H.R. 4554 would require the Secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to establish and implement a comprehensive anti-harassment and anti-sexual assault policy for the Department. 

A recent VA survey of women veterans found that one of four women report receiving unwanted comments or attention while attempting to obtain care at VA medical facilities. This unwanted attention caused many of these women to either delay or cancel appointments for care they needed. Women who are younger, from minorities or ethnic backgrounds and those who survived military sexual trauma (MST) were the most likely to report harassment.  

These incidents of harassment create a significant barrier to care for women veterans, ethnic minorities, LGBT veterans or others. This legislation would require VA to address this issue through a policy that assigns responsibilities and requires training and reporting mechanisms to be developed. For this reason, DAV is strongly committed to supporting this legislation in accordance with DAV Resolution 020, which calls on us to support means to address barriers to care for women veterans.  

Please do your part to support ending harassment at VA facilities and ensuring a safe and welcoming environment for all veterans to obtain the care they need and have earned. Use the prepared letter (or your own) to ask your Representative to cosponsor H.R. 4554 and support its final passage.  

Thank you for participating in the Commander’s Action Network.