Ruth Moore Act of 2015

Floor Speech

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Ms. TITUS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

I rise in support of H.R. 1607, as amended, the Ruth Moore Act of 2015.

This very important legislation, which was introduced by my friend, Representative Chellie Pingree of Maine, seeks to improve services for the men and women who have been the victims of military sexual trauma. In particular, this legislation sends a loud and clear message to the VA by requiring the Department to update its regulations to better serve veterans affected by MST.

Current VA regulations related to MST are outdated and do not reflect the needs of those who have lived through such awful experiences. The VA's existing policy is to update regulations periodically as they see fit. However, information we have received indicates that the VA needs to do more for these veterans.

Recently, the VA revised their regulations in order to do the right thing for veterans exposed to Agent Orange on aircraft, which will result in better health care and benefits for those veterans who are suffering from exposure to the toxin. We now expect the VA to do the same thing for the men and women affected by military sexual trauma. They, too, deserve the proper health care and adequate benefits. They deserve them today, not tomorrow.

As we provide for the victims of MST, however, we must also work on ways to both eliminate it from our armed services and change the culture of the military.

I reserve the balance of my time.

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Ms. TITUS. Mr. Speaker, I have no further speakers at this time. So I would just simply urge my colleagues to support passage of the Ruth Moore Act of 2015, H.R. 1607, as amended, and to provide support to the victims of MST who have so bravely served our Nation.

I yield back the balance of my time.

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