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H.R. 2576 119th Congress House

Servicemembers and Veterans Empowerment and Support Act of 2025

Official title: To amend title 38, United States Code, to expand health care and benefits from the Department of Veterans Affairs for military sexual trauma, and for other purposes.

Introduced: April 1, 2025 Introduced by: Chellie Pingree Democratic · Maine See on congress.gov
Armed Forces and National Security Advisory bodiesAssault and harassment offensesCongressional oversightCrime victims
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Disability assistanceEmployment and training programsEvidence and witnessesGovernment information and archivesGovernment studies and investigationsHealth care coverage and accessMental healthSex offensesVeterans' medical careVeterans' pensions and compensation
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 Everywhere this bill has been 3 steps
Introduced
In committee
Reported out
Passed House
Passed Senate
To President
Became law
Apr 9, 2025
Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.
Apr 1, 2025
Introduced in House
Apr 1, 2025
Referred to the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
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What's happening now April 9, 2025

Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.

 Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service

Servicemembers and Veterans Empowerment and Support Act of 2025

This bill modifies and implements policies and procedures related to Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) health care and benefits for veterans who have experienced military sexual trauma (MST), which is generally defined as physical assault of a sexual nature, battery of a sexual nature, or sexual harassment that occurred while the veteran was serving in the military.

In the case of any veteran who claims that a covered mental health condition (e.g., post-traumatic stress disorder) based on MST was incurred or aggravated by active service, the VA must consider (1) a diagnosis of the condition by a mental health professional, (2) a medically proven link between current symptoms and MST, and (3) credible corroborating evidence that MST occurred.

The VA may not deny a veteran's claim of compensation for a covered mental health condition based on MST without first (1) advising the veteran that nonmilitary evidence and behavioral evidence may constitute credible corroborating evidence, and (2) allowing the veteran an opportunity to furnish the corroborating evidence or advise the VA of potential sources of such evidence.

The Veterans Benefits Administration must conduct an annual special focus review on the accuracy of the processing of claims for disability compensation for disabilities relating to MST.

Additionally, the bill (1) expands eligibility for MST counseling and treatment to former members of the reserve components regardless of duty status, and (2) requires various outreach by the VA to inform potentially eligible individuals about MST care.

 Related & companion bills 1
  • S 1245 Identical bill Servicemembers and Veterans Empowerment and Support Act of 2025
 Bill text 1 version

Source documents hosted by congress.gov.

 Committees of jurisdiction 2
 Lobbying activity 33

Registered lobbyists who named this bill in their disclosure filings. Source: federal Lobbying Disclosure Act filings.

Bodies those filers lobbied

A filing lists the bills it worked on and the parts of government it contacted in separate sections, so these are the bodies those filers named anywhere in the filing, not a per-bill breakdown.

See all 33 filings →
 Cosponsors 12
All 12 Democratic 11
D
Moulton, Seth
Massachusetts · Apr 27, 2026
 D
Neguse, Joe
Colorado · Apr 27, 2026
 D
McGarvey, Morgan
Kentucky · Feb 9, 2026
 D
Fields, Cleo
Louisiana · Sep 30, 2025
 D
Brownley, Julia
California · Sep 3, 2025
 D
Carson, André
Indiana · Sep 3, 2025
 D
Lofgren, Zoe
California · Sep 3, 2025
 D
Cherfilus-McCormick, Sheila
Florida · Apr 1, 2025
 D
Dingell, Debbie
Michigan · Apr 1, 2025
 D
Mrvan, Frank J.
Indiana · Apr 1, 2025
 D
Ramirez, Delia C.
Illinois · Apr 1, 2025
 D
Tokuda, Jill N.
Hawaii · Apr 1, 2025
Cite this page click to expand
APA
U.S. Congress. (2026). H.R. 2576: Servicemembers and Veterans Empowerment and Support Act of 2025. 119th Congress. Open America. https://openamerica.io/bill/119-HR-2576/
MLA
"H.R. 2576: Servicemembers and Veterans Empowerment and Support Act of 2025." 119th Congress, 2026, Open America, https://openamerica.io/bill/119-HR-2576/.
Bluebook (legal)
H.R. 2576, 119th Cong. (2026), https://openamerica.io/bill/119-HR-2576/.
Markdown link
[H.R. 2576: Servicemembers and Veterans Empowerment and Support Act of 2025](https://openamerica.io/bill/119-HR-2576/)
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