Bill Sponsor
Senate Bill 681
115th Congress(2017-2018)
Deborah Sampson Act
Introduced
Introduced
Introduced in Senate on Mar 21, 2017
Overview
Text
Sponsor
Introduced
Mar 21, 2017
Latest Action
May 17, 2017
Origin Chamber
Senate
Type
Bill
Bill
The primary form of legislative measure used to propose law. Depending on the chamber of origin, bills begin with a designation of either H.R. or S. Joint resolution is another form of legislative measure used to propose law.
Bill Number
681
Congress
115
Policy Area
Armed Forces and National Security
Armed Forces and National Security
Primary focus of measure is military operations and spending, facilities, procurement and weapons, personnel, intelligence; strategic materials; war and emergency powers; veterans’ issues. Measures concerning alliances and collective security, arms sales and military assistance, or arms control may fall under International Affairs policy area.
Sponsorship by Party
Democrat
Montana
Republican
Arkansas
Democrat
California
Democrat
Maryland
Democrat
Massachusetts
Democrat
Michigan
Democrat
Minnesota
Democrat
Minnesota
Democrat
New Hampshire
Democrat
New Hampshire
Democrat
New Jersey
Democrat
New Jersey
Democrat
Pennsylvania
Democrat
Rhode Island
Democrat
Rhode Island
Democrat
Virginia
Democrat
Washington
Democrat
Wisconsin
Senate Votes (0)
House Votes (0)
No Senate votes have been held for this bill.
Summary

Deborah Sampson Act

This bill directs the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to carry out a three-year pilot program to assess the feasibility of peer-to-peer assistance for women veterans (including those who are separating or newly separated from the Armed Forces), with emphasis placed on women who suffered service-related sexual trauma or who are at risk of becoming homeless.

Additionally, the VA shall:

  • expand the women veterans call center to include a text messaging capability;
  • establish a partnership with at least one nongovernmental organization to provide legal services to women veterans based upon their 10 highest unmet needs;
  • retrofit VA medical facilities with fixtures, materials, and other outfitting measures to support the care of women veterans;
  • ensure that each VA medical facility has at least one full-time or part-time women's health primary care provider;
  • expand to 14 days VA post-delivery care services for women veterans who are receiving maternity care in a VA or VA-contracted facility;
  • ensure that the women veteran manager program is supported at each VA medical center with a program manager and an ombudsman;
  • collect, analyze, and publish data on each VA service or benefit program and disaggregate such data by sex and minority status; and
  • publish an Internet website that serves as a centralized information source for women veterans' benefits and services.

The bill makes funds available for: (1) primary care and emergency care clinicians' participation in the women veterans health care mini-residency program, and (2) organizations that focus on providing assistance to women veterans and their families.

The bill: (1) provides for reintegration and readjustment services to veterans and family members in group retreat settings, and (2) expresses the sense of Congress that the VA's motto should be more inclusive.

Text (1)
March 21, 2017
Actions (3)
05/17/2017
Committee on Veterans' Affairs. Hearings held. Hearings printed: S.Hrg. 115-299.
03/21/2017
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
03/21/2017
Introduced in Senate
Public Record
Record Updated
Jan 11, 2023 1:36:14 PM