More than 1.8 million of the 23 million American. veterans are women.  They have an array of unique health care needs that many VA Medical Centers simply are not equipped to meet.  In the foreseeable future, it is anticipated that there will be a surge of women seeking care from the VA as they return to civilian life after having deployed in Afghanistan and Iraq..

Congresswoman Stephanie Herseth Sandlin has introduced H.R. 1211, the “Women Veterans Health Care Improvement Act of 2009.” Senator Patty Murray has introduced the companion bill, S.597, in the Senate.  Passage of this legislation will provide benefits and needed reforms that women who served in the military warrant because of their service to our nation

VVA believe that this legislation, when enacted into law, will facilitate a needed study of barriers to women seeking VA health care; will require an assessment of the women’s health care programs currently in place at VA healthcare facilities; will provide the VA the authority to reimburse the cost of medical care for the newborn children of women veterans; will enhance VA sexual trauma counseling and PTSD treatment for women; will establish a pilot program for child care services; and will require the addition of recently separated women veterans on various VA advisory committees.

Please contact your Member of Congress and your Senators now and ask them to co-sponsor and vote for H.R. 1211 in the House, and S.597 in the Senate, the Women Veterans Health Care Improvement Act of 2009.

Vietnam Veterans of America (VVA) is the nation’s only congressionally chartered veterans service organization dedicated to the needs of Vietnam-era veterans and their families.  VVA’s founding principle is “Never again will one generation of veterans abandon another.”