{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["http://kuster.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/kuster-and-colleagues-submit-amicus-brief-to-support-military-sexual", "Kuster and Colleagues Submit Amicus Brief to Support Military Sexual Assault Victims", "2014-12-19", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "NH", "Ann Kuster", "K000382", "kuster.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington, DC\u00a0\u2013 Last night, Congresswoman Annie Kuster joined with 23 other Members of Congress to submit an Amicus Brief to the U.S Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit supporting the rights of victims of military sexual assault (MST). In the brief, Kuster and her colleagues assert that military members who suffer from PTSD as a result of sexual trauma that occurred during their time in service should have the same access to VA benefits as other PTSD survivors.\nWhen veterans file for VA benefits due to PTSD, they are typically allowed to waive a rule requiring \u201cthird-party evidence\u201d proving their PTSD was triggered by events that occurred during the veteran\u2019s service. Most veterans are simply allowed to provide their own testimony in lieu of this type of evidence. However, veterans filing for benefits to treat PTSD that occurred as a result of sexual trauma are not given this same allowance, and they must provide third-party evidence in order to qualify for their benefits. This greatly hinders MST victims\u2019 ability to receive the VA benefits they need and deserve, particularly because the vast majority of MST cases are not reported at the time of the assault. The Service Women\u2019s Action Network and the Vietnam Veterans of America have filed a suit in the U.S Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit to protest this unfair treatment of MST victims.\n\u201cOur military men and women make great personal sacrifices to serve and protect our nation, and none of them should ever be forced to undergo the trauma of sexual assault in the military. The fact that some MST victims are then forced to jump through more hoops than other veterans in order to receive treatment for their PTSD when they return home is absolutely egregious,\u201d said Congresswoman Annie Kuster. \u201cI am appalled that victims of military sexual trauma who are suffering from PTSD are not given equal treatment at the VA, and I was proud to join my colleagues in submitting an Amicus Brief to the U.S Court of Appeals to protest this grave indignity. I urge the Court to immediately rectify this wrongdoing, so we can ensure that every eligible service member can access high-quality care for their PTSD when they return home.\u201d\nAs a member of the U.S. House Veteran\u2019s Affairs Committee and the Military Sexual Assault Prevention Caucus, Congresswoman Kuster has continuously pushed the Department of Veteran\u2019s Affairs and the Department of Defense to address and eradicate instances of sexual assault in the military. Along with Rep. Jackie Walorski (R-IN), Kuster is a sponsor of legislation that would provide travel benefits to victims of military sexual assault so they can access the appropriate medical services they need to recover. Last year, Kuster helped pass bipartisan legislation to enhance whistleblower protections for service members who report instances of sexual assault in the military, which was signed into law.\u00a0 She also fought for a number of provisions aimed to reduce sexual assault in the military that were included in this year\u2019s National Defense Authorization Act, which was signed into law earlier this month with strong bipartisan support.\n\u00a0\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["http://kuster.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/kuster-and-colleagues-submit-amicus-brief-to-support-military-sexual"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.7826708499342203, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}