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Jeff Miller and Richard Blumenthal Veterans Health Care and Benefits Improvement Act of 2016

Floor Speech

Date: Dec. 6, 2016
Location: Washington, DC
Issues: Veterans Health and Health Care Criminal Justice

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Ms. PINGREE. Mr. Speaker, I thank my friend, Mr. Takano, for yielding.

I want to thank Chairman Miller, and thank him on his retirement and his service to our Congress, and also thank Ranking Member Takano and Representative Roe for their work on this bill.

I am grateful that the language from the Ruth Moore Act was included in this bill. It is an important step in making sure that the VA follows through on its promises to fairly treat our veterans.

Mr. Speaker, almost every day I hear from another veteran who is the survivor of military sexual trauma, or MST. These are men and women of all ages, from every branch of the service. They include veterans from World War II to the war in Afghanistan and every era in between.

Those assaults leave indelible marks on their lives in the form of PTSD, anxiety, depression, and so many other conditions. But despite some progress at the VA on their claims, too many are denied the disability benefits they have earned.

I am glad the Defense Department and the VA increased training and prevention efforts around rape and harassment, but, let me be clear, the problem is not yet fixed.

Survivors of sexual assault have been shamed and suffer continued harassment and recrimination. Far too many have been involuntarily discharged in retaliation for reporting sexual assault and harassment, meaning the survivor, not the perpetrator, has paid the price for this criminal behavior.

Before I close, I would like to recognize a very brave woman, Ruth Moore, a Maine veteran, and my bill's namesake. Ruth fought for 23 years before she was finally given the benefits we owed her.

There are thousands and thousands of Ruth Moores out there who have been fighting for their benefits for years, or even decades. We can and must do better. This issue is too important to ignore, and this provision ensures that the VA and survivors know that Congress is watching.

I am so glad the language from my bill was included in the legislation. I thank the committee again.

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