Counseling and Treatment for Sexual Trauma Occuring During Inactive Duty Training

Floor Speech

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

I rise in support of my legislation, H.R. 2527, the National Guard Military Sexual Trauma Parity Act.

Mr. Speaker, I want to first thank Mr. Benishek, the chairman of the Health Subcommittee; Ms. Brownley, the ranking member of the Health Subcommittee; and especially Chairman Miller and Ranking Member Michaud for working with me on this very important issue.

The bill before you is bipartisan legislation which addresses an unacceptable gap in the current law that effectively leaves some victims of military sexual assault without the support and treatment they need.

Members of the National Guard and other reserve components of our armed services have fought bravely for our country, many completing multiple tours of duty in Iraq and Afghanistan. Since the attacks on September 11, more than 50,000 guardsmen and guardswomen have been called to service, both at home and abroad.

We recognize the value of the National Guard and other reserve components, and thank them for their service. Unfortunately, some, like members of the other Armed Forces, are victimized by sexual assault while on Active Duty. If that happens, they are provided all the VA resources and services they need to recover and heal, both physically and emotionally.

Such benefits, however, are not offered to members of the National Guard and other reserve components who experience sexual assault while on inactive training missions. Members of the Guard are required to participate in training missions one weekend a month and 2 weeks a year, but benefits and services, such as counseling and Medicare, do not extend to victims sexually assaulted during these mandatory training missions. This omission is simply unacceptable and leaves so many who have served our country without any assistance or support during a devastating time.

The National Guard Military Sexual Trauma Parity Act would fix this problem and clarify that all victims of sexual trauma in the National Guard or other reserve components have access to the care they need, whether they are on Active Duty or on a required training mission.

We must make it a priority to change the culture of the military and put an end to acts of sexual trauma within our armed services. Until we do, however, we must be sure that we provide all victims the treatment they need and deserve.

I am proud that many veterans service organizations support this important legislation to ensure that all Guard members who are ``always ready, always there'' to protect our country receive the same support in return from their government.

So, Mr. Speaker, I encourage my colleagues to support this bipartisan legislation, and I reserve the balance of my time.

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Mr. Speaker, I would just conclude my remarks and urge all my colleagues to support this legislation and, again, thank the chairman for working with me to bring it to the floor. We want to send it to the Senate and urge them to pass it quickly and on to the President for his signature.

Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

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