Request a Legislative Hearing on H.R. 7976 for MST Survivors
The Issue
Request a Legislative Hearing on H.R. 7976 for MST Survivors
The Issue:
To the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs and the Subcommittee on Health:
We respectfully request that the House Veterans’ Affairs Subcommittee on Health hold a legislative hearing on H.R. 7976, the Moral Injury Recognition and Restitution Act.
H.R. 7976 addresses the effective date of VA disability compensation for qualifying conditions associated with military sexual trauma.
For many survivors of military sexual trauma, reporting an assault or pursuing a VA disability claim does not happen immediately after military service. Survivors may remain silent for years because of trauma, fear, shame, retaliation, lack of documentation, distrust of the reporting process, or difficulty discussing what occurred.
A disability related to military sexual trauma may exist long before a survivor is able to file a claim.
A legislative hearing would give veterans, survivors, veterans service organizations, VA representatives, advocates, and other experts an opportunity to discuss the proposal publicly and allow members of Congress to examine its potential effects.
We also respectfully ask the Subcommittee to address an important question during its consideration of H.R. 7976:
Would the legislation’s retroactive-benefit provisions apply to veterans whose MST-related disabilities were already service connected before the legislation became law?
Clear language on this issue would help veterans understand how the legislation would affect previously approved claims and could prevent uncertainty during implementation.
We ask the Subcommittee to give H.R. 7976 a legislative hearing so these questions can be examined openly and the experiences of veterans affected by military sexual trauma can be heard.
Veterans take an oath to serve and protect our nation. When a veteran experiences military sexual trauma during that service, the long-term consequences may continue for decades, even when a claim is not filed until much later. H.R. 7976 raises important questions about how those years should be treated under VA disability compensation law. We respectfully ask Congress to hear from the veterans affected and give this legislation full consideration.
Respectfully,
Veterans, MST survivors, families, and supporters
22
The Issue
Request a Legislative Hearing on H.R. 7976 for MST Survivors
The Issue:
To the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs and the Subcommittee on Health:
We respectfully request that the House Veterans’ Affairs Subcommittee on Health hold a legislative hearing on H.R. 7976, the Moral Injury Recognition and Restitution Act.
H.R. 7976 addresses the effective date of VA disability compensation for qualifying conditions associated with military sexual trauma.
For many survivors of military sexual trauma, reporting an assault or pursuing a VA disability claim does not happen immediately after military service. Survivors may remain silent for years because of trauma, fear, shame, retaliation, lack of documentation, distrust of the reporting process, or difficulty discussing what occurred.
A disability related to military sexual trauma may exist long before a survivor is able to file a claim.
A legislative hearing would give veterans, survivors, veterans service organizations, VA representatives, advocates, and other experts an opportunity to discuss the proposal publicly and allow members of Congress to examine its potential effects.
We also respectfully ask the Subcommittee to address an important question during its consideration of H.R. 7976:
Would the legislation’s retroactive-benefit provisions apply to veterans whose MST-related disabilities were already service connected before the legislation became law?
Clear language on this issue would help veterans understand how the legislation would affect previously approved claims and could prevent uncertainty during implementation.
We ask the Subcommittee to give H.R. 7976 a legislative hearing so these questions can be examined openly and the experiences of veterans affected by military sexual trauma can be heard.
Veterans take an oath to serve and protect our nation. When a veteran experiences military sexual trauma during that service, the long-term consequences may continue for decades, even when a claim is not filed until much later. H.R. 7976 raises important questions about how those years should be treated under VA disability compensation law. We respectfully ask Congress to hear from the veterans affected and give this legislation full consideration.
Respectfully,
Veterans, MST survivors, families, and supporters
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Petition created on September 22, 2026