What DAV has done to advocate for Women Veterans on Capitol Hill

DAV is the leading veterans' service organization in promoting the needs of women veterans and continuously works to ensure that gender-specific programs are implemented in VA's health care services, compensation, and other benefit programs for women veterans. DAV's Interim Women Veterans Advisory Committee meets during National Convention and Mid-Winter Conference to help set the agenda on the needs of women veterans. DAV uses every opportunity to serve and support women veterans and sponsors numerous initiatives around the country to highlight the needs of women veterans. Below is a list of such initiatives that the DAV has sponsored to rally behind women veterans to bring about legislative changes for this population.

2015

February: DAV National Commander Ronald F. Hope spoke to a joint session of the House and Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committees regarding the extensive study: Women Veterans: The Long Journey Home, urging the Committees to review the key recommendations in the report. DAV urged Congress, federal and state agencies and community partners to re-evaluate existing programs and services and to make necessary changes needed to support women veterans.

DAV has co-hosted the national Women Veterans Summit with the VA for several years, focusing nationwide attention on women veterans’ physical and mental health care, homelessness concerns and resources to help them with claims and benefits.

The Independent Budget is formulated by DAV, AMVETS, Paralyzed Veterans of America and Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States in order to provide budget recommendations to the Department of Veterans Affairs. These recommendations are based on a systematic methodology that takes a wide range of factors into account. DAV and its coauthors have worked for over 23 years to provide budgetary recommendations that are based on facts, rigorous analysis, and sound reasoning. This report called on renewed focus on access to timely, high quality care, particularly for women veterans; continued commitment to reducing the claims backlog; real investments in infrastructure; and support for all veterans in need of caregiver support.

Grants through the DAV Charitable Service Trust have helped women veterans programs, services and memorials to flourish. The Trust has also supported the Business and Professional Women’s Foundation mentoring program and a number of women’s retreats, counseling programs and services that address the needs of homeless women veterans and their families.

The Center for Women Veterans (CWV), established with the support and urging from DAV and other veterans service organizations, celebrated two decades of serving women veterans. At this celebration, both organizations planned to change policies that impact women veterans in a positive way.

2014

DAV launches Operation: KEEP THE PROMISE 2015, a year long initiative to bring about legislative change for women veterans.

Continued the "Stand Up For Women Veterans" advocacy campaign, which in part resulted in legislation being passed (Public Law 111-163) that authorized a study of barriers to health care for women veterans, established a pilot program for counseling women veterans in retreat settings, established a child care pilot for veterans undergoing intensive counseling or in need of health care services at the Veterans Administration (VA), and authorized the VA to furnish health care services to newborns of women who receive VA maternity care.

DAV commissioned an important study to look at women veterans' transition from military to veteran status issues: Women Veterans: The Long Journey Home, which was released in September, 2014. The report represents a comprehensive assessment of the existing policies and programs available across the federal landscape for women veterans following military service.

DAV hosted a Capitol Hill "Lunch & Learn" event with a 20 minute screening of the documentary, Normal: Women of War Come Home and a panel discussion with the women in the documentary, military behavioral specialists and the film maker to better understand the unique challenged women veterans face and what resources are needed to help them successfully transition home.

2013, 2012, and Prior Years

Supported the founding of the Women in Military Service to America (WIMSA) Memorial at the entrance of Arlington National Cemetary, in addition to numerous other WIMSA activities.

DAV National Service Foundation funded the PBS broadcast of “SERVICE,” documenting the transitions of eight service women following devastating physical and emotional injuries.

Co-sponsored the Service Women's Action Network (SWAN) Summits on Military Sexual Violence.

Developed and produced two DVD's featuring women veterans titled, "Honoring Our Women Veterans", and "Women Veterans: Making Our Voices Heard", in 2012, which is an ongoing series of educational footage from real women veterans.

In 2010, DAV started an advocacy campaign: Stand Up for Women Veterans; the production of two special edition women veterans magazines showcasing the remarkable stories of wartime service-disabled women veterans; three Capitol Hill film screenings showcasing the documentaries Lioness; Service: When Women Come Marching Home; and Journey to Normal: Women of War Come Home, each of which included panel discussions with women veterans who appeared in these films.

Bills 2015

S. 471: Women Veterans Access to Quality Care Act of 2015

A bill to improve the provision of health care for women veterans by the Department of Veterans Affairs, and for other purposes.

2/12/2015 - Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.

http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d114:s.471:

H.R. 203: Clay Hunt SAV Act

To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to provide for the conduct of annual evaluations of mental health care and suicide prevention programs of the Department of Veterans Affairs, to require a pilot program on loan repayment for psychiatrists who agree to serve in the Veterans Health Administration of the Department of Veterans Affairs, and for other purposes.

• 2/12/2015 - Signed by President.
• 2/12/2015 - Became Public Law No: 114-2.
• 2/11/2015 - Presented to President.
• 2/3/2015 - Measure laid before Senate by unanimous consent.
• 2/3/2015 - Passed Senate without amendment by Yea-Nay Vote. 99 - 0. Record Vote Number: 50.
• 2/3/2015 - Message on Senate action sent to the House.
• 1/21/2015 - Committee on Veterans' Affairs. Ordered to be reported without amendment favorably.
• 1/21/2015 - Committee on Veterans' Affairs. Reported by Senator Isakson without amendment. Without written report.
• 1/21/2015 - Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 6.
• 1/13/2015 - Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
• 1/12/2015 - On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 403 - 0 (Roll no. 17).
• 1/12/2015 - Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
• 1/12/2015 - Considered as unfinished business.
• 1/12/2015 - At the conclusion of debate, the Yeas and Nays were demanded and ordered. Pursuant to the provisions of clause 8, rule XX, the Chair announced that further proceedings on the motion would be postponed.
• 1/12/2015 - Mr. Miller (FL) moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill.
• 1/12/2015 - Considered under suspension of the rules.
• 1/12/2015 - DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 203.
• 1/7/2015 - Referred to the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
• 1/7/2015 - Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.

More information can be found at:

http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d114:h.r.203: