Morris Leader

The Servicewomen and Women Veterans Caucus Relaunch

Washington, DC— On May 15, the bipartisan Servicewomen and Women Veterans (SWWV) Caucus relaunched for the 118th Congress under the leadership of Congresswomen Mikie Sherrill (NJ-11), Chrissy Houlahan (PA-06), and Jen Kiggans (VA-02). SWWV fosters collaboration among Members of Congress to address issues facing America's servicewomen and women veterans. This caucus is bipartisan and open to all Members of Congress. To date, there are more than 50 members of the caucus. 

There is a record number of women veterans currently serving in Congress, including Senators Duckworth and Ernst and Reps. Sherrill, Houlahan, Kiggans, Miller-Meeks, and Luna. 

"Women have played an integral role in our armed forces since the Revolutionary War, and now represent the largest growing population of veterans in the United States," said Rep. Sherrill. "Yet it was clear during my service, and now in conversations with female veterans in my community, that the challenges faced by servicewomen are often left unaddressed. Since forming this caucus in 2019, we have made great strides in addressing sexual assault and harassment in the military, broadening access to childcare, and improving reproductive health care, but we know there is more work to be done. We will continue to utilize this bipartisan caucus to bring our perspective as female veterans to our colleagues and work to ensure Congress does more to support both women currently serving and women veterans."

“Continuing to lead the Servicewomen and Women Veterans Caucus remains a highlight of my time in Congress. I am excited we are relaunching this bipartisan caucus one again to support women of service,” said Rep Houlahan. “Women are the fastest growing group of veterans and are roughly 17% of our active-duty force. It is estimated that they may be as much as 30% of the force shortly. I feel fortunate to be a voice for all of them here in Washington. The other hardworking co-chairs of this caucus all also know first-hand what the call to serve means, and I am proud to work with them to advocate for U.S. servicewomen and women veterans around the world.”

“The 10 years I spent serving my country as a Navy helicopter pilot were incredibly rewarding,” said Congresswoman Kiggans. “As the Co-Chair of the Congressional Servicewomen and Women Veterans Caucus, I’m proud to continue to be a voice for the women of our armed forces! I look forward to working with my colleagues to advocate for servicewomen and my fellow female veterans around the country and across the globe.”

When the draft ended in 1973, women represented just 2 percent of the enlisted forces and 8 percent of the officer corps. On May 16, those numbers have grown to 19 percent and 20 percent, respectively. Currently, there are over two million living women veterans in the U.S. In the next 25 years, women veterans are projected to nearly double their population to account for nearly one in five living veterans.

According to the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), the age-adjusted suicide rate for women veterans is almost two times higher than the rate for civilian women. With this in mind, it is especially alarming that, on average, women veterans do not connect with VA services until nearly three years after separating from the military. Data indicates women veterans are just as likely to experience emotionally traumatic or distressing experiences while serving and one in three servicewomen seen by Veterans Health Administration disclose they have experienced Military Sexual Trauma. However, there are few gender-specific care guidelines and a shortage of women program managers and coordinators at the VA. The caucus will work to address these issues. 

Congresswomen Sherrill and Kiggans are both former U.S. Navy helicopter pilots and Congresswoman Houlahan is a former U.S. Air Force officer.

Original source can be found here.