,i  #aaeth ,,congress  #ast ,session    
,h4 ,r4 #bdeb  ,,in ,,the ,,house ,,of  
,,representatives  ,may #af1 #bjag,ms4  
,esty of ,connecticut 7for herself1 ,ms4
 ,mc,sally1 ,mr4 ,walz1 ,mrs4 ,walorski1
 ,mr4 ,takano1 ,mrs4 ,radewagen1 ,ms4   
,brownley of ,california1 ,miss         
,gonzlez-,coln of ,puerto ,rico1 ,ms4   
,kuster of ,new ,hampshire1 ,mr4 ,lance1
 ,mr4 ,o',rourke1 ,mr4 ,costello of     
,pennsylvania1 ,miss ,rice of ,new      
,york1 ,mr4 ,sablan1 ,ms4 ,gabbard1 ,ms4
 ,pingree1 ,mr4 ,moulton1 and ,mr4      
,peters7 introduced the following bill2 
which was referred to the ,committee on 
,veterans' ,affairs  ,a ,,bill  ,to     
amend title #ch1 ,united ,states ,code1 
to improve the benefits and services    
provided by the ,department of ,veterans
 ,affairs to women veterans1 and for    
other purposes4  #a4 ,short title2 table
 of contents  7a7 ,short title ,this    
,act may be cited as the ,deborah       
,sampson ,act4  7b7 ,table of contents  
,the table of contents for this ,act is 

as follows3  ,sec4 #a4 ,short title2    
table of contents4 ,,title              
,i--,peer-to-peer assistance ,sec4 #aja4
 ,pilot program on peer-to-peer         
assistance for women veterans separating
 or newly separated from service in the 
,armed ,forces4 ,sec4 #ajb4 ,expansion  
of capabilities of ,women ,veterans     
,call ,center to include text messaging4
 ,sec4 #ajc4 ,provision of reintegration
 and readjustment services to veterans  
and family members in group retreat     
settings4 ,,title ,,ii--,legal and      
supportive services ,sec4 #bja4         
,department of ,veterans ,affairs       
public-private partnership on legal     
services for women veterans4 ,sec4 #bjb4
 ,additional amount for ,supportive     
,services for ,veteran ,families grant  
program to support organizations that   
have a focus on providing assistance to 
women veterans and their families4      
,,title ,,iii--,newborn care ,sec4 #cja4
 ,extension of period of eligibility for
 care for newborn children from the     

,department of ,veterans ,affairs4 ,sec4
 #cjb4 ,source of amounts for medically 
necessary travel paid by the ,department
 of ,veterans ,affairs in connection    
with care for newborn children4 ,,title 
,,iv--,eliminating barriers to access   
,sec4 #dja4 ,women ,veterans ,retrofit  
,initiative4 ,sec4 #djb4 ,staffing of   
women's health primary care providers at
 medical facilities of the ,department  
of ,veterans ,affairs4 ,sec4 #djc4      
,staffing of ,women ,veteran ,program   
,manager program at medical centers of  
the ,department of ,veterans ,affairs4  
,sec4 #djd4 ,additional funding for     
primary care and emergency care         
clinicians in ,women ,veterans ,health  
,care ,mini-,residency ,program4 ,,title
 ,v--,data collection and reporting     
,sec4 #eja4 ,requirement for collection 
and analysis of data on ,department of  
,veterans ,affairs benefits and services
 and disaggregation of such data by sex 
and minority status4 ,sec4 #ejb4 ,report
 on availability of prosthetics for     

women veterans from the ,department of  
,veterans ,affairs4 ,sec4 #ejc4         
,requirement for ,department of         
,veterans ,affairs ,internet website to 
provide information on services         
available to women veterans4 ,sec4 #ejd4
 ,sense of ,congress on changing motto  
of ,department of ,veterans ,affairs to 
be more inclusive4  ,i ,peer-to-peer    
assistance  #aja4 ,pilot program on     
peer-to-peer assistance for women       
veterans separating or newly separated  
from service in the ,armed ,forces  7a7 
,pilot program required ,commencing not 
later than ,january #a1 #bjah1 the      
,secretary of ,veterans ,affairs shall  
carry out a pilot program to assess the 
feasibility and advisability of         
facilitating peer-to-peer assistance for
 women veterans who are separating or   
newly separated from service in the     
,armed ,forces4  7b7 ,peer-to-,peer     
assistance ,peer-to-peer assistance     
under the pilot program shall consist of
 the following3 7#a7 ,provision of      

information about services and benefits 
provided under laws administered by the 
,secretary of ,veterans ,affairs4  7#b7 
,employment mentoring4  7c7 ,duration   
,the ,secretary shall carry out the     
pilot program during the three-year     
period beginning on the date of the     
commencement of the pilot program4  7d7 
,emphasis ,in carrying out the pilot    
program1 the ,secretary shall emphasize 
facilitating peer-to-peer assistance for
 women described in subsection 7a7 who  
suffered sexual trauma while serving in 
the ,armed ,forces1 have post-traumatic 
stress disorder or suffer from another  
mental health condition1 or are         
otherwise at risk of becoming homeless4 
7e7 ,outreach ,as part of the pilot     
program1 the ,secretary conduct a       
program of outreach to inform women     
veterans about the pilot program and the
 assistance available under the pilot   
program4  7f7 ,coordination  7#a7 ,with 
government and community organizations  
,under the pilot program1 the ,secretary

 shall facilitate engagement and        
coordination with such community        
organizations1 ,state and local         
governments1 institutions of higher     
education1 chambers of commerce1 local  
business organizations1 organizations   
that provide legal assistance1 and other
 organizations as the ,secretary        
considers appropriate to facilitate the 
transition of women described in        
subsection 7a7 into their communities4  
7#b7 ,with ,transition ,assistance      
,program ,to the degree practicable1 the
 ,secretary shall coordinate            
facilitation of assistance under the    
pilot program with the program carried  
out under section #aadd of title #aj1   
,united ,states ,code4  7g7             
,authorization of appropriations  7#a7  
,in general ,there are authorized to be 
appropriated to the ,secretary such     
funds as may be necessary to carry out  
the pilot program4  7#b7 ,limitation ,of
 the amounts appropriated under         
paragraph 7#a71 the ,secretary may not  

expend more than #ajj1jjj on training   
and developing training materials for   
peer counselors4  #ajb4 ,expansion of   
capabilities of ,women ,veterans ,call  
,center to include text messaging ,the  
,secretary of ,veterans ,affairs shall  
expand the capabilities of the ,women   
,veterans ,call ,center of the          
,department of ,veterans ,affairs to    
include a text messaging capability4    
#ajc4 ,provision of reintegration and   
readjustment services to veterans and   
family members in group retreat settings
  7a7 ,in general ,section #agab;,a of  
title #ch1 ,united ,states ,code1 is    
amended-- 7#a7 in subsection            
7a77#a77;,b7--  7,a7 in clause 7ii71 by 
redesignating subclauses 7,i7 and 7,,ii7
 as items 7aa7 and 7bb72  7,b7 by       
redesignating clauses 7i7 and 7ii7 as   
subclauses 7,i7 and 7,,ii72 and  7,c7 in
 the matter preceding subclause 7,i71 as
 redesignated by subparagraph 7,b71 by  
striking ,counseling and inserting 7i7  
,counseling2 and  7,d7 by adding at the 

end the following new clause3  7ii7     
7,i7 ,except as provided in subclause   
7,,iv71 counseling furnished to an      
individual under subparagraph 7,a7 may  
include reintegration and readjustment  
services described in subclause 7,,ii7  
furnished in group retreat settings4    
7,,ii7 ,reintegration and readjustment  
services described in this subclause are
 the following3 7aa7 ,information on    
reintegration of the individual into    
family1 employment1 and community4  7bb7
 ,financial counseling4  7cc7           
,occupational counseling4  7dd7         
,information and counseling on stress   
reduction4  7ee7 ,information and       
counseling on conflict resolution4  7ff7
 ,such other information and counseling 
as the ,secretary considers appropriate 
to assist the individual in             
reintegration into family1 employment1  
and community4  7,,iii7 ,in furnishing  
reintegration and readjustment services 
under subclause 7,i71 the ,secretary    
shall offer women the opportunity to    

receive such services in group retreat  
settings in which the only participants 
are women4  7,,iv7 ,an individual       
referred to in subparagraph 7,c77v7 may 
receive reintegration and readjustment  
services under subclause 7,i7 only if   
the individual receives such services   
with a family member described in       
subclause 7,i7 or 7,,ii7 of such        
subparagraph4  4  7b7 ,request for      
services ,subsection 7a77#b7 of such    
section is amended-- 7#a7 by striking   
,upon and inserting 7,a7 ,upon2  7#b7 by
 striking paragraph 7#a77;,b7 and       
inserting paragraph 7#a77;,b77i72 and   
7#c7 by adding at the end the following 
new subparagraph3  7,b7 ,upon the       
request of an individual described in   
paragraph 7#a77;,c71 the ,secretary     
shall furnish the individual            
reintegration and readjustment services 
in group retreat settings under         
paragraph 7#a77;,b77ii74  4  ,,ii ,legal
 and supportive services  #bja4         
,department of ,veterans ,affairs       

public-private partnership on legal     
services for women veterans  7a7        
,partnership required ,the ,secretary of
 ,veterans ,affairs shall establish a   
partnership with at least one           
nongovernmental organization to provide 
legal services to women veterans4  7b7  
,focus ,the focus of the partnership    
established under subsection 7a7 shall  
be on the #aj highest unmet needs of    
women veterans as set forth in the most 
recently completed ,community           
,homelessness ,assessment1 ,local       
,education and ,networking ,groups for  
,veterans 7,,chaleng for ,veterans7     
survey4  #bjb4 ,additional amount for   
,supportive ,services for ,veteran      
,families grant program to support      
organizations that have a focus on      
providing assistance to women veterans  
and their families ,section #bjdd7;e7 of
 title #ch1 ,united ,states ,code1 is   
amended-- 7#a7 in paragraph 7#a7--  7,a7
 in subparagraph 7,e71 by striking #bjag
 and inserting #bjaf2 and  7,b7 by      

adding at the end the following new     
subparagraph3  7,f7 #cdj1jjj1jjj for    
each of fiscal years #bjag and #bjah4  2
 and  7#b7 by adding at the end the     
following new paragraph3  7#d7 ,not less
 than #bj1jjj1jjj shall be available    
under paragraph 7#a77;,f7 for the       
provision of financial assistance under 
subsection 7a7 to organizations that    
have a focus on providing assistance to 
women veterans and their families4  4   
,,iii ,newborn care  #cja4 ,extension of
 period of eligibility for care for     
newborn children from the ,department of
 ,veterans ,affairs ,section #aghf7;a7  
of title #ch1 ,united ,states ,code1 is 
amended1 in the matter preceding        
paragraph 7#a71 by striking seven days  
and inserting #ad days4  #cjb4 ,source  
of amounts for medically necessary      
travel paid by the ,department of       
,veterans ,affairs in connection with   
care for newborn children ,section #aghf
 of title #ch1 ,united ,states ,code1 is
 amended by adding at the end the       

following new subsection3  7c7 ,source  
of amounts for travel ,amounts paid by  
the ,department for medically necessary 
travel in connection with health care   
services furnished under this section   
shall be derived from the ,medical      
,services appropriations account of the 
,department4  4  ,,iv ,eliminating      
barriers to access  #dja4 ,women        
,veterans ,retrofit ,initiative  7a7 ,in
 general ,the ,secretary of ,veterans   
,affairs shall retrofit existing medical
 facilities of the ,department of       
,veterans ,affairs with fixtures1       
materials1 and other outfitting measures
 to support the provision of care to    
women veterans at such facilities4  7b7 
,plan ,not later than #ahj days after   
the date of the enactment of this ,act1 
the ,secretary shall submit to the      
,committee on ,veterans' ,affairs of the
 ,senate and the ,committee on          
,veterans' ,affairs of the ,house of    
,representatives a plan to address      
deficiencies in environment of care for 

women veterans at medical facilities of 
the ,department4  7c7 ,authorization of 
appropriations ,there is authorized to  
be appropriated to the ,secretary       
#bj1jjj1jjj to carry out subsection 7a7 
in addition to amounts otherwise made   
available to the ,secretary for the     
purposes set forth in such subsection4  
#djb4 ,staffing of women's health       
primary care providers at medical       
facilities of the ,department of        
,veterans ,affairs ,the ,secretary of   
,veterans ,affairs shall ensure that    
each medical facility of the ,department
 of ,veterans ,affairs has not fewer    
than one full-time or part-time women's 
health primary care provider whose      
duties include1 to the extent possible1 
providing training to other health care 
providers of the ,department on the     
needs of women veterans4  #djc4         
,staffing of ,women ,veteran ,program   
,manager program at medical centers of  
the ,department of ,veterans ,affairs   
7a7 ,in general ,the ,secretary of      

,veterans ,affairs shall ensure that the
 ,women ,veteran ,program ,manager      
program of the ,department of ,veterans 
,affairs is supported at each medical   
center of the ,department with a ,women 
,veteran ,program ,manager and a ,women 
,veteran ,program ,ombudsman4  7b7      
,training ,the ,secretary shall ensure  
that the staff required under subsection
 7a7 receive the proper training to     
carry out their duties4  #djd4          
,additional funding for primary care and
 emergency care clinicians in ,women    
,veterans ,health ,care ,mini-,residency
 ,program  7a7 ,in general ,there is    
authorized to be appropriated to the    
,secretary of ,veterans ,affairs        
#a1jjj1jjj for each fiscal year for the 
,women ,veterans ,health ,care          
,mini-,residency ,program of the        
,department of ,veterans ,affairs to    
provide opportunities for participation 
in such program for primary care and    
emergency care clinicians4  7b7         
,treatment of amounts ,the amounts      

authorized to be appropriated under     
subsection 7a7 shall be in addition to  
amounts otherwise made available to the 
,secretary for the purposes set forth in
 such subsection4  ,v ,data collection  
and reporting  #eja4 ,requirement for   
collection and analysis of data on      
,department of ,veterans ,affairs       
benefits and services and disaggregation
 of such data by sex and minority status
 ,the ,secretary of ,veterans ,affairs  
shall-- 7#a7 collect and analyze data on
 each program of the ,department of     
,veterans ,affairs that provides a      
service or benefit to a veteran1        
including the program carried out under 
section #aadd of title #aj1 ,united     
,states ,code2  7#b7 disaggregate such  
data by sex and minority status1 when   
the data lends itself to such           
disaggregation2 and  7#c7 publish the   
data collected and analyzed under       
paragraph 7#a71 except for such cases in
 which the ,secretary determines that   
some portions of the data would         

undermine the anonymity of a veteran4   
#ejb4 ,report on availability of        
prosthetics for women veterans from the 
,department of ,veterans ,affairs ,not  
later than one year after the date of   
the enactment of this ,act1 the         
,secretary of ,veterans ,affairs shall  
submit to the ,committee on ,veterans'  
,affairs of the ,senate and the         
,committee on ,veterans' ,affairs of the
 ,house of ,representatives a report on 
the availability from the ,department of
 ,veterans ,affairs of prosthetics made 
for women veterans1 including an        
assessment of the availability of such  
prosthetics at each medical facility of 
the ,department4  #ejc4 ,requirement for
 ,department of ,veterans ,affairs      
,internet website to provide information
 on services available to women veterans
  7a7 ,in general ,the ,secretary of    
,veterans ,affairs shall survey the     
,internet websites and information      
resources of the ,department of         
,veterans ,affairs in effect on the day 

before the date of the enactment of this
 ,act and publish an ,internet website  
that serves as a centralized source for 
the provision to women veterans of      
information about the benefits and      
services available to them under laws   
administered by the ,secretary4  7b7    
,elements ,the ,internet website        
published under subsection 7a7 shall    
provide to women veterans information   
regarding all of the services available 
in the district in which that the       
veteran is seeking such services1       
including1 with respect to each medical 
center and community-based outpatient   
clinic in the applicable ,veterans      
,integrated ,service ,network--  7#a7   
the name and contact information of each
 women's health coordinator2  7#b7 a    
list of appropriate staff for other     
benefits available from the ,veterans   
,benefits ,administration1 the ,national
 ,cemetery ,administration1 and such    
other entities as the ,secretary        
considers appropriate2 and  7#c7 such   

other information as the ,secretary     
considers appropriate4  7c7 ,updated    
information ,the ,secretary shall ensure
 that the information described in      
subsection 7b7 that is published on the 
,internet website required by subsection
 7a7 is updated not less frequently than
 once every #ij days4  7d7 ,outreach ,in
 carrying out this section1 the         
,secretary shall ensure that the        
outreach conducted under section        
#agbj;,f7i7 of title #ch1 ,united       
,states ,code1 includes information     
regarding the ,internet website required
 by subsection 7a74  7e7 ,derivation of 
funds ,amounts used by the ,secretary to
 carry out this section shall be derived
 from amounts made available to the     
,secretary to publish ,internet websites
 of the ,department4  #ejd4 ,sense of   
,congress on changing motto of          
,department of ,veterans ,affairs to be 
more inclusive ,in is the sense of      
,congress that the ,secretary of        
,veterans ,affairs should change the    

motto of the ,department of ,veterans   
,affairs to be more inclusive4