[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 848 Introduced in House (IH)]

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118th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. RES. 848

Encouraging the connecting of members of the Armed Forces in the United 
     States to support structures necessary to transition from the 
                              battlefield.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            November 6, 2023

  Mr. Van Orden (for himself, Mr. Moulton, Mr. Hudson, and Mr. Levin) 
submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee 
   on Armed Services, and in addition to the Committee on Veterans' 
Affairs, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in 
   each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the 
                jurisdiction of the committee concerned

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
Encouraging the connecting of members of the Armed Forces in the United 
     States to support structures necessary to transition from the 
                              battlefield.

Whereas the number of suicides of members of the Armed Forces serving on active 
        duty increased to 377 in 2020, an increase from 348 in 2019;
Whereas the suicide rate for veterans has steadily increased since 2006, with 
        6,261 veterans taking their own lives in 2019;
Whereas, after adjusting for sex and age, the rate of veteran suicide in 2018 
        was 27.5 per 100,000 individuals, higher than the rate among all United 
        States adults, which was 18.3 per 100,000 individuals;
Whereas more veterans have died by suicide in the last 10 years than members of 
        the Armed Forces who died from combat in Vietnam;
Whereas many of the veterans who take their own lives have had no contact with 
        the Department of Veterans Affairs;
Whereas the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic can lead to increased 
        isolation and disconnection, further exacerbating mental and physical 
        ailments such as post-traumatic stress disorder and traumatic brain 
        injury;
Whereas the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention note that law enforcement 
        officers and firefighters are more likely to die by suicide than in the 
        line of duty, and emergency medical services providers are 1.39 times 
        more likely to die by suicide than members of the general public;
Whereas invisible wounds linked to an underlying and undiagnosed traumatic brain 
        injury can mirror many mental health conditions, a problem that can be 
        addressed through appropriate medical treatment; and
Whereas additional research is needed to highlight the connection between 
        traumatic brain injury as a root cause of invisible wounds and suicide 
        by members of the Armed Forces and veterans: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
            (1) encourages all individuals in the United States, 
        especially members of the Armed Forces serving on active duty 
        and veterans, to call a warrior, have an honest conversation, 
        and connect them with support, understanding that making a 
        warrior call could save a life; and
            (2) implores all individuals in the United States to commit 
        themselves to engaging with members of the Armed Forces and 
        veterans to promote solutions and treatment for the invisible 
        scars that members of the Armed Forces carry.
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