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To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to ensure that sexual assault nurse examiners are employed at certain Department of Veterans Affairs medical facilities, and for other purposes.
Summary
This bill requires the Department of Veterans Affairs to employ sexual assault nurse examiners at each of its hospitals and urgent care facilities, or alternatively, qualified health care providers who can conduct sexual assault forensic examinations. After providing an examination, VA providers must refer patients to mental health care services, either through VA hospitals or through agreements with other providers if VA wait times exceed 30 days. The bill specifies that these requirements must not reduce other patient care responsibilities at VA facilities. The bill uses definitions of sexual assault nurse examiners and related terms from existing federal law.
AI-generated plain-language summary of the bill text — neutral, and may be imperfect. See the full text below for the exact wording.
Sponsor (1)
- Rep. Burchett, Tim [R-TN-2] (R-TN)
10 cosponsors
- Rep. Davis, Donald G. [D-NC-1] (D-NC)
- Rep. Gottheimer, Josh [D-NJ-5] (D-NJ)
- Rep. Kennedy, Timothy M. [D-NY-26] (D-NY)
- Rep. Lee, Susie [D-NV-3] (D-NV)
- Rep. Luna, Anna Paulina [R-FL-13] (R-FL)
- Rep. Mace, Nancy [R-SC-1] (R-SC)
- Rep. McDonald Rivet, Kristen [D-MI-8] (D-MI)
- Rep. Moskowitz, Jared [D-FL-23] (D-FL)
- Rep. Suozzi, Thomas R. [D-NY-3] (D-NY)
- Rep. Vindman, Eugene Simon [D-VA-7] (D-VA)
Actions (3)
- Mar 4, 2025 Referred to the Subcommittee on Health. · house
- Jan 22, 2025 Referred to the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs. · house
- Jan 22, 2025 Introduced in House
More bills on these subjects (8)
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Similar bills (6)
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Text versions (1)
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Full text
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
January 22, 2025
Mr. Burchett (for himself, Mr. Kennedy of New York, Mrs. Luna, Mr. Moskowitz, Ms. Mace, and Mr. Davis of North Carolina) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs
A BILL
To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to ensure that sexual assault nurse examiners are employed at certain Department of Veterans Affairs medical facilities, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the “Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner in VA Hospitals Act of 2025” or the “SANE Act of 2025”.
SEC. 2. QUALIFICATIONS OF HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS WHO PERFORM SEXUAL ASSAULT EXAMINATIONS AT CERTAIN DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS MEDICAL FACILITIES.
(a) In General.—The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall employ, at each hospital and urgent care facility of the Department of Veterans Affairs—
(1) at least one sexual assault nurse examiner; or
(2) if the Secretary cannot so employ a sexual assault nurse examiner, a health care provider qualified to conduct a sexual assault forensic examination.
(b) Mental Health Care Referral.—After examining an individual for sexual assault, a health care provider of the Department shall verbally refer the individual to mental health care services furnished by the Secretary—
(1) in a hospital of the Department; or
(2) pursuant to a Veterans Care Agreement under section 1703A of title 38, United States Code, if the wait time for services described in paragraph (1) exceeds 30 days.
(c) Dedicated Responsibilities.—In carrying out this section, the Secretary shall ensure that there is no reduction in, or negative effect on, the patient care responsibilities that are otherwise carried out by employees of the Department.
(d) Definitions.—In this section, the terms “sexual assault nurse examiner” and “sexual assault forensic examination” have the meanings given such terms in section 304(a) of the DNA Sexual Assault Justice Act of 2004 (34 U.S.C. 40723(a)). <all>
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