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[Pages S5398-S5399]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
VETERANS
Mr. BOOZMAN. I want to take a second to thank the Presiding Officer
for the great work that he is doing on the Veterans' Affairs Committee.
As the Senator just spoke earlier, he is working hard to take these
bills and improve them. Everyone is working together, and we certainly
appreciate the fact that the Senator has so much experience in a
variety of different ways and has added so much the committee. We are
very thankful for that.
I rise today to recognize the significant steps that the Senate
recently took to improve the mental healthcare of veterans and save
lives with the passage of the Commander John Scott Hannon Veterans
Mental Health Care Improvement Act. This moves us one step closer to
paving a new path forward in suicide prevention and implementing a new
strategy that, I believe, will give hope and purpose to the men and
women who live with these invisible injuries. More than 50,000
organizations nationwide provide suicide prevention services for
veterans. These nonprofits and community organizations play a vital
role and have taken the lead to build effective programs.
I have heard from veterans how organizations like the one based in
Rogers, AR, Sheep Dog Impact Assistance, are encouraging them to live
their best life. I have also seen how outdoor therapies like Rivers of
Recovery are supporting the mental health needs of veterans and how
veteran service organizations are stepping up and addressing mental
healthcare in their communities.
We have so many organizations in Arkansas and throughout the country
that are doing a great job in this capacity. In Mount Home, AR, the
Disabled American Veterans chapter changed its approach to outreach
after the region experienced the highest veteran suicide rate in the
State, one of the highest in the Nation. Members enhanced their contact
with veterans in the area. This connection has saved lives and reversed
the suicide rate in Northern Arkansas.
It makes sense that we harness the ideas and successes of this DAV
chapter and other advocates into sound policy. That is why I joined
with Senator Mark Warner to champion a new strategy that authorizes the
VA to provide grants to nonprofits in their communities, establishing a
framework to coordinate these efforts and expand outreach to more
veterans. Additionally, this legislation will enable the VA to
establish greater partnerships with communities to better measure the
effectiveness of ongoing suicide prevention programs.
I appreciate the leadership of the VA Committee Chairman Jerry Moran,
Ranking Member Jon Tester, and the assistance of them and their staffs
in working with me and Senator Warner and our staffs to include our
proposal, the IMPROVE Well-Being for Veterans' Act, in the
comprehensive mental healthcare package, again, that we just passed in
the Senate. I especially want to thank Rosie Heiss, Amanda Want, and
Pat McGuigan, members of my staff who spent countless hours and worked
with numerous groups to find a solution to help advance this idea.
The VA estimates around 20 veterans commit suicide each day. That
number has remained roughly unchanged despite a tremendous increase in
funding. Interestingly, only 6 of those 20 veterans are receiving
healthcare services in the VA. By sharing information and collaborating
with veteran-serving nonprofits and other community organizations, we
can expand our network and provide the help the veterans need and,
ultimately, capture more veterans into our VA system.
VA Secretary Robert Wilkie called this approach ``key'' to unlocking
the
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veteran suicide crisis. Hopefully, he is right. I applaud the Senate
for advancing this bill and look forward to working with my colleagues
in the House of Representatives to quickly approve this legislation so
that we can reassure veterans that their best days are ahead of them.
I suggest the absence of a quorum.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
The senior assistant legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order
for the quorum call be rescinded.
The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Boozman). Without objection, it is so
ordered
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