[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 193 (Tuesday, November 28, 2017)]
[House]
[Pages H9449-H9454]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




         LAW ENFORCEMENT MENTAL HEALTH AND WELLNESS ACT OF 2017

  Mr. GOODLATTE. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill (H.R. 2228) to provide support for law enforcement agency efforts 
to protect the mental health and well-being of law enforcement 
officers, and for other purposes, as amended.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                                H. R. 2228

       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 ``Law Enforcement Mental 
     Health and Wellness Act of 2017''.

     SEC. 2. SUPPORT FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES.

       (a) Interagency Collaboration.--The Attorney General shall 
     consult with the Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of 
     Veterans Affairs to submit to Congress a report, which shall 
     be made publicly available, on Department of Defense and 
     Department of Veterans Affairs mental health practices and 
     services that could be adopted by Federal, State, local, or 
     tribal law enforcement agencies.
       (b) Case Studies.--The Director of the Office of Community 
     Oriented Policing Services shall submit to Congress a 
     report--
       (1) that is similar to the report entitled ``Health, 
     Safety, and Wellness Program Case Studies in Law 
     Enforcement'' published by the Office of Community Oriented 
     Policing Services in 2015; and
       (2) that focuses on case studies of programs designed 
     primarily to address officer psychological health and well-
     being.
       (c) Peer Mentoring Pilot Program.--Section 1701(b) of the 
     Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 (34 U.S.C. 
     10381(b)) is amended--
       (1) in paragraph (21), by striking ``; and'' and inserting 
     a semicolon;
       (2) in paragraph (22), by striking the period at the end 
     and inserting ``; and''; and
       (3) by adding at the end the following:
       ``(23) to establish peer mentoring mental health and 
     wellness pilot programs within State, tribal, and local law 
     enforcement agencies.''.

     SEC. 3. SUPPORT FOR MENTAL HEALTH PROVIDERS.

       The Attorney General, in coordination with the Secretary of 
     Health and Human Services, shall develop resources to educate 
     mental health providers about the culture of Federal, State, 
     tribal, and local law enforcement agencies and evidence-based 
     therapies for mental health issues common to Federal, State, 
     local, and tribal law enforcement officers.

     SEC. 4. SUPPORT FOR OFFICERS.

       The Attorney General shall--
       (1) in consultation with Federal, State, local, and tribal 
     law enforcement agencies--
       (A) identify and review the effectiveness of any existing 
     crisis hotlines for law enforcement officers;
       (B) provide recommendations to Congress on whether Federal 
     support for existing crisis hotlines or the creation of an 
     alternative hotline would improve the effectiveness or use of 
     the hotline; and
       (C) conduct research into the efficacy of an annual mental 
     health check for law enforcement officers;
       (2) in consultation with the Secretary of Homeland Security 
     and the head of other Federal agencies that employ law 
     enforcement officers, examine the mental health and wellness 
     needs of Federal law enforcement officers, including the 
     efficacy of expanding peer mentoring programs for law 
     enforcement officers at each Federal agency;
       (3) ensure that any recommendations, resources, or programs 
     provided under this Act protect the privacy of participating 
     law enforcement officers; and
       (4) not later than one year after the date of enactment of 
     this Act, submit a report to Congress containing findings 
     from the review and research under paragraphs (1) and (2), 
     and final recommendations based upon those findings.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Virginia (Mr. Goodlatte) and the gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Jackson 
Lee) each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Virginia.

[[Page H9450]]

  



                             General Leave

  Mr. GOODLATTE. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members 
may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks 
and to include extraneous material on H.R. 2228, currently under 
consideration.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Virginia?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. GOODLATTE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Today we are voting on H.R. 2228, the Law Enforcement Mental Health 
and Wellness Act. This bill is designed to equip local law enforcement 
agencies with information and resources to address mental health 
challenges faced by officers.
  Our policemen and -women report for duty every day, facing and 
responding to danger on our behalf. We often see them and we always 
appreciate them. However, we often don't consider the mental aspect of 
the challenges facing our officers who put themselves in harm's way to 
protect our communities.
  Today we consider the toll their jobs take on their psychological 
well-being. Every day, these brave men and women face some of the 
highest stress situations one can imagine. When officers hang up their 
badges at the end of a shift, they cannot easily hang up the lingering 
effects of their high-stakes encounters. As this stress accumulates, it 
can lead to serious physical and mental health problems. Research has 
shown time and again that police officer occupational stress is 
directly correlated to heart disease, divorce, alcohol abuse, and major 
psychological illnesses, including acute stress disorder, post-
traumatic stress disorder, depression, and anxiety disorders.
  Over 900,000 men and women serve as sworn law enforcement officers in 
the United States. Each year, more of them die from suicide than from 
gunfire and traffic accidents combined. Many departments have started 
mental health programs as preventative measures. These programs have 
been successful in reducing the number of police officer suicides from 
300 in 1998 to 126 in 2012. But in departments where mental health and 
wellness programs remain absent, these problems continue. We must 
address this gap.
  H.R. 2228 directs the Department of Justice, in consultation with the 
Departments of Defense and Veterans Affairs, to equip local law 
enforcement agencies to address mental health challenges faced by 
police officers. It also permits DOJ's Office of Community Oriented 
Policing Services to award grants to peer mentoring pilot programs, and 
it directs the Attorney General to make recommendations on how to make 
these and other programs more effective.
  Mr. Speaker, we all recognize the profound challenges faced by law 
enforcement in this country. Today we also acknowledge the unseen toll 
that these challenges can take on the health of these brave men and 
women.
  Mr. Speaker, I thank Mrs. Brooks from Indiana for introducing this 
bill, and my colleagues on both sides of the aisle for this important 
step in providing law enforcement agencies with the resources to treat 
severe mental and physical stress. Our men and women in blue deserve 
the appreciation and support of all of us.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this legislation, and I 
reserve the balance of my time.
  Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I wish and hope that all of my colleagues and Americans 
had a wonderful Thanksgiving.
  I thank the men and women of the United States military for their 
service. It is particularly noteworthy that they serve in this time 
when families are gathered.
  I thank Mr. Goodlatte for collaborating on this legislation.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 2228, the Law Enforcement 
Mental Health and Wellness Act of 2017. Ensuring the mental health and 
well-being of our law enforcement officers is paramount to the safety 
of our communities and the people our officers take a solemn oath to 
protect.
  I am also very pleased to acknowledge Val Demings, a colleague and a 
member of the Homeland Security Committee, of which I serve. We are 
better off for the experience, commitment, and professional career that 
she had as a law enforcement officer and chief. She is one of the 
cosponsors of this legislation and I look forward to hearing from her.
  Let me also take note of the fact that Texas experienced a depth of 
sadness over the holiday weekend when we lost one of our Department of 
Public Safety officers, who was killed by a perpetrator during the 
Thanksgiving weekend. We pray for him and his family.
  H.R. 2228 is intended to provide support for law enforcement agency 
efforts to protect the mental health and well-being of law enforcement 
officers. I support this legislation as a good first step towards 
Congress addressing the various matters surrounding the mental health 
of our law enforcement officers.
  We must recognize that law enforcement officers play a special role 
in our communities, with exceptional responsibilities to protect and 
serve where they see, encounter, and respond to horrendous situations 
that are dangerous, stressful, and often life-threatening.
  Imagine those officers who came upon that scene Sunday morning in 
Texas a few weeks ago where 27 Texans were murdered in church and 20 
were injured. Imagine churches that are frightened about worshipping. 
Imagine, as I left my hometown Houston, that there were law enforcement 
officers who were gathered to meet with pastors to give them comfort. 
They are there for us.
  As well, for example, law enforcement officers have had to respond to 
several recent tragedies, which include the Pulse nightclub shooting in 
Orlando, Florida, where 49 people were killed and 53 others were 
wounded; the killing of 5 officers and the wounding of 9 other 
officers, along with 2 civilians in Dallas, Texas; the San Bernardino, 
California, shooting of 14 innocent employees; the Las Vegas, Nevada, 
massacre, where a gunman killed 58 innocent concertgoers and injured 
nearly 500 others; and, again, most recently, as I indicated, on 
November 5, the deadliest mass shooting by an individual in Texas, the 
fifth deadliest mass shooting in the United States, as well as the 
deadliest shooting in an American place of worship in modern history, 
where 26 were gunned down in Sutherland Springs, Texas, including an 
18-month-old child, a pregnant mother, and where 20 others were 
injured.

  These horrific occurrences have become all too common in today's 
society. These chilling tragedies continue to affect us all. Imagine 
the impact that they have collectively on our law enforcement officers 
with whom these traumatic situations remain long after the threats are 
reduced. Everyone has returned home and communities they serve have 
regained a renewed sense of safety.
  Imagine that officer that comes upon a horrific traffic accident that 
kills a family. Imagine their pain and their concern. Requiring these 
officers to continue to serve without providing them an effective 
avenue to process the day-to-day crisis does an injustice to them. That 
is why this is a very important initiative and I am really excited to 
support it.
  I want to also raise for my colleagues that I have been a 
longstanding advocate for helping police officers, as we have worked 
together with the chairman of the committee and other members of the 
committee.
  I want to make mention of the Law Enforcement Trust and Integrity 
Act, which takes a comprehensive approach to addressing policing 
issues, including recognition of the importance of sustaining the 
mental well-being of our officers.
  This piece of legislation addresses tragedies where we have seen 
actions take place. Countless unfortunate incidents have happened maybe 
because of the lack of deescalation.

                              {time}  1730

  This bill, I hope we can move along, as this bill that we have, the 
underlying bill, requires the Attorney General to perform an initial 
analysis of existing law enforcement accreditation standards and to 
recommend areas for development. That gives training, and it also takes 
into account mental health needs and funding needs.

[[Page H9451]]

  It authorizes the Attorney General to make grants to States, units of 
local government, Indian tribal governments to study law enforcement 
agency management and operations and to develop pilot programs to 
implement best practices.
  It requires the Attorney General to study the prevalence and impact 
of any law, rule, or procedure that allows a law enforcement officer to 
delay the answer to questions posed, as quickly as possible, by any of 
the authorities investigating situations.
  It authorizes appropriations for expenses related to criminal and 
civil enforcement activities by the Civil Rights Division of the 
Justice Department.
  It requires the Department of Justice to establish a task force to 
assist in local investigations, and it requires each Federal, State, 
and local law enforcement agency to report to the Attorney General on 
the actions in that particular department to help that department 
assess its own work.
  It requires the Department of Justice to cooperate with the National 
Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund--something that was very 
important to me--to create and provide a distinctive medallion to be 
issued to the survivors of law enforcement officers killed in the line 
of duty or memorialized on the National Law Enforcement Officers 
Memorial.
  This is in sync with the task force that was held in the last 
administration that offered to discuss ways to improve policing and to 
help our individual police officers.
  We want to be partners for safety and security and community police 
relations, and we want them to have good health and the ability to 
serve the public in a good health mindset.
  Under today's bill, the Attorney General shall review current mental 
health practices and services of Federal agencies and report to 
Congress, develop resources to educate mental healthcare providers 
about the law enforcement culture across the board, and develop 
evidence-based therapies as a result.
  I believe this legislation and the Law Enforcement Integrity 
Legislation, if passed, will create an atmosphere where law enforcement 
officers will be comfortable in sharing their thoughts or their 
assessments or best practices.
  Under this bill, the underlying bill, the Director of Community 
Oriented Policing Services shall conduct case studies that focuses on 
programs designed primarily to address officer psychological health and 
well-being and submit such a report to Congress.
  The Attorney General shall also consult with the Secretary of 
Homeland Security and the heads of Federal agencies to examine the 
mental health needs of Federal law enforcement officers and the 
efficacy of expanding peer mentoring programs; ensure the 
recommendations, resources, or programs protect the privacy of 
officers--that is extremely important--and report these findings to the 
Congress no later than 1 year after enactment.
  Mr. Speaker, the key to all of this is to build the trust between 
community and police, the police community and the police families and 
families of those who come within the range of law enforcement.
  If we can all work together, we can trust each other, we will have a 
better system of justice. This bill is a good first step, and I look 
forward to working as well with other law enforcement bills, including 
the Law Enforcement Integrity bill that I have just so noted.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 2228, the ``Law Enforcement 
Mental Health Act of 2017.'' Ensuring the mental health and well-being 
of our law enforcement officers is paramount to the safety of our 
communities and the people our officers take a solemn oath to protect.
  H.R. 2228 is intended to provide support for law enforcement agency 
efforts to protect the mental health and well-being of law enforcement 
officers.
  These horrific occurrences have become all-too common in today's 
society. These chilling tragedies continue to affect us all. Imagine 
the impact they have collectively on our law enforcement officers, with 
whom these traumatic situations remain long after the threats are 
reduced, everyone has returned home and communities they serve have 
regained a renewed sense of safety.
  Requiring these officers to continue to serve, without providing them 
an effective avenue to process these day-to-day crises does an 
injustice to them.
  For example, law enforcement officers have had to respond to several 
recent tragedies which include: the Pulse nightclub shooting in 
Orlando, Florida, where 49 people were killed and 53 others wounded; 
the killing of five officers and wounding of nine other officers along 
with two civilians in Dallas, Texas; the San Bernardino shooting of 14 
innocent employees; the Las Vegas massacre, where a gunman killed 58 
innocent concert-goers and injured nearly 500 others; and again, most 
recently on November 5, the deadliest mass shooting by an individual in 
Texas, the fifth-deadliest mass shooting in the United States, as well 
as the deadliest shooting in an American place of worship in modern 
history, where 26 were gunned down in Sutherland Springs, including an 
18-month-old child and a pregnant mother, and where 20 others were 
injured.
  This is why I have been a longstanding advocate for adoption of the 
``Law Enforcement Trust and Integrity Act,'' which takes a 
comprehensive approach to addressing policing issues, including a 
recognition of the importance of sustaining the mental well-being of 
our officers.
  This piece of legislation addresses the tragedies in some of our most 
recent cases such as: Tamir Rice, Brown, Freddie Gray and Garner and 
the countless others that do not receive publicity.
  The bill provides seven substantive approaches towards improving law 
enforcement management and misconduct prosecution tools:
  (1) It requires the Attorney General to perform initial analysis of 
existing law enforcement accreditation standards and to recommend areas 
for development.
  (2) It authorizes the Attorney General to make grants to States, 
units of local government, Indian Tribal Governments, to study law 
enforcement agency management and operations and to develop pilot 
programs to implement best practices.
  (3) It requires the Attorney General to study the prevalence and 
impact of any law, rule or procedure that allows a law enforcement 
officer to delay the answer to questions posed by a local internal 
affairs officer, prosecutor, or review board on the investigative 
integrity and prosecution of law enforcement misconduct.
  (4) It authorizes appropriations for expenses related to criminal and 
civil enforcement activities by the Civil Rights Division of the 
Justice Department.
  (5) It requires the Department of Justice to estabijsh a task force 
to coordinate the investigation, prosecution and enforcement efforts of 
Federal, state and local governments in cases related to law 
enforcement misconduct.
  (6) It requires each Federal, State, and local law enforcement agency 
to report to the Attorney General data on the following: (1) traffic 
violation stops; (2) pedestrian stops and detentions; and (3) the use 
of deadly force by and against law enforcement officers.
  (7) It requires the Department of Justice, in cooperation with the 
National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund, to create and provide 
a distinctive medallion to be issued to the survivors of law 
enforcement officers killed in the line of duty or memorialized on the 
National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial.
  These are all measures similar in nature to those undertaken by the 
Obama Task Force Initiative. In short, the Law Enforcement Integrity 
and Trust Act would help law enforcement officers do their jobs, 
knowing that they have our support. This is why it was endorsed by a 
broad range of legal, community-based and law enforcement groups 
nationwide.
  Under today's bill, the Attorney General shall review current mental 
health practices and services of Federal agencies and report to 
Congress, develop resources to educate mental health care providers 
about the law enforcement culture across the board, and develop 
evidence-based therapies as a result.
  Under this bill the Director of Community Oriented Policing Services 
shall conduct case studies that focus on programs designed primarily to 
address officers' psychological health and well-being and submit such 
report to Congress.
  I support this legislation as a good first step towards Congress 
addressing the various matters surrounding the mental health of our law 
enforcement officers.
  We must recognize that law enforcement officers play a special role 
in our communities, with exceptional responsibilities to protect and 
serve, where they see, encounter, and respond to horrendous situations 
that are both dangerous and stressful, and often life-threatening.
  The Attorney General shall also consult with the Secretary of 
Homeland Security and head of Federal agencies to examine the mental 
health needs of Federal law enforcement officers and the efficacy of 
expanding peer mentoring programs; ensure the recommendations, 
resources, or programs protect the privacy of officers; and report 
these findings to Congress no later than one year after enactment.
  As this is a good first step, I support the bill and ask my 
colleagues to do the same.

[[Page H9452]]

  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. GOODLATTE. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as she may consume to 
the gentlewoman from Indiana (Mrs. Brooks), the chief sponsor of this 
legislation.
  Mrs. BROOKS of Indiana. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from 
Virginia for yielding. I also want to thank the gentleman for his 
leadership of the House Judiciary Committee and for his many, many 
years of support for law enforcement.
  Mr. Speaker, I also want to thank the gentlewoman from Texas for her 
support of this bill and for being the leading voice today to talk 
about trust between the law enforcement community and the communities 
which they protect. I believe that this bill will go a long way in 
helping our law enforcement and that the communities in which they 
serve to protect should recognize the types of trials and tribulations 
that our law enforcement officers face every day.
  Mr. Speaker, I also want to thank my colleagues on both sides of the 
aisle who, before coming to Congress, were leaders in the law 
enforcement community--including the gentlewoman from Florida, whom, I 
believe, we will hear from--who, day in and day out, served and 
protected their own communities.
  Mr. Speaker, I introduced the Law Enforcement Mental Health and 
Wellness Act because our Nation's law enforcement officers often deal 
with the unthinkable. They daily face situations that can be hard to 
process and impossible to forget.
  The work our Nation's law enforcement officers undertake puts 
incredible strains on them, on their families. It places them in 
situations that increase their chances of developing mental disorders.
  According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, between 7 and 
19 percent of police officers have symptoms of PTSD. In comparison, 
only 3\1/2\ percent of the general population experience PTSD. 
Furthermore, the suicide rate for our Nation's law enforcement officers 
is double the rate at which officers are killed by violent felons.
  In the Fifth District of Indiana, Boone County Sheriff Mike Nielsen 
desperately and publicly pleaded for better mental health services 
after his daughter, also a police officer, tried to take her own life. 
She was struggling with PTSD after responding to a case involving the 
murder of a mother and her 4-year-old son.
  Our police officers face a culture of silence when it comes to mental 
health challenges, and we know they need better access to mental health 
services to allow them to cope with these horrific types of 
unforgettable situations.
  As a former deputy mayor of Indianapolis responsible for public 
safety, I know firsthand the struggles our law enforcement community 
members face in their work. The Indianapolis Metropolitan Police 
Department recognized this problem several years ago and began a pilot 
program that provides mental health services to officers, including 
counseling and referrals to doctors, psychologists, and clinicians to 
get them the help they need, and that program actually inspired this 
bill.
  Recognizing the tremendous work already being done by the Veterans 
Administration and the Department of Defense on behalf of our Nation's 
servicemembers, this bill will require the Justice Department to 
consult with those Federal agencies to determine which mental health 
practices they have developed that would be most useful in the law 
enforcement setting.
  We also have to encourage our officers to share their experiences 
with their colleagues who can understand and empathize with them about 
the traumatic events they experience while serving in the line of duty. 
To that end, this bill establishes a grant program within the Justice 
Department to establish peer mentoring mental health and wellness pilot 
programs within State, local, and tribal law enforcement agencies.
  Mr. Speaker, this is an issue that affects the law enforcement 
community across the country. I urge my colleagues, and I want to thank 
my colleagues for joining with me, to support this important proposal.
  Our Nation's law enforcement officers are duty bound to protect and 
serve, and it is only fair that we work to protect them as well from 
the stress and trauma that they face to keep our communities safe.
  Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for her 
remarks. We are working together to build that trust and to safely 
secure the community and our officers.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from Florida (Mrs. 
Demings). She brings to the United States Congress very important 
contributions as the ranking member of the Subcommittee on 
Intergovernmental Affairs. These voices are well needed. Congresswoman 
Val Demings is the former chief of police of the City of Orlando, 
Florida.
  Mrs. DEMINGS. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman from Texas for 
being a leading voice on this issue.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the Law Enforcement Mental 
Health and Wellness Act, which I am proud to cosponsor with my friend 
and colleague, Representative Susan Brooks from Indiana.
  Mr. Speaker, I also want to thank all of my colleagues for their 
support on this very important issue.
  Our law enforcement officers respond to some of the most horrific 
scenes and situations. After 27 years in law enforcement, how well I 
know. They respond without regard to their own personal safety, and 
they are the thin blue line that stands between a safe place and the 
dangers that lurk in our society.
  We should all thank God for the men and women who patrol our streets, 
our neighborhoods, our businesses, our schools, and our highways to 
keep us safe.
  Being a law enforcement officer is not just what they do, it is who 
they are--all the dangers, the unknowns, the graphic crime scenes, 
split-second, life-and-death decisions. Don't be fooled. There is no 
other job quite like it.
  The national president of the Fraternal Order of Police said this: 
``Unlike many other professions, sometimes you can't leave the job at 
the office.''

  Mr. Speaker, as a former law enforcement officer, I am proud to 
cosponsor the Law Enforcement Mental Health and Wellness Act. This 
important piece of legislation would ensure that agencies are better 
equipped and officers have the resources needed to effectively deal 
with the stress and mental health challenges associated with the job.
  Mr. Speaker, what an amazing opportunity we have to pass legislation 
to protect the mental health and overall well-being of the men and 
women in blue as they continue to protect and take care of us.
  Mr. GOODLATTE. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from 
New York (Mr. Nadler), a distinguished and senior member of the 
Judiciary Committee, the chair of the Subcommittee on Courts, 
Intellectual Property, and the Internet.
  Mr. NADLER. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for yielding.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of the Law Enforcement Mental 
Health and Wellness Act. This bill would take a number of steps to help 
protect the mental well-being of those who take extraordinary steps to 
protect all of us.
  The Office of Community Oriented Policing Services at the Department 
of Justice reports that law enforcement has an occupational fatality 
rate three to five times higher than the national average for the 
working population. Officers respond to horrible situations that are 
dangerous, stressful, and sometimes life-threatening.
  In addition to protecting law enforcement officers from the physical 
hazards associated with doing their daily jobs, we must also do more to 
protect them from the mental and emotional difficulties resulting from 
their work. That is why I support this bill, which would initiate 
several efforts to help the mental wellness of our law enforcement 
officers.
  The bill calls for the collaboration of the Justice Department, the 
Defense Department, and the Department of Veterans Affairs to determine 
which mental health practices and services from the military agencies 
may be adopted to help civilian law enforcement.
  The bill would expand the allowable uses of existing Justice 
Department grants to include establishment of

[[Page H9453]]

mental health and wellness programs within State, local, and tribal law 
enforcement agencies.
  The bill would direct the Justice Department and the Department of 
Health and Human Services to develop educational materials for mental 
health providers about the culture of law enforcement agencies.
  Finally, the bill would consider improvements to crisis hotlines to 
better serve those from law enforcement who seek to use them.
  Although I am particularly proud of New York's finest, I am glad that 
this bill will help law enforcement officers in every jurisdiction 
across the country. Their service certainly deserves the assistance 
this legislation will provide. Therefore, I ask my colleagues to join 
me in supporting this bill today.
  Mr. GOODLATTE. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, again, let me thank the two prior 
speakers, Congresswoman Demings and Congressman Nadler, for very 
insightful, very important remarks on this particular legislation.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. 
Pascrell), someone who I know has a passion for first responders, as we 
have worked together even more closely after the heinous tragedy of 9/
11.
  Mr. PASCRELL. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman from Texas for 
yielding.
  Mr. Speaker, I congratulate the chairman, who has distinguished 
himself in law enforcement since he has been here.
  As the co-chair of the Congressional Law Enforcement Caucus and an 
original sponsor of H.R. 2228, I rise today in strong support of the 
Law Enforcement Mental Health and Wellness Act, and I want to join with 
so many of the organizations that are supporting this: the Fraternal 
Order of Police, the National Association of Police Officers, the Major 
County Sheriffs of America, the Federal Law Enforcement Officers 
Association, the National District Attorneys Association, and the 
Sergeants Benevolent Association.
  I was proud to have worked with my co-chair, David Reichert, and 
Representatives Susan Brooks, Val Demings, and Doug Collins on this 
important piece of legislation for the law enforcement community.
  We all agree that the brave men and women in law enforcement put 
themselves in difficult--if not dangerous and sometimes life-
threatening, situations every day.

                              {time}  1745

  We teach officers how to handle every different situation, whether it 
is a domestic dispute, whether it is a hostage dispute, or any other; 
but we need to think about the officer who comes away from that 
particular experience with himself; that is about it. He goes home to 
his family.
  It is absolutely critical we provide our law enforcement officers 
with all the resources they need to effectively do their job. I have 
consistently fought for new equipment and advanced technology to 
provide physical protection for law enforcement when they are on duty. 
However, we must also ensure law enforcement has the resources and 
support and training to address mental health issues as well.
  The stresses on law enforcement have continued to grow in recent 
years. This can have a big impact on officers' physical and mental 
well-being; that is why officer mental wellness needs to be a priority 
from the day of hire to the day of retire. We know too many officers 
struggle with depression, suicidal thoughts, post-traumatic stress 
disorder.
  As co-chair of the Traumatic Brain Injury Task Force in the Congress 
of the United States, myself and Dr. Collins, who was the Republican 
from Pennsylvania, started out 20 years ago; we could fit the number of 
people in a telephone booth. We just about knew what we were talking 
about, and that has changed how we approach our military forces on the 
field.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The time of the gentleman has expired.
  Ms. JACKSON LEE. I yield an additional 30 seconds to the gentleman 
from New Jersey.
  Mr. PASCRELL. According to the Badge of Life, a group that studies 
post-traumatic stress disorder among police, we have heard tonight of 
how many suicides we are talking about. Tragically, many police 
officers with PTSD are not even aware they have the problem. Often they 
remain on their beat, doing the job without help or support.
  By discussing the importance of improving an officer's mental health, 
we can reduce the stigma surrounding mental health issues in the law 
enforcement community. I think that this bill will bolster the 
connection between local mental health professionals and law 
enforcement. I urge passage, and, hopefully, the Senate will do it 
justice.
  Mr. GOODLATTE. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Let me, first of all, thank Congresswomen Brooks and Demings for a 
very astute initiative, and I look forward to us working together, 
along with the chairman, on other items that impact the service of our 
officers and the better police practices. And I cite, of course, the 
Law Enforcement Trust and Integrity Act.
  Mr. Speaker, I say to the chairman, I wanted to make mention of the 
fact that we have been meeting on police issues for almost 2 years in 
the Police Working Group, and it has been very impactful. I look 
forward to us igniting another meeting and being able to hear from both 
police and community, because we want a safe community and we want safe 
law enforcement.
  Let me also say, as I close, that many police officers are veterans, 
and they have been in a war situation, and that means they have faced 
crises, they have faced the violence of war, and they, obviously, have 
experienced bouts, possibly, of PTSD or, as we know that they do, they 
may not yield to it and may not know it and go right into serving; 
whether they are fire or police, they go right into serving the 
community. Therefore, this legislation will be enormously helpful to 
them.
  So, as I said earlier, this is a good first step to helping to 
enhance the mental health or the mental well-being of our law 
enforcement officers. These officers endure stressful events on our 
behalf in the interest of protecting their communities, and so we will 
all benefit from the effective implementation of this legislation.
  Therefore, I support this bill, even as I encourage us to continue 
our work on additional legislation to help foster better coordination 
between our police officers and the communities they serve.
  One final point, that I have listened to officers, and they have said 
to me, with all that they deal with, coming upon a circumstance where a 
child has been injured or killed is one of the most devastating 
experiences they have had to have. Just imagine that.
  This mental health bill will work on all of the issues that they have 
to address, and I ask my colleagues to support the underlying 
legislation, which is the Law Enforcement Mental Health and Wellness 
Act of 2017, H.R. 2228.
  Mr. Speaker, as I said earlier, this is a good first step to helping 
to enhance the mental well-being of our law enforcement officers.
  These officers endure stressful events on our behalf, in the interest 
of protecting their communities. And so, we will all benefit from the 
effective implementation of this legislation.
  I therefore support this bill, even as I encourage my colleagues to 
work together on additional legislation to help foster better 
coordination between our police officers and the communities they 
serve.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. GOODLATTE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  I want to again thank the gentlewoman from Indiana (Mrs. Brooks) and 
the gentlewoman from Florida (Mrs. Demings) for their leadership on 
this issue.
  I will say again how much I appreciate the work of the gentlewoman 
from Texas on a whole host of law enforcement and criminal justice 
reform issues; and it is my hope that we will move a great many of 
these reforms through this House in the very near future. The 
gentlewoman certainly has my support for working together in a 
bipartisan way to accomplish that. This piece of legislation is a great 
step in that direction.
  You can't expect law enforcement to keep all of us safe if we are not 
looking out for their mental health, which I

[[Page H9454]]

can only imagine how stressful the job is. I have had the opportunity 
to do several ride-alongs over the years with police officers in my 
district, and they have my utmost respect.
  I hope that every Member of this House will vote for this important 
legislation.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. SWALWELL of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 
2228, the Law Enforcement and Mental Health and Wellness Act of 2017.
  Our nation's law enforcement officers put their lives on the line 
each and every day to keep us safe. The resulting stress can take a 
tremendous toll on their mental health, and this bill seeks to address 
that problem. I am the son of a retired police officer and the brother 
of two others currently serving in law enforcement, and so I am 
particularly appreciative we are considering this bill today.
  In the Judiciary Committee markup of H.R. 2228, I offered an 
amendment which would have required the Attorney General to study the 
specific effects of gun violence on officers' mental health as well as 
provide recommendations to reduce such violence. Gun violence is an 
epidemic in our society, and law enforcement officers are not immune. 
In fact, in 2016, 64 police officers died in firearm-related incidents. 
That was up 56 percent over 2015, according to the National Law 
Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund. The potential of facing deadly 
violence at every turn only adds to the stress faced by law 
enforcement.
  I withdrew my amendment during our markup after Chairman Bob 
Goodlatte agreed to include language in the Judiciary Committee's 
report on the bill reflecting the goals of my amendment. I want to 
thank him for following through on that commitment and including the 
following language in the committee report: ``In conjunction with the 
Department of Health and Human Services, the Department of Justice must 
develop educational resources for mental health providers regarding the 
culture of law enforcement agencies and therapies for mental health 
issues common to law enforcement officers. In developing these 
resources, the Department of Justice should examine the effect of gun 
violence on the mental health of officers and what can be done to solve 
those aspects of gun violence.'' Incorporating how law enforcement 
officers' mental health is affected by gun violence and proposing ways 
to reduce such violence as directed by this language will only improve 
the resources for law enforcement developed as a result of this bill.
  Again I want to thank Chairman Goodlatte for putting this directive 
regarding gun violence in the committee report. I encourage all Members 
to support H.R. 2228.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Goodlatte) that the House suspend the 
rules and pass the bill, H.R. 2228, as amended.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the 
rules were suspended and the bill, as amended, was passed.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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