US Congress House Bill 1607 (Prior Session Legislation)

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Spectrum: Moderate Partisan Bill (Democrat 28-4)
Status: Engrossed on July 28 2015 - 50% progression, died in committee
Action: 2015-07-28 - Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
Pending: Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee
Text: Latest bill text (Engrossed) [PDF]

Ruth Moore Act of 2015 (Sec. 2) This bill directs the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to report to Congress, by December 1, 2015 and each year thereafter through 2019, on claims submitted during the previous fiscal year for disability compensation based on a covered mental health condition alleged to have been incurred or aggravated by military sexual trauma (covered claims). Each report shall include: the number of covered claims submitted or considered; the number and percentage of such claims submitted by each sex, and the number of claims approved or denied; the number and percentage, listed by each sex, of approved covered claims assigned to each rating percentage; the three most common reasons for denial of covered claims, and the number of denials based on the veteran's failure to report for a medical examination; the number of covered claims pending and the number on appeal; the average number of days that covered claims take to complete; and a description of related training provided to Veterans Benefits Administration employees. The VA shall submit to Congress an initial report within 90 days after enactment of this Act, and annual reports beginning in December 2015. It is the sense of Congress that the VA should update regulations regarding military sexual trauma by: ensuring that military sexual trauma is specified as an in-service stressor in determining the service-connection of post-traumatic stress disorder, and recognizing the full range of physical and mental disabilities (including depression, anxiety, and other disabilities as indicated in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders published by the American Psychiatric Association) that can result from military sexual trauma. For the period starting fifteen months after enactment of this Act and lasting until VA publishes updated regulations, the VA shall provide: a copy of the congressional report to each veteran who has submitted a covered claim or been treated for military sexual trauma at a VA medical facility; and monthly to each such veteran information that includes the date that the VA plans to complete such updated regulations, the number of granted or denied covered claims, a comparison to the rate of grants and denials with the rate for other claims regarding post-traumatic stress disorder, the three most common reasons for claim denials, and the average time for processing covered claims at each regional office. The VA shall report to Congress monthly regarding: (1) all adjudicated covered claims and their outcomes, and (2) the reason for denial of any covered claim. (Sec. 3) The Veterans Access, Choice, and Accountability Act of 2014 is amended to limit to $2 million during each of FY2016-FY2018 the aggregate amount of awards and bonuses paid to VA employees who are members of the Senior Executive Service.

Ruth Moore Act of 2015

Rep. Chellie Pingree [D-ME]	Rep. Bruce Poliquin [R-ME]	Rep. Niki Tsongas [D-MA]	Rep. Bobby Rush [D-IL]
Rep. Raul Grijalva [D-AZ]	Rep. Rosa DeLauro [D-CT]	Rep. Mark Pocan [D-WI]	Rep. Ann Kuster [D-NH]
Rep. John Lewis [D-GA]	Rep. Robert Dold [R-IL]	Rep. Frank Guinta [R-NH]	Rep. Michael Honda [D-CA]
Rep. Mark DeSaulnier [D-CA]	Rep. Julia Brownley [D-CA]	Rep. Kathleen Rice [D-NY]	Rep. Walter Jones [R-NC]
Rep. Keith Ellison [D-MN]	Rep. Mark Takano [D-CA]	Rep. Louise Slaughter [D-NY]	Rep. Peter DeFazio [D-OR]
Rep. Betty McCollum [D-MN]	Rep. James McGovern [D-MA]	Rep. Suzan DelBene [D-WA]	Rep. Albio Sires [D-NJ]
Rep. Jared Huffman [D-CA]	Rep. Jim McDermott [D-WA]	Rep. Steve Cohen [D-TN]	Rep. Jared Polis [D-CO]
Rep. Elizabeth Esty [D-CT]	Rep. Derek Kilmer [D-WA]	Rep. Zoe Lofgren [D-CA]	Rep. Rick Larsen [D-WA]

Date	Chamber	Action
2015-07-28	Senate	Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
2015-07-27	House	Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
2015-07-27	House	On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR H5517-5518)
2015-07-27	House	DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 1607.
2015-07-27	House	Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H5517-5519)
2015-07-27	House	Mr. Miller (FL) moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.
2015-07-16	House	Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 156.
2015-07-16	House	Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Veterans' Affairs. H. Rept. 114-207.
2015-05-21	House	Ordered to be Reported in the Nature of a Substitute (Amended) by Voice Vote.
2015-05-21	House	Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
2015-05-14	House	Forwarded by Subcommittee to Full Committee in the Nature of a Substitute (Amended) by Voice Vote .
2015-05-14	House	Subcommittee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
2015-04-14	House	Subcommittee Hearings Held.
2015-04-08	House	Referred to the Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs.
2015-04-07	House	Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.
2015-03-25	House	Referred to the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
2015-03-25	House	Introduced in House

SB865 (Same As) 2015-03-25 - Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.

Type	Source
Summary	https://www.congress.gov/bill/114th-congress/house-bill/1607/all-info
Text	https://www.congress.gov/114/bills/hr1607/BILLS-114hr1607ih.pdf
Text	https://www.congress.gov/114/bills/hr1607/BILLS-114hr1607rh.pdf
Text	https://www.congress.gov/114/bills/hr1607/BILLS-114hr1607eh.pdf