Survivors of Military Sexual Assault and Domestic Abuse Act of 2013

Bill: 113-s-1581
Sponsor: full_name: Sen. Sanders, Bernard [I-VT]
Introduced: 2013-10-28
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security
Subjects: Assault and harassment offenses

Congressional oversight

Crime victims

Crimes against women

Department of Defense

Department of Veterans Affairs

Disability and paralysis

Domestic violence and child abuse

Emergency medical services and trauma care

Medical tests and diagnostic methods

Mental health

Military medicine

Military personnel and dependents

Sex offenses

Veterans' medical care
Latest action: action_date: 2013-11-19
text: Committee on Veterans' Affairs. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably.

Summaries:
action_date: 2013-10-28
action_desc: Introduced in Senate
text: <p>Survivors of Military Sexual Assault and Domestic Abuse Act of 2013 - Authorizes the Secretary of Veterans Affairs (VA) to provide counseling and care and services for sexual trauma to active-duty members of the Armed Forces. (Under current law, such services are provided only to veterans.) Prohibits such a member from being required to obtain a referral before receiving such services.</p> <p>Directs the Secretary to develop and implement a screening mechanism to be used when a veteran seeks VA health care services to detect if such veteran has been a victim of domestic abuse in order to improve such treatment and assess the prevalence of such abuse in the veteran population.</p> <p>Requires the Secretary to report to the congressional veterans committees on treatment and services available from the VA for male veterans who experience military sexual trauma compared to such treatment and services available to female veterans who experience such trauma.</p> <p>Directs the Department of Veterans Affairs-Department of Defense Joint Executive Committee, annually for a six-year period, to report to the defense and appropriations committees on the transition from the Department of Defense (DOD) to the VA of treatment of individuals who have experienced military sexual trauma or domestic abuse.</p>

tv_txt: II 113th CONGRESS 1st Session S. 1581 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES October 28, 2013 Mr. Sanders introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs A BILL To authorize the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to provide counseling and treatment for sexual trauma to members of the Armed Forces, to require the Secretary to screen veterans for domestic abuse, to require the Secretary to submit reports on military sexual trauma and domestic abuse, and for other purposes.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Survivors of Military Sexual Assault and Domestic Abuse Act of 2013 . 2. Provision of counseling and treatment for sexual trauma by the Department of Veterans Affairs to members of the Armed Forces (a) Expansion of coverage to members of the Armed Forces Subsection (a) of section 1720D of title 38, United States Code, is amended— (1) by redesignating paragraph (2) as paragraph (3); (2) by inserting after paragraph (1) the following new paragraph (2): (2) (A) In operating the program required by paragraph (1), the Secretary may, in consultation with the Secretary of Defense, provide counseling and care and services to members of the Armed Forces (including members of the National Guard and Reserves) on active duty to overcome psychological trauma described in that paragraph. (B) A member described in subparagraph (A) shall not be required to obtain a referral before receiving counseling and care and services under this paragraph. ; and (3) in paragraph (3), as redesignated by paragraph (1)— (A) by striking a veteran and inserting an individual ; and (B) by striking that veteran each place it appears and inserting that individual . (b) Information to members on availability of counseling and services Subsection (c) of such section is amended— (1) by striking to veterans each place it appears; and (2) in paragraph (3), by inserting members of the Armed Forces and before individuals . (c) Inclusion of members in reports on counseling and services Subsection (e) of such section is amended— (1) in the matter preceding paragraph (1), by striking to veterans ; (2) in paragraph (2)— (A) by striking women veterans and inserting individuals ; and (B) by striking training under subsection (d). and inserting “training under subsection (d), disaggregated by— (A) veterans; (B) members of the Armed Forces (including members of the National Guard and Reserves) on active duty; and (C) for each of subparagraphs (A) and (B)— (i) men; and (ii) women. ; (3) in paragraph (4), by striking veterans and inserting individuals ; and (4) in paragraph (5)— (A) by striking women veterans and inserting individuals ; and (B) by inserting , including specific recommendations for individuals specified in subparagraphs (A), (B), and (C) of paragraph (2) before the period at the end. 3. Department of Veterans Affairs screening mechanism to detect incidents of domestic abuse (a) In general Not later than 540 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall develop and implement a screening mechanism to be used when a veteran seeks healthcare services from the Department of Veterans Affairs to detect if the veteran has been a victim of domestic abuse for purposes of improving the treatment of the veteran and assessing the prevalence of domestic abuse in the veteran population. (b) Domestic abuse defined In this section, the term domestic abuse means behavior with respect to an individual that— (1) constitutes— (A) a pattern of behavior resulting in physical or emotional abuse, economic control, or interference with the personal liberty of that individual; (B) a violation of Federal or State law involving the use, attempted use, or threatened use of force or violence against that individual; or (C) a violation of a lawful order issued for the protection of that individual; and (2) is committed by a person who— (A) is a current or former spouse or domestic partner of that individual; (B) shares a child in common with that individual; (C) is a current or former intimate partner of that individual that shares or has shared a common domicile with that individual; (D) is a caregiver of that individual as defined in section 1720G(d) of title 38, United States Code; or (E) is in any other type of relationship with that individual that the Secretary may specify for purposes of this section. 4. Reports on military sexual trauma and domestic abuse (a) Report on services available for military sexual trauma in 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 treatment and services available from the Department of Veterans Affairs for male veterans who experience military sexual trauma compared to such treatment and services available to female veterans who experience military sexual trauma. (b) Report on domestic abuse among veterans The Secretary shall include with the report submitted under subsection (a) a report on domestic abuse among veterans that includes the following: (1) A summary of the types, outcomes, and circumstances of incidents of domestic abuse that have been reported by veterans during the two-year period preceding the submission of the report. (2) A summary of the treatments available from the Department for veterans who experience domestic abuse and an assessment of the effectiveness of those treatments. (3) Whether an incident of military sexual trauma or sexual trauma experienced after the age of 18 may increase the risk of domestic abuse. (4) Any other issues that the Secretary determines appropriate. (c) Reports on transition of military sexual trauma and domestic abuse treatment from Department of Defense to Department of Veterans Affairs Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter for five years, the Department of Veterans Affairs-Department of Defense Joint Executive Committee established by section 320(a) of title 38, United States Code, shall submit to the appropriate committees of Congress a report on military sexual trauma and domestic abuse that includes the following: (1) The processes and procedures utilized by the Department of Veterans Affairs and the Department of Defense to facilitate transition of treatment of individuals who have experienced military sexual trauma or domestic abuse from treatment provided by the Department of Defense to treatment provided by the Department of Veterans Affairs. (2) A description and assessment of the collaboration between the Department of Veterans Affairs and the Department of Defense in assisting veterans in filing claims for disabilities related to military sexual trauma or domestic abuse, including permitting veterans access to information and evidence necessary to develop or support such claims. (d) Definitions In this section: (1) Appropriate committees of congress The term appropriate committees of Congress means— (A) the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs and the Committee on Armed Services of the Senate; and (B) the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs and the Committee on Armed Services of the House of Representatives. (2) Domestic abuse The term domestic abuse has the meaning given that term in section 3(b) of this Act. (3) Military sexual trauma The term military sexual trauma means psychological trauma, which in the judgment of a mental health professional employed by the Department, resulted from a physical assault of a sexual nature, battery of a sexual nature, or sexual harassment which occurred while the veteran was serving on active duty or active duty for training. (4) Sexual harassment The term sexual harassment means repeated, unsolicited verbal or physical contact of a sexual nature which is threatening in character. (5) Sexual trauma The term sexual trauma shall have the meaning given that term by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs for purposes of this section.