summary
Introduced
In Committee
Crossed Over
Passed
Dead
Introduced Session
113th Congress
Bill Summary
Ruth Moore Act of 2013 - Directs the Secretary of Veterans Affairs (VA), in any case in which a veteran claims that a covered mental health condition was incurred in or aggravated by military sexual trauma during active duty, to accept as sufficient proof of service-connection a diagnosis by a mental health professional together with satisfactory lay or other evidence of such trauma and an opinion by the mental health professional that such condition is related to such trauma, if consistent with the circumstances, conditions, or hardships of such service, notwithstanding the fact that there is no official record of such incurrence or aggravation in such service, and to resolve every reasonable doubt in favor of the veteran. Allows such service-connection to be rebutted by clear and convincing evidence to the contrary. Includes as a "covered mental health condition" post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety, depression, or any other mental health diagnosis that the Secretary determines to be related to military sexual trauma. Requires the Secretary to report annually to Congress in each of 2014 through 2018 on covered claims submitted.
AI Summary
This bill, known as the Ruth Moore Act of 2013, directs the Secretary of Veterans Affairs (VA) to accept a mental health professional's diagnosis, along with supporting evidence and their opinion, as sufficient proof that a veteran's mental health condition, such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety, or depression, was caused or worsened by military sexual trauma (MST) during active duty, even if there's no official record of it, and to always rule in the veteran's favor unless there's clear and convincing evidence to the contrary. The bill also mandates that the VA Secretary submit annual reports to Congress from 2014 through 2018 detailing the number of claims related to MST, their approval and denial rates, reasons for denial, and the time it takes to process them, with the goal of improving how the VA handles claims for disabilities stemming from MST.
Committee Categories
Health and Social Services, Military Affairs and Security
Sponsors (40)
Chellie Pingree (D)*,
Timothy Bishop (D),
Earl Blumenauer (D),
Suzanne Bonamici (D),
Bruce Braley (D),
Julia Brownley (D),
Lois Capps (D),
Gerry Connolly (D),
Peter DeFazio (D),
Suzan DelBene (D),
Keith Ellison (D),
Raúl Grijalva (D),
Michael Honda (D),
Jared Huffman (D),
Walter Jones (R),
Derek Kilmer (D),
Ann Kuster (D),
Rick Larsen (D),
Tom Latham (R),
John Lewis (D),
Daniel Lipinski (D),
Zoe Lofgren (D),
Jim Matheson (D),
Betty McCollum (D),
Jim McGovern (D),
Michael Michaud (D),
James Moran (D),
Patrick Murphy (D),
Gloria Negrete McLeod (D),
Beto O'Rourke (D),
Donald Payne (D),
Jared Polis (D),
Bobby Rush (D),
Tim Ryan (D),
Carol Shea-Porter (D),
Albio Sires (D),
Louise Slaughter (D),
Mark Takano (D),
Dina Titus (D),
Niki Tsongas (D),
Last Action
Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs. (on 06/06/2013)
bill text
bill summary
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bill summary
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bill summary
| Document Type | Source Location | Created |
|---|---|---|
| BillText | http://gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/BILLS-113hr671eh/pdf/BILLS-113hr671eh.pdf | 06/06/2013 |
| Bill | http://gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/BILLS-113hr671eh/pdf/BILLS-113hr671eh.pdf.pdf | 06/06/2013 |
| BillText | http://gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/BILLS-113hr671rh/pdf/BILLS-113hr671rh.pdf | 05/18/2013 |
| Bill | http://gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/BILLS-113hr671rh/pdf/BILLS-113hr671rh.pdf.pdf | 05/18/2013 |
| BillText | http://gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/BILLS-113hr671ih/pdf/BILLS-113hr671ih.pdf | 03/06/2013 |
| Bill | https://www.congress.gov/bill/113th-congress/house-bill/671/all-info | 03/06/2013 |
| Bill | http://gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/BILLS-113hr671ih/pdf/BILLS-113hr671ih.pdf.pdf | 02/22/2013 |
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