WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King joined a bipartisan group of their colleagues in reintroducing the Ruth Moore Act of 2015, legislation named after U.S. Navy veteran Ruth Moore of Milbridge, Maine, which would ease the burden of proof standards for victims of military sexual assault to qualify for VA benefits. Under the Ruth Moore Act, sexual assault victims would only have to show a medical diagnosis of a mental health condition and a link between an assault and that mental health condition.

“Ruth Moore’s courage and conviction helped to uncover the crisis of sexual assault in the military and her advocacy has been critical to our efforts to change a broken system,” Senator Collins said. “It was eleven years ago, during an Armed Services Committee hearing, that I first brought up the alarming increase in sexual assaults in the military. Since that time, because of stories like Ruth’s, I have continued to sound the alarm over the military’s inadequate response to these reprehensible crimes. While some progress has been made, much remains to be done. The Ruth Moore Act would ensure that veterans who are survivors of sexual assault have the resources, support, and care that they deserve.”

“Ruth Moore has been a courageous advocate for survivors of sexual assault and harassment in the military and this bill, which bears her name, has the power to change lives,” Senator King said. “The Ruth Moore Act will usher in necessary reforms to allow victims to obtain critical disability benefits, making it less burdensome for them to begin putting their lives back together. No member of the U.S. military deserves the trials that Ruth has faced – her story is harrowing – but the difference she has made in the lives of other women in the military and future women in the military will not soon be forgotten.”

The bill is named after U.S. Navy 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. She was discharged from the Navy after being inaccurately diagnosed with a mental illness. She fought for over twenty years before she was finally awarded the veterans benefits she deserved. 

“We have always known that the fight for justice for survivors of military sexual trauma wasn't one we were going to win overnight.  As a nation, we've made tremendous progress connecting with our veterans, but we've still got many obstacles ahead of us as we reteach ideology and work through old misperceptions and victim blaming attitudes about military sexual assault.  We're not giving up until every victim of sexual assault in the military gets the acknowledgement and recognition of their post assault disabilities, fair treatment in the claims process, and the benefits they deserve as veterans who served their country with honor,” Ruth Moore said.

Senators Collins and King were both cosponsors of the Ruth Moore Act last Congress. The bill passed the House of Representatives in June of 2013, but did not receive a vote in the Senate.

###