Military Sexual Trauma
One of my top priorities is making sure that we are doing everything we can to help and support our men and women in uniform who were sexually assaulted during their service. Please check this page periodically for updates on Resources, Legislation, and Policy Updates.
Best,
Chellie
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"You and your office restored my faith that there are still people in our government who care about us who end up feeling lost in the system. Thank you for making me feel that I matter to our country." --MST survivor |
Resources
- Department of Veteran Affairs MST page
- Has the VA denied your MST-related PTSD claim? Some of those cases are now eligible for review. To find out how to request a review, go to MST Denied Claim Review Process
Legislation and Policy
- HR 1607, Ruth Moore Act OF 2015: Fact Sheet | Bill Status
- For efforts to reform Question 21 on the Security Clearance Questionnaire, please go to Q21
More on Military Sexual Trauma
The House today passed a key provision from the Ruth Moore Act, Congresswoman Chellie Pingree’s legislation to help survivors of military sexual trauma obtain disability benefits from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). Reporting language was included in a larger package of veterans-related legislation, the bipartisan Veterans Healthcare and Benefits Improvement Act of 2016, which is likely to receive a vote in the Senate.
On the heels of a Human Rights Watch report that documents and draws attention to the experience of survivors of military sexual trauma, U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), a member of Senate Armed Services Committee, and U.S. Representative Chellie Pingree (D-ME) wrote Secretary of Defense Ash Carter urging the Pentagon to reform their procedures for reviewing the cases of veterans improperly discharged after experiencing military sexual trauma.
At a press conference in Washington today, Congresswoman Chellie Pingree called on the Department of Defense to change practices that have led tens of thousands of veterans to be improperly discharged from the military.
Congresswoman Chellie Pingree applauded tonight’s unanimous House passage of H.R. 1607—the Ruth Moore Act of 2015—a bill she introduced earlier this year to make it easier for veterans who were sexually assaulted during their service to receive disability benefits from the Department of Veterans Affairs.
Maine Congresswoman Chellie Pingree and Montana Senator Jon Tester re-introduced the Ruth Moore Act today, a bill that will make it easier forsurvivors of military sexual assault to get the benefits they deserve. Congressman Bruce Poliquin joined the effort as the lead Republican cosponsor in the House.
Pingree is joined by 23 other Members of Congress to support lawsuit against VA
12/19/14
Independent evaluation she requested found big differences in how veterans are treated from one office to another
Congresswoman Chellie Pingree led 31 of her House colleagues in asking the Department of Veterans Affairs to make changes in the way they handle disability claims for survivors of military sexual assault (MST). In a letter to Acting Secretary Sloan Gibson, Pingree and her colleagues highlighted an independent report Pingree had requested that found the VA is not treating all survivors of MST equally.
Says independent evaluation she requested shows big differences in how veterans are treated from one office to another
Ruth Moore was first denied benefits in 1993; Pingree asked officials to reopen case and reconsider decision