Title: VA Peer Support Enhancement for MST Survivors Act
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security

Summary:
VA Peer Support Enhancement for MST Survivors Act
This bill requires the Department of Veterans Affairs to ensure that each individual who files a claim relating to military sexual trauma is assigned a peer support specialist during the claims process, unless the individual elects to not have such support.
Under the bill, a peer support specialist must be trained as a victim advocate and may not be responsible for any part of adjudicating the individual's claim.

[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 2724 Introduced in House (IH)]

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117th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 2724

   To amend title 38, United States Code, to direct the Secretary of 
Veterans Affairs to provide for peer support specialists for claimants 
  who are survivors of military sexual trauma, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             April 21, 2021

 Mr. Delgado (for himself and Ms. Mace) 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 Secretary of 
Veterans Affairs to provide for peer support specialists for claimants 
  who are survivors of military sexual trauma, 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.

    This Act may be cited as the ``VA Peer Support Enhancement for MST 
Survivors Act''.

SEC. 2. PEER SUPPORT SPECIALISTS FOR CLAIMANTS WHO ARE SURVIVORS OF 
              MILITARY SEXUAL TRAUMA.

    (a) Peer Support Specialists for Claimants Who Are Survivors of 
Military Sexual Trauma.--
            (1) In general.--Chapter 51 of title 38, United States 
        Code, is amended by inserting after section 5109B the following 
        new section:
``Sec. 5109C. Peer support specialists for claimants who are survivors 
              of military sexual trauma
    ``(a) In General.--The Secretary shall ensure that each claimant 
who files a claim relating to military sexual trauma is assigned a peer 
support specialist to provide the claimant with support during the 
claims process unless the claimant elects not to have a peer support 
specialist under this section.
    ``(b) Qualifications.--A peer support specialist under this 
section--
            ``(1) shall be trained as a victims advocate; and
            ``(2) may not be responsible for any part of adjudicating 
        the claim of any claimant to which the specialist is providing 
        support under this section.
    ``(c) Military Sexual Trauma.--In this section, the term `military 
sexual trauma' has the meaning given such term in section 1165(c) of 
this title.''.
            (2) Clerical amendment.--The table of sections at the 
        beginning of such chapter is amended by inserting after the 
        item relating to section 5109B the following new item:

``5109C. Peer support specialists for claimants who are survivors of 
                            military sexual trauma.''.
    (b) Technical Correction.--The second section 1164 of title 38, 
United States Code, as added by section 5501 of the Johnny Isakson and 
David P. Roe, M.D. Veterans Health Care and Benefits Improvement Act of 
2020 (Public Law 116-315), is redesignated as section 1165 (and the 
table of sections at the beginning of chapter 11 of such title is 
conformed accordingly).
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