House Votes to Improve Care for Women Veterans

Washington, D.C. – On Tuesday, June 23, 2009, Chairman of the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs Bob Filner (D-CA) announced that the House of Representatives passed H.R. 1211, a bill to expand and improve health care services available to women veterans provided by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).

The Women Veterans Health Care Improvement Act, introduced by Congresswoman Stephanie Herseth Sandlin (D-SD), addresses the needs of the 1.8 million women who have served in the military. H.R. 1211 would especially focus on the health care needs of those serving in Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom. The bill requires the VA to provide medical care for newborn children of women veterans, establish a pilot program for child care services, and enhance programs available to veterans suffering from military sexual trauma and post-traumatic stress disorder. Additionally, the VA would be required to conduct a comprehensive study on barriers encountered by women veterans when attempting to access the VA health care system.

Chairman Filner offered the following statement: “Today, women serve in the Guard and Reserve at a rate of over 17 percent which is three percent higher than that of the active duty military. We also know that women are serving in combat conditions right along side their male counterparts, which raises a whole new set of issues for these veterans. Women veterans coming into the VA system are younger, have distinct health needs, and access VA health care at a higher rate. Legislation passed today is a huge first step in working to empower our Nation’s brave and honored women veterans by providing better treatment and more accessible services at the VA.”

H.R. 1211 addresses the needs of the nearly 98,000 female veterans of Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) and Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF). Among the OEF/OIF women veterans, 42.6 percent are enrolled and 28.5 percent are users of VHA. Women make up 11% of veterans from OEF/OIF.

The bill will next be considered in the U.S. Senate.

SOURCE: House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs