The American Legion continues to fight for health-care facilities that are inclusive, empowering survivors of Military Sexual Trauma and investing in research to support women as they age.
Women are the fastest-growing demographic within the military and veteran community. Still, women in the military are viewed differently compared to their male counterparts. Women have served in every conflict since the Revolutionary War, and yet, the infrastructure that exists to support their specific needs is modeled after men.
For The American Legion, these issues are deeply personal. Our female members visit the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and are asked where their veteran is or if their husband served. This culture must change.
The American Legion is proud to work with our membership, other veteran service organizations (VSOs), and Congress to address these challenges. As the 119th Congress progresses, The American Legion is proud to endorse, advocate for, and offer grassroots support for legislation that supports and invests in women who have served. These legislative proposals are wide-reaching, dynamic and seek to address deficiencies in a systematic manner. The American Legion is fighting for health-care facilities that are inclusive, empowering survivors of Military Sexual Trauma (MST) and investing in research to support women as they age.
Ensuring our health-care facilities are accessible and inclusive
The American Legion firmly supports a fully funded VA that meets the needs of all veterans. For many, this includes gender-specific medical care. For women veterans seeking care for their reproductive health, many quickly discover their options are few and far between. VA medical centers are not statutorily mandated to hire an OB-GYN, even on a part-time basis. VA often struggles with establishing treatment programs or counseling that is gender-specific and tailored to their needs. Women veterans even struggle to find maternity care, which isn’t the norm for civilians.
To begin to address some of these challenges, it is critical that Congress maintain oversight over the implementation of the Deborah Sampson Act. Passed as a provision within the Johnny Isakson and David P. Roe, M.D. Veterans Health Care and Benefits Improvement Act of 2020, this legislation expands access to care for women veterans by creating an Office of Women’s Health, putting in place dedicated women’s health providers, expanding legal services, and providing access to child care for those receiving care within VA. The Deborah Sampson Act also requires VA to provide data on incidences of sexual harassment and sexual assault that occur within their facilities. It is imperative to document and process this information, understand where most of the reporting originates, and continue to take action to address this challenge.
To continue this progress, The American Legion is proud to support the Building Resources and Access for Veterans’ Mental Health Engagement (BRAVE) Act. Lead by Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., this legislation aims to address disparities in mental health care by improving the coordination of mental health outreach, investing in VA infrastructure, and increased training for providers to address the unique needs of women who have served.
As American Legion National Commander Jim LaCoursiere Jr. stated in Blumenthal’s press release, “This bill was built on the very real and traumatic experiences that veterans, especially women, face during and after their service.” The American Legion is working with our partners within the military and veteran community to ensure that this legislation is a priority and that Congress must take action. Women veterans deserve to feel safe and to be treated with the utmost respect while accessing the services and benefits that they risked their lives to earn.
Empowering survivors of MST and combating veteran suicide
A study in 2022 conducted by Disabled American Veterans (DAV) found the suicide rate for women veterans was 92.4% higher than their female civilian counterparts. Again comparing to the civilian population, the suicide rate was 75% higher for women using VA services who reported experiencing MST. The American Legion’s top priority — Be the One — is to prevent veteran suicide through building awareness, conducting training and doing advocacy.
The American Legion has seen first-hand the challenges that VA has in addressing sexual assault and MST. In a recent System Worth Saving visit to New Orleans, a veteran shared that she is no longer comfortable attending group therapy at the VA because one of the members in her group was a registered sex offender. As a survivor of MST, this veteran highlighted the stark challenges the VA faces to adequately meet the needs of this population.
In January 2025, Rep. Tim Burchett, R-Tenn., introduced the Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner in VA Hospitals (SANE VA) Act. This legislation recommends that VA hire at least one sexual assault nurse examiner or a health-care provider who is qualified to conduct a sexual assault forensic examination at each hospital and urgent care facility. At the conclusion of an examination, the veteran is then referred to a mental health provider for additional treatment and support. The American Legion is proud to endorse this legislation, especially the provisions that ensure the survivor receives additional support as they process their traumatic experience.
In addition to ensuring survivors are treated with respect and dignity, it is equally important that MST claims are processed in a timely manner. Unfortunately, the Legion is aware of multiple instances in which MST claims have been significantly delayed, wrongfully denied and not treated with respect. To address these challenges, The American Legion is proud to support the Servicemembers and Veterans Empowerment and Support Act, introduced by Blumenthal and Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska. This legislation aims to address the challenges that MST survivors endure when processing their claims and ensures that the survivor is not retraumatized in the process.
Investing in research and care for menopause
Despite impacting half of the population, not much is known about menopause and its effects on women, let alone women who have served. In the aforementioned study, DAV notes that the menopausal cycle is “often accompanied by both physical and behavioral symptoms” with women facing “an increased risk for cardiovascular disease and osteoporosis compared to their younger selves.” Additionally, 20% of perimenopausal women report symptoms of depression, which becomes complex when considering their additional factor of their service. With the aging population increasing, it is critical that we have adequate infrastructure and support systems in place to assist our veterans through this period.
One of the most prominent voices on this issue is Rep. Julia Brownley, D-Calif., who serves as the ranking member of the Health Subcommittee within the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs. Throughout her career in Congress, she has repeatedly prioritized improving access to care for women veterans and for aging veterans in general. Her legislation, the Elizabeth Dole Home Care Act, specifically aimed at addressing the increasing aging population by including provisions that empower the veteran and support their caregivers. This bill served as the blueprint for the Senator Elizabeth Dole 21st Century Veterans Healthcare and Benefits Improvement Act, which became law in January 2025.
The American Legion is proud to support Brownley’s bill, the Improving Menopause Care for Veterans Act. This proposal directs the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to conduct a study and issue a report on the state of menopause care within the VA. The study would include a review of guidelines for training practitioners who diagnose and treat menopause, review veterans’ access to care to treat side effects, and hear first-hand from veterans who use VA to treat their menopause.
Empowering the servicewomen of tomorrow
The best way to ensure that our military is strong and capable of handling future challenges is to take care of our servicemembers today. In addition to the legislation mentioned, The American Legion is proud to endorse the Veteran Infertility Treatment Act, Cancer Care Coordination Act, Improving VA Care for Military Sexual Assault Act, Military Moms Act, Lactation Spaces for Veteran Moms Act, and the Servicewomen and Veterans Menopause Research Act. This will ensure our servicemembers know that our nation intends to keep the promise to care for those who have borne the battle, ensuring that military service remains a desirable path for future generations.
The American Legion actively works with a strong coalition of MSOs, VSOs, and congressional offices to tackle these challenges head-on. This mission is deeply personal to our team, a team that has experienced these challenges first-hand and who too often have their service questioned.
For their tenacity, grit, resilience and strength, The American Legion is proud to advocate for and serve women veterans every day.
Bailey Bishop is a Senior Legislative Associate in The American Legion’s Legislative Division
- Women Veterans