SENATE PASSES FEINGOLD EFFORT TO LOOK INTO MENTAL
HEALTH SERVICES FOR WOMEN VETS
Amendment Comes in Response to Wisconsin Veterans’ Concerns
Over Insufficient VA Services for Women
September 10, 2007
Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Russ Feingold announced today
the passage of his initiative to look into how the Veterans Administration
(VA) can improve mental health services for women veterans. The Senate
included Feingold’s amendment authorizing a Government Accountability
Office (GAO) study to look into mental health services for women veterans
when it passed the Military Construction and Veterans Affairs and Related
Agencies Appropriations Act. After hearing concerns directly from Wisconsin
veterans about the issue, Feingold’s office contacted the GAO,
which noted that a report on women veterans has not been conducted since
military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan began. The number of women
in the Armed Forces has grown rapidly, as has their exposure to combat.
While the VA has taken important steps to establish services for women,
there is little data on how VA mental health care funds are being used
to address the needs of women.
“We owe it to all of our brave servicemembers to provide them
with the best care possible when they return home,” Feingold said.
“Unfortunately, we have not done enough to ensure that our women
veterans are receiving the care they need, particularly when it comes
to mental health, even though the number of women servicemembers and
veterans continues to grow.”
Feingold called for the GAO study after meeting with veterans in Wisconsin
this summer in Milwaukee where two veterans raised concerns over services
for women veterans. There are rising concerns over insufficient mental
health services for women along with inadequate screening of servicemembers
returning from combat. Congress has also heard recent testimony from
experts who said the VA does not have the capacity to address the needs
of women veterans.
“This study should give Congress a better indication of how the
VA can more effectively provide these much-needed services for the women
of our Armed Forces,” Feingold said. “By passing my amendment,
the Senate has taken another step toward living up to our obligation
to look out for those who serve their country so selflessly.”
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