Washington, DC – Today, Congresswoman Elise Stefanik (R-NY-21) cosponsored H.R. 3642, the Military Sexual Assault Empowerment (SAVE) Act. This bipartisan legislation requires the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to establish a three-year pilot program to allow survivors of Military Sexual Trauma (MST) to seek trauma-related treatment from a properly accredited private healthcare provider of their choice. Additionally, this legislation helps identify deficiencies and vulnerabilities in the VA’s MST strategy to make necessary procedural corrections to improve the care of MST survivors.
“Sexual assault in our military is inexcusable, and as we work to reduce instances of these crimes, we must also ensure that victims have the resources they need to recover,” said Congresswoman Stefanik. “I am proud to cosponsor this legislation that helps our veterans dealing with Military Sexual Trauma pursue counseling and treatment options that work for them. Sexual assault has no place in our workforce or military, and I will continue to work in Congress to ensure that our veterans receive the support they need.”
###
