[Congressional Record Volume 162, Number 23 (Tuesday, February 9, 2016)]
[House]
[Pages H630-H633]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
FEMALE VETERAN SUICIDE PREVENTION ACT
Mr. ABRAHAM. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the
bill (H.R. 2915) to amend title 38, United States Code, to direct the
Secretary of Veterans Affairs to identify mental health care and
suicide prevention programs and metrics that are effective in treating
women veterans as part of the evaluation of such programs by the
Secretary, as amended.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
H.R. 2915
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 ``Female Veteran Suicide
Prevention Act''.
SEC. 2. SPECIFIC CONSIDERATION OF WOMEN VETERANS IN
EVALUATION OF DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS
MENTAL HEALTH CARE AND SUICIDE PREVENTION
PROGRAMS.
Section 1709B(a)(2) of title 38, United States Code, is
amended--
(1) in subparagraph (A), by inserting before the semicolon
the following: ``, including specific metrics applicable to
women'';
(2) in subparagraph (D), by striking ``and'' at the end;
(3) in subparagraph (E), by striking the period at the end
and inserting ``; and''; and
(4) by adding at the end the following new subparagraph:
``(F) identify the mental health care and suicide
prevention programs conducted by the Secretary that are most
effective for women veterans and such programs with the
highest satisfaction rates among women veterans.''.
SEC. 3. MENTAL HEALTH TREATMENT FOR VETERANS WHO SERVED IN
CLASSIFIED MISSIONS.
(a) Sense of Congress.--It is the sense of Congress that
veterans who experience combat-related mental health wounds
should have immediate, appropriate, and consistent access to
comprehensive mental health care.
(b) In General.--Subchapter II of chapter 17 of title 38,
United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the
following section:
``Sec. 1720H. Mental health treatment for veterans who served
in classified missions
``(a) Establishment of Standards.--(1) The Secretary shall
establish standards and procedures to ensure that each
covered veteran may access mental health care provided by the
Secretary in a manner that fully accommodates the obligation
of the veteran to not improperly disclose classified
information.
``(2) The Secretary shall disseminate guidance to employees
of the Veterans Health Administration, including mental
health professionals, on the standards and procedures
established under paragraph (1) and how to best engage
covered veterans during the course of mental health treatment
with respect to classified information.
``(b) Identification.--In carrying out this section, the
Secretary shall ensure that a veteran may elect to identify
as a covered veteran on an appropriate form.
``(c) Definitions.--In this section:
``(1) The term `classified information' means any
information or material that has been determined by an
official of the United States pursuant to law, an Executive
order, or regulation to require protection against
unauthorized disclosure for reasons of national security.
``(2) The term `covered veteran' means a veteran who--
``(A) is enrolled in the health care system established
under section 1705(a) of this title;
``(B) is seeking mental health treatment; and
``(C) in the course of serving in the Armed Forces,
participated in a sensitive mission or served in a sensitive
unit.
``(3) The term `sensitive mission' means a mission of the
Armed Forces that, at the time at which a covered veteran
seeks treatment, is classified.
``(4) The term `sensitive unit' has the meaning given that
term in section 130b(c)(4) of title 10.''.
(c) Clerical Amendment.--The table of sections at the
beginning of such chapter is amended by adding after the item
relating to section 1720G the following new item:
``1720H. Mental health treatment for veterans who served in classified
missions.''.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
Louisiana (Mr. Abraham) and the gentleman from California (Mr. Takano)
each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Louisiana.
General Leave
Mr. ABRAHAM. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members
have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and
add extraneous material on H.R. 2915, as amended.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Louisiana?
[[Page H631]]
There was no objection.
Mr. ABRAHAM. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
I rise in support of H.R. 2915, as amended, the Female Veteran
Suicide Prevention Act. This bill would amend the Clay Hunt Suicide
Prevention for American Veterans, or the SAV Act, by directing the
Department of Veterans Affairs to ensure that the independent third-
party evaluation of mental health and suicide prevention programs
required in the act identifies programs and metrics that are effective
in treating women veterans.
Women are an important and an increasing segment of our Active Duty
and veteran populations, and, moving forward, we must ensure that VA
takes the unique needs of women veterans into account when conducting
program reviews and evaluations.
This is particularly important for mental health and suicide
prevention programs, given that recent research has shown that female
veterans commit suicide at nearly six times the rate of other women and
are five times more likely to commit suicide than male veterans.
H.R. 2915, as amended, would also require the VA to establish and
disseminate standards and procedures to ensure that a veteran who has
participated in a classified mission or served in a sensitive unit
while in the Armed Forces may access VA mental health care in a manner
that fully accommodates his or her obligation to not improperly
disclose classified information.
Serious concerns have been raised about the mental health care that
VA provides to veterans following the suicide death of Sergeant Daniel
Somers in 2013. Sergeant Somers served on a number of classified
missions during his time in the military.
When he separated from service and sought VA care, he was enrolled in
group therapy sessions despite his fear of being unable to participate
comfortably in group sessions due to his fear that he may inadvertently
share classified information.
Had VA been more responsive to Sergeant Somers' concerns and provided
him treatment that was sensitive to has concerns, he may be with us
today.
H.R. 2915, as amended, is sponsored by Congresswoman Julia Brownley
of California, the ranking member of the Subcommittee on Health, and
incorporates provisions sponsored by Congresswoman Kyrsten Sinema of
Arizona.
I am grateful to both of them for their work.
I urge all of my colleagues to support H.R. 2915, as amended.
I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
I rise today in support of H.R. 2915, a bill to direct the Secretary
of Veterans Affairs to identify mental health care and suicide
prevention programs that are effective in treating women veterans as a
part of the evaluation of such programs by the Secretary.
My friend, the ranking member of the Health Subcommittee, Ms. Julia
Brownley, was integral to identifying the issues affecting women
suicides. I commend her leadership in bringing this issue to our
attention.
Congress has long recognized the unacceptable rates of suicide among
our Nation's veterans. Most recently, Congress passed the Clay Hunt
Suicide Prevention for American Veterans Act, Public Law 114-2, which
requires an independent third party to evaluate VA mental health care
and suicide prevention programs.
VA's most recent suicide data report was released in February of
2013. That report found that 18 to 22 veterans per day commit suicide.
In a follow-up report, the VA found an increase in the suicide rate
among female veterans who use the VA healthcare system.
This finding echoes recent research that found that female veterans
commit suicide nearly six times the rate of other women and that women
veterans are five times more likely to be successful in committing
suicide than male veterans.
This bill would amend the Clay Hunt Suicide Prevention for American
Veterans Act to include within the independent third-party evaluation
specific metrics applicable to women and to identify the VA mental
health care and suicide prevention programs that are most effective and
have the highest satisfaction rates among with women veterans.
Additionally, this legislation includes a provision that my friend,
Representative Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona, has been working on for
years.
This section requires the VA to establish and publish standards and
procedures to ensure that a woman who participated in a classified
mission or served in a sensitive unit while in the Armed Forces may
access VA mental health care without improperly disclosing classified
information.
This provision would also require the VA to find alternative methods
of mental health treatment for veterans who need to access care without
being put in a position where they may reveal information that should
not be disclosed.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. ABRAHAM. Mr. Speaker, I have no additional speakers. Once again,
I encourage all Members to support H.R. 2915, as amended.
I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentlewoman from
California (Ms. Brownley).
Ms. BROWNLEY of California. Mr. Speaker, first I would like to thank
Chairman Miller and Ranking Member Brown for their help in moving the
Female Veteran Suicide Prevention Act forward.
I would also like to recognize my colleague from Arizona whose bill
honoring the memory of her constituent, Army veteran Sergeant Daniel
Somers, has been included.
Mr. Speaker, as you know, the women veteran population is more than 2
million and growing quickly. But our understanding of the experience of
women in the military and women veterans is not keeping pace with this
rapidly changing demographic.
We agree that one of the most pressing and immediate issues we must
address, as Members of Congress, is the tragic epidemic of suicide
among all of our veterans. Last year Congress passed the Clay Hunt SAV
Act, which required the VA to conduct annual evaluations of its suicide
prevention and mental health programs.
I am confident that the Clay Hunt bill will save lives. But recently
researchers analyzed data from 23 States and the Suicide Repository on
more than 170,000 suicides over a 10-year period.
These researchers found data suggesting that female veteran suicide
follows very different patterns than male veteran suicide. The
statistics are extremely startling. Suicide among women veterans
increased by an astounding 40 percent from 2000 to 2010.
The suicide rate among veteran women is nearly six times higher than
among nonveteran women. For women ages 18 to 29, the risk of suicide is
even higher, at nearly 12 times the rate of nonveteran women.
We don't know whether the reasons are related to the high rate of
military sexual assault, gender-specific experiences on the
battlefield, or factors that distinguish differing personal
backgrounds, which is exactly the point. Without looking more closely
at the root causes, we cannot hope to find better solutions.
Last year the Los Angeles Times wrote about this issue describing the
heartbreaking case of Army medic Sara Leatherman. Even before her
deployment, Sara had experienced depression and attempted suicide.
She was discharged early from her deployment because of a back injury
sustained in Iraq. Suffering from post-traumatic stress and
experiencing physical pain from her injury, Sara was not able to live
by herself and moved in with her grandmother.
Sara was trying to get her life back on track and was attending
community college. Although Sara was receiving VA treatment for PTSD,
at the very young age of 24, she tragically took her life. Her family
has been utterly destroyed by their loss.
While so very distressing, the VA was unable to help Sara. So we must
honor Sara's memory and the memory of other women veterans whom we so
tragically lost to suicide by doing our very best to better understand
the underlying and unique causes that lead women veterans to take their
lives over wanting to live their lives.
I introduced the Female Veteran Suicide Prevention Act to do just
that by
[[Page H632]]
building upon and improving the Clay Hunt SAV Act. My bill will help
identify the different mental health and suicide prevention programs
that are most effective for either male or female veterans.
My bill will also require the VA to report to Congress annually on
the results of this analysis. Finally, my bill will require that VA's
evaluation of its suicide prevention programs include specific
performance metrics for women veterans.
The Female Veteran Suicide Prevention Act passed the House Veterans'
Affairs Committee proudly with bipartisan support. It is also supported
by the Service Women's Action Network, The American Legion, the
Military Order of the Purple Heart, Disabled American Veterans, Iraq
and Afghanistan Veterans of America, Veterans of Foreign Wars,
Paralyzed Veterans of America, and the Vietnam Veterans of America.
Mr. Speaker, this bill will give us more tools in the toolbox to help
save the lives of men and women who have bravely served our country
with great honor and distinction. One human life unnecessarily lost is
one life too many.
I thank my colleagues on the committee for making the Female Veteran
Suicide Prevention Act a priority. I urge all of my colleagues to join
me in voting ``yes'' on this important legislation.
The American Legion,
Washington, DC, September 11, 2015.
Hon. Julia Brownley,
U.S. House of Representatives,
Washington, DC.
Dear Representative Brownley: On behalf of the over 2
million members of The American Legion, I would like to
express our support for H.R. 2915, the Female Veteran Suicide
Prevention Act. This bill, as written, would improve female
veteran suicide prevention programs within the Department of
Veterans Affairs (VA) by amending Title 38 directing the
Secretary of Veterans Affairs to identify mental health care
and suicide prevention programs and metrics that are
effective in treating women veterans. This bill also strives
to improve suicide prevention programs for female veterans
enrolled in the VA healthcare system.
In 2014, The American Legion passed a resolution urging the
President and Congress to sign into law the Suicide
Prevention for American Veterans Act or similar acts that
will expand and improve the care provided to veterans and
servicemembers who have mental health issues or are at risk
of suicide. Under this Act, the Departments of Defense and
Veterans Affairs would be required to review their mental
health care programs on an annual basis to ensure their
effectiveness, offer special training on identifying those
high risk veterans who are suicidal to their mental health
providers, and to improve the process regarding medical
records and prescriptions for the purpose of ensuring that
there is a seamless health care process for those
servicemembers who are transitioning out of the service.
Again, The American Legion supports H.R 2915, the Female
Veteran Suicide Prevention Act and applauds your leadership
in addressing this critical issue facing our nation's
veterans and their families.
Sincerely,
Dale Barnett,
National Commander.
____
Military Order of
the Purple Heart,
Springfield, VA, December 15, 2015.
Hon. Jeff Miller,
Chairman, Committee on Veterans' Affairs,
Washington, DC.
Dear Chairman Miller: On behalf of the Military Order of
the Purple Heart (MOPH), I am pleased to offer support for
H.R. 2915, the ``Female Veteran Suicide Prevention Act''.
This legislation, if enacted, would help to identify mental
health and suicide prevention programs that are the most
effective and have the best outcomes among women veterans and
would require that the results be reported to both the Senate
and House Veterans Committees.
The recent data that has been published is deeply
troubling. The data suggests that the suicide rate among
women veterans is approximately six times higher than that of
women who did not serve in the military.
While the Department of Veterans Affairs is examining why
the suicide rate among women veterans is so much higher and
how a history of Military Sexual Trauma may be one of the
contributing factors, we as a nation must devote the time and
resources to support these women who served our country in
uniform.
MOPH requests that you bring this legislation before your
committee as soon as possible so that America's women
veterans understand that this issue will be given a high
priority and that their service is appreciated.
Respectfully,
Robert Puskar,
National Commander.
Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, again, I wish to thank my colleagues, Ms.
Brownley and Ms. Sinema, for bringing the issues surrounding the
prevention of female suicides in the military to our attention.
I urge passage of this very important bill.
I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the
Female Veteran Suicide Prevention Act (H.R. 2915).
The VA estimates that 22 veterans take their own lives each day, or
over 8,000 per year--more than have been killed in action since 9/11.
The incidence of suicide among our veteran population is stunning,
tragic beyond words, and simply unacceptable.
Too many veterans have returned from fighting our enemies overseas to
fighting for their lives at home. As the son of a WW2 combat veteran, I
have witnessed the residual wounds of war, the struggle to cope with
the post-traumatic stress that can continue for decades and the pain
that a lack of access to services can cause for veterans and their
families.
Recognizing this great, unmet need, Congress recently enacted the
bipartisan ``Clay Hunt Suicide Prevention for American Veterans (SAV)
Act,'' legislation targeting the gaps in the VA's mental health and
suicide prevention efforts. Among other provisions, the law requires
annual, independent third party evaluations of the effectiveness of the
Department of Veterans Affairs' (VA) programs and establishes best
practices for caring for at-risk veterans.
While the Clay Hunt Act is a comprehensive and well-designed law--I
cosponsored and voted for it twice--there is one area where
improvements could be made to maximize its impact and better assist one
group of veterans: female veterans.
As the House Veterans' Affairs Committee report states: In 2014, the
VA released an update to the survey and found increases in the suicide
rate in female users of the VA health care system. Female veterans
commit suicide at nearly six times the rate of other women and that
women veterans are five times more likely to commit suicide than male
veterans. Yet the VA's research focuses primarily on men and little is
known about the complex causes and factors that are driving the suicide
rate among females who have served.
The bill we are voting on today offers a modest but important step to
enhance our understanding of, and hopefully help remedy, these
staggering numbers. Specifically, H.R. 2915 directs the VA to identify
mental health care and suicide prevention programs that are most
effective and have the highest satisfaction rates among women veterans.
We as a nation have a duty and obligation to repay the debt we owe to
those who have fought in defense of our nation and our ideals. This
bill helps ensure we better address the physical and emotional wounds
of all veterans and I urge all members to support it.
Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, as a proud cosponsor I rise in strong
support of H.R. 2915, the ``Female Veteran Suicide Prevention Act,''
which directs the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to implement mental
health care and suicide prevention programs and identify metrics that
are effective in reducing the incidence of suicide among female
veterans.
Over the last decade suicide has become a major issue for the
military, but the research has been predominantly focused on men and
too much remains unknown about the cause and frequency of suicide among
female veterans.
Mr. Speaker, several recent studies show that, unfortunately, female
military veterans commit suicide at nearly 6 times the rate of other
women.
The suicide rate among female veterans is so high that it approaches
that of their male counterparts, a finding that surprises researchers
because men generally are far more likely than women to commit suicide.
The highest rates of suicide are found among young female veterans,
ages 18-29, who are 12 times more likely to commit suicide as their
civilian counterparts.
This is heart breaking, but perhaps not unexpected, since reports
indicate that 10% of women serving on active duty are victims of rape
and another 13% were subjected to other unwanted sexual contact.
Mr. Speaker, in every other age group, including women who served as
far back as the 1950s, suicide rates for female veterans are between 4
and 8 times higher than that of their civilian counterparts.
These trends are so disturbing that it has earned the sobriquet from
the Houston Chronicle as ``The Silent National Epidemic.''
The Texas Department of State Health Services lists a decedent's
military experience in his or her death record, regardless of whether
the deceased was serving in the armed forces at time of death.
While it is not clear what is driving the rates of female veteran
suicides, the consistency across age groups suggests that a
statistically significant correlation exists between gender and
military service but the sad truth is that we lack sufficient data to
generate externally valid inferences about causation.
[[Page H633]]
In the general population, women attempt suicide more often than men
but succeed less because women usually use pills or other methods that
are less lethal than firearms.
Female veterans, however, are more likely than other women to possess
firearms, and more likely to use a firearm to commit suicide (40%
compared to 34% of civilian women).
H.R. 2915 is intended to make progress in identifying the causes and
reducing the incidences of suicide by female veterans.
The bravery and devotion of female veterans, who have provided heroic
service to our nation, often at great personal costs, is unquestioned.
We owe it to them to be there when they need our help just as they
were there to answer the call when their country needed them.
I urge all Members to join me in voting to pass H.R. 2915, the
``Female Veteran Suicide Prevention Act.''
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentleman from Louisiana (Mr. Abraham) that the House suspend the rules
and pass the bill, H.R. 2915, as amended.
The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the
rules were suspended and the bill, as amended, was passed.
The title of the bill was amended so as to read: ``A bill to amend
title 38, United States Code, to direct the Secretary of Veterans
Affairs to identify mental health care and suicide prevention programs
and metrics that are effective in treating women veterans as part of
the evaluation of such programs by the Secretary, and for other
purposes.''.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
____________________