[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 161 (Wednesday, December 8, 2010)]
[House]
[Pages H8102-H8104]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




              RECOGNIZING EFFORTS OF WELCOME BACK VETERANS

  Mr. DONNELLY of Indiana. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and 
agree to the resolution (H. Res. 1746) recognizing and supporting the 
efforts of Welcome Back Veterans to augment the services provided by 
the Departments of Defense and Veterans Affairs in providing timely and 
world-class care for veterans and members of the Armed Forces suffering 
from PTSD and related psychiatric disorders, as amended.
  The Clerk read the title of the resolution.
  The text of the resolution is as follows:

                              H. Res. 1746

       Whereas the Boston Red Sox Foundation has been augmenting 
     the Departments of Defense and Veterans' Affairs in providing 
     care for veterans and members of the Armed Forces suffering 
     from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and related 
     psychiatric disorders;
       Whereas members of all components of the United States 
     Armed Forces have been serving honorably in Iraq and 
     Afghanistan since 2001;
       Whereas deployed soldiers frequently and continually engage 
     in high-intensity combat operations, exposing them to 
     potential triggers for PTSD or other psychiatric conditions;
       Whereas the prevalence of clinically diagnosed cases of 
     PTSD in veterans who have served in Iraq or Afghanistan 
     ranges from 1.5 to 9 percent, depending on exposure risk 
     factors, and the prevalence of PTSD symptoms in such 
     veterans, based on self-reported surveys, ranges from 4.2 to 
     26 percent depending on exposure risk factors;
       Whereas those with PTSD are at higher risk for developing 
     other psychological disorders, such as depression, more 
     likely to engage in self-destructive behaviors, such as 
     alcohol and substance abuse;
       Whereas PTSD has been associated with unemployment and a 
     work productivity loss;
       Whereas PTSD, left untreated, may exact an additional toll 
     on individuals, families, and society;
       Whereas veterans and active members of the United States 
     Armed Forces are a distinguished and honored part of our 
     society and deserve special recognition and treatment for 
     their sacrifices on our behalf;
       Whereas the Committee on Veterans' Affairs of the House of 
     Representatives encourages and actively seeks innovative 
     treatments for PTSD and traumatic brain injury (TBI);
       Whereas Major League Baseball, in partnership with the 
     McCormick Foundation, the Entertainment Industry Foundation, 
     and University Hospitals at Weill Cornell, the University of 
     Michigan and Stanford University have founded Welcome Back 
     Veterans, a not-for-profit organization committed to creating 
     a national network of centers to provide the best care to 
     veterans, and funding groundbreaking research to limit the 
     scope of PTSD;
       Whereas the Boston Red Sox Foundation independently founded 
     a program to provide PTSD treatment for veterans in 
     conjunction with Massachusetts General Hospital;
       Whereas Welcome Back Veterans through Major League Baseball 
     Charities and the Boston Red Sox Foundation have funded 
     efforts at four hospitals and universities--Massachusetts 
     General in Boston, Weill Cornell in New York, the University 
     of Michigan, and Stanford University in California;
       Whereas Major League Baseball and the Boston Red Sox 
     Foundation have already raised $15,000,000 in private funding 
     to support treatment, research, and innovation in PTSD care 
     through grants to other service organizations;
       Whereas the University of Michigan has already begun 
     treatment of hundreds of members of the Armed Forces and 
     veterans in a new buddy-to-buddy program;
       Whereas Massachusetts General is providing evaluations and 
     treatment to local veterans with PTSD and TBI, family 
     counseling, and outreach for family members of veterans 
     affected by these two conditions;
       Whereas Massachusetts General, Weill Cornell, and Stanford 
     University are doing ongoing research to improve treatments 
     and community education of health workers, clergy, social 
     workers, human resource providers, and others;
       Whereas the Department of Veterans Affairs provides some 
     counseling services to family members of those suffering from 
     PTSD;
       Whereas the University of Michigan and Massachusetts 
     General are providing counseling and related services to 
     family members of those suffering from PTSD;
       Whereas 5,000 veterans and members of the Armed Forces are 
     already receiving help through the Welcome Back Veterans 
     program; and
       Whereas Welcome Back Veterans is committed to a public-
     private partnership with appropriate government agencies to 
     continue to expand their work and outreach: Now, therefore, 
     be it
       Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
       (1) recognizes and supports the efforts of Welcome Back 
     Veterans to augment the services provided by the Departments 
     of Defense and Veterans Affairs in providing timely and 
     world-class care for veterans and members of the Armed Forces 
     suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder and related 
     psychiatric disorders; and
       (2) encourages the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to 
     establish innovative public-private partnerships for the 
     treatment and research of post-traumatic stress disorder in 
     teaching hospitals across the country.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Indiana (Mr. Donnelly) and the gentleman from Tennessee (Mr. Roe) each 
will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Indiana.


                             General Leave

  Mr. DONNELLY of Indiana. 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 House Resolution 1746, 
as amended.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Indiana?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. DONNELLY of Indiana. I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, before I talk about the importance of the resolution 
before us today, I want to thank the Committee on Armed Services for 
working with us to bring this resolution to the floor and would ask 
that the exchange of letters waiving jurisdiction between the Committee 
on Veterans' Affairs and the Committee on Armed Services be inserted 
into the Congressional Record.
  Mr. Speaker, we are all aware that post-traumatic stress disorder, 
PTSD, is one of the signature wounds of Operation New Dawn and 
Operation Enduring Freedom. Countless reports and studies bear out this 
statement. Most significantly, a 2008 study released by the RAND 
Corporation reported that one in five veterans of the wars in Iraq or 
Afghanistan are suffering from PTSD. Studies by other experts and by 
the VA itself demonstrate how widespread and serious PTSD is; and as 
more servicemembers return home, the problem will only grow larger.
  VA has made important strides in the treatment of PTSD. They boast 
providers throughout the Nation who offer excellent care for PTSD and 
researchers who have found innovative, ground-breaking new treatments 
as well. But VA cannot combat PTSD alone. Dedicated advocates and 
organizations throughout the country are committed to doing their part 
to help provide care for our veterans.
  Welcome Back Veterans has answered this call to service. The 
partnership between Major League Baseball, the McCormick Foundation, 
the Entertainment Industry Foundation and the university hospitals at 
Weill Cornell, the University of Michigan, Stanford University, and the 
Massachusetts Institute of Technology have already made tremendous 
accomplishments on behalf of our veterans.
  They have raised over $15 million for PTSD treatment and research and 
are working closely with hospitals in Massachusetts, New York, 
Michigan, and California to help provide care to over 5,000 
servicemembers. But for all the great things that Welcome Back Veterans 
has accomplished, I know they are poised to do so much more. They are 
continuing to work hard to care for our veterans, and I look forward to 
watching them continue with these efforts.

[[Page H8103]]

  Welcome Back Veterans deserves our formal recognition for the great 
work they have done. I urge you to join me in offering my gratitude to 
Welcome Back Veterans by supporting House Resolution 1746.

         House Committee on Armed Services, House of 
           Representatives,
                                 Washington, DC, December 7, 2010.
     Hon. Bob Filner,
     Chairman, Committee on Veterans' Affairs, House of 
         Representatives, Washington, DC.
       Dear Chairman Filner: I am writing to you concerning H. 
     Res. 1746, recognizing and supporting the efforts of Welcome 
     Back Veterans to augment the services provided by the 
     Departments of Defense and Veterans' Affairs in providing 
     timely and world-class care for veterans and members of the 
     Armed Forces suffering from PTSD and related psychiatric 
     disorders. This measure was referred to the Committee on 
     Veterans' Affairs, and in addition to the Committee on Armed 
     Services, 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.
       Our committee recognizes the importance of H. Res. 1746, 
     and the need for the resolution to move expeditiously. 
     Therefore, while we have a valid claim to jurisdiction over 
     this legislation, the Committee on Armed Services will waive 
     further consideration of H. Res. 1746. I do so with the 
     understanding that by waiving consideration of the 
     resolution, the Committee on Armed Services does not waive 
     any future jurisdictional claim over the subject matters 
     contained in the resolution which fall within its Rule X 
     jurisdiction.
       Please place this letter and a copy of your response into 
     the Congressional Record during consideration of the measure 
     on the House floor. Thank you for the cooperative spirit in 
     which you have worked regarding this matter and others 
     between our respective committees.
           Very truly yours,
                                                      Ike Skelton,
     Chairman.
                                  ____

                                         House of Representatives,


                               Committee on Veterans' Affairs,

                                 Washington, DC, December 7, 2010.
     Hon. Ike Skelton,
     Chairman, Committee on Armed Services, House of 
         Representatives, Washington, DC.
       Dear Chairman Skelton: Thank you for your letter regarding 
     House Resolution 1746, ``Recognizing and supporting the 
     efforts of Welcome Back Veterans to augment the services 
     provided by the Departments of Defense and Veterans' Affairs 
     in providing timely and world-class care for veterans and 
     members of the Armed Forces suffering from PTSD and related 
     psychiatric disorders.'' This measure was referred to the 
     Committee on Veterans' Affairs and sequentially referred to 
     the Committee on Armed Services.
       I agree that the Committee on Armed Services has certain 
     valid jurisdictional claims to this resolution, and I 
     appreciate your decision to waive further consideration of H. 
     Res. 1746 in the interest of expediting consideration of this 
     important measure. I agree that by agreeing to waive further 
     consideration, the Committee on Armed Services is not waiving 
     its jurisdictional claims over similar measures in the 
     future.
       During consideration of this measure on the House floor, I 
     will ask that this exchange of letters be included in the 
     Congressional Record.
           Sincerely,
                                                       Bob Filner,
                                                         Chairman.

  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. ROE of Tennessee. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself as much time as I 
may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of House Resolution 1746, as amended, 
a bill to recognize and support the efforts of the Welcome Back 
Veterans organization to augment the services provided by the 
Department of Defense and Veterans Affairs in providing timely and 
world-class care for veterans and members of the Armed Forces suffering 
from post-traumatic stress disorder and related psychiatric disorders.
  Many of our veterans return from combat in need of assistance due to 
the symptoms related to PTSD. Welcome Back Veterans is engaged in a 
public-private partnership with the Department of Veterans Affairs, the 
Department of Defense, Major League Baseball, the McCormick Foundation 
and university hospitals of Weill Cornell, the University of Michigan, 
and Stanford University to help veterans by addressing the ongoing 
issue of PTSD.

                              {time}  1110

  Nearly 5,000 veterans and members of the Armed Forces are already 
receiving help through the Welcome Back Veterans program. To date, the 
program has raised over $10 million in funding to help improve the 
lives of our veterans and their families. Their Center of Excellence 
initiative looks to continue their commitment to veterans by creating a 
network of university hospitals that specialize in assisting veterans 
who suffer from PTSD.
  House Resolution 1746 would resolve that the House of Representatives 
recognizes and supports the efforts of Welcome Back Veterans and 
encourages the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to establish innovative 
public-private partnerships for the treatment and research of 
posttraumatic stress disorder in teaching hospitals across this 
country.
  Again, I urge my colleagues to support H. Res. 1746.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. DONNELLY of Indiana. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to my good 
friend and colleague from New York (Mr. Israel).
  Mr. ISRAEL. I thank my good friend and former Long Islander, now from 
Indiana, for his leadership and for recognizing me.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of this resolution which I had the 
privilege of introducing and sponsoring. I want to thank the leaders, 
members and staff of the Armed Services Committee and the Veterans' 
Affairs Committee for their support and cooperation on this vitally 
important resolution.
  Mr. Speaker, this resolution recognizes the efforts of Welcome Back 
Veterans in providing critically needed treatment for PTSD to veterans 
and active members of the Armed Forces. Welcome Back Veterans is a 
partnership with Major League Baseball Charities, the Entertainment 
Industry Foundation and the McCormick Foundation. They are creating a 
network of university hospitals to address the mental health needs of 
our servicemembers and their families.
  To date, Welcome Back Veterans has raised over $12 million in private 
funding to support the treatment and research of PTSD through grants to 
other service organizations and has provided treatment to over 5,000 
veterans and active duty servicemembers. They have a broad and 
integrated and innovative approach towards PTSD. And they should, 
because PTSD is known as a ``silent killer.'' One of out of every five 
veterans from Afghanistan and Iraq has been affected. It doesn't always 
have physical symptoms that are easily recognized. It impacts not just 
the servicemember but the family member, loved ones, children. 
Servicemembers and veterans with PTSD are at a higher risk for other 
challenges, such as depression; higher risk of alcohol and drug abuse; 
six times more likely to commit suicide than people without PTSD.
  Mr. Speaker, this is a massive problem and it requires a massive 
response. It's not just the response from the VA and the Department of 
Defense. They are on the front lines of helping those who have been on 
the front lines with PTSD. But it's got to go even broader and deeper 
than that. We need partners. We need university hospitals. We need good 
philanthropic organizations like Major League Baseball Charities and 
the Entertainment Industry Foundation and the McCormick Foundation. 
They have assembled a team that is addressing this critical need, and 
this resolution encourages the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to not 
only support that team but continue to build and expand the public-
private partnerships that will make sure that anybody that we send into 
combat or into the military theater or into the Department of Defense 
who comes back with PTSD has access to treatment and cures.
  I want to thank the gentleman again for his leadership.
  Mr. ROE of Tennessee. Mr. Speaker, in closing, I want to commend 
Congressman Israel for introducing this much needed resolution and also 
as a veteran myself and as a physician, we need to be looking for 
public-private partnerships. I couldn't be happier with this because 
the VA is not meeting the entire need that we have of our veterans 
right now in treating PTSD. We need to look at innovative ways to put 
these young men and women back into the workforce and to help them. And 
certainly not just with the Iraq and Afghanistan war but through the 
Vietnam War and World War II. Many of our troops out there are dealing 
with this very, very serious problem. I want to thank these 
organizations privately for stepping up.
  Ms. FUDGE. Mr. Speaker, I want to take a moment to offer my 
enthusiastic endorsement

[[Page H8104]]

of H. Res. 1746, recognizing and supporting the efforts of the non-
profit organization, Welcome Back Veterans, in supplementing the world-
class care that the Departments of Defense and Veterans' Affairs offer 
to our returning troops. The grassroots efforts of Welcome Back 
Veterans, Major League Baseball and the Boston Red Sox Foundation are 
testaments to the strength of the American spirit and patriotism.
  We all owe our veterans a debt of gratitude that we cannot repay 
easily or quickly. As civilians, we will likely never be able to 
understand the sacrifice our veterans have made to safeguard the 
freedom we enjoy, the freedom that makes our Nation the greatest in the 
world. We can, however, honor our servicemembers by following the 
examples of Welcome Back Veterans by providing the resources they need 
to be healthy.
  Major League Baseball also deserves praise for supporting the Welcome 
Back program for supporting the Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder research 
being done at Massachusetts General in Boston, Weill Cornell in New 
York, the University of Michigan and Stanford University in California. 
These institutions have also moved into previously uncharted space by 
providing supportive services to the families of patients suffering 
from PTSD.
  Additionally, the League recently honored service men and women on 
Veteran's Day. I'm fortunate to represent a veteran who made 
significant contributions to World War II and Major League Baseball, 
Hall of Fame Cleveland Indians' pitcher Bob Feller. Mr. Feller was the 
first major leaguer to volunteer for active duty, enlisting in the Navy 
on Dec. 9, 1941, two days after Pearl Harbor and 36 days after his 23rd 
birthday. After surviving some of the most violent, and important sea 
battles of the war, Feller returned to the Indians and finished his 
career with 266 wins and 2,581 strikeouts. Mr. Feller, without a doubt, 
was a phenomenal athlete and still is a true patriot. The League's 
honor of him and the other veterans reminds us not to take for granted 
the freedom to have a national pastime.
  I am proud of all the veterans in my Congressional District, and in 
America. Many of these men and women shoulder the psychological burden 
of war long after they return home, and we must not let them do so 
alone. Thanks to the efforts of the Boston Red Sox Foundation, Major 
League Baseball, McCormick Foundation, Entertainment Industry 
Foundation and University Hospitals at Weill Cornell, the University of 
Michigan and Stanford University through Welcome Back Veterans and 
executive agencies, we are making sure our service men and women enjoy 
the quality of life they so bravely defended. Again, I applaud these 
efforts, and challenge members of Congress to continuously build 
public-private partnerships that advance the treatment of PTSD.
  Ms. JACKSON LEE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I stand before you today in 
support of H. Res. 1746, ``Recognizing and supporting the efforts of 
Welcome Back Veterans to augment the services provided by the 
Departments of Defense and Veterans Affairs in providing timely and 
world-class care for veterans and members of the Armed Forces suffering 
from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and related psychiatric 
disorders.''
  I would like to begin by thanking my colleague, Representative 
Israel, for introducing this resolution to the House, which encourages 
the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to establish innovative public-
private partnerships for the treatment and research of PTSD in teaching 
hospitals across the country. I urge my colleagues to also support this 
resolution, as it honors the fact that those who have fought for our 
Nation should remain a priority.
  It is important that we, as a Nation, continue to recognize that our 
great country stands strongly today because of the dedication and 
sacrifice of American veterans. The United States is surely indebted to 
the veterans of every conflict, who have made great sacrifices for 
themselves and their families in defense of our national security. Our 
freedom is intertwined with the sacrifices of our veterans, whose 
devotion to our way of life is unparalleled. I am privileged to stand 
before you today and officially honor their sacrifices and the role 
they play in our Nation.
  Every Veterans Day, Americans come together to remember those who 
have served our country around the world in the name of freedom and 
democracy. The debt that we owe to them is immeasurable. Their 
sacrifices and those of their families are freedom's foundation. 
Without the brave efforts of all the soldiers, sailors, airmen, 
marines, and Coast Guardsmen and their families, our country would not 
live so freely.
  Deployed soldiers frequently and continually engage in high-intensity 
combat operations, exposing them to potential triggers for PTSD or 
other psychiatric conditions. A 2008 report published by the RAND 
Corporation estimated that one in five Iraq and Afghanistan veterans 
are affected by PTSD. Those with PTSD are at high risk for developing 
other psychological disorders, such as depression.
  Furthermore, those suffering with PTSD are more likely to engage in 
self-destructive behaviors, such as alcohol and substance abuse, and 
are six times more likely than persons without PTSD to commit suicide. 
PTSD has been associated with unemployment and a work productivity 
loss, and when left untreated, exacts an enormous toll on individuals, 
families, and society as a whole.
  This resolution not only solidifies the importance of Veterans Day, 
but also extends the importance of support for veterans and their 
health and safety throughout the year. In observing Veterans Day, the 
people of the United States must also encourage the education of our 
youth on how those dedicated individuals have contributed to the United 
States' history and today's society. We must continue the tradition of 
honoring those who have served for the greatest causes, freedom, 
democracy, and justice; their commitment to the United States at home 
and abroad should never be forgotten. I am truly proud to rise in 
support of the recognition of Welcome Back Veterans for their 
commitment to taking care of our soldiers.
  We recognize and honor the veterans of the Armed Forces not only of 
today, but also of years past, who have sacrificed their lives for our 
great Nation. This resolution reaffirms our country's utmost respect 
and pride for our service people who have contributed to the shaping of 
the United States' history and our current place in the world today. It 
shows the true patriotic spirit that many Americans possess, and their 
willingness to give back to those who have given so much to maintain 
our freedom.
  Currently, our Nation has 3 million troops and reservists, and 23 
million veterans, who deserve the greatest respect from their fellow 
citizens. Our Nation has a proud legacy of appreciation and commitment 
maintaining the wellbeing of the men and women who have uniforms in 
defense of this country, and we must ensure that this legacy continues 
in the future.
  Mr. ROE of Tennessee. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my 
time.
  Mr. DONNELLY of Indiana. Mr. Speaker, I too want to thank my 
colleague Mr. Israel for his leadership on this issue. I urge my 
colleagues to unanimously support House Resolution 1746, as amended.
  Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I yield back 
the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Donnelly) that the House suspend the rules 
and agree to the resolution, H. Res. 1746, as amended.
  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. DONNELLY of Indiana. Mr. Speaker, I object to the vote on the 
ground that a quorum is not present and make the point of order that a 
quorum is not present.
  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.
  The point of no quorum is considered withdrawn.

                          ____________________