S 1245119th CongressIn Committee

Servicemembers and Veterans Empowerment and Support Act of 2025

Introduced: Apr 1, 2025

Sponsor: Sen. Blumenthal, Richard [D-CT] (D-Connecticut)

Veterans Affairs

Standard Summary

Comprehensive overview in 1-2 paragraphs

The Servicemembers and Veterans Empowerment and Support Act of 2025 (S. 1245) would broaden and reform Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) health care, benefits, and the claims process specifically for military sexual trauma (MST). Key changes include expanding health-care eligibility to more groups (notably all former members of the reserve components and certain service-academy participants), creating more structured and trauma-informed approaches to evaluating MST-related disability claims, and improving communications and access to support services (like Vet Centers and the Veterans Crisis Line). The bill also establishes dedicated workgroups, studies, and annual reviews intended to reduce re-traumatization, improve examination quality, and increase the accuracy of MST-related benefits decisions. Several provisions require coordination between VA components and other agencies (e.g., DoD, DHS, DOT) and add new reporting requirements and outreach activities. Overall, the bill aims to make MST care more accessible, ensure more careful and explicit consideration of MST claims, and improve the survivor experience throughout VA’s health and benefits systems.

Key Points

1Expanded eligibility and definitions for MST-related care and compensation
2- MST definitions used for health care and for compensation are codified (with MST meaning physical or sexual battery/harassment that occurred during service). The bill also broadens health-care eligibility to all former members of the reserve components and expands care related to MST to those who withdraw from service academies, among others.
3Reformed claims processing for MST injuries
4- Introduces a new Sec. 1166A for evaluating MST-related disability claims, including required medical-mental-health diagnosis, a medical link to MST, and credible corroborating evidence (which may come from non-military sources). It requires full reasoning for grant/denial decisions, allows consideration of nonofficial evidence (e.g., law enforcement, medical records, statements from others), and recognizes behavior-change evidence as potentially relevant. It also ensures veterans are advised about evidence sources and is to be reviewed by specialized VA teams.
5Expanded access to counseling and health care
6- Section 301 expands counseling and treatment eligibility to all former members of the Reserve components for MST-related care. Section 302 requires VA to connect MST-related disability claims with appropriate VA health-care staff and processes (including timely communications). Section 303 adds care-related provisions for individuals who withdraw from service at service academies, ensuring access to MST-related information and records.
7Enhanced communications, coordination, and survivor-focused practices
8- Establishes a workgroup to review VA correspondence to MST survivors for sensitivity and non-re-traumatization. Requires written communications to include MST coordinators’ contact information, Vet Center details, and the Veterans Crisis Line, plus clear information about eligibility for Vet Center services. The bill also expands notice and decision communications to include MST-specific contact points.
9Oversight, training, and examination reforms
10- Requires a study on the quality of MST-related training for VA claims processors and the accuracy of processing. Mandates an annual special-focus review of MST claims to assess accuracy, with a process to reprocess claims found to be in error. Creates a workgroup on medical examinations for MST claims to limit re-traumatization and reduce overdevelopment, and requires a report with recommendations and an implementation plan. There is a sunset mechanism tied to sustained high accuracy ratings.
11Location and examiner choices for MST-related medical exams
12- VA must allow veterans to request that MST-related medical examinations take place at a VA facility by a VA-qualified employee, rather than at a contractor facility, when supporting MST disability claims.
13Interagency and service-academy coordination
14- Requires coordinated efforts with Defense and other departments to provide MST-care information to service academy entrants who withdraw, including access to service records and investigative materials related to MST.

Impact Areas

Primary group/area affected- Veterans and service members who have experienced military sexual trauma, including:- Current and former service members with MST-related disability claims.- All former members of the Reserve components eligible for MST counseling and care.- Individuals withdrawing from or not completing service at service academies (who would gain MST-related care information and access to records).Secondary group/area affected- VA health care and benefits systems (VHA, VBA, Vet Centers), including:- Specialized MST claims processing teams and trauma-informed communications.- Increased coordination between VA components (VHA, VBA, Board of Veterans’ Appeals) and with DoD and other agencies.- Survivors and advocates for MST, including organizations involved in mental health and sexual-assault support, who would be engaged through outreach efforts and improved communications.Additional impacts- Potential changes in workload and operating procedures within VA due to new evidence standards, specialized review processes, and annual focus reviews.- Possible cost implications from expanded eligibility, new reporting requirements, and enhanced outreach and training initiatives.- A mechanism to reduce re-traumatization and improve survivor experience in the claims process, along with a formal sunset trigger if accuracy rates stay above 95% for five consecutive years (after which certain provisions would end).

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