[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 119 (Monday, August 1, 2011)]
[Senate]
[Pages S5193-S5195]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




          STATEMENTS ON INTRODUCED BILLS AND JOINT RESOLUTIONS

      By Mr. BAUCUS (for himself, Mr. Tester, and Mr. Burr):
  S. 1460. A bill to grant the congressional gold medal, collectively, 
to the First Special Service Force, in recognition of its superior 
service during World War II; to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and 
Urban Affairs.
  Mr. BAUCUS. Mr. President: When speaking of the Royal Air Force 
before Parliament, British Prime Minister Winston Churchill said: 
``Never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to 
so few.''
  Churchill's words would ring true for the First Special Service Force 
as well. An elite and clandestine military unit during World War II, 
the Force was trained for the most difficult missions over the most 
arduous terrain. The Force pioneered many of the tactics used by 
today's Special Operations Forces. Their courage and audacity helped 
break through Nazi lines. Surprise night raids. Scaling cliffs. 
Traversing snowy mountain passes. The

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Force never faced a mission that was too difficult or too dangerous to 
accomplish.
  It is a great honor to introduce legislation today with my colleagues 
Senator Tester and Senator Burr bestowing the First Special Service 
Force with the Congressional Gold Medal.
  The Congressional Gold Medal is the highest honor the United States 
Congress can present. It is reserved for an individual--or group of 
individuals--who performs an outstanding act of service to the United 
States. I can think of no group of men more deserving of this high 
honor than the First Special Service Force.
  The Force was comprised of volunteers from 49 States, the District of 
Columbia, and Canada. These men trained at Fort Harrison, in Helena, 
MT. Later, they were nicknamed the Black Devil's Brigade by a German 
soldier who complained they attacked in the middle of the night and 
then disappeared.
  The Force's training in Helena, Vermont, and Virginia was 
unconventional and brutal. Hand-to-hand combat. Demolition. Rock 
climbing. Ski and mountain warfare. Amphibious landings. Night air 
drops. Their training far surpassed that of any other unit during World 
War II. This unique training led to remarkable success in battle.
  The Force deployed to Italy in 1943. The first mission was to capture 
two peaks on the German Winter Line. This line had proven unbreakable 
and defeated massive Allied attacks. The road to liberate Rome led 
straight through this line. General Eisenhower needed to find a way to 
blast through. He chose the First Special Service Force.
  The Force attacked the German line using what both Allied and Axis 
forces thought was an impossible route--the north face. In the dead of 
winter. In the middle of the night. Needless to say, they surprised the 
German forces on Monte la Difensa. Over the next 46 days, the Force 
defeated the fortified German Winter Line. The victory came at a 
devastating price. The Force lost 1,300 men out of a total of 1,800.
  The First Special Service Force then moved to the Anzio-Nettmo 
beachhead. For 99 days, the Force battled the infamous German Hermann 
Goering Division. The Force pushed the Germans back, liberating Italian 
villages as they moved north toward Rome. On June 4, 1944, members of 
the Force routed German Forces guarding the eight bridges leading into 
Rome. Their advance cleared the way for other Allied forces to liberate 
Rome.
  The Force then turned to the Iles d'Hyeres, islands in southern 
France. Their amphibious assault surprised the Nazi occupiers and led 
to the capture of four Nazi forts. The Black Devil Brigade continued to 
the mainland where they hunted down the retreating German Eighth Army. 
The Force drove eastward in 15 weeks of battle to the Franco-Italian 
border, liberating the towns of Grasse, Villeneuve-Loubet, Sospel and 
Castillon in southern France.
  The Force deactivated on December 5, 1944 in southern France. The 
remainder of the war would be fought by large-scale armies, not covert 
units like the First Special Service Force.
  During the war, the Force suffered 2,314 casualties, equating to an 
astounding 134 percent of its combat strength. It captured over 30,000 
prisoners, won five U.S. campaign stars and eight Canadian battle 
honors. It never failed a mission. Today, only 230 of these brave 
soldiers remain to tell the tales of their remarkable service.
  As a testament to the unwavering camaraderie of the Force, the First 
Special Service Force Association was formed and continues to have 
reunions every year. They will be honoring the 70th anniversary of the 
creation of the Force at their reunion next year. With every passing 
day we lose more of these brave warriors, and it is crucial that we 
honor them now.
  We owe the liberty we enjoy today to the brave men of the Black Devil 
Brigade. So many of us indebted to so few. Fortunately for our great 
Nation, the legacy of the First Special Service Force lives on. The 
Canadian Special Operations Regiment and the Special Forces of the 
United States trace their lineage back to the First Special Service 
Force.
  It is time to award the First Special Service Force the Congressional 
Gold Medal. I strongly urge my colleagues to cosponsor this bill to 
honor these American heroes with the recognition and gratitude they 
have earned.
                                 ______
                                 
      By Mr. REED (for himself, Ms. Ayotte, Mr. Kerry, Mrs. Shaheen, 
        Mr. Whitehouse, Mr. Brown of Massachusetts, Mr. Leahy, and Mr. 
        Blumenthal):
  S. 1465. A bill to authorize a pilot program on enhancements of 
Department of Defense efforts on mental health in the National Guard 
and Reserves through community partnerships, and for other purposes; to 
the Committee on Armed Services.
  Mr. REED. Mr. President, today I am pleased to introduce the Joining 
Forces for Military Mental Health Act with my colleagues Senators 
Ayotte, Kerry, Shaheen, Scott Brown, Whitehouse, Leahy, and Blumenthal.
  This legislation seeks to improve the coordination of research, 
treatment, education and outreach of mental health, substance use 
disorders, and traumatic brain injury, TBI, among members of the 
National Guard and Reserve and their families.
  These service members often return from a tour of duty and transition 
into civilian life far from military bases and without easy access to 
the care they might need, which can make transitioning back into family 
life and careers more difficult. Those who do seek care in their 
community may not always receive the most appropriate and effective 
treatment.
  The Joining Forces for Military Mental Health Act would authorize the 
Secretary of Defense to provide grants to community partners that 
engage in research, treatment, education, and outreach. This will help 
ensure that every member of the military receives innovative and 
effective treatments and the most updated information about mental 
illness, substance abuse, and TBI connected with military service.
  This type of coordination of research, treatment, education, and 
outreach, and collaboration with community partners could improve the 
health outcomes of members of the National Guard and Reserve and their 
families. This bipartisan legislation has been endorsed by the National 
Guard Association of the United States, and the Red Sox Foundation and 
others have already shown this type of coordination to be effective in 
providing quality care. I urge my colleagues to take a close look at 
this legislation and join me in supporting this effort to improve the 
mental health care that members of the National Guard and Reserve and 
their families receive in the community.
  Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be 
printed in the Record.
  There being no objection, the text of the bill was ordered to be 
printed in the Record, as follows:

                                S. 1465

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,

     SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

       This Act may be cited as the ``Joining Forces for Military 
     Mental Health Act''.

     SEC. 2. PILOT PROGRAM ON ENHANCEMENTS OF DEPARTMENT OF 
                   DEFENSE EFFORTS ON MENTAL HEALTH IN THE 
                   NATIONAL GUARD AND RESERVES THROUGH COMMUNITY 
                   PARTNERSHIPS.

       (a) Pilot Program Authorized.--
       (1) In general.--The Secretary of Defense may carry out a 
     pilot program to assess the feasibility and advisability of 
     enhancing the efforts of the Department of Defense in 
     research, treatment, education, and outreach on mental health 
     and substance use disorders and Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) 
     in members of the National Guard and Reserves, their family 
     members, and their caregivers through community partners 
     described in subsection (c).
       (2) Duration.--The duration of the pilot program may not 
     exceed three years.
       (b) Grants.--In carrying out the pilot program, the 
     Secretary may award not more than five grants to community 
     partners described in subsection (c). Any grant so awarded 
     shall be awarded using a competitive and merit-based award 
     process.
       (c) Community Partners.--A community partner described in 
     this subsection is a private non-profit organization or 
     institution (or multiple organizations and institutions) 
     that--
       (1) engages in each of the research, treatment, education, 
     and outreach activities described in subsection (d); and
       (2) meets such qualifications for treatment as a community 
     partner as the Secretary shall establish for purposes of the 
     pilot program.

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       (d) Activities.--Amounts awarded under a grant under the 
     pilot program shall be utilized by the community partner 
     awarded the grant for one or more of the following:
       (1) To engage in research on the causes, development, and 
     innovative treatment of mental health and substance use 
     disorders and Traumatic Brain Injury in members of the 
     National Guard and Reserves, their family members, and their 
     caregivers.
       (2) To provide treatment to such members and their families 
     for such mental health and substance use disorders and 
     Traumatic Brain Injury.
       (3) To identify and disseminate evidence-based treatments 
     of mental health and substance use disorders and Traumatic 
     Brain Injury described in paragraph (1).
       (4) To provide outreach and education to such members, 
     their families and caregivers, and the public about mental 
     health and substance use disorders and Traumatic Brain Injury 
     described in paragraph (1).
       (e) Requirement for Matching Funds.--
       (1) Requirement.--The Secretary may award a grant under 
     this section to an organization or institution (or 
     organizations and institutions) only if the awardee agrees to 
     make contributions toward the costs of activities carried out 
     with the grant, from non-Federal sources (whether public or 
     private), an amount equal to not less than $3 for each $1 of 
     funds provided under the grant.
       (2) Nature of non-federal contributions.--Contributions 
     from non-Federal sources for purposes of paragraph (1) may be 
     in cash or in kind, fairly evaluated. Amounts provided by the 
     Federal Government, or services assisted or subsidized to any 
     significant extent by the Federal Government, may not be 
     included in determining the amount of contributions from non-
     Federal sources for such purposes.
       (f) Application.--An organization or institution (or 
     organizations and institutions) seeking a grant under this 
     section shall submit to the Secretary an application 
     therefore in such a form and containing such information as 
     the Secretary considers appropriate, including the following:
       (1) A description how the activities proposed to be carried 
     out with the grant will help improve collaboration and 
     coordination on research initiatives, treatment, and 
     education and outreach on mental health and substance use 
     disorders and Traumatic Brain Injury among the Armed Forces.
       (2) A description of existing efforts by the applicant to 
     put the research described in (c)(1) into practice.
       (3) If the application comes from multiple organizations 
     and institutions, how the activities proposed to be carried 
     out with the grant would improve coordination and 
     collaboration among such organizations and institutions.
       (4) If the applicant proposes to provide services or 
     treatment to members of the Armed Forces or family members 
     using grant amounts, reasonable assurances that such services 
     or treatment will be provided by a qualified provider.
       (5) Plans to comply with subsection (g).
       (g) Exchange of Medical and Clinical Information.--A 
     community partner awarded a grant under the pilot program 
     shall agree to any requirements for the sharing of medical or 
     clinical information obtained pursuant to the grant that the 
     Secretary shall establish for purposes of the pilot program. 
     The exchange of medical or clinical information pursuant to 
     this subsection shall comply with applicable privacy and 
     confidentiality laws.
       (h) Dissemination of Information.--The Secretary of Defense 
     shall share with the Secretary of Veterans Affairs 
     information on best practices in research, treatment, 
     education, and outreach on mental health and substance use 
     disorders and Traumatic Brain Injury identified by the 
     Secretary of Defense as a result of the pilot program.
       (i) Report.--Not later than 180 days before the completion 
     of the pilot program, the Secretary of Defense shall submit 
     to the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, and to Congress, a 
     report on the pilot program. The report shall include the 
     following:
       (1) A description of the pilot program, including the 
     community partners awarded grants under the pilot program, 
     the amount of grants so awarded, and the activities carried 
     out using such grant amounts.
       (2) A description of any research efforts advanced using 
     such grant amounts.
       (3) The number of members of the National Guard and 
     Reserves provided treatment or services by community partners 
     using such grant amounts, and a summary of the types of 
     treatment and services so provided.
       (4) A description of the education and outreach activities 
     undertaken using such grant amounts.
       (5) A description of efforts to exchange clinical 
     information under subsection (g).
       (6) A description and assessment of the effectiveness and 
     achievements of the pilot program with respect to research, 
     treatment, education, and outreach on mental health and 
     substance use disorders and Traumatic Brain Injury.
       (7) Such recommendations as the Secretary of Defense 
     considers appropriate in light of the pilot program on the 
     utilization of organizations and institutions such as 
     community partners under the pilot program in efforts of the 
     Department described in subsection (a).
       (8) A description of the metrics used by the Secretary in 
     making recommendations under paragraph (7).
       (j) Available Funds.--Funds for the pilot program shall be 
     derived from amounts authorized to be appropriated for the 
     Department of Defense for Defense Health Program and 
     otherwise available for obligation and expenditure.
       (k) Definitions.--In this section, the terms ``family 
     member'' and ``caregiver'', in the case of a member of the 
     National Guard or Reserves, have the meaning given such terms 
     in section 1720G(d) of title 38, United States Code, with 
     respect to a veteran.

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