WISER Act of 2025
3/19/2025, 5:01 PMSummary of Bill HR 660
Bill 119 HR 660, also known as the "Women Veterans' Access to Quality Care Act of 2021," aims to address the unique needs of women veterans by directing the Secretary of Veterans Affairs and the Secretary of Defense to implement programs that provide compensation benefits and upgrades to discharge statuses for certain women veterans.The bill recognizes that women veterans face specific challenges and barriers when accessing healthcare and benefits, and seeks to improve their overall well-being by ensuring they receive the support and resources they deserve. This includes addressing issues such as military sexual trauma, reproductive healthcare, mental health services, and gender-specific care.
Additionally, the bill aims to address disparities in benefits and services for women veterans by requiring the Department of Veterans Affairs and the Department of Defense to develop and implement programs that specifically cater to the needs of women who have served in the military. Overall, Bill 119 HR 660 seeks to ensure that women veterans receive the recognition, support, and care they have earned through their service to our country.
Congressional Summary of HR 660
Women Involuntarily Separated Earning Remittance Act of 2025 or the WISER Act of 2025
This bill requires the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and the Department of Defense (DOD) to establish and implement certain programs to address the involuntary separation of women veterans who served during the period of April 27, 1951, through February 23, 1976, under Executive Order 10240. Such order provided for the involuntary separation of women from service for (1) being a parent via birth or adoption, (2) gaining custody of a child, (3) being a step-parent who lived with the child more than 30 days per year, (4) being pregnant, or (5) giving birth to a living child while serving.
The VA must establish and implement a program to upgrade the discharge status of such women veterans, and DOD must establish and implement a program to provide them with a one-time compensation of $25,000. Veterans must apply to participate in such programs.
For benefits purposes, the VA must treat veterans who receive a discharge status upgrade as if the veteran completed the duty to which the veteran was assigned at the time they were discharged from service.
If a veteran dies after the enactment of this bill, a surviving spouse is eligible to participate in the DOD compensation program.
The bill provides a rebuttable presumption of eligibility for the programs for a veteran who gave birth, obtained custody, adopted a child, or experienced an incomplete pregnancy during the 10-month period after the veteran was separated from service.
