[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 128 (Tuesday, July 21, 2020)]
[Senate]
[Pages S4339-S4340]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
Cloture Motion
Mr. McCONNELL. I send a cloture motion to the desk.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The cloture motion having been presented under
rule XXII, the Chair directs the clerk to read the motion.
The senior assistant legislative clerk read as follows
Cloture Motion
We, the undersigned Senators, in accordance with the
provisions of rule XXII of the Standing Rules of the Senate,
do hereby move to bring to a close debate on the nomination
of William Scott Hardy, of Pennsylvania, to be United States
District Judge for the Western District of Pennsylvania.
Mitch McConnell, Chuck Grassley, Cindy Hyde-Smith,
Michael B. Enzi, Tim Scott, Marco Rubio, Lamar
Alexander, James E. Risch, David Perdue, Bill Cassidy,
Pat Roberts, John Cornyn, Lindsey Graham, Thom Tillis,
Deb Fischer, Mike Crapo, Kevin Cramer.
Mr. McCONNELL. I ask unanimous consent that the mandatory quorum call
be waived.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
Mr. McCONNELL. I yield the floor.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Kansas.
Commander John Scott Hannon Veterans Mental Health Care Improvement Act
Mr. MORAN. Madam President, I am here this evening to discuss a
tragic issue that is affecting way too many Americans across the
country. This tragedy is mental health and suicide. A majority of
Americans are encountering an unprecedented amount of stress due to
COVID-19, and resources previously used to help individuals cope are
even more limited. What is more concerning is that compounding
stressors and depleted resources increase the likelihood of public
health disparities like the one I am discussing today. If there ever
were a time to invest in mental health, it is now.
In a recent article from the Journal of the American Medical
Association, researchers discussed several risk factors that put our
Nation collectively at a higher risk for suicide. These risk factors
include economic stress, decreased access to community and religious
support systems, lack of access to adequate mental health and suicide
prevention services, and social isolation. This has unfortunately
caused a severe lack of personal and social connection, which we know
to be a protective factor against suicide.
This evening I want to specifically highlight veterans as they face
unique risk factors for suicide, in addition to the increased stress
around COVID-19. Research illustrates that veterans have a higher rate
of suicide and certain mental health conditions than their civilian
peers. We know there is not one single explanation or reason for
suicide, and there is no one single treatment or prevention strategy.
While post-traumatic stress disorder and traumatic brain injuries are
prominent among veterans and are known as an invisible wound of war, we
now realize other conditions, such as depression, anxiety, and
substance use disorder, also contribute to suicide among veterans and
all Americans.
Our veterans are fighting new battles, and the stress caused by
COVID-19 has only exacerbated these issues. Just recently, two veterans
from different generations, who lived on different coasts and fought in
different wars decades apart, died by suicide. One was a 74-year-old
veteran who died on the campus of a VA facility in San Diego, and the
other was a former Green Beret in Washington, DC. They are two of the
20 veterans who are lost each day to suicide--a number we know as far
too great.
The Army recently lost a respected soldier known as ``Captain
America.'' Master Sergeant Marckesano fought in Afghanistan, and
according to news reports, 30 soldiers from his former unit have died
by suicide since their 2009 deployment. Until the end, Master Sergeant
Marckesano was encouraging members of his old unit to reach out and
talk if they found themselves struggling, telling them ``Don't let the
valley win.'' Even soldiers who try to be strong for others find
themselves in a circumstance where they don't see another option, and
they lose their battle.
Another veteran I want to highlight today who fought a battle with
his mental health was Commander John Scott Hannon. Commander Hannon's
DD-214 illustrates that he was a decorated Navy SEAL, but he was much
more than his service history and the wounds he bore as a result. His
family and friends remember him as a passionate mental health advocate
for veterans with a gentle heart and a fierce
[[Page S4340]]
belief in taking tangible actions to tackle big challenges.
Sadly, Commander Hannon lost his courageous fight with post-traumatic
stress, bipolar disorder, and the effects of a traumatic brain injury
in February 2018. However, he lives on in the memories of his friends
and family and as the namesake of pivotal legislation in the Senate
that I am pleased to lead with the Senator from Montana, Mr. Tester.
For several months now, our committee has been working closely with
the VA and the White House to improve upon and advance the Commander
John Scott Hannon Veterans Mental Health Care Improvement Act, S. 785,
which will make necessary investments in suicide prevention services,
innovative research, and improvements to mental healthcare.
This bill will establish a grant program that requires the VA and the
Department of Veterans Affairs to better collaborate with community
organizations across the country already serving veterans. This
collaboration will result in earlier identification of veterans who are
at risk of suicide and will provide the ability to intervene with
preventive services. This is a provision championed by my colleague
from Arkansas, Senator Boozman. Additionally, this legislation requires
the VA to bolster research efforts around brain and mental health
conditions, expand upon telehealth partnerships to deliver better care
to our veterans in rural areas, allow veterans to take advantage of
emerging complimentary and integrative treatments, and so much more.
This bipartisan legislation received a unanimous 17-to-0 vote in the
Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs earlier this year, and the time
to act by the full Senate is now. We should not wait.
The increased risk factors coupled with the negative effects of the
pandemic could be a perfect storm for our veterans, as researchers from
the American Psychological Association noted in a recent article. With
this in mind, I am calling on my colleagues to do our part to make
certain that every veteran has access to the lifesaving care and
support they need. We need to ensure that every VA medical center is
equipped with the proper personnel, evidence-based treatment options,
and best research-informed care to fit the needs of each veteran who
walks through that hospital door.
For veterans and servicemembers like Commander John Scott Hannon and
Master Sergeant Marckesano, we in Congress have the opportunity to take
action to let them know they don't have to struggle alone. This
legislation will help connect these veterans and our servicemembers to
more resources and provide them tools to address challenges related to
their service. To my colleagues, we have a significant role and
responsibility to combat this struggle, and here, today, we can do our
part to make certain that in the end the valley does not win.
In the spirit of this bill's namesake, we must take real and urgent
action to tackle this challenge together. As we seek swift action on S.
785 on the Senate floor, I ask my colleagues to join us in our fight
against suicide.
Lastly, to the veterans across the country who may hear this message
today, who are experiencing thoughts of suicide, I ask you to reach out
for help. Call a trusted friend, family member, or reach out to the
Veterans Crisis Line. That number is 1-800-273-8255, and then press 1.
Again, 1-800-273-8255, followed by pressing 1.
I am pleased to know that in the future, this crisis line will be
updated to 9-8-8. This is because the Senate acted on my legislation,
along with Senator Gardner, to designate 9-8-8 as the new national
suicide and mental health crisis hotline earlier this year. Last week,
the FCC announced they will make this designation operational by July
16, 2022.
Suicide is preventable, and now is the time we take the stand
necessary to protect the lives of people who have given so much for our
Nation. They have protected us; we need to protect them.
I yield the floor.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Georgia.