Veteran Restitution and Justice Act of 2023

[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 6023 Introduced in House (IH)]

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118th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 6023

 To amend title 38, United States Code, to provide for the retroactive 
payment of benefits for veterans with covered mental health conditions 
        based on military sexual trauma, and for other purposes.


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                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            October 24, 2023

 Mr. Carbajal (for himself and Mr. Bacon) introduced the following bill

                            October 25, 2023

             Referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs

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                                 A BILL


 
 To amend title 38, United States Code, to provide for the retroactive 
payment of benefits for veterans with covered mental health conditions 
        based on military sexual trauma, 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 ``Veteran Restitution and Justice Act 
of 2023''.

SEC. 2. DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS RETROACTIVE BENEFITS PAYMENTS 
              FOR VETERANS WITH COVERED HEALTH CONDITIONS BASED ON 
              MILITARY SEXUAL TRAUMA.

    (a) In General.--Subchapter II of chapter 51 of title 38, United 
States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new section:
``Sec. 5114. Claims involving military sexual trauma: retroactive 
              benefits payments
    ``(a) In General.--If the Secretary approves a claim for 
compensation for a covered health condition based on military sexual 
trauma experienced by a veteran during active military, naval, or air 
service, notwithstanding sections 5110 and 5111 of this title--
            ``(1) the effective date of the award of the claim shall be 
        the date of the day after the date on which the veteran is 
        discharged from such service; and
            ``(2) payment of monetary benefits based on such award 
        shall be made beginning on such date and shall be payable 
        retroactively.
    ``(b) Definitions.--In this section:
            ``(1) The term `military sexual trauma' has the meaning 
        given such term in section 1166(c)(2) of this title.
            ``(2) The term `covered health condition' means--
                    ``(A) a covered mental health condition, as such 
                term is defined in section 1166(c)(1) of this title; or
                    ``(B) any physical injury or disease resulting in 
                disability that was incurred as a result of, or 
                aggravated by, military sexual trauma.''.
    (b) Clerical Amendments.--The table of sections at the beginning of 
chapter 51 of such title is amended by inserting after the item 
relating to section 5113 the following new item:

``5114. Claims involving military sexual trauma: retroactive benefits 
                            payments.''.
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