House Passes Rep. Nehls’ Bill to Improve VA’s Military Sexual Trauma (MST) Disability Exams

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Congressman Troy E. Nehls’ (R-TX-22) announced that his bill, H.R. 6064, passed the House of Representatives with wide, bipartisan support and will now advance to the Senate for consideration. This bill improves the VA’s Military Sexual Trauma (MST) disability exam process by requiring the VA to partner with the National Academies to complete a comprehensive review of the MST disability exams. If passed in the Senate, the bill will go to the President’s desk.

“I am thrilled that my bill has passed the House with sweeping support,” said Congressman Nehls. “This is government working at its finest—both parties coming together to pass legislation that will make a difference in the lives of veterans who have already gone through so much. I look forward to the Senate’s swift consideration of the bill.”

Background:

On November 19, 2021, Congressman Nehls introduced H.R. 6064 to conduct a top-to-bottom review of the MST Disability Exam Process.

The review would determine:

• The adequacy of DBQs, and the schedule of rating disabilities
• Whether certain conditions linked to MST should require referral for both mental health and physical health examination.
• What credentialing and training are necessary for disability examiners to complete exams related to mental health conditions and physical health conditions linked to MST, such as sexual and pelvic dysfunction, musculoskeletal disabilities (e.g, neck injury), and cardiovascular conditions.
• The necessity of internal pelvic exams and alternatives if the veteran does not wish or cannot complete such an exam.

The bill would also require the VA to provide the House Veterans Affairs Committee and the Senate Veteran Affairs Committee with a report on any actions they plan to take as a result of findings and recommendations in the NASEM study. 

H.R. 6064 has support from the Wounded Warriors Project, The American Legion, Veterans of Foreign Wars, Minority Veterans of America, Disabled American Veterans, and the Paralyzed Veterans of America.

The bill has received cosponsors from Veterans’ Affairs Ranking Member Mike Bost (R-IL), Chair of the Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs Elaine Luria (D-VA), Rep. Jack Bergman (R-MI), Rep. Jake Ellzey (R-TX), Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks (R-IA), Rep. Nancy Mace (R-SC), Rep. Tracey Mann (R-KS), Rep. Bill Posey (R-FL), Rep. Nicole Malliotakis (R-NY), and Rep. Gus Bilirakis (R-FL).