On April 16, the House Veterans’ Affairs Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs held a hearing on pending legislation, including the Ruth Moore Act of 2013 (H.R. 671). Chair Jon Runyan (R-NJ) and Ranking Member Dina Titus (D-NV) heard testimony regarding the legislation, which would relax the evidence required to file a successful disability compensation claim through the Department of Veterans Affairs for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) resulting from military sexual trauma (MST). Current VA policy requires a veteran with MST-related PTSD to provide documented evidence of MST in order to file a claim for disability compensation. Sponsored by Rep. Chellie Pingree (D-ME), the Ruth Moore Act of 2013 would require the VA to accept a veteran’s lay testimony of MST as sufficient proof of the attack to approve the disability claim.
The following witnesses provided testimony on H.R. 671:
