This bill would add a new section (5114) to Title 38 of the U.S. Code. If the Secretary of Veterans Affairs approves a compensation claim for a covered health condition that is based on military sexual trauma (MST) experienced during active service, the effective date of the award would be the day after the veteran's discharge and monetary payments would be payable retroactively to that date. The bill uses the existing statutory definition of "military sexual trauma" and defines "covered health condition" to mean a covered mental health condition or any physical injury or disease caused by or made worse by MST. The chapter table of sections is updated to include the new section. The bill was introduced March 18, 2026, and referred to the House Veterans' Affairs Subcommittee on Health.
If you are a veteran who experienced military sexual trauma and the VA approves a compensation claim for a covered health condition tied to that trauma, your VA award would be backdated to the day after your discharge and you would be paid retroactive benefits for that period. The change only applies when the VA approves a claim based on MST and only for conditions that meet the bill's definition of covered health conditions.
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The sponsors introduced the bill to provide retroactive monetary benefits for veterans with covered mental or physical conditions that are based on military sexual trauma. Sponsors listed include Salud Carbajal, Don Bacon, Brian Fitzpatrick, Teresa Leger Fernandez, and others.
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