[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.