# 119-hr-5203: To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to update directives of the Department of Veterans Affairs regarding the management of acute sexual assault, and for other purposes.

119-hr-5203, To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to update directives of the Department of Veterans Affairs regarding the management of acute sexual assault, and for other purposes., is a 119th Congress bill sponsored by Rep. Morrison, Kelly [D-MN-3] (D-MN); status in_committee; PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-07-11).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-5203
- As of: 2026-07-11
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: 119-hr-5203
- Congress: 119
- Title: To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to update directives of the Department of Veterans Affairs regarding the management of acute sexual assault, and for other purposes.
- Status: in_committee
- Introduced: 2025-09-08
- Sponsor: Rep. Morrison, Kelly [D-MN-3] (D-MN)
- Cosponsors: 1
- Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security
- Touches household money: yes
- Last recorded action: 2026-07-11

## Summary

This bill would require the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to update emergency directives within 18 months so VA medical facilities follow clearer rules when a veteran reports an acute sexual assault. It centers on **improved emergency care for veterans after acute sexual assault**, setting standards for clinical care, supplies, training, and reporting. - Veterans: VA facilities would have to employ or refer to certified sexual assault forensic examination (SAFE) clinical providers or sexual assault nurse examiners (SANE), keep unexpired rape kits, offer sexually transmitted disease and pregnancy prophylaxis when clinically indicated, and provide or refer to local mental health counseling. - Workers: VA health care employees and VA police would receive required training—at least annually after directive updates—with police getting specific guidance on when and how to notify local law enforcement while balancing veteran confidentiality. - Operations and oversight: Directives would require specific training formats (including in-person at least every five years), and Veterans Integrated Service Network directors would monitor compliance and get resources to fix gaps.

## Cosponsors (1)

- Rep. Stansbury, Melanie A. [D-NM-1] (D-NM), 2026-07-09T00:00:00.000Z

## Provisions PRIA read

- New VA rules for sexual assault care: benefit, medium. Within 18 months, VA must update emergency rules for veterans who show assault symptoms at a VA clinic within 72 hours. VA facilities and VA police must follow the new directive. Each facility must either hire a certified sexual assault examiner or nurse (SAFE or SANE), refer you to a local provide…

## Related bills

- 119-hr-7977: Energy Bills Relief Act
- 119-hr-7973: Momnibus Act
- 119-hr-7853: PrEP Access and Coverage Act of 2026
- 119-hr-5862: American Energy Independence and Affordability Act
- 119-hr-3376: Water Affordability, Transparency, Equity, and Reliability Act of 2025
- 119-hr-51: Washington, D.C. Admission Act

## Sources
- [119-hr-5203 on Congress.gov](https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/5203)

## Related
- [119-hr-7977: Energy Bills Relief Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-7977)
- [119-hr-7973: Momnibus Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-7973)
- [119-hr-7853: PrEP Access and Coverage Act of 2026](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-7853)
- [119-hr-5862: American Energy Independence and Affordability Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-5862)
- [119-hr-3376: Water Affordability, Transparency, Equity, and Reliability Act of 2025](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-3376)
- [119-hr-51: Washington, D.C. Admission Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-51)
- [All bills in Congress](https://policyrisk.com/legislation)

Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-5203 (as of 2026-07-11).