Chellie Pingree: “I thank the gentlewoman for yielding and for her great work on this issue. I also want to thank Chairman Miller…”

“I thank the gentlewoman for yielding and for her great work on this issue. I also want to thank Chairman Miller, Chairman Abraham, Ranking Member Brown, and my good friend, Ranking Member Titus, for all their work on this piece of bipartisan legislation. I think it is clear this committee is truly working for our Nation's veterans. Mr. Speaker, almost every day I hear from another veteran who is the survivor of sexual assault in the military, men and women of all ages and from every branch of the service. I have heard from survivors of sexual assault from World War II, the war in Afghanistan, and every conflict in every era in between. There are veterans who are suffering from PTSD because they were sexually assaulted, and they are not being treated fairly. With this bill, we are fighting to hold the VA accountable and making sure that they are following through on their promises. The VA has acknowledged that PTSD from combat is a real injury and needs to be treated that way, and it should be the same for those who suffer from PTSD from sexual assault. A Pentagon report showed 19,000 women and men were sexually assaulted in the military just last year, but only about a quarter of those assaults were reported and even fewer ended up with a prosecution. I am glad the Defense Department and the VA has increased training and prevention efforts around rape and harassment, but let me be clear. As you have already heard, the problem is not fixed.…”