Legislative Work
From Capitol Hill to the courtroom, Panayiota turns what survivors know into policy that holds institutions accountable.
Legislation she helped draft
I Am Vanessa Guillén Act of 2021
S. 1611 · 117th CongressPlayed a key role in shaping policy provisions to improve victim advocacy, reporting procedures, and accountability for sexual harassment and assault in the armed forces.
Stop Our Sexual Assault in the Military Act
H.R. 1434 · 118th CongressAuthored and drafted provisions aimed at strengthening protections for service members and improving military sexual assault reporting and accountability.
Military Justice Improvement Act of 2019
S. 1789 · 116th CongressContributed to drafting legislation to reform military justice processes, enhance survivor protections, and ensure independent handling of sexual assault cases.
Survivors and Children of Military Rape Compensation Act
Drafted legislationDrafted legislation to establish compensation and support for foreign women and girls harmed by rape committed abroad by members of the United States Armed Forces.
Legislation she advised on
Additional legislation shaped by her expertise and advice, from 2008 to today.
S. 2799 and later MST provider legislation
2008Pushed for specialized training and certification of VA mental health providers treating veterans who experienced MST. The proposal was carried into later legislation.
National Defense Authorization Act for FY2011
P.L. 111-84 · 2010Major expansion of the military’s statutory sexual assault prevention and response framework, including the Sexual Assault Prevention and Response Office (SAPRO) and its oversight and evaluation requirements.
National Defense Authorization Act for FY2012
P.L. 112-81 · 2011Continued reforms on victim assistance, investigations and prevention of military sexual assault.
Ruth Moore Act and related legislation
2012–2013Shifted congressional focus to the VA disability claims process and the evidence barriers facing survivors whose assaults were never officially reported.
Ruth Moore Act of 2013
H.R. 671 · Passed the House · 2013Sought to reform evidentiary standards for veterans filing VA claims for mental health conditions related to MST.
H.R. 1864
Passed the House 423–0 · 2013Addressed retaliation against service members who made protected communications about sexual assault and required Inspector General investigation of certain retaliation allegations.
FY2014 Defense Appropriations
H.R. 2397 · 2013Amendment funding efforts to identify people separated from the military after reporting sexual assault and, where appropriate, correct their military records.
Veterans Access, Choice, and Accountability Act
P.L. 113-146 · 2014Title IV extended VA sexual trauma counseling to veterans assaulted during inactive-duty training, including Guard and Reserve members, expanded MST care for current service members, and required VA and DoD reporting on MST care.
Clay Hunt SAV Act
P.L. 114-2 · 2015Landmark veterans’ mental health law addressing suicide prevention, program evaluation and access to mental health services.
National Defense Authorization Act for FY2016
P.L. 114-92 · 2015Expanded Special Victims’ Counsel protections, confidentiality of restricted reporting and retaliation protections, and strengthened DoD’s response to sexual assault against male service members.
Ruth Moore Act of 2015
H.R. 1607 / S. 865 · 2015Reintroduced reforms to how VA evaluates disability compensation for veterans with MST-related mental health conditions.
Continued NDAA reforms
2016–2017Further changes to military justice, victim rights, Special Victims’ Counsel, retaliation protections and sexual assault prevention.
Harry W. Colmery Veterans Educational Assistance Act (Forever GI Bill)
P.L. 115-48 · 2017Major expansion and restructuring of veterans’ education benefits.
VA MISSION Act
P.L. 115-182 · 2018Major restructuring of how veterans access community care.
National Defense Authorization Act for FY2020
P.L. 116-92 · 2019Directed DoD to develop comprehensive prevention policies, including education, healthy relationships, bystander intervention and addressing the continuum of behaviors that lead to sexual assault.
National Defense Authorization Act for FY2021
P.L. 116-283 · 2020Advanced major military justice and sexual assault reforms, including recommendations on prosecution and command authority.
Deborah Sampson Act / Johnny Isakson and David P. Roe, M.D. Veterans Health Care and Benefits Improvement Act
P.L. 116-315 · 2021Led VA to remove the requirement that sexual harassment be “repeated” to qualify for MST care and to extend eligibility to any military duty period, federal or state.
National Defense Authorization Act for FY2022
P.L. 117-81 · 2021Made sexual harassment a statutory offense, created independent investigation of harassment complaints, enhanced victim rights and required retaliation tracking.
Continued NDAA reforms
2022–2024Implementation of independent prosecution and further reforms on sexual assault, sexual harassment, victim rights and retaliation.
VA MST claims reforms
2025Specialized training and a revised process for MST-related disability claims, with survivors whose claims were previously denied encouraged to seek review.
New MST and veteran survivor legislation
2025–2026A new wave of bills focused on gaps in MST benefits, claims, accountability and restitution.
