representatives a plan to address deficiencies in environment 
of care for women veterans at medical facilities of the Department.
    (c) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be 
appropriated to the Secretary $20,000,000 to carry out subsection (a) 
in addition to amounts otherwise made available to the Secretary for 
the purposes set forth in such subsection.

SEC. 402. STAFFING OF WOMEN'S HEALTH PRIMARY CARE PROVIDERS AT MEDICAL 
              FACILITIES OF THE DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS.

    The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall ensure that each medical 
facility of the Department of Veterans Affairs has not fewer than one 
full-time or part-time women's health primary care provider whose 
duties include, to the extent possible, providing training to other 
health care providers of the Department on the needs of women veterans.

SEC. 403. ADDITIONAL FUNDING FOR PRIMARY CARE AND EMERGENCY CARE 
              CLINICIANS IN WOMEN VETERANS HEALTH CARE MINI-RESIDENCY 
              PROGRAM.

    (a) In General.--There is authorized to be appropriated to the 
Secretary of Veterans Affairs $1,000,000 for each fiscal year for the 
Women Veterans Health Care Mini-Residency Program of the Department of 
Veterans Affairs to provide opportunities for participation in such 
program for primary care and emergency care clinicians.
    (b) Treatment of Amounts.--The amounts authorized to be 
appropriated under subsection (a) shall be in addition to amounts 
otherwise made available to the Secretary for the purposes set forth in 
such subsection.

SEC. 404. ESTABLISHMENT OF WOMEN VETERAN TRAINING MODULE FOR NON-
              DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS.

    (a) In General.--Not later than one year after the date of the 
enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall 
establish and make available to community providers a training module 
that is specific to women veterans.
    (b) Community Provider Defined.--In this section, the term 
``community provider'' means a non-Department of Veterans Affairs 
health care provider who provides health care to veterans under the 
laws administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs.

SEC. 405. STUDY ON STAFFING OF WOMEN VETERAN PROGRAM MANAGER PROGRAM AT 
              MEDICAL CENTERS OF THE DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS AND 
              TRAINING OF STAFF.

    (a) Study.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall conduct a study 
on the use of the Women Veteran Program Manager program of the 
Department of Veterans Affairs to determine--
            (1) if the program is appropriately staffed at each medical 
        center of the Department;
            (2) whether each medical center of the Department is 
        staffed with a Women Veteran Program Manager; and
            (3) whether it would be feasible and advisable to have a 
        Women Veteran Program Ombudsman at each medical center of the 
        Department.
    (b) Report.--Not later than 270 days after the date of the 
enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to the Committee on 
Veterans' Affairs of the Senate and the Committee on Veterans' Affairs 
of the House of Representatives a report on the study conducted under 
subsection (a).
    (c) Training.--The Secretary shall ensure that all Women Veteran 
Program Managers and Women Veteran Program Ombudsmen receive the proper 
training to carry out their duties.

                 TITLE V--DATA COLLECTION AND REPORTING

SEC. 501. REQUIREMENT FOR COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS OF DATA ON DEPARTMENT 
              OF VETERANS AFFAIRS BENEFITS AND SERVICES AND 
              DISAGGREGATION OF SUCH DATA BY SEX AND MINORITY STATUS.

    The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall--
            (1) collect and analyze data on each program of the 
        Department of Veterans Affairs that provides a service or 
        benefit to a veteran, including the program carried out under 
        section 1144 of title 10, United States Code;
            (2) disaggregate such data by sex and minority status, when 
        the data lends itself to such disaggregation; and
            (3) publish the data collected and analyzed under paragraph 
        (1), except for such cases in which the Secretary determines 
        that some portions of the data would undermine the anonymity of 
        a veteran.

SEC. 502. REPORT ON AVAILABILITY OF PROSTHETICS FOR WOMEN VETERANS FROM 
              THE DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS.

    Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this 
Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall submit to the Committee on 
Veterans' Affairs of the Senate and the Committee on Veterans' Affairs 
of the House of Representatives a report on the availability from the 
Department of Veterans Affairs of prosthetics made for women veterans, 
including an assessment of the availability of such prosthetics at each 
medical facility of the Department.

SEC. 503. REQUIREMENT FOR DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS INTERNET 
              WEBSITE TO PROVIDE INFORMATION ON SERVICES AVAILABLE TO 
              WOMEN VETERANS.

    (a) In General.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall survey the 
internet websites and information resources of the Department of 
Veterans Affairs in effect on the day before the date of the enactment 
of this Act and publish an internet website that serves as a 
centralized source for the provision to women veterans of information 
about the benefits and services available to them under laws 
administered by the Secretary.
    (b) Elements.--The internet website published under subsection (a) 
shall provide to women veterans information regarding all of the 
services available in the district in which that the veteran is seeking 
such services, including, with respect to each medical center and 
community-based outpatient clinic in the applicable Veterans Integrated 
Service Network--
            (1) the name and contact information of each women's health 
        coordinator;
            (2) a list of appropriate staff for other benefits 
        available from the Veterans Benefits Administration, the 
        National Cemetery Administration, and such other entities as 
        the Secretary considers appropriate; and
            (3) such other information as the Secretary considers 
        appropriate.
    (c) Updated Information.--The Secretary shall ensure that the 
information described in subsection (b) that is published on the 
internet website required by subsection (a) is updated not less 
frequently than once every 90 days.
    (d) Outreach.--In carrying out this section, the Secretary shall 
ensure that the outreach conducted under section 1720F(i) of title 38, 
United States Code, includes information regarding the internet website 
required by subsection (a).
    (e) Derivation of Funds.--Amounts used by the Secretary to carry 
out this section shall be derived from amounts made available to the 
Secretary to publish internet websites of the Department.

SEC. 504. REPORT ON LOCATIONS WHERE WOMEN VETERANS ARE USING HEALTH 
              CARE FROM DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS.

    (a) In General.--Not later than 90 days after the date of the 
enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter, the Secretary of 
Veterans Affairs shall submit to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs of 
the Senate and the Committee on Veterans' Affairs of the House of 
Representatives a report on the use by women veterans of health care 
from the Department of Veterans Affairs.
    (b) Elements.--Each report required by subsection (a) shall include 
the following information:
            (1) The number of women veterans who reside in each State.
            (2) The number of women veterans in each State who are 
        enrolled in the system of patient enrollment of the Department 
        established and operated under section 1705(a) of title 38, 
        United States Code.
            (3) Of the women veterans who are so enrolled, the number 
        who have received health care under the laws administered by 
        the Secretary at least one time during the one-year period 
        preceding the submittal of the report.
            (4) The number of women veterans who have been seen at each 
        medical facility of the Department during such year.
            (5) The number of appointments that women veterans have had 
        at each such facility during such year.
            (6) If known, an identification of the medical facility of 
        the Department in each Veterans Integrated Service Network with 
        the largest rate of increase in patient population of women 
        veterans as measured by the increase in unique women veteran 
        patient use.
            (7) If known, an identification of the medical facility of 
        the Department in each Veterans Integrated Service Network with 
        the largest rate of decrease in patient population of women 
        veterans as measured by the decrease in unique women veterans 
        patient use.

SEC. 505. REPORT ON MODELS OF MEDICAL FACILITIES OF DEPARTMENT OF 
              VETERANS AFFAIRS FOR THE TREATMENT OF WOMEN.

    (a) In General.--Not later than 90 days after the date of the 
enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter, the Secretary of 
Veterans Affairs shall submit to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs of 
the Senate and the Committee on Veterans' Affairs of the House of 
Representatives a report on the use by the Department of Veterans 
Affairs of general primary care clinics, separate but shared spaces, 
and women's health centers as models of providing health care to women 
veterans.
    (b) Elements.--Each report required by subsection (a) shall include 
the following:
            (1) The number of facilities of the Department that fall 
        into each model described in subsection (a), disaggregated by 
        Veterans Integrated Service Network and State.
            (2) A description of the criteria used by the Department to 
        determine which such model is most appropriate for each 
        facility of the Department.
            (3) An assessment of how the Department decides to make 
        investments to upgrade facilities to the next higher-level 
        model.
            (4) A description of what, if any, plans the Department has 
        to upgrade facilities from the lowest-level model, general 
        primary care clinics, to another model.
            (5) An assessment of whether any facilities could be 
        upgraded to the next higher-level model within planned 
        investments under the strategic capital investment planning 
        process of the Department.
            (6) An assessment of whether any facilities could be 
        upgraded to the next higher-level model with minor 
        modifications to existing plans under the strategic capital 
        investment planning process of the Department.
            (7) An assessment of whether the Department has a goal for 
        how many facilities should fall into each such model.

SEC. 506. REPORT ON STAFFING OF DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS RELATING TO THE 
              TREATMENT OF WOMEN.

    (a) In General.--Not later than 90 days after the date of the 
enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter, the Secretary of 
Veterans Affairs shall submit to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs of 
the Senate and the Committee on Veterans' Affairs of the House of 
Representatives a report on the staffing of the Department of Veterans 
Affairs relating to the treatment of women.
    (b) Elements.--Each report required by subsection (a) shall include 
the following, disaggregated by Veterans Integrated Service Network and 
State (except with respect to paragraph (4)):
            (1) The number of women's health centers.
            (2) The number of patient aligned care teams of the 
        Department relating to women's health.
            (3) The number of full- and part-time gynecologists of the 
        Department.
            (4) The number of designated women's health care providers 
        of the Department, disaggregated by facility of the Department.
            (5) The number of health care providers of the Department 
        who have completed a mini-residency for women's health care 
        through Women Veterans Health Care Mini-Residency Program of 
        the Department during the one-year period preceding the 
        submittal of the report, and the number that plan to 
        participate in such a mini-residency during the one-year period 
        following such date.
            (6) The number of designated women's health care providers 
        of the Department who have sufficient female patients to retain 
        their competencies and proficiencies.
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