Improving VA Training for Military Sexual Trauma Claims Act

This blog post is based on H.R. 2201 EH, a bill passed by the House of Representatives in May 2025.

Section 1: Short Title

This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Improving VA Training for Military Sexual Trauma Claims Act’’.

Section 2: Improvements to Claims Based on Military Sexual Trauma

The following sections are part of this Act:

Training for Employees
Expansion of Duty to Assist in Obtaining Records
Sensitivity Training for Contracted Health Care Professionals

Section 2(a): Training for Employees

This section amends section 1166 of title 38, United States Code.

(1) In General. Subsection (c) of section 1166 of title 38, United States Code, is amended…
…by striking ‘‘members of teams established under subsection (a) are trained’’ and inserting ‘‘each employee of the Department who processes such a claim, communicates with a claimant regarding evidence supporting such a claim, or decides such a claim, receives annual sensitivity training and training’’;
…by adding at the end the following new paragraphs:
(4) The Secretary shall ensure that training received by an employee under this subsection is appropriate for how much experience the employee has with such claims.
(5) The Secretary shall update training under this subsection not less than once annually.

Section 2(b): Expansion of Duty to Assist in Obtaining Records

This section amends section 5103A(c) of title 38, United States Code.

(1) Section 5103A(c) of title 38, United States Code, is amended…
…by redesignating paragraph (2) as paragraph (3); and
(2) by inserting, after paragraph (1), the following new paragraph:
‘‘(2) In the case of a claim under section 1166 of this title, the assistance provided by the Secretary under this section shall include obtaining…
…the service personnel record of the claimant; and the service medical record of the claimant.

Section 2(c): Sensitivity Training for Contracted Health Care Professionals

This section requires a report from the Secretary of Veterans Affairs.

<p"Not later than 90 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall submit to the Committees on Veterans’ Affairs of the Senate and House of Representatives a report regarding…