 Welcome, everyone. I'm Joy Elam, DAV's National Legislative Director, and with me here today, I have Representative Julia Brownlee. Representative Brownlee is the Chairwoman of the House Veterans Affairs Committee, Subcommittee on Health, and we thank you very much, Representative Brownlee, for joining us for this special forum and virtual salutes. DAV is celebrating our special milestone, a special milestone this year, our 100th anniversary, and we're very proud of the 100 years of service that we've provided to our nation's ill and injured veterans. We wanted to highlight the work of the committee, your work specifically on improving services for our nation's women veterans. This has been a really important issue for DAV. As you know, we've had two reports that have come out with regard to women veterans, the long journey home and the journey ahead, and we certainly appreciate all of your work on women's issues. One of DAV's top legislative priorities for the 116th Congress is getting legislation passed to improve health care services for our women veterans and any gaps and barriers that exist for them. And your leadership in Washington and on the Women Veterans Task Force has resulted in a number of legislative bills being introduced, including and the passage of your bill, the Deborah Sampson Act of a HR 3224. So with that, I think we want to, you know, tell you how much we appreciate all the hard work that you and your staff did over this past year, really developing and introducing, getting that legislation introduced and getting it through the House. And now the Senate has acted at least within the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee on their bill, the companion bill, and passing it out of committee. And they did mark it up and added a number of provisions from your bill. But I wanted you to have the opportunity to just talk a little bit about your bill, the genesis of that, and why you think it's so important, you know, the provisions that you've included in there. Well, thanks, Joy. And let me say congratulations on 100 years. That's incredible. And I will certainly want your members to know what a great job you do back in Washington, because anything we do as members of Congress or legislation that we try to put forward, we can't do it without the help and support of organizations like yours and your personal attention on these very specific bills. So I, you know, I just want to thank you for that. It's been a joy to work with you, Joy, as we, certainly on the subcommittee on health and certainly on the task force for women veterans. So I'm delighted to hear of the great news that the Senate has marked up a companion bill to Deborah Sampson. That's very, very exciting. It's a step that needed to occur. And now we have to make sure that it gets to the Senate floor and voted on and that we can merge these two bills together from the House and the Senate and move it to the President's desk for signature. So there's still a lot of work that still needs to be done. But it's exciting to know that there's really general agreement in both houses in terms of what really needs to take place as it relates to services for our women veterans across the country. So it's, it's quite exciting. And I think in both bills, they're very comprehensive bills. There is a lot, certainly a lot in mind and a lot in the Senate. So it just underscores how much we need to do and how much work needs to get accomplished to be able to appropriately serve our women veterans who have served our country so valiantly and bravely. Excellent. And our grassroots, our membership, you know, they're all on board. We're going to do everything we can. We did an alert most recently just to make sure that senators, we're going to get that over from the Senate, hopefully passed and again so that, you know, any differences in the bill can be worked out. But we're really pushing for this year. I know there's a short window with the legislative days left and the elections coming up in a very busy time, but I know it's going to be the full force of DAV and our VSO partners as well to make sure it gets over the finish line. And we appreciate, again, all the hard work that you've done to make that come about. One issue that I thought was really important that is included provisions included in the bill are regarding harassment issues. As you know, VA research identified last year that one in four women veterans who were surveyed reported that they had experienced some sort of sexual harassment while trying to seek care at a VA medical facility. And I know how disturbing that was for you and for, you know, the many women, men and women who use the VA health care system. There was recently a hearing that was held about this issue and a GAO report that came out that also spoke about sexual harassment issues within actually for VA employees, including VA employees. I just wanted to get your take on, because your bill does include very extensive policy changes and procedures that would really ensure that VA can safely, the veterans can safely use the VA health care system. And if something should happen, it's going to be appropriately reported and to, you know, to the authorities and addressed. And, you know, I just want to get your take. What did you think about the hearing VA's response? Do you think, you know, VA's efforts to date are satisfactory? Do you want to see more? What's your opinion? Well, it's an important question. And this was an issue that really the task force unraveled early on in its work to really, it was shocking to me to find out that, you know, harassment was actually going on in VA facilities. And really the VA didn't really have any policies to address this specific issue. Certainly they had policies in terms of harassment and assault, but not within their own facility so that when patients are coming in, women veterans are coming in to receive services, their employees working there, that they really didn't have concrete policies in place for that. And as you said, the GAO did a report and made seven very clear recommendations in terms of what is needed. I was very disappointed, I have to say, in terms of VA's response to that. Certainly they said that they would comply. They said they would comply to six out of the seven, you know, of these issues. But the timeframe in terms of their commitment to meeting these corrections was, you know, 2024. I can't remember all of the exact dates within there, but this is an urgent, urgent situation. And we know, as I think you mentioned, one in four women veterans are harassed or assaulted. It's the same statistic within the VA and within VA medical facilities, whether we're talking about patients or employees, and we all know that those numbers or that statistic, that data point is probably even worse because there's so much non-reporting that still goes on within the VA community and certainly within our facility. So this is an urgent situation that really requires comprehensive, urgent leadership. And it certainly the first step is to have the appropriate policies in place that there would actually be a handbook that people could refer to in terms of exactly what the policies are. But as it relates to VA medical facilities, anybody that sees any action of harassment, it must be a culture and an environment for anyone to, if they see it, to say something. And immediately, so that this is immediately addressed, this has to happen in every facility across the country. And as you know, Joy, this comes up so many times in our hearings is, if you've seen one VA, you've seen one VA. And I'm sure there are VA facilities out there that are doing a relatively good job as it relates to this. But this is a policy that needs to be implemented equally and as strongly and with strong enforcement across the entire VA to think that women veterans come to the VA for help because they may have been traumatized and may have been traumatized through military, sexual trauma. Then coming to the VA for help and being traumatized again is unacceptable and inexcusable. Well, thank you for that. We feel the same about the urgency of it. And in fact, our national commander, commander Whitehead, you know, feels so passionately about this. He, you know, filmed a video media message for our members and said as we go back to the VA as it opens as COVID, you know, hopefully with the pandemic, as we start to, you know, use the VA again, that that's absolutely what we need to do. Nobody can buy standard about this on this issue that we all need to do our part. And I know we're going to have, you know, all of our members really pitching in. And we've shared that with the VA and the VA secretary and the under secretary for help that we want to be part of that our members use the VA healthcare system. And, you know, they're just appalled at these types of reports that it's still happening. And we don't want to see any woman veteran or any veteran who experienced some sort of harassment going to VA and that limiting, you know, being a barrier to them getting the care that they really need. So such an important issue. And we appreciate you really highlighting that issue. You mentioned the women veterans task force, the congressional task force. And that was one of the first things that chairman Tecano starting at the 116th Congress created and put you in charge of that. Could you tell our members just a little bit about the work of the task force, why it came to be, you know, how often you meet and who participates in the task force meetings? Well, thank you for that. And I'm very, very proud of the task force and very proud of the work actually that we've accomplished in a short period of time. It became abundantly clear to me in my early years on the VA committee that women veterans are invisible in many cases. They're very visible as they serve in our military and leave the military and become invisible. In the services, there are huge gaps in services as it relates to women veterans. And as you know, women veterans is the largest cohort within the fastest growing cohort within the VA veteran community. And the VA needs to be ready to serve that growing cohort in a way that is again comprehensive and the services across the country. So the task force, as you know, we meet often. We've had many roundtables of which you have participated on in Washington, D.C. And we have taken the task force on the road, if you will. I mean, up until COVID in this pandemic, we were truly traveling across the country and talking to actually women in the military and women veterans across the country to better understand what their issues are. And we had to speak with women who are currently serving in the military because so many of the issues take place there in service. And as a consequence, VA needs to be ready and prepared to help and assist our women veterans when they leave the military. And that has been an extraordinary personal experience for me, I have to say, because in each city and places that we've been across the country, we gather together whether it's women in the military or women veterans or a combination thereof. At first, you know, people are a little, you know, a little bit uncomfortable. What does this really mean? What is she trying to get from us? A little hesitant, honestly, to be sort of forthright and candid about what their feelings are. And as soon as I sort of start the meeting and talk about how I really want to, you know, really do want to hear from you, this is important in terms of legislation in terms of moving forward in Washington. And I will share with them, you know, I've had some other meetings and women have talked about this and they've talked about that. Well, as soon as I start to let them know that other women are talking and as soon as that first woman in that meeting begins to speak, the whole room opens up again. And women have a lot on their minds and a lot that they want to share and their experiences. And many women have had good experiences in the military and probably will stay in the military for their entire career. And others have left the military because it was a horrible experience for them. And so we need to make sure that the culture within the military that needs to be addressed in that culture carries over to the VA. But, you know, one of the areas that the task forces tried to work on is to bring, you know, the Department of Defense and the VA together in these meetings to say, we've got to work on this together. We can't do this in silos. We have to do this together. And we've made some progress. I think at least you probably know better than I, but it's been my understanding that, you know, this has been one of the first in terms of defense and VA getting together to talk about these issues around military sexual trauma, harassment, sexual assault, to be at the table together and talking about it. Yeah, I think that's such an important point and really brings home, you know, what you've done with the task force, again, making it a comfortable situation where you bring together a number of people from different backgrounds and some, you know, smaller organizations, some, you know, organizations that generally haven't had a seat at the table in the past and DOD and VA. And it's just, you know, incredibly, some very smart and, you know, great dialogue that comes out of those task force meetings, the two hours generally go very quickly. And I'm impressed about how many members of Congress make time, you know, men and women to join you there that are interested in these issues. And they come to learn and they ask the questions when somebody says something, you know, they say, wait a minute, did you just, you know, say, because they're really trying to understand what it is to serve as a woman veteran, what those barriers and experience are for those that don't have that good experience and then really count on VA. And as you know, for DAV, our focus on service disabled veterans and all the women that are serving in our war, you know, have wartime service, very complex medical histories. And they need the VA, they need the specialized services that they offer. And we want everyone to feel comfortable to use the VA. We don't want any veteran to be marginalized and feel they're not welcome there and that they, you know, need to seek care elsewhere. So again, kudos to you and the task force for really, you know, focusing on those difficult issues and listening to women veterans. That's what women tell us all the time. I just, you know, I feel invisible. People don't listen to what we have to say. These issues continue on, you know, why should I participate? And we keep telling them, you need to keep speaking up, make your voices heard. And I think together, you know, the committee and the VSO community, everybody's very energized and excited. You've moved the ball forward tremendously. I think with all of us, we can push on VA. We want them to take this issue seriously. And they did have a briefing the other day about the white ribbon campaign that they're going to be rolling out. And they also talked about what they're doing at their medical centers and having their directors do walkabouts and really getting down to talking with the people and experiencing it from another perspective, how it is to walk in that front door in a facility when you're the minority of, you know, population and, you know, certain things happen. So, again, we really appreciate that. And before we close out, I just want to give you an opportunity. If there's anything that's really on your mind that you'd like to share with our membership or something we missed talking about, please. Well, I, you know, I think, again, I just, you know, want to thank you, Joy, for all of your help and support on this and certainly DIV's leadership in this area and certainly deep, deep gratitude to your membership for their service to our country. We honor you and we are so, so very, very grateful. And it is our utmost responsibility to, in return, provide you with very best of services and particularly your population, Joy, your membership, as you said, who have very complicated issues that really can't be resolved any place else except within the VA. So, we're going to keep working on this until we find parity in terms of services. We're going to keep working on this until we can really change the culture that is taking place. And I really do believe that there is, there, I start to see shifts in behavior and shifts around the culture even in the military. I'm beginning to see it, but there's a lot more work that needs to be done and this has to be, you know, razor sharp, intensive, sustainable leadership around this to change the culture. And it's imperative that we do. The future of our country, quite frankly, depends on it because we have a voluntary armed services now and more and more women are stepping up to the plate. And we've got to be ready and prepared to help them transition out of the military and certainly serve all of their needs. They have earned and deserved that. So, there's still a lot more work to be done and I am going to stay razor sharp focused on these issues as it relates to women. And I know that we will succeed and there will be progress. It will take time, but it will happen. And I'm just very, very grateful to you, Joy, and your leadership. Thank you for that. And you know you can count on DAV and our members to have the full weights, you know, supporting what you're doing. Again, a real champion on this issue, very thoughtful legislation, not just, you know, a couple of provisions here or there with reports, but really cutting edge legislation that could move the ball. And we're going to be there to push it over the finish line and celebrate. We hope that when that happens, you'll invite us and we can all really, again, congratulate you on those efforts. And thank you so much for being here with us today. We know how busy you are and it really appreciate your time. So thank you so much. Take care.