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S. 597 111th Congress Senate

Women Veterans Health Care Improvement Act of 2009

Official title: A bill to amend title 38, United States Code, to expand and improve health care services available to women veterans, especially those serving in Operation Ira… Show full official titleShow less

Official title: A bill to amend title 38, United States Code, to expand and improve health care services available to women veterans, especially those serving in Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom, from the Department of Veterans Affairs, and for other purposes.

Introduced: March 16, 2009 Introduced by: Patty Murray Democratic · Washington See on congress.gov
Armed Forces and National Security Advisory bodiesAfghanistanAsiaChild care and development
More subjectsShow fewer subjects
Department of Veterans AffairsEmergency medical services and trauma careGovernment studies and investigationsHealth facilities and institutionsHealth personnelIraqLicensing and registrationsMedical educationMental healthMiddle EastMilitary operations and strategyMinority healthRacial and ethnic relationsSex offensesVeterans' education, employment, rehabilitationVeterans' medical careWomen's health
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This bill died when the 111th Congress ended
It never became law before the 111th Congress (2009–2010) adjourned, and bills don't carry over to the next Congress. It would have to be reintroduced. You can still save it for reference, but it won't receive updates.
 Everywhere this bill has been 2 steps
Introduced
In committee
Reported out
Passed House
Passed Senate
To President
Became law
Mar 16, 2009
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
Mar 16, 2009
Introduced in Senate
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 Latest action March 16, 2009

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.

 Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service

Women Veterans Health Care Improvement Act of 2009 - Directs the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to: (1) report on barriers to the receipt of comprehensive health care through the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) encountered by women veterans, especially those of Operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom; (2) provide for an independent study on health consequences for women veterans serving on active duty in deployments in such Operations; and (3) report on the employment of full-time managers for women veterans programs at VA medical centers.

Requires the Secretary to: (1) develop a plan to improve the provision of VA health care services to women veterans; (2) carry out a program of education, training, certification, and continuing medical education for mental health professionals providing care for veterans suffering from sexual trauma; (3) carry out a pilot program of providing reintegration and readjustment services in group retreat settings to women veterans recently separated from service after a prolonged deployment; and (4) carry out a pilot program on subsidies for child care for certain women veterans receiving health care from VA facilities.

Requires women veterans recently separated from service to be included on the Advisory Committee on Women Veterans and the Advisory Committee on Minority Veterans.

Authorizes the Secretary to furnish care to a newborn child of a woman veteran receiving VA maternity care for up to seven days after the birth of the child.

 Related & companion bills 2
 Bill text 1 version

Source documents hosted by congress.gov.

 Committees of jurisdiction 1
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APA
U.S. Congress. (2026). S. 597: Women Veterans Health Care Improvement Act of 2009. 111th Congress. Open America. https://openamerica.io/bill/111-S-597/
MLA
"S. 597: Women Veterans Health Care Improvement Act of 2009." 111th Congress, 2026, Open America, https://openamerica.io/bill/111-S-597/.
Bluebook (legal)
S. 597, 111th Cong. (2026), https://openamerica.io/bill/111-S-597/.
Markdown link
[S. 597: Women Veterans Health Care Improvement Act of 2009](https://openamerica.io/bill/111-S-597/)
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