119-hr602

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 602 Introduced in House

    (IH) ]

<DOC>

119th CONGRESS
 1st Session
 H. R. 602

 To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to ensure that sexual 
assault nurse examiners are employed at certain Department of Veterans 
 Affairs medical facilities, and for other purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

 January 22, 2025

 Mr. Burchett (for himself, Mr. Kennedy of New York, Mrs. Luna, Mr. 
 Moskowitz, Ms. Mace, and Mr. Davis of North Carolina) introduced the 
 following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Veterans' 
 Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

 A BILL

 To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to ensure that sexual 
assault nurse examiners are employed at certain Department of Veterans 
 Affairs medical facilities, 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. SHORT TITLE.

 This Act may be cited as the ``Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner in VA 
Hospitals Act of 2025'' or the ``SANE Act of 2025''.

SEC. 2. QUALIFICATIONS OF HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS WHO PERFORM SEXUAL 
 ASSAULT EXAMINATIONS AT CERTAIN DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS 
 AFFAIRS MEDICAL FACILITIES.

    (a) In General.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall employ, at 
each hospital and urgent care facility of the Department of Veterans 
Affairs--

    (1) at least one sexual assault nurse examiner; or

    (2) if the Secretary cannot so employ a sexual assault 
 nurse examiner, a health care provider qualified to conduct a 
 sexual assault forensic examination.

    (b) Mental Health Care Referral.--After examining an individual for 
sexual assault, a health care provider of the Department shall verbally 
refer the individual to mental health care services furnished by the 
Secretary--

    (1) in a hospital of the Department; or

    (2) pursuant to a Veterans Care Agreement under 

section 1703A of title 38, United States Code, if the wait time for 
 services described in paragraph

    (1) exceeds 30 days.
            (c) Dedicated Responsibilities.--In carrying out this section, the 
Secretary shall ensure that there is no reduction in, or negative 
effect on, the patient care responsibilities that are otherwise carried 
out by employees of the Department.
            (d) === Definitions. ===
-In this section, the terms ``sexual assault nurse 
examiner'' and ``sexual assault forensic examination'' have the 
meanings given such terms in 

section 304

    (a) of the DNA Sexual Assault 
Justice Act of 2004 (34 U.S.C. 40723

    (a) ).
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