[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 161 (Tuesday, October 23, 2007)]
[House]
[Pages H11868-H11873]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




              JOSHUA OMVIG VETERANS SUICIDE PREVENTION ACT

  Mr. FILNER. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and concur in 
the Senate amendment to the bill (H.R. 327) to amend title 38, United 
States Code, to direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to develop and 
implement a comprehensive program designed to reduce the incidence of 
suicide among veterans.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the Senate amendment is as follows:

       Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert:

     SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

       This Act may be cited as the ``Joshua Omvig Veterans 
     Suicide Prevention Act''.

     SEC. 2. SENSE OF CONGRESS.

       It is the sense of Congress that--
       (1) suicide among veterans suffering from post-traumatic 
     stress disorder (in this section referred to as ``PTSD'') is 
     a serious problem; and
       (2) the Secretary of Veterans Affairs should take into 
     consideration the special needs of veterans suffering from 
     PTSD and the special needs of elderly veterans who are at 
     high risk for depression and experience high rates of suicide 
     in developing and implementing the comprehensive program 
     under this Act.

     SEC. 3. COMPREHENSIVE PROGRAM FOR SUICIDE PREVENTION AMONG 
                   VETERANS.

       (a) In General.--
       (1) Comprehensive program for suicide prevention among 
     veterans.--Chapter 17 of

[[Page H11869]]

     title 38, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end 
     the following new section:

     ``Sec. 1720F. Comprehensive program for suicide prevention 
       among veterans

       ``(a) Establishment.--The Secretary shall develop and carry 
     out a comprehensive program designed to reduce the incidence 
     of suicide among veterans incorporating the components 
     described in this section.
       ``(b) Staff Education.--In carrying out the comprehensive 
     program under this section, the Secretary shall provide for 
     mandatory training for appropriate staff and contractors 
     (including all medical personnel) of the Department who 
     interact with veterans. This training shall cover information 
     appropriate to the duties being performed by such staff and 
     contractors. The training shall include information on--
       ``(1) recognizing risk factors for suicide;
       ``(2) proper protocols for responding to crisis situations 
     involving veterans who may be at high risk for suicide; and
       ``(3) best practices for suicide prevention.
       ``(c) Health Assessments of Veterans.--In carrying out the 
     comprehensive program, the Secretary shall direct that 
     medical staff offer mental health in their overall health 
     assessment when veterans seek medical care at a Department 
     medical facility (including a center established under 
     section 1712A of this title) and make referrals, at the 
     request of the veteran concerned, to appropriate counseling 
     and treatment programs for veterans who show signs or 
     symptoms of mental health problems.
       ``(d) Designation of Suicide Prevention Counselors.--In 
     carrying out the comprehensive program, the Secretary shall 
     designate a suicide prevention counselor at each Department 
     medical facility other than centers established under section 
     1712A of this title. Each counselor shall work with local 
     emergency rooms, police departments, mental health 
     organizations, and veterans service organizations to engage 
     in outreach to veterans and improve the coordination of 
     mental health care to veterans.
       ``(e) Best Practices Research.--In carrying out the 
     comprehensive program, the Secretary shall provide for 
     research on best practices for suicide prevention among 
     veterans. Research shall be conducted under this subsection 
     in consultation with the heads of the following entities:
       ``(1) The Department of Health and Human Services.
       ``(2) The National Institute of Mental Health.
       ``(3) The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services 
     Administration.
       ``(4) The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
       ``(f) Sexual Trauma Research.--In carrying out the 
     comprehensive program, the Secretary shall provide for 
     research on mental health care for veterans who have 
     experienced sexual trauma while in military service. The 
     research design shall include consideration of veterans of a 
     reserve component.
       ``(g) 24-Hour Mental Health Care.--In carrying out the 
     comprehensive program, the Secretary shall provide for mental 
     health care availability to veterans on a 24-hour basis.
       ``(h) Hotline.--In carrying out the comprehensive program, 
     the Secretary may provide for a toll-free hotline for 
     veterans to be staffed by appropriately trained mental health 
     personnel and available at all times.
       ``(i) Outreach and Education for Veterans and Families.--In 
     carrying out the comprehensive program, the Secretary shall 
     provide for outreach to and education for veterans and the 
     families of veterans, with special emphasis on providing 
     information to veterans of Operation Iraqi Freedom and 
     Operation Enduring Freedom and the families of such veterans. 
     Education to promote mental health shall include information 
     designed to--
       ``(1) remove the stigma associated with mental illness;
       ``(2) encourage veterans to seek treatment and assistance 
     for mental illness;
       ``(3) promote skills for coping with mental illness; and
       ``(4) help families of veterans with--
       ``(A) understanding issues arising from the readjustment of 
     veterans to civilian life;
       ``(B) identifying signs and symptoms of mental illness; and
       ``(C) encouraging veterans to seek assistance for mental 
     illness.
       ``(j) Peer Support Counseling Program.--(1) In carrying out 
     the comprehensive program, the Secretary may establish and 
     carry out a peer support counseling program, under which 
     veterans shall be permitted to volunteer as peer counselors--
       ``(A) to assist other veterans with issues related to 
     mental health and readjustment; and
       ``(B) to conduct outreach to veterans and the families of 
     veterans.
       ``(2) In carrying out the peer support counseling program 
     under this subsection, the Secretary shall provide adequate 
     training for peer counselors.
       ``(k) Other Components.--In carrying out the comprehensive 
     program, the Secretary may provide for other actions to 
     reduce the incidence of suicide among veterans that the 
     Secretary considers appropriate.''.
       (2) Clerical amendment.--The table of sections at the 
     beginning of such chapter is amended by adding at the end the 
     following new item:

``1720F. Comprehensive program for suicide prevention among 
              veterans.''.
       (b) Report to Congress.--
       (1) Report required.--Not later than 90 days after the date 
     of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans 
     Affairs shall submit to Congress a report on the 
     comprehensive program under section 1720F of title 38, United 
     States Code, as added by subsection (a).
       (2) Contents of report.--The report shall contain the 
     following:
       (A) Information on the status of the implementation of such 
     program.
       (B) Information on the time line and costs for complete 
     implementation of the program within two years.
       (C) A plan for additional programs and activities designed 
     to reduce the occurrence of suicide among veterans.
       (D) Recommendations for further legislation or 
     administrative action that the Secretary considers 
     appropriate to improve suicide prevention programs within the 
     Department of Veterans Affairs.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
California (Mr. Filner) and the gentleman from Arkansas (Mr. Boozman) 
each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from California.
  Mr. FILNER. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself 5 minutes.
  Mr. Speaker, before I introduce the author of the legislation, I just 
want to say in introduction, unfortunately, suicide prevention has 
become a major part of our responsibilities to both active duty and our 
veterans.
  It is a terrible statistic, Mr. Speaker, but as many Vietnam veterans 
have now committed suicide as died in the original war. That is over 
58,000. We have to do as a Nation a better job. The Army just announced 
recently that the suicide rate among active duty and recently 
discharged has now reached Vietnam proportions. So we have to do a far 
better job and we intend to do that.
  The author of the original legislation, Mr. Boswell from Iowa, saw 
this very clearly and introduced this bill.
  Mr. Speaker, one of the top priorities of the Committee on Veterans' 
Affairs in this Congress is to address the needs of our returning 
servicemembers. The House passed H.R. 327, the Joshua Omvig Veterans 
Suicide Prevention Act, on March 21st of this year. I'm pleased the 
Senate also made it a priority to act on this important legislation. I 
believe the bill shows a clear compromise in our efforts to provide 
help to those in need.
  One of the most pressing issues facing our men and women is mental 
health care. I believe that if we send our men and women off to war, we 
must, as a nation, do all we can to address their health care needs 
when they return. We cannot ask them to fight and then forget them when 
they return from battle. Veterans suffer a higher risk of suicide than 
the general population. The stress of combat, combined with the stigma 
that exists for servicemembers and veterans seeking mental health care 
services can have disastrous consequences.
  We must do everything possible to improve the VA's mental health 
services, and its ability to detect, and help, those veterans most at 
risk. H.R. 327 will provide the important tools to assist the VA in 
strengthening suicide prevention, education, and awareness programs 
within the VA by mandating a comprehensive program for suicide 
prevention among veterans.
  I thank my colleague Mr. Boswell for introducing this bill, and I 
thank my colleagues for their support.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman 
from Iowa (Mr. Boswell).
  Mr. BOSWELL. I thank the chairman for yielding.
  Mr. Speaker, this is a very important moment for our veterans as we 
think of their service to our country. Of course, we all wouldn't be 
here, I believe, I think we would agree with that, if it wasn't for our 
veterans, who have been willing to put it on the line.
  Mr. Speaker, as Chairman Filner has spoken here, this legislation 
came up after a very tragic thing. Joshua Omvig, returning after an 11-
month tour, a good young fellow, a member of the Grundy Center 
Volunteer Fire Department, the Grundy Center Police Reserves, he was 
concerned about the safety of others, but because of the situation, he 
took his life.
  I can't help but be thoughtful of Ellen, his mother.

                              {time}  1230

  She would like to have had more training. She knew there was a 
problem, and so did his dad. She was with Josh when he went out to his 
pickup truck that day to go to work to try to talk to him, to try to 
help. And he took his life right in her presence.
  Well, they could have just kind of backed off in their great grief 
and sorrow and done nothing, but we reached out to them and they 
reached back. They want to participate in doing something for others. 
And so out of that came what is now known as H.R. 327. It is pretty 
simple: Improve early detection for incidence of suicide among 
veterans, provide those veterans

[[Page H11870]]

with the assistance they need, which was not there for Joshua.
  This bill also requires the Veterans Administration to develop a 
comprehensive program to address the rate of suicide among veterans. 
And it also underscores the importance for further research, peer 
counseling, family education and involvement, and education for all 
staff at the Veterans Administration. There is an urgent need for this 
bill to pass.
  You have heard the report that Mr. Filner gave us. The statistics are 
astounding. Stress disorder has jumped like 70 percent.
  Also, I want to thank our two Iowa Senators, Senator Harkin and 
Senator Grassley, for their support; and I especially want to thank 
Randy and Ellen Omvig, the mom and dad of Joshua. They have suffered a 
lot over this, as we all would. But at the same time, they found the 
courage and strength to want to help others and want to reach out. They 
want to do anything they can possibly do to prevent this from happening 
to another individual and another family.
  It is almost with relief for me, Mr. Speaker, that we are passing 
this today and moving it on because we know there are hundreds of other 
veterans out there who need help, and this ought to set that in motion. 
There is no doubt there is more we can do, but this is a good 
beginning. With that, I would like to yield back and let other Members 
speak to this very important piece of legislation.
  Mr. BOOZMAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 327, the Joshua Omvig Veterans 
Suicide Prevention Act as amended by the Senate. I also want to thank 
Mr. Boswell for his hard work in bringing this forward.
  H.R. 327 was originally passed by the House unanimously in March. The 
legislation was slightly modified by the Senate to ensure that 
referrals for mental health counseling and treatment considered the 
request of the veteran concerned.
  Preventing suicide among our veterans is a top priority of this 
Congress and the Nation. The Veterans Health Administration estimates 
there are 1,000 suicides per year among veterans receiving VA health 
care, and as many as 5,000 per year among all living veterans. These 
are alarming statistics.
  H.R. 327, as amended, establishes requirements for a multifaceted VA 
suicide prevention plan that strengthens early detection measures, 
staff education initiatives, and counseling and treatment assistance to 
reach out and help at-risk veterans to prevent suicides among those who 
have so bravely served our Nation.
  VA has already begun to implement a national suicide prevention 
lifeline as required by this legislation. The hotline became 
operational in July of this year. Veterans experiencing thoughts of 
suicide can call 1-800-273-TALK (8255) for help. The first call, 
according to the VA, was received on July 25. Since that time and 
through September 1, as a result of calls to the suicide prevention 
hotline, 346 callers were referred to a VA suicide prevention 
coordinator, and there were 56 rescues.
  Mr. Speaker, H.R. 327, as amended, is important legislation that 
responds to the need to strengthen suicide prevention, education and 
awareness programs within the VA. I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 
327, as amended.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. FILNER. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from 
Illinois (Mr. Hare).
  Mr. HARE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 327, 
the Joshua Omvig Veterans Suicide Prevention Act.
  I would like to express my heartfelt appreciation to the family of 
Joshua, both for their tireless efforts to pass this legislation and 
for their son's brave service to our Nation.
  Too many soldiers are returning from the battlefield with hidden 
injuries. According to the Department of Defense, 60,000 troops have 
been diagnosed with posttraumatic stress disorder or traumatic brain 
injuries. Sadly, only a small number of our veterans receive or seek 
the help that they need.
  H.R. 327 strengthens cooperation between the Departments of Defense 
and Veterans Affairs, it creates a comprehensive program to screen 
veterans for mental health and suicide risk factors, and increases 
training for suicide prevention.
  This bill is the first step in ensuring that we treat the 
psychological wounds of our troops by improving mental health 
coordination and our outreach to veterans. I urge all of my colleagues 
to join me in voting for H.R. 327.
  Mr. BOOZMAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman from 
Florida (Ms. Ginny Brown-Waite).
  Ms. GINNY BROWN-WAITE of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to 
express my overwhelming support for H.R. 327. This bill addresses a 
glaring need for mental health support at the Department of Veterans 
Affairs.
  Medical personnel easily identify and treat physical injuries related 
to combat. However, more difficult to identify are those brave men and 
women that bear the mental scars of war. Posttraumatic stress disorder 
is a very real and potentially deadly condition if not properly 
treated.
  The reality is we as a Nation ask a great deal of the men and women 
who serve in our Armed Forces. They deal with extreme conditions, heavy 
body armor and separation from their families. In addition, these 
soldiers are constantly looking over their shoulders not knowing when 
or where the next attack or IED will come from. Many times, they 
witness firsthand the deaths of those they serve beside.
  Under these extreme conditions, it is no wonder that those who have 
served so bravely come home and find it very difficult to put these 
experiences behind them. PTSD is gaining more attention, and rightly 
so.
  As a member of the House Veterans Affairs' Committee, we are seeing 
more servicemembers returning home with these types of stress 
disorders. If not properly treated, those suffering from PTSD may turn 
to drugs or alcohol to cope. Some may even take their life.
  That is why the Joshua Omvig Suicide Prevention Act is such an 
important piece of legislation. It ensures when a veteran is having 
trouble with any mental illness they have a place to turn. It ensures 
that at each VA medical facility there is a designated suicide 
prevention counselor who will engage in community outreach to veterans 
and improve the coordination of mental health services.
  The bill also makes available mental health care 24 hours a day, 7 
days a week. There is also a toll-free hotline for veterans staffed by 
appropriate mental health personnel.
  In conclusion, Mr. Speaker, H.R. 327 provides a necessary service to 
our Nation's veterans, and I would urge all of my colleagues to support 
this measure.
  Mr. FILNER. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman from 
Nevada (Ms. Berkley).
  Ms. BERKLEY. I thank the chairman of the VA Committee for yielding me 
this time.
  I rise in strong support of H.R. 327, the Joshua Omvig Veterans 
Suicide Prevention Act. I listened to what Mr. Boswell had to say. He 
is the prime sponsor of the bill. I heard him in committee and I heard 
him again on the floor, and I appreciate so much the fact that he has 
brought this to Congress' attention. And a special thank you to 
Joshua's family and his parents. I am not sure if my child had 
committed suicide after his service in Iraq that I would have the 
strength to not only go on as they have, but to try to bring PTSD to 
the attention of the American people and actually do something about 
it.
  I want to share why this is important to me and why I am supporting 
this bill. More than 1,600 Nevada veterans have returned from serving 
in Iraq and Afghanistan. Many of these brave men and women suffer from 
PTSD. Nationally, one in five veterans returning from Iraq and 
Afghanistan are suffering from PTSD; 35 percent have been diagnosed 
with some sort of mental disorder. It is vital that our veterans 
receive the help they need to deal with this condition.
  A few years ago a constituent of mine, Lance Corporal Justin Bailey, 
returned from Iraq with some physical injuries as well as a diagnosis 
of PTSD. He struggled with addiction to legal prescription and illegal 
drugs. After consultation with his parents, he checked himself into the 
West L.A. VA facility where he was given five additional prescription 
drugs, including

[[Page H11871]]

methadone, without proper oversight. The next day, the man was dead.
  I can't understand, it is incomprehensible to me why a facility would 
give anyone with a substance abuse problem a 30-day supply of 
medication unsupervised under a self-medication policy. This 
devastating loss of life could have been and should have been 
prevented. This is a systemic problem in our VA system, and that's why 
this issue needs immediate attention.
  One other quick story, if you can call it a story. About a month ago 
I called a grandmother in Pahrump, Nevada. It is a small town outside 
of Las Vegas. Her grandson lived with her. He came home from his first 
tour of duty in Iraq, and he was messed up mentally. He was suffering 
from PTSD. It was apparent to anybody who spoke to him. He didn't want 
to go back. He felt he couldn't handle it. He was emotionally and 
physically drained, and he begged not to go back.
  So the military's response was they gave him Prozac because he was 
depressed and they sent him back to the front lines in Iraq. The day he 
got back to Iraq, he blew his brains out. That is a very difficult 
thing to come to grips with if you are the grandmother of a grandson 
who begged you not to let him go back to Iraq.
  We have problems with PTSD. It is imperative that we provide adequate 
mental health services for those who have and are currently sacrificing 
for our great Nation. This bill takes a step in the right direction in 
providing our veterans with the health care they have earned.
  Mr. BOOZMAN. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. FILNER. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to Mr. Walz of Minnesota.
  Mr. WALZ of Minnesota. Mr. Speaker, I thank Chairman Filner for his 
strong support of this piece of legislation and to all members of the 
committee. Mr. Boozman has been a strong supporter of our veterans, and 
I appreciate the support for this piece of legislation.
  Mr. Boswell so clearly illustrated the need for this piece of 
legislation. I urge my colleagues to stand in support of this 
compromise that has come back from the Senate, and thank Senator Harkin 
for moving it towards us.
  As I spoke on this piece of legislation in March, the numbers show 
that veterans' suicide and mental health issues are urgent issues that 
require Congress' immediate attention. Although veterans make up 10 
percent of our population, one in five people who commits suicide in 
the United States is a veteran.
  A full 35 percent of our veterans returning from Iraq are seeking 
counseling for mental health issues within the first year. PTSD is fast 
becoming a signature injury of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, and 
the Veterans' Affairs Committee has seen in countless hearings that the 
need to expand care is there.
  H.R. 327 will meet this need. By directing the Department of Veterans 
Affairs to offer mental health screening to veterans, providing 
education to VA staff, contractors and medical personnel, and making 
available 24-hour mental health care for veterans who are at risk, we 
will alleviate some of these hardships.
  I urge my colleagues to support this legislation because of the 
critical service it will provide. Although we often have bitter debates 
in this House and are deeply divided over issues like the war in Iraq, 
there is one issue that we all agree on and has the potential to unite 
us and this Nation, and that is the care for our veterans. No one in 
this body questions the incredible sacrifice each of the veterans has 
made on behalf of the United States. And no one questions the 
responsibility that we have in Congress to provide them with the 
resources and the help necessary to live healthy and prosperous lives.
  With this legislation, the 110th Congress will again demonstrate its 
commitment on behalf of our veterans.
  Mr. BOOZMAN. Mr. Speaker, I continue to reserve the balance of my 
time.
  Mr. FILNER. Other Members from the State of Iowa want to express 
support for the Iowa family that helped inspire this legislation. I 
would yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Iowa (Mr. Braley).
  (Mr. BRALEY of Iowa asked and was given permission to revise and 
extend his remarks.)

                              {time}  1245

  Mr. BRALEY of Iowa. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for the 
opportunity to address this very important issue, and I want to 
congratulate and thank my colleague and friend, Congressman Boswell, 
for his persistence in seeing this bill to its conclusion and, again, 
thank the ranking member for the bipartisan support for this bill.
  One of the most moving experiences I've had in this body is standing 
on the floor when we first spoke about this bill and heard overwhelming 
support and great personal testimony from people on both sides of the 
aisle.
  I want to put a human face on the bill we are talking about. This is 
Joshua Omvig, and these are his parents, Randy and Ellen Omvig. I've 
known Randy and Ellen for almost 20 years. They're warm, caring, decent 
Iowans who loved their son and who are with us here in spirit as this 
bill makes its final journey through Congress on its way to the White 
House.
  Joshua was a brave young man who served in a military police unit in 
Davenport, Iowa, which is in the First District that I happen to 
represent, and Joshua's face has become a national face for the issue 
and the crisis that brings us here today.
  People who deal with post-traumatic stress disorder, especially PTSD 
involving veterans, will tell you this is the hidden combat wound. When 
these veterans return with PTSD, they can be walking on the streets of 
your city, your town, your community; and you will not know that they 
are suffering because of the nature of the disease.
  What's even more significant is that people suffering from PTSD are 
frequently the last people to know they've got a problem, and that's 
why this bill is so important, so that people coming back and veterans 
who are suffering from PTSD get the resources, the early screening and 
the early prevention and intervention necessary to make a difference in 
their lives and to save the next Joshua Omvig who faces this struggle 
without the necessary resources and support.
  I'm proud to be part of this overwhelming bipartisan effort in the 
House of Representatives to take care of our wounded veterans, our 
aging veterans, and our new veterans coming back from Iraq and 
Afghanistan. You've heard the statistics about the overwhelming nature 
of this problem among current combat veterans. That's why this bill is 
so important, and I ask my colleagues to join me today.
  I rise to speak in support of H.R. 327, the Joshua Omvig Veterans 
Suicide Prevention Act. I am proud to be an original cosponsor of this 
crucial legislation, introduced by my friend and colleague from Iowa, 
Congressman Boswell, and I am very pleased that the Senate has acted 
and that the House is again passing this bill today.
  Named in honor of 22-year-old Joshua Omvig, an Army Reservist from 
Iowa who tragically took his own life after serving an 11-month tour of 
duty in Iraq, this legislation is an essential and overdue step in 
ensuring adequate mental health care for our troops who return home 
from serving in combat zones. The need for this legislation could not 
be more urgent, as more and more soldiers are returning home from Iraq 
and Afghanistan suffering from PTSD, TBI, and other combat-related 
mental health problems.
  This bill is very near to my heart, as I know Joshua's parents, Randy 
and Ellen Omvig, very well. It is my hope that the passage of this bill 
in the House today means that the tragic death of their son will not be 
in vain.
  I would like to thank Congressman Boswell for his leadership on this 
bill, and the Omvigs for their tremendous advocacy and commitment. I 
urge all of my colleagues to vote in favor of this bill today, and I 
urge President Bush to swiftly sign this bill into law so that we can 
give all of our returning veterans--who have sacrificed so much for our 
country--the mental health care and treatment that they deserve.
  Mr. FILNER. Mr. Speaker, I would like to yield 2 minutes to another 
gentleman from Iowa (Mr. Loebsack) to add his support.
  Mr. LOEBSACK. Thank you, Chairman Filner, and thank you, Congressman 
Boswell, Congressman Braley, and Congressman Boozman, for your 
bipartisan support on this bill.
  I rise today in strong support of H.R. 327, the Joshua Omvig Suicide 
Prevention Act.
  This bill was one of the very first bills that I cosponsored as a new 
Member of Congress, and I did so because I

[[Page H11872]]

believe we have a moral obligation to care for those who have worn our 
country's uniform. Indeed, just yesterday, early yesterday, I visited 
the mental health unit at our military hospital in Landstuhl, Germany.
  The incidence of suicide among our Nation's veterans is indeed 
staggering. In fact, it has reached the highest rate in 28 years, and 
we've already heard about Joshua Omvig, himself one of Iowa's own.
  By directing the VA to implement screening, counseling, and other 
mental health services for returning veterans, this legislation will 
reach those who are most in need of our help.
  I urge the passage of this legislation, and I urge the President to 
quickly sign it into law so that these vital mental health services can 
reach our Nation's veterans.
  Mr. FILNER. We have no further speakers except my closing, if the 
gentleman would like to close.
  Mr. BOOZMAN. Mr. Speaker, again, I want to thank Congressman Boswell 
for his hard work in bringing this forward, Chairman Filner, Ranking 
Member Buyer, Mr. Michaud, Mr. Miller, all of them for reaching a 
compromise with the Senate as we go forward on this.
  I think this is a great example that out of a terrible tragedy 
something good can happen, and we've heard the story of this young guy, 
and because of his tragedy, because of that family's tragedy, hopefully 
in putting programs like this in place we will help other families, 
other individuals, other service men not go through this and prevent 
future tragedies.
  So, again, I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' and urge the 
President to sign this so that we can go forward completely.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.


                             General Leave

  Mr. FILNER. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may 
have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and 
include extraneous material on H.R. 327, as amended.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from California?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. FILNER. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank Mr. Boswell for his ongoing 
support.
  As a Nation, in the name of Joshua Omvig and for his family and for 
all the families who have suffered from suicide, we have got to do a 
better job as a Nation. We have just got to do a better job. We know 
what will happen if we fail.
  Vietnam veterans have paid a heavy price for our refusal to look at 
mental health as important as physical health, for our refusal to look 
into the souls of our young veterans and recognize that they are crying 
out for help.
  So we have to get this right, and this is a good step in doing it.
  Again, I thank Mr. Boswell and all the Iowa Representatives for 
taking a tragedy that befell Joshua Omvig and his family and turning it 
into a positive that will help all of us in America achieve better 
health care for our veterans.
  I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 327.
  Mr. LATHAM. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of the Joshua Omvig 
Veterans Suicide Prevention Act. I first want to thank my friend and 
colleague Leonard Boswell for his service to our Nation, and his 
efforts to bring this legislation forward on behalf of Iowa veterans. I 
was pleased to be an original cosponsor of this legislation when it was 
introduced.
  The bill contains many important provisions to ensure that the VA 
health system is better equipped to identify soldiers at risk for 
suicide and respond with appropriate counseling and care. The bill also 
mobilizes federal government agencies to pool their expertise on this 
issue in order to identify the best strategies for suicide prevention.
  The bill is named in honor of SPC Joshua Omvig, who served his 
country as part of the Army Reserve 339th Military Police Company from 
Davenport, IA. A little over a year after his return from a tour in 
Iraq, Joshua Omvig took his own life on December 22, 2005. While his 
death was tragic, we are grateful for his service to our Nation.
  Our soldiers encounter enormous stress and mental health challenges 
in the course of their duties. We have a crucial obligation to do all 
we can to ensure that our veterans are given proper care and to prevent 
such tragedies from occurring.
  No one has done more to secure our Nation's freedom than our veterans 
and military personnel. Their sacrifice and service must be matched 
with greater commitment to them on our part. With that, I urge my 
colleagues to support H.R. 327.
  Mr. EMANUEL. Mr. Speaker, today I rise in strong support of H.R. 327, 
the Joshua Omvig Veterans Suicide Prevention Act. As our soldiers 
continue to defend our country's freedom overseas, it is imperative 
that we at home continue to recognize their sacrifice by providing them 
with the support and services that they have earned.
  H.R. 327 is named after an Iraq veteran Joshua Omvig, a 22-year-old 
Army Reservist who served honorably in Iraq, but returned home unable 
to cope with his memories of the war. Only months after his return from 
Iraq, he committed suicide.
  The story of Joshua Omvig is not an isolated occurrence. In 2004, a 
study conducted by the New England Study of Medicine concluded that 
over 15 percent of veterans returning from a year in Iraq met screening 
criteria for major depression, generalized anxiety, or post traumatic 
stress disorder. Today, our soldiers are serving much longer than a 
single year and are returning from combat with severe psychological 
trauma.
  H.R. 327 implements a comprehensive program that takes into 
consideration the special needs of veterans who are at high risk of 
depression and experience high rates of suicide. By directing and 
training the staff of Veterans Affairs in the proper screening, 
monitoring, and tracking of veterans, this legislation will lead to 
earlier diagnosis for those who may be prone to suicide.
  Mr. Speaker, we have a responsibility to support our Nation's 
veterans. I stand in strong support of H.R. 327, and I encourage my 
colleagues to join me in voting for the Joshua Omvig Suicide Prevention 
Act.
  Mr. VAN HOLLEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 327, the 
Joshua Omvig Veterans Suicide Prevention Act.
  Mr. Speaker, the measures in this bill are designed to reduce the 
alarming incidence of suicides among our vets. According to a recent 
study conducted by Portland State University, male U.S. military 
veterans are twice as likely to commit suicide as men who haven't 
served in the armed forces. The report is a painful reminder of why we 
must adopt the measures outlined in this bill to assist our military 
personnel returning from Afghanistan and Iraq.
  The Portland State study followed 320,000 men over age 18 for 12 
years collecting data on those who participated in the National Health 
Interview Survey. The researchers found that men who had served in the 
military at some time between 1917 and 1994 were twice as likely to die 
from suicide than men in the general population. In addition, veterans 
who committed suicide were more likely to be older, white, better 
educated, and married. But the report offered few clear indicators for 
the high suicide rates. That in part is the purpose of this 
legislation--to locate the root cause of the high suicide rates and to 
reverse the situation.
  There are approximately 25 million veterans in the United States, and 
5 million veterans who receive care within the Veteran's Health 
Administration (VHA). Based on CDC data, VHA mental health officials 
estimate 1000 suicides per year among veterans receiving care with VHA 
and as many as 5000 per year among all living veterans.
  Representative Boswell's bill is a bipartisan effort to get at the 
root of this troubling trend and to find solutions.
  This bill requires the Veterans Administration to consider the 
special needs of veterans who suffer from post traumatic stress 
disorder and mandates the development and implementation of a 
comprehensive program to reduce the incidence of suicide among all 
veterans.
  The bill accomplishes this by requiring that appropriate Veterans 
Administration staff are able to recognize risk factors for suicide and 
are aware of the proper protocols and best practices for responding to 
crisis situations involving veterans who may be at high risk.
  The legislation also requires the designation of a suicide prevention 
counselor at each department medical facility and authorizes the 
availability of 24-hour mental health care; a hotline, staffed with 
trained mental health personnel; and expanded outreach and education 
services for veterans and their families.
  We must put an end to this tragedy affecting the many vulnerable men 
and women who have worn our country's uniform and who serve this 
country proudly today. I believe this legislation is an important step 
in that direction, and I am happy to support it.
  Mr. SHULER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 327, the 
Joshua Omvig Veterans Suicide Prevention Act, which will expand 
suicide-prevention services to our nation's veterans.
  Joshua Omvig was an Army Reservist who committed suicide in 2005 
after serving his

[[Page H11873]]

Nation in Iraq. My thoughts and prayers are with the family of this 
fallen hero, who have responded to this tragedy by championing efforts 
to improve mental health care for returning war veterans.
  It is widely understood that suicide among veterans suffering from 
post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a serious and pressing problem 
facing our veterans' community. Our Nation's men and women returning 
from service abroad deserve the highest quality care that this Nation 
can provide, including access to top quality mental health programs.
  H.R. 327 directs the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to take a 
comprehensive approach to combating the negative long-term effects of 
PTSD.
  Specifically, this Act requires the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to 
develop a program that includes screening for suicide risk factors for 
veterans receiving medical care at all Department facilities, referral 
services for at-risk veterans for counseling and treatment, designation 
of a suicide prevention counselor at each Department facility, a 24-
hour veterans' mental health care availability, peer support 
counseling, and mental health counseling program for veterans who have 
experienced sexual trauma while in military service.
  I ask my colleagues to join me in supporting this measure to improve 
suicide-prevention programs through the Department of Veterans Affairs. 
I commend the House and Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee for their 
hard work on this bill.
  Mr. FILNER. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from California (Mr. Filner) that the House suspend the rules 
and concur in the Senate amendment to the bill, H.R. 327.
  The question was taken.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds 
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
  Mr. FILNER. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
  The yeas and nays were ordered.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX and the 
Chair's prior announcement, further proceedings on this motion will be 
postponed.

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