118 SRES 206 IS: Designating June 10, 2023, as “Veterans Get Outside Day”. U.S. Senate 2023-05-10 text/xml EN Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain.

III118th CONGRESS1st SessionS. RES. 206IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATESMay 10, 2023Mr. Cassidy (for himself, Mr. King, and Mr. Cramer) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on the JudiciaryRESOLUTIONDesignating June 10, 2023, as Veterans Get Outside Day.

Whereas, between 2000 and 2022, the Department of Defense found that more than 460,000 members of the Armed Forces were diagnosed with traumatic brain injuries;Whereas studies have found that, after decades of combat in Afghanistan and Iraq, 20 percent of veterans of the Armed Forces are suffering from post-traumatic stress and depression;Whereas the Department of Veterans Affairs found that veterans suffer a disproportionately higher rate of suicide compared to nonveterans, and post-traumatic stress, traumatic brain injury, depression, and anxiety are root causes of the suicide epidemic in the veteran community, with an estimated 16.8 suicides per day in 2020;Whereas the Department of Veterans Affairs has been successful in reducing the number of veterans’ suicides, but there are still gaps in mental health care for veterans, and the United States needs to use every treatment available to support the veteran community;Whereas studies have shown that exposure to nature and the outdoors have a positive therapeutic impact on mental health, including by resulting in lower risks of depression and improved focus and attention, and even a single day outside can improve an individual’s overall mood and lessen feelings of isolation;Whereas studies have found that individuals with increased access to green space have a lower suicide risk;Whereas the Forest Service sponsors a National Get Outdoors Day to promote the health benefits of outdoor recreational activities;Whereas the United States has recognized the need to connect veterans with nature by providing free admission to national parks and forests; andWhereas a targeted outreach effort, such as Veterans Get Outside Day, to veterans living with post-traumatic stress, traumatic brain injury, depression, and anxiety may lead to further participation in outside events and improved mental health outcomes: Now, therefore, be it

That the Senate—(1)designates June 10, 2023, as Veterans Get Outside Day; and(2)encourages the Department of Veterans Affairs, the Forest Service, and the Department of the Interior to coordinate and cooperate in promoting Veterans Get Outside Day along with National Get Outdoors Day.