Bill Sponsor
House Bill 6125
116th Congress(2019-2020)
Supporting Survivors of Military Sexual Trauma Act of 2020
Introduced
Introduced
Introduced in House on Mar 5, 2020
Overview
Text
Introduced in House 
Mar 5, 2020
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Introduced in House(Mar 5, 2020)
Mar 5, 2020
Not Scanned for Linkage
About Linkage
Multiple bills can contain the same text. This could be an identical bill in the opposite chamber or a smaller bill with a section embedded in a larger bill.
Bill Sponsor regularly scans bill texts to find sections that are contained in other bill texts. When a matching section is found, the bills containing that section can be viewed by clicking "View Bills" within the bill text section.
Bill Sponsor is currently only finding exact word-for-word section matches. In a future release, partial matches will be included.
H. R. 6125 (Introduced-in-House)


116th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 6125


To direct the Secretaries of Defense and Veterans Affairs to coordinate support for survivors of sexual trauma.


IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

March 5, 2020

Ms. Speier (for herself, Ms. Brownley of California, Mr. Pappas, Mr. Cohen, Mr. McGovern, Mr. Danny K. Davis of Illinois, Mr. DeFazio, and Ms. Norton) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Armed Services, and in addition to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned


A BILL

To direct the Secretaries of Defense and Veterans Affairs to coordinate support for survivors of sexual trauma.

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 “Supporting Survivors of Military Sexual Trauma Act of 2020”.

SEC. 2. Coordination of support for survivors of sexual trauma.

(a) In general.—Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretaries of Defense and Veterans Affairs shall jointly develop, implement, and maintain a standard of coordinated care for members of the Armed Forces who are survivors of sexual trauma. Such standard shall include the following:

(b) Minimum elements.—The standard developed and implemented under subsection (a) by the Secretaries of Defense and Veterans Affairs shall include the following:

(1) INFORMATION FOR MEMBERS OF THE ARMED FORCES.—The Secretary of Defense shall ensure that—

(A) information is posted in each facility of the Department of Defense regarding services furnished by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to survivors of sexual trauma; and

(B) Sexual Assault Response Coordinators and Uniformed Victim Advocates receive annual training on resources of the Department of Veterans Affairs regarding sexual trauma.

(2) COORDINATION BETWEEN STAFF OF THE DEPARTMENTS.—The Secretaries shall ensure that a Sexual Assault Response Coordinator or Uniformed Victim Advocate of the Department of Defense who receives a report of an instance of sexual trauma connects each survivor to the Military Sexual Trauma Coordinator of the Department of Veterans Affairs at the facility of that Department nearest to the residence of that survivor.

(c) Reports.—

(1) REPORT ON RESIDENTIAL TREATMENT.—Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretaries of Defense and Veterans Affairs shall provide a report to the appropriate committees of Congress regarding the availability of residential treatment programs for survivors of sexual trauma, including—

(A) barriers to access for such programs; and

(B) resources required to reduce such barriers.

(2) INITIAL REPORT.—Upon implementation of the standard under subsection (a), the Secretaries of Defense and Veterans Affairs shall jointly submit to the appropriate committees of Congress a report on the standard.

(3) PROGRESS REPORTS.—Not later than 180 days after submitting the initial report under paragraph (2), and on December 1 of each subsequent year, the Secretaries of Defense and Veterans Affairs shall jointly submit to the appropriate committees of Congress a report on the progress of the Secretaries in implementing and improving the standard.

(4) UPDATES.—Whenever the Secretaries of Defense and Veterans Affairs update the standard developed under subsection (a), the Secretaries shall jointly submit to the appropriate committees of Congress a report on such update, including a comprehensive and detailed description of such update and the reasons for such update.

(d) Definitions.—In this Act:

(1) The term “sexual trauma” means psychological trauma described in section 1720D(a)(1) of title 38, United States Code.

(2) The term “appropriate committees of Congress” means—

(A) the Committees on Veterans’ Affairs of the House of Representatives and the Senate; and

(B) the Committees on Armed Services of the House of Representatives and the Senate.