Helping Expand and Launch Transitional Health for Women Veterans Act

Floor Speech

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Mr. TAKANO. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 2942) to direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to carry out the Women's Health Transition Training pilot program through at least fiscal year 2020, and for other purposes, as amended.

The Clerk read the title of the bill.

The text of the bill is as follows: H.R. 2942

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 ``Helping Expand and Launch Transitional Health for Women Veterans Act'' or ``HEALTH Act''. SEC. 2. ENCOURAGEMENT OF PARTICIPATION IN WOMEN'S HEALTH TRANSITION TRAINING PILOT PROGRAM.

(a) Duration.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall carry out the Women's Health Transition Training pilot program (in this section referred to as the ``pilot program'') until at least September 30, 2020.

(b) Report.--Not later than September 30, 2020, the Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall jointly submit to the appropriate congressional committees a report on the pilot program that includes the following:

(1) For the period since the commencement of the pilot program--

(A) the number of women members by military department (with respect to Department of the Navy, separately for the Navy and Marine Corps) who participated in the pilot program;

(B) the number of courses held under the pilot program; and

(C) the locations at which such courses were held, and the number of seats available and the number of participants at each such location.

(2) With respect to the number of members who participated in the pilot program as specified under paragraph (1)--

(A) the number who enrolled in the health care system established under section 1705(a) of title 38, United States Code; and

(B) the number who attended at least one health care appointment at a medical facility of the Department of Veterans Affairs.

(3) Data relating to--

(A) satisfaction with courses held under the pilot program;

(B) improved awareness of health care services administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs; and

(C) any other available statistics regarding the pilot program.

(4) A discussion of regulatory, legal, or resource barriers to--

(A) making the pilot program permanent to enable access by a greater number of women members at locations throughout the United States;

(B) offering the pilot program online for women members who are unable to attend courses held under the pilot program in person; and

(C) the feasibility of automatically enrolling pilot program participants in the health care system established under section 1705(a) of title 38, United States Code.

(c) Appropriate Congressional Committees Defined.--In this section, the term ``appropriate congressional committees'' means the Committees on Veterans' Affairs and the Committees on Armed Services of the House of Representatives and the Senate.

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Mr. TAKANO. 2942, as amended.

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Mr. TAKANO. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Madam Speaker, women veterans are the fastest growing demographic within the veteran population yet underutilize VA healthcare resources. This is primarily due to misperceptions about eligibility and available resources.

Many women leaving the military may not realize that they are eligible to use VA services, nor that VA offers extensive gender- specific care, such as mammography; prenatal, maternity, and infertility care; and mental healthcare that addresses complex trauma, including military sexual trauma, otherwise known as MST, and combat- related post-traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD.

The VA and U.S. Air Force Women's Health Transition Training pilot program works to address issues commonly experienced by women veterans when accessing VA care. This successful improvement to the Transition Assistance Program, or the TAP, is jointly run by the USAF and VA. Transitioning women servicemembers can attend an additional day of TAP to learn about women's healthcare, counseling, and social services available at the VA to ensure that they receive a warm handoff between the Department of Defense and the Veterans Administration.

Mr. Cisneros' bill would expand the Women's Health Transition Training pilot program to more locations and authorizes the program through the end of fiscal year 2020.

This great legislation has my full support.

Madam Speaker, although women are the fastest growing cohort of veterans, women veterans are less likely to seek care and services at VA. This bill aims to address that and make the VA more accessible and responsive to women veterans.

Madam Speaker, this pilot program educates transitioning servicewomen about VA's healthcare services. The data collected from this pilot program can be applied to the Transition Assistance Program to better meet the needs of all transitioning servicemembers.

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Mr. TAKANO. Madam Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from California (Mr. Cisneros), a veteran himself, the author of this legislation, and a member of the Veterans' Affairs Committee.

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Mr. TAKANO. Madam Speaker, I am also prepared to close.

I will say in my final remarks that I urge all of my colleagues to support our women veterans by joining me in passing this very important legislation, H.R. 2942, as amended, and I yield back the balance of my time.

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