Moral Injury Recognition and Restitution Act
Sponsored By: Representative Carbajal
Introduced
Summary
This bill would create retroactive compensation for MST-related conditions by adding a new section to federal veterans law that lets the Department of Veterans Affairs pay benefits for military sexual trauma injuries and illnesses tied to service. It sets an explicit framework for when those awards take effect and how MST and covered conditions are defined.
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- Veterans with mental health conditions or physical injuries linked to military sexual trauma would be eligible under the bill's definitions, which reference the definitions in 38 U.S.C. 1166. This clarifies which conditions qualify as covered health conditions.
- The Secretary could approve compensation even if existing timing rules in sections 5110 and 5111 would otherwise block a claim, allowing some previously time-barred claims to be paid.
- The bill would add a new 38 U.S.C. section 5114 titled "Claims involving military sexual trauma: retroactive benefits payments" and update the permanent table of sections to include it, embedding the change in the U.S. Code.
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
1 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.
Retroactive VA pay for military sexual trauma
If enacted, this bill would let the VA backdate disability awards for claims tied to military sexual trauma (MST). If the Secretary approves a compensation claim for a covered health condition based on MST, the award’s effective date would be the day after your discharge. Monetary benefits would start on that date and be payable retroactively. The bill uses the MST and covered mental health condition definitions in 38 U.S.C. 1166 and would override the timing rules in 38 U.S.C. 5110 and 5111.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Carbajal
CA • D
Cosponsors
Bacon
NE • R
Sponsored 3/18/2026
Fitzpatrick
PA • R
Sponsored 3/26/2026
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
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