S. 131: Women Veterans and Other Health Care Improvements Act of 2013

113th Congress · introduced 2013-01-24 · Armed Forces and National Security · Latest: Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 185.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

Where it came from: introduced 2013-01-24 · official record
Who proposed it: Sen. Murray, Patty [D-WA] · what a sponsor is
What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
Where it stands now: Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 185. Not final yet: this can still change. We check for updates every day.
If it becomes law and spends money: follow the money to money laws, then agencies and contracts and grants.

What does this mean?

Official title

Women Veterans and Other Health Care Improvements Act of 2013

Plain summary

Women Veterans and Other Health Care Improvements Act of 2013 - (Sec. 2) Includes fertility counseling and treatment within authorized Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) medical services. (Sec. 3) Directs the Secretary of Veterans Affairs (Secretary) to furnish such counseling and treatment, including the use of assisted reproductive technology, to a spouse or surrogate of a severely wounded, ill, or injured veteran who has an infertility condition incurred or aggravated in the line of duty and who is enrolled in the VA health care system, as long as the spouse and veteran apply jointly for such counseling and treatment. (Sec. 4) Authorizes the Secretary to pay to any such veteran an amount to assist in the adoption of one or more children. Provides cost limits. (Sec. 5) Directs the Secretary to prescribe regulations on the furnishing of such counseling, treatment, and adoption assistance. (Sec. 6) Requires the Secretary and the Secretary of Defense (DOD) to share best practices and facilitate referrals on the furnishing of such counseling and treatment. (Sec. 7) Directs the Secretary to facilitate research conducted collaboratively by the Secretaries of Defense and Health and Human Services (HHS) in order to improve VA's ability to meet the long-term reproductive health care needs of veterans who have a service-connected genitourinary disability or a condition that was incurred or aggravated in the line of duty, such as a spinal cord injury, that affects the veterans' ability to reproduce. Requires the Secretary to report to Congress on such research. (Sec. 8) Directs the Secretary to report annually to the congressional veterans committees on the counseling and treatment provided under this Act. (Sec. 9) Directs the Secretary to carry out a program of providing assistance to veterans to obtain child care during the period they are receiving mental health services. Requires the program to be carried out in at least three Veterans Integrated Service Networks selected by the Secretary. Directs the Secretary to carry out a similar program to provide assistance to the primary caretaker of a child or children who is receiving or in need of readjustment counseling and related mental health services from the VA. Requires the latter program to be carried out in at least three Readjustment Counseling Service Regions selected by the Secretary. (Sec. 10) Directs the Secretary to provide, through the Readjustment Counseling Service of the Veterans Health Administration, reintegration and readjustment services in group retreat settings to women veterans who are recently separated from service after a prolonged deployment. Requires the receipt of services to be at the election of the veteran. Repeals superseded pilot program authority under the Caregivers and Veterans Omnibus Health Services Act of 2010.

Congressional Research Service summary (Reported to Senate with amendment(s)), quoted unchanged (nonpartisan). Read the source.

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If it passes both chambers and is signed, it becomes law.

A “Nay” vote

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What does this mean? (plain words)

Official text

Women Veterans and Other Health Care Improvements Act of 2013

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Reported to Senate with amendment(s))

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How did my representative vote? · This bill's floor votes

Officials and money

Sponsor: Sen. Murray, Patty [D-WA] · 4 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

Cosponsors on this site

Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Kirsten E. Gillibrand (D-NY)

Sponsor's campaign money: Sen. Murray, Patty [D-WA] reported raising $3.6 million (2025–2026). Details. Shown for context only; it does not mean any donor supported this bill.

No linked floor roll calls in our collected records yet. This does not mean the bill has never had a vote. Check the official bill history.

Words on this page, explained (2)

Authorization: A law that creates or continues a government program and says what it may do, often with a suggested spending ceiling. An authorization alone does not provide money; a separate appropriation does.
Rulemaking: The process agencies use to write regulations that carry out laws passed by Congress or a legislature. Usually an agency publishes a proposed rule, takes public comments, then publishes a final rule.

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Congressional Research Service summary (Reported to Senate with amendment(s))
Congress.gov
Data: GovInfo BILLSTATUS bulk data (Library of Congress), BILLSTATUS-113s131.xml <https://www.govinfo.gov/bulkdata/BILLSTATUS/113/s>

Record fed-us-cong113-s131 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong113 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong113