I 116TH CONGRESS 1ST SESSION H. R. 713 To amend title 38, United States Code, to provide for the eligibility for beneficiary travel for veterans seeking treatment or care for military sexual trauma in specialized outpatient or residential programs at facili- ties of the Department of Veterans Affairs, and for other purposes. IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES JANUARY 23, 2019 Mrs. WALORSKI (for herself and Ms. KUSTER of New Hampshire) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs A BILL To amend title 38, United States Code, to provide for the eligibility for beneficiary travel for veterans seeking treat- ment or care for military sexual trauma in specialized outpatient or residential programs at facilities of the Department of Veterans Affairs, and for other purposes. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa- 1 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 2 VerDate Sep 11 2014 04:25 Feb 01, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H713.IH H713 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42 with BILLS 2 •HR 713 IH SECTION 1. BENEFICIARY TRAVEL FOR VETERANS SEEK- 1 ING TREATMENT OR CARE FOR MILITARY 2 SEXUAL TRAUMA IN SPECIALIZED OUT- 3 PATIENT OR RESIDENTIAL PROGRAMS OF 4 THE DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS. 5 (a) ELIGIBILITY.—Section 111 of title 38, United 6 States Code, is amended— 7 (1) in subsection (b)(1), by adding at the end 8 the following subparagraph: 9 ‘‘(H) A veteran whose travel to a specialized 10 outpatient or residential program at a Department 11 facility is in connection with treatment or care for 12 military sexual trauma.’’; and 13 (2) by adding at the end the following new sub- 14 section: 15 ‘‘(h) In this section: 16 ‘‘(1) The term ‘military sexual trauma’ means 17 psychological trauma, which in the judgment of a 18 Department mental health professional, resulted 19 from a physical assault of a sexual nature, battery 20 of a sexual nature, or sexual harassment which oc- 21 curred while the veteran was serving on active duty 22 or active duty for training. 23 ‘‘(2) The term ‘sexual harassment’ means re- 24 peated, unsolicited verbal or physical contact of a 25 sexual nature which is threatening in character.’’. 26 VerDate Sep 11 2014 04:25 Feb 01, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H713.IH H713 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42 with BILLS 3 •HR 713 IH (b) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendments made by 1 subsection (a) shall apply with respect to travel occurring 2 after the date of the enactment of this Act. 3 Æ VerDate Sep 11 2014 04:25 Feb 01, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6301 E:\BILLS\H713.IH H713 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42 with BILLS