[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 144 (Wednesday, August 12, 2020)]
[Senate]
[Pages S5398-S5399]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                                VETERANS

  Mr. BOOZMAN. I want to take a second to thank the Presiding Officer 
for the great work that he is doing on the Veterans' Affairs Committee. 
As the Senator just spoke earlier, he is working hard to take these 
bills and improve them. Everyone is working together, and we certainly 
appreciate the fact that the Senator has so much experience in a 
variety of different ways and has added so much the committee. We are 
very thankful for that.
  I rise today to recognize the significant steps that the Senate 
recently took to improve the mental healthcare of veterans and save 
lives with the passage of the Commander John Scott Hannon Veterans 
Mental Health Care Improvement Act. This moves us one step closer to 
paving a new path forward in suicide prevention and implementing a new 
strategy that, I believe, will give hope and purpose to the men and 
women who live with these invisible injuries. More than 50,000 
organizations nationwide provide suicide prevention services for 
veterans. These nonprofits and community organizations play a vital 
role and have taken the lead to build effective programs.
  I have heard from veterans how organizations like the one based in 
Rogers, AR, Sheep Dog Impact Assistance, are encouraging them to live 
their best life. I have also seen how outdoor therapies like Rivers of 
Recovery are supporting the mental health needs of veterans and how 
veteran service organizations are stepping up and addressing mental 
healthcare in their communities.
  We have so many organizations in Arkansas and throughout the country 
that are doing a great job in this capacity. In Mount Home, AR, the 
Disabled American Veterans chapter changed its approach to outreach 
after the region experienced the highest veteran suicide rate in the 
State, one of the highest in the Nation. Members enhanced their contact 
with veterans in the area. This connection has saved lives and reversed 
the suicide rate in Northern Arkansas.
  It makes sense that we harness the ideas and successes of this DAV 
chapter and other advocates into sound policy. That is why I joined 
with Senator Mark Warner to champion a new strategy that authorizes the 
VA to provide grants to nonprofits in their communities, establishing a 
framework to coordinate these efforts and expand outreach to more 
veterans. Additionally, this legislation will enable the VA to 
establish greater partnerships with communities to better measure the 
effectiveness of ongoing suicide prevention programs.
  I appreciate the leadership of the VA Committee Chairman Jerry Moran, 
Ranking Member Jon Tester, and the assistance of them and their staffs 
in working with me and Senator Warner and our staffs to include our 
proposal, the IMPROVE Well-Being for Veterans' Act, in the 
comprehensive mental healthcare package, again, that we just passed in 
the Senate. I especially want to thank Rosie Heiss, Amanda Want, and 
Pat McGuigan, members of my staff who spent countless hours and worked 
with numerous groups to find a solution to help advance this idea.
  The VA estimates around 20 veterans commit suicide each day. That 
number has remained roughly unchanged despite a tremendous increase in 
funding. Interestingly, only 6 of those 20 veterans are receiving 
healthcare services in the VA. By sharing information and collaborating 
with veteran-serving nonprofits and other community organizations, we 
can expand our network and provide the help the veterans need and, 
ultimately, capture more veterans into our VA system.
  VA Secretary Robert Wilkie called this approach ``key'' to unlocking 
the

[[Page S5399]]

veteran suicide crisis. Hopefully, he is right. I applaud the Senate 
for advancing this bill and look forward to working with my colleagues 
in the House of Representatives to quickly approve this legislation so 
that we can reassure veterans that their best days are ahead of them.
  I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
  The senior assistant legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order 
for the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Boozman). Without objection, it is so 
ordered

                          ____________________