Boozman, Duckworth Lead Bill to Enhance Support of Women Veterans

U.S. Senators John Boozman (R-AR) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), members of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee, introduced bipartisan legislation to strengthen oversight of women veterans’ health care and improve access to the services and resources they need. The Veterans’ Outcomes, Inclusion, Care, and Experience (VOICE) for Women Veterans Act would modernize an annual report from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) so legislators, the VA and veteran advocates have a comprehensive reference to drive change and resolve issues affecting the care and benefits women veterans have earned and deserve. Women are the fastest growing population of veterans utilizing services at the VA. Boozman has championed reforms to the department to better serve women veterans, including passage of the Deborah Sampson Act and Dr. Kate Hendricks Thomas SERVICE Act . Veteran Service Organizations have emphasized the lack of sufficient data collection or reporting requirements to quantify or evaluate the women veterans experience. “Women veterans have made tremendous sacrifices in service to our nation, and they deserve access to the quality care and resources they have earned. As we look to improve the quality of care for women veterans in Arkansas and across the country, we must ensure the VA gathers the data and information necessary to identify gaps, address challenges and improve health outcomes. This bipartisan legislation will help strengthen accountability and ensure women veterans receive the care and support they are owed,” said Boozman. “Our nation would never be ready for battle without our brave women in uniform. For all they’ve sacrificed for our country, we owe it to our women heroes to ensure the VA is equipped to provide them the high-quality, tailored care that they have earned through their service. Our bipartisan legislation would require the VA to take a deep look at how well female Veterans are actually being served and how we can improve health outcomes. As the primary health care home for Veterans, this comprehensive review at the VA is long overdue to better care for the fastest growing Veteran group in the country,” said Duckworth . This bill is supported by the Wounded Warrior Project, Disabled American Veterans and Paralyzed Veterans of America. “Women veterans are the fastest-growing population of veterans and deserve a VA that keeps pace with their evolving needs. We thank Senators Boozman and Duckworth for introducing the bipartisan VOICE for Women Veterans Act , which would give policymakers a more complete picture of women veterans’ experiences accessing health care and benefits. By strengthening transparency and accountability, this legislation would help identify barriers, close gaps in care and services, and ensure women veterans receive the support and care they earned,” said Jen Silva, Chief Program Officer for Wounded Warrior Project. “The VOICE for Women Veterans Act recognizes a simple truth: Women veterans deserve a healthcare system that sees them, hears them and meets their needs. For too many women veterans, getting care can mean navigating a complex system that was not designed with their experiences in mind. They may struggle to find providers who understand women’s health needs, access mental health care or military sexual trauma treatment, or receive timely care for conditions related to their military service. When those gaps go unrecognized, women veterans and their families pay the price. This bill would help bring greater attention to those challenges and give policymakers the information needed to address them. That matters because women veterans should not have to fight through unnecessary barriers to receive the care and benefits they have earned. DAV proudly supports the VOICE for Women Veterans Act and thanks Sen. Boozman and Sen. Duckworth for their leadership in introducing this important legislation. By listening to women veterans and confronting the barriers they face, Congress can help build a VA healthcare system that serves every veteran with respect, dignity and the care they deserve,” said DAV Deputy National Legislative Director Naomi Mathis . “Women veterans are the fastest growing veteran demographic. More than five years ago, Congress recognized the urgency of expanding VA benefits and services to meet the needs of women veterans with the passage of the Deborah Sampson Act. The VOICE for Women Veterans Act picks up on that important legislation, by directing the most comprehensive assessment of the benefits and services currently available to women veterans. The information garnered by the updated reporting requirements in this bill will help ensure that the VA meets the needs of women veterans for decades to come. We appreciate the efforts of Senator Boozman and Senator Duckworth to introduce this important legislation,” said Heather Ansley, Paralyzed Veterans of America Chief Policy Officer . To read the full bill text, click here .