Political Quotes

“just a few weeks ago, I was speaking in committee to celebrate the bipartisanship of this important legislation and the urgent need to pass it out of the House. Today, we are one step closer to making that a reality. First, I thank Representative Young Kim for her leadership and collaboration on this bill, and I thank our veterans for their service and bravery. This bill is needed for so many of those veterans who have endured sexual trauma while in service. When these veterans go to file military sexual trauma claims, navigating the VA system should never add to the pain they have already endured. That is why I introduced this bipartisan legislation to ensure the VA's claims process supports rather than retraumatizes survivors of MST. Right now, contracted disability compensation examiners are only required to complete outdated online sensitivity training before handling these deeply sensitive claims. This insufficient preparation can make the claims process retraumatizing for those who have already suffered. MST affects veterans of all genders. While it is more common among women, many male veterans are also impacted. We must ensure that all of our survivors are treated with dignity and care. The Improving VA Training for Military Sexual Trauma Claims Act would modernize and strengthen the training required for VA staff and contractors who work on MST claims and help cut through the red tape that too often delays justice and support.”