[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 117 (Thursday, June 25, 2020)]
[Senate]
[Pages S3456-S3457]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

  SA 1966. Mr. TESTER (for himself and Mr. Grassley) submitted an 
amendment intended to be proposed by him to the bill S. 4049, to 
authorize appropriations for fiscal year 2021 for military activities 
of the Department of Defense, for military construction, and for 
defense activities of the Department of Energy, to prescribe military 
personnel strengths for such fiscal year, and for other purposes; which 
was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:

       At appropriate place in title X, insert the following:

     SEC. 1___. ASSISTANCE FOR FARMER AND RANCHER STRESS AND 
                   MENTAL HEALTH OF INDIVIDUALS IN RURAL AREAS.

       (a) Definition of Secretary.--In this section, the term 
     ``Secretary'' means the Secretary of Agriculture.
       (b) Findings.--Congress finds that--
       (1) according to the Centers for Disease Control and 
     Prevention, the suicide rate is 45 percent greater in rural 
     areas of the United States than the suicide rate in urban 
     areas of the United States;
       (2) farmers face social isolation, the potential for 
     financial losses, barriers to seeking mental health services, 
     and access to lethal means to commit suicide; and
       (3) as commodity prices fall and farmers face uncertainty, 
     reports of farmer suicides are increasing.
       (c) Public Service Announcement Campaign to Address Farm 
     and Ranch Mental Health.--
       (1) In general.--The Secretary, in consultation with the 
     Secretary of Health and Human Services, shall carry out a 
     public service announcement campaign to address the mental 
     health of farmers and ranchers.
       (2) Requirements.--The public service announcement campaign 
     under paragraph (1) shall include television, radio, print, 
     outdoor, and digital public service announcements.
       (3) Contractor.--The Secretary may enter into a contract or 
     other agreement with a third party to carry out the public 
     service announcement campaign under paragraph (1).
       (4) Authorization of appropriations.--There is authorized 
     to be appropriated to the Secretary to carry out this 
     subsection

[[Page S3457]]

     $3,000,000, to remain available until expended.
       (d) Employee Training Program to Manage Farmer and Rancher 
     Stress.--
       (1) In general.--Subtitle A of the Department of 
     Agriculture Reorganization Act of 1994 (7 U.S.C. 6912 et 
     seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following:

     ``SEC. 224B. EMPLOYEE TRAINING PROGRAM TO MANAGE FARMER AND 
                   RANCHER STRESS.

       ``(a) In General.--The Secretary shall establish a 
     voluntary program to train employees of the Farm Service 
     Agency, the Risk Management Agency, and the Natural Resources 
     Conservation Service in the management of stress experienced 
     by farmers and ranchers, including the detection of stress 
     and suicide prevention.
       ``(b) Requirement.--Not later than 180 days after the date 
     on which the Secretary submits a report on the results of the 
     pilot program being carried out by the Secretary as of the 
     date of enactment of this section to train employees of the 
     Department in the management of stress experienced by farmers 
     and ranchers, and based on the recommendations contained in 
     that report, the Secretary shall develop a training program 
     to carry out subsection (a).
       ``(c) Report.--Not less frequently than once every 2 years, 
     the Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Agriculture of 
     the House of Representatives and the Committee on 
     Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry of the Senate a report 
     describing the implementation of this section.''.
       (2) Conforming amendments.--
       (A) Subtitle A of the Department of Agriculture 
     Reorganization Act of 1994 is amended by redesignating 
     section 225 (7 U.S.C. 6925) as section 224A.
       (B) Section 296(b) of the Department of Agriculture 
     Reorganization Act of 1994 (7 U.S.C. 7014(b)) is amended by 
     adding at the end the following:
       ``(11) The authority of the Secretary to carry out section 
     224B.''.
       (e) Task Force for Assessment of Causes of Mental Stress 
     and Best Practices for Response.--
       (1) In general.--The Secretary shall convene a task force 
     of agricultural and rural stakeholders at the national, 
     State, and local levels--
       (A) to assess the causes of mental stress in farmers and 
     ranchers; and
       (B) to identify best practices for responding to that 
     mental stress.
       (2) Submission of report.--Not later than 1 year after the 
     date of enactment of this Act, the task force convened under 
     paragraph (1) shall submit to the Secretary a report 
     containing the assessment and best practices under 
     subparagraphs (A) and (B), respectively, of that paragraph.
       (3) Collaboration.--In carrying out this subsection, the 
     task force convened under paragraph (1) shall collaborate 
     with nongovernmental organizations and State and local 
     agencies.
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