WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King today praised the House of Representative’s passage of the Ruth Moore Act. The legislation is named after veteran Ruth Moore of Milbridge, who was raped twice after enlisting in the Navy at age 18.  Moore reported the attacks, but the attacker was never charged or disciplined, and she was labeled as suffering from mental illness and discharged from the Navy. She then fought for over twenty years before she was finally awarded the veterans benefits she deserved.  Senators Collins and King are cosponsors of the Senate version of this legislation which would make it easier for victims of military sexual assault to obtain benefits by easing the burden of proof to only require a medical diagnosis of a mental health condition and a link between an assault and that mental health condition. 

“We need to remove the unnecessary hurdles that prevent victims of military sexual assault from receiving the disability benefits they need,” Senator Collins said.  “I have met with Ruth Moore to discuss this issue, and I am grateful for the enormous effort that she has put into this cause. I am proud to be a Senate cosponsor of this very important piece of legislation in her name.” 

“The House’s passage of the Ruth Moore Act is both a victory for Maine’s own Ruth Moore, who has been a courageous advocate for survivors of military sexual assault, as well as a triumph in the effort to ensure that those survivors are provided the support and benefits they deserve,” Senator King said. “As a proud cosponsor of its companion measure, I will continue to work with my colleagues to advance the legislation here in the Senate.”

Because many military sexual assaults go unreported, veterans often experience difficulty meeting the burden of proof when applying for service-connected disability benefits. The Senate bill would make it easier for veterans to qualify for benefits, since it would require the VA to accept the diagnosis of a mental health condition by a mental health professional, along with the veterans’ testimony of an assault having occurred, as sufficient for awarding service-connected disability benefits.

Recently, the Veterans Administration reduced the standard of proof for combat veterans who suffer from PTSD. Senators Collins and King believe the same standard should be applied to victims of military sexual trauma.

According to the Pentagon, 26,000 sexual assaults occurred in the military in 2012, but only about 13 percent of victims reported the attacks.

###