,i  #aaeth ,,congress  #ast ,session    
,h4 ,r4 #dfce  ,,in ,,the ,,house ,,of  
,,representatives  ,december #ac1       
#bjag,mr4 ,coffman 7for himself and ,ms4
 ,esty of ,connecticut7 introduced the  
following bill2 which was referred to   
the ,committee on ,veterans' ,affairs   
,a ,,bill  ,to direct the ,secretary of 
,veterans ,affairs to increase the      
number of peer-to-peer counselors       
providing counseling for women veterans1
 and for other purposes4  #a4           
,peer-to-peer counseling program for    
women veterans  7a7 ,in general ,section
 #agbj;,f7j7 of title #ch1 ,united      
,states ,code1 is amended by adding at  
the end the following new paragraph3    
7#d7  7,a7 ,as part of the counseling   
program under this subsection1 the      
,secretary shall ensure that the program
 includes a sufficient number of peer   
counselors for women veterans to meet   
the demand for such counselors4 ,such   
counselors may be employees of the      
,department and may have expertise in-- 

7i7 gender-specific issues and services2
  7ii7 the provision of information     
about services and benefits provided    
under laws administered by the          
,secretary2 and  7iii7 employment       
mentoring4  7,b7 ,in carrying out this  
paragraph1 the ,secretary shall         
emphasize facilitating peer-to-peer     
counseling for women veterans 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 
7,c7 ,the ,secretary shall conduct      
outreach to inform women veterans about 
the program and the assistance available
 under the program4  7,d7  7i7 ,in      
carrying out this paragraph1 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        
subparagraph 7,a7 into their            
communities4  7ii7 ,to the degree       
practicable1 the ,secretary shall       
coordinate facilitation of assistance   
under this paragraph with the program   
carried out under section #aadd of title
 #aj4  4  7b7 ,funding ,the ,secretary  
of ,veterans ,affairs shall carry out   
paragraph 7#d7 of section #agbj;,f7j7 of
 title #ch1 ,united ,states ,code1 as   
added by subsection 7a71 using funds    
otherwise made available to the         
,secretary4 ,no additional funds are    
authorized to be appropriated by reason 
of such paragraph4