119-hr5203

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 5203 Introduced in House

    (IH) ]

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119th CONGRESS
 1st Session
 H. R. 5203

To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to update directives of the 
Department of Veterans Affairs regarding the management of acute sexual 
 assault, and for other purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

 September 8, 2025

 Ms. Morrison introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
 Committee on Veterans' Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

 A BILL

To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to update directives of the 
Department of Veterans Affairs regarding the management of acute sexual 
 assault, and for other purposes.

 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. DIRECTIVES REGARDING THE MANAGEMENT OF ACUTE SEXUAL ASSAULT 
 IN THE DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS.

    (a) Update.--Not later than 18 months after the date of the 
enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall update 
directives of the Department of Veterans Affairs regarding emergency 
management of an acute sexual assault of a covered veteran, and ensure 
that the policies, of each medical facility, and of police, of the 
Department conform to such directive. Elements of such directives and 
policies shall include the following:

    (1) Updated policies and guidance for all employees of the 
 Department of Veterans Affairs who respond to covered veterans.

    (2) A requirement that the director of a medical facility 
 of the Department--
        (A) employs a certified SAFE clinical provider or a 
 SANE certified through curricula such as those 
 developed by the International Association of Forensic 
 Nurses;
        (B) refers, pursuant to 

section 1703 of title 38, 
 United States Code, covered veterans to a local non-
 Department health care provider that employs a 
 certified SAFE clinical provider or a SANE; or
            (C) coordinates with the Under Secretary for Health 
 and the Director of the Veteran Integrated Service 
 Network concerned regarding alternate plans of care for 
 covered veterans at such facility.

    (3) Requirements in the emergency medicine and urgent care 
 directives of the Veterans Health Administration that a medical 
 facility of the Department that employs a certified SAFE 
 clinical provider or a SANE maintains a supply of unexpired 
 rape kits.

    (4) If clinically indicated, a covered veteran shall be 
 offered prophylaxes for sexually transmitted disease and for 
 pregnancy. If so indicated, the personnel of the facility shall 
 provide, to the health care providers of the facility who treat 
 the covered veteran, clinical practice guidelines or clinical 
 order sets.

    (5) Each covered veteran shall be offered local mental 
 health care counseling or a referral to a mental health care 
 provider. If such referral is to a non-Department provider, an 
 appropriate employee of the Department facility shall 
 coordinate care with the non-Department provider.

    (6) Clear guidance regarding when and how a police officer 
 of the Department shall document the notification of a local 
 law enforcement agency of an acute sexual assault of a covered 
 veteran. Such guidance shall balance the confidentiality of a 
 covered veteran with Federal, State, and local reporting 
 requirements.

    (b) Training.--

    (1) For employees of the vha.--Not less than once each year 
 after the Secretary updates directives under subsection

    (a) , 
 the Secretary shall provide, to appropriate employees of the 
 Veterans Health Administration, training regarding the 
 directives and policies updated in accordance with paragraphs

    (1) through

    (5) of subsection

    (a) .

    (2) For police officers of the department.--Not less than 
 once each year after the Secretary updates directives under 
 subsection

    (a) , the Secretary shall provide, to each police 
 officer of the Department, a training regarding the guidance 
 under paragraph

    (6) of subsection

    (a) and developed--
        (A) by the Director of the Office of Security and 
 Law Enforcement of the Department; and
        (B) in accordance with trauma-informed sexual 
 assault investigation curricula, such as ones provided 
 by the International Association of Chiefs of Police; 
 and

    (3) Format.--Training under this subsection--
        (A) may be provided in-person or electronically;
        (B) shall be provided in-person at least once every 
 five years to an employee of the Department described 
 in paragraph

    (1) or

    (2) ;
            (C) shall include guided instruction;
            (D) shall include information specific to the 
 facility of the Department where the employee works, 
 including on-site resources and State and local 
 requirements; and
        (E) may not consist solely of printed materials.
            (c) Oversight.--The director of each Veteran Integrated Service 
Networks shall monitor compliance with the requirements of this Act and 
oversee cases with lack of compliance to determine reasons for lack of 
compliance and additional resources and support as determined necessary 
by the Secretary to ensure compliance.
            (d) === Definitions. ===
-In this section:

    (1) The term ``acute sexual assault'' means unwanted sexual 
 contact with an alleged perpetrator.

    (2) The term ``covered veteran'' means a veteran who 
 exhibits symptoms of acute sexual assault--
        (A) at a medical facility of the Department of 
 Veterans Affairs; and
        (B) not later than 72 hours after such acute sexual 
 assault.

    (3) The term ``SAFE'' means sexual assault forensic 
 examination.

    (4) The term ``SANE'' means a sexual assault nurse 
 examiner.
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