View source for Ruth Moore Act of 2013

{{Infobox United States federal proposed legislation
| name = Ruth Moore Act of 2013
| fullname = To amend title 38, United States Code, to improve the disability compensation evaluation procedure of the Secretary of Veterans Affairs for veterans with mental health conditions related to military sexual trauma, and for other purposes.
| acronym =
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| introduced in the = 113th
| sponsored by = [[Chellie Pingree|Rep. Chellie Pingree (D, ME-1)]]
| number of co-sponsors = 11
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| sections affected = {{USCSub|38|1154}}, Subchapter VI of chapter 11 of title 38, United States Code{{USCSub|38|1164|a}}, {{USCSub|38|1164|b|1}}, {{USCSub|38|1164|b|1}}, {{USCSub|38|1164|b|1}}, {{USCSub|38|5104|b|1}}, {{USCSub|38|1154|c|3|A}}, {{USCSub|38|1154|c|3|B}}, {{USCSub|38|1154|c}}, {{USCSub|38|1154|a}},
| agenciesaffected = [[United States Congress]], [[United States Department of Veterans Affairs]], [[Veterans Benefits Administration]], [[Department of Health and Human Services]],
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| leghisturl      = {{USBill|113|H.R.|671}}
| introducedin    = House
| introducedbill  = H.R. 671
| introducedby    = [[Chellie Pingree|Rep. Chellie Pingree (D-ME)]]
| introduceddate  = February 13, 2013
| committees      = [[United States House Committee on Veterans' Affairs]], [[United States House Veterans' Affairs Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs]]
| passedbody1     = House
| passeddate1     = June 4, 2013
| passedvote1     = [[Voice vote]]
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}}

The '''Ruth Moore Act of 2013''' ({{USBill|113|H.R.|671}}) is a bill that was introduced into the [[113th United States Congress]] and passed the [[United States House of Representatives]] on June 4, 2013.<ref name="671sum"/>  The bill would change some of the rules regarding mental health medical coverage for veterans to treat claims related to [[military sexual trauma]] more leniently with respect to requiring proof of such sexual trauma.

==Background==
The bill is named after veteran Ruth Moore, a woman who was raped twice and then spent 23 years trying to get the benefits that were due to her.<ref>{{cite news|last=Kasperowicz|first=Pete|title=House votes to remove hurdle to benefits for sexually abused veterans|url=https://thehill.com/blogs/floor-action/house/152354-house-votes-to-remove-hurdle-to-benefits-for-sexually-abused-veterans/|access-date=5 June 2013|newspaper=The Hill|date=June 4, 2013}}</ref>  Many military rapes go unreported, making it difficult for service members to get help later under the existing rules.

==Provisions/Elements of the bill==
''This summary is based largely on the summary provided by the [[Congressional Research Service]], a [[public domain]] source.''<ref name=671sum>{{cite web|title=H.R. 671 - Summary|url=http://beta.congress.gov/bill/113th-congress/house-bill/671|publisher=United States Congress|accessdate=5 June 2013}}</ref>

The Ruth Moore Act of 2013 would direct the [[United States Secretary of Veterans Affairs]] (VA), in any case in which a [[veteran]] claims that a covered [[mental health]] condition was incurred in or aggravated by [[military sexual trauma]] during active duty, to accept as sufficient proof of service-connection a diagnosis by a mental health professional together with satisfactory lay or other evidence of such trauma and an opinion by the mental health professional that such condition is related to such trauma, if consistent with the circumstances, conditions, or hardships of such service, notwithstanding the fact that there is no official record of such incurrence or aggravation in such service, and to resolve every reasonable doubt in favor of the veteran. The law would, however, allow such service-connection to be rebutted by clear and convincing evidence to the contrary.

The Ruth Moore Act of 2013 would include as a "covered mental health condition" [[Posttraumatic stress disorder|post-traumatic stress disorder]], [[Anxiety disorder|anxiety]], [[Depression (mood)|depression]], or any other mental health diagnosis that the Secretary determines to be related to military sexual trauma.

Finally, if passed, the law would require the Secretary to report annually to Congress in each of 2014 through 2018 on covered claims submitted.

==Procedural history==

===House===
The Ruth Moore Act of 2013 ({{USBill|113|H.R.|671}}) was introduced in the House by [[Chellie Pingree|Rep. Chellie Pingree (D-ME)]] on February 13, 2013.<ref name=671allactions>{{cite web|title=H.R. 671 - All Actions|url=http://beta.congress.gov/bill/113th-congress/house-bill/671/all-actions/|publisher=United States Congress|accessdate=5 June 2013}}</ref>  It was referred to the [[United States House Committee on Veterans' Affairs]] and the [[United States House Veterans' Affairs Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs]].<ref name=671committees>{{cite web|title=H.R. 671 - Committees|url=http://beta.congress.gov/bill/113th-congress/house-bill/671/committees|publisher=United States Congress|accessdate=5 June 2013}}</ref>  It passed the House on June 4, 2013 by a [[voice vote]].<ref name="671allactions"/>

==Debate and discussion==

{{Empty section|date=July 2013}}

==See also==
*[[List of bills in the 113th United States Congress]]
*[[Sexual assault in the United States military]]
*[[Military sexual trauma]]

==Notes/References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{wikisource|Ruth Moore Act of 2013 (H.R. 671; 113th Congress)}}
*[http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.uscongress/legislation.113hr671 Library of Congress - Thomas H.R. 671]
*[http://beta.congress.gov/bill/113th-congress/house-bill/671 beta.congress.gov H.R. 671]
*[http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/113/hr671 GovTrack.us H.R. 671]
*[http://www.opencongress.org/bill/113-h671/show OpenCongress.org H.R. 671]
*[http://www.washingtonwatch.com/bills/show/113_HR_671.html WashingtonWatch.com H.R. 671]
*[http://www.cbo.gov/publication/44238 Congressional Budget Office's Report on H.R. 671]
*[https://www.gop.gov/bill/113/1/hr671 House Republicans' Statements on H.R. 671]
*[http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/CRPT-113hrpt63/pdf/CRPT-113hrpt63.pdf House Report 113-63 on H.R. 671]

{{US government sources}}

[[Category:Proposed legislation of the 113th United States Congress]]
[[Category:Post-traumatic stress disorder]]
[[Category:Mental health law in the United States]]
[[Category:Military medicine in the United States]]
[[Category:United States Department of Veterans Affairs]]