[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 188 (Tuesday, October 26, 2021)]
[House]
[Pages H5912-H5917]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




           HELP FOR OUR RETURNING SERVICEMEN AND SERVICEWOMEN

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under the Speaker's announced policy of 
January 4, 2021, the gentleman from New York (Mr. Zeldin) is recognized 
for 60 minutes as the designee of the minority leader.


                             General Leave

  Mr. ZELDIN. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members 
be given 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and 
include extraneous materials on the topic of our Special Order.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from New York?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. ZELDIN. Madam Speaker, our servicemen and-women have sacrificed 
so much in their courageous fight for our exceptional Nation and our 
freedoms. Unfortunately, when our veterans return home from the 
battlefield, too often they find that their fight has just begun.
  My home county in New York, Suffolk, boasts one of the highest 
concentrations of veterans in the country, and we pride ourselves on 
our rich history and commitment to serving our Nation's veterans.
  The Department of Veterans Affairs estimates that approximately 20 
veterans per day take their own life, oftentimes plagued with post-
traumatic stress disorder and traumatic brain injury.
  One of those suffering was PFC Joseph Dwyer, an Iraq war veteran from 
Mount Sinai, New York. As an Army combat medic, PFC Dwyer was the face 
of the Iraq war. In 2003, this photo next to me was taken of Joe 
carrying an injured Iraqi child to safety, and it went viral worldwide.
  Unfortunately, when he came back home to Long Island he returned with 
the mental wounds of war, and after years of struggling, he lost his 
battle with PTSD in 2008. It is important to note that Joe didn't 
commit suicide. He was seeking temporary relief from his pain, and his 
last words were: I don't want to die.
  Understanding that PFC Dwyer was just one of the local veterans 
struggling, I created the PFC Joseph P. Dwyer Veteran Peer Support 
Program as a New York State senator in 2012. The Dwyer program is 
modeled as a peer-to-peer support program for veterans struggling with 
PTSD and TBI.
  This model provides a safe, confidential, and educational platform 
where all veterans are welcome to meet with other veterans in support 
of each other's successful transition to post-service life and seeks to 
build vet-to-vet relationships that enhance positive change.
  The Dwyer program also incorporates a variety of therapeutic 
activities, such as horse training and fishing that provide for common 
experiences, learning, and personal growth.
  Suffolk County served as one of four test counties in New York, and 
since then, with the dedication and hard work of so many exceptional 
men and women, the program has successfully expanded to more than 25 
counties across New York, saving lives and assisting tens of thousands 
of New York veterans battling PTSD and TBI.
  The program has been so successful that the New York State budget for 
fiscal year 2022 included a 22 percent increase in funding for the 
Dwyer program. The way the program is organized, by providing grants to 
localities, it has allowed each county to customize its individual 
program to fit individual needs and resources they have available while 
running an efficient and effective program.
  Each county only receives between $100,000 and $300,000 from the 
State, and what they manage to do with that money is incredible.
  Its continued track record of success is why I introduced bipartisan 
legislation, H.R. 1476, the PFC Joseph P. Dwyer Peer Support Program 
Act, to expand the Dwyer program nationally by authorizing the VA 
Secretary to make grants available to State and local entities, to 
carry out peer-to-peer mental health programs all across our Nation and 
help ensure that all of our Nation's veterans have access to the 
support they need.
  This important legislation has earned the support of 14 veteran 
advocacy organizations, including: The American Legion, Military 
Veterans Advocacy, Blinded Veterans Association, Military Order of the 
Purple

[[Page H5913]]

Heart, American Ex-Prisoners of War, Paralyzed Veterans of America, 
Catholic War Veterans, New York City Veterans Alliance, Jewish War 
Veterans, the Fleet Reserve Association, Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans 
of America, Wounded Warrior Project, AMVETS, and the American 
Foundation for Suicide Prevention.
  It has also been cosponsored by 36 of my colleagues, both Republicans 
and Democrats, some of whom we will hear from this evening about the 
importance of this legislation and improving the resources and care we 
provide to our Nation's heroes as they make the difficult transition to 
civilian life.
  Madam Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from California (Mr. Costa), 
who is a leader in this effort fighting for our veterans and is a 
cosponsor of H.R. 1476.

                              {time}  1615

  Mr. COSTA. Madam Speaker, I rise today to speak in support of the 
Private First Class Joseph P. Dwyer Peer Support Program Act. I want to 
thank my colleague, Representative Zeldin, for his good work and his 
efforts on behalf of veterans who serve our country with great honor.
  Roughly 15 million adults in the United States suffer from post-
traumatic stress disorder, otherwise known as PTSD. The Department of 
Veterans Affairs indicates that between 15 and 30 percent of Vietnam 
veterans have had post-traumatic stress disorder in their lifetime; 
about 12 percent of Desert Storm veterans have had post-traumatic 
stress disorder; and between 11 and 20 percent of those who served in 
Operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom now also, sadly, have 
been subject to post-traumatic stress disorder in a given year.
  These statistics are staggering, and, sadly, because of PTSD, many 
veterans have taken their lives. Our servicemen and -women sacrifice so 
much to protect our freedom, and we must do all we can to help them 
recover and prevent these tragic losses.
  In 2013 the State of New York, under the leadership of Representative 
Zeldin and others, established the Dwyer program to support veterans 
suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder and traumatic brain 
injury, otherwise referred to as TBI, by connecting veterans with other 
veterans who suffer through similar struggles. Over the years, the 
program has created a safe, confidential, and educational network for 
thousands of veterans to support each other on their transition to 
post-service life; and this is so important.
  The Veterans Administration has found that one key part to help our 
veterans is to ensure that they feel connected to their communities and 
know that they are not alone in their struggles that they face and that 
they can come back and become a contributing member to their community 
as they were when they left. Expanding the Dwyer program nationwide, 
therefore, is crucial to save lives and help our veterans successfully 
transition to civilian life when they come home.
  The San Joaquin Valley of California, which I am honored to 
represent, is home to nearly 30,000 veterans. Throughout my time in 
Congress, veterans and their families have been one of my top 
priorities. I have spent 17 years working side by side with the 
Veterans Administration assisting veterans with PTSD, creating a 
veterans' home, expanding veterans' healthcare, and providing a whole 
host of efforts that deal with post-traumatic stress disorder and 
pending claims for service-connected benefits. When we support them, we 
also must never forget about their families because it is both them and 
their families.
  Next month on November 11 we are going to celebrate Veterans Day, and 
I can't think of a better thing that we can all do than to work on this 
legislation successfully and say thank you to those who have served our 
Nation. I am a proud cosponsor of this bipartisan legislation to 
provide our veterans with the support, healthcare, and treatment they 
have earned and, therefore, that they deserve. This nationwide 
expansion is long overdue.
  I want to congratulate and thank my colleagues for their efforts. We 
can do more, and we must do more. Every veteran counts on us to do our 
part because they have done theirs.
  Mr. ZELDIN. Madam Speaker, I thank Congressman Costa so much for his 
leadership and advocacy. It is so important that from coast to coast 
every veteran in the United States of America knows that there are 
people in their community who would drop everything at a moment's 
notice in the middle of the night to provide that love and support to 
get them through their difficult times. Every veteran should have 
access to a program like this, and I appreciate the gentleman's 
leadership.
  Mr. COSTA. I commend the gentleman and my colleagues on this effort. 
It is very important, and it is the right thing to do.
  Mr. ZELDIN. Madam Speaker, Congressman  Mike Garcia is another 
cosponsor of H.R. 1476. He was a Navy fighter pilot. We are not going 
to hold that against him. We are still just getting close here to an 
Army-Navy game.
  But what we find is that different generations serving in different 
branches and different conflicts, whether it is in peacetime or 
wartime, we have so many veterans who have stepped up. Congressman  
Mike Garcia sure has done his part. It is an honor to serve with him 
now here in the House.
  Madam Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from California (Mr. Garcia), 
who is a cosponsor of H.R. 1476.
  Mr. GARCIA of California. Madam Speaker, I look forward to maybe more 
contested Army-Navy games in the near term.
  Madam Speaker, in our battle against our internal demons, there is 
nothing more powerful than veterans helping other veterans. I rise 
today to discuss the need to support our veterans battling post-
traumatic stress disorder and traumatic brain injury, otherwise known 
as TBI. Prior to coming to Congress I served in the U.S. Navy as an F/
A-18 strike fighter pilot. I served from the age of 18 until the age of 
36. I was honored to fly combat missions during the first 6 months of 
Operation Iraqi Freedom over the skies of Baghdad, Fallujah and Tikrit 
in 2001 in support of our soldiers and marines on the ground.
  As a veteran myself, I understand that individuals serving in the 
military or those who have served often take pride in their ability to 
compartmentalize things or to compartmentalize events in their minds. 
This is how we cope. But during my journey I lost too many friends, and 
many of them to suicide, because they thought they were able to 
compartmentalize when in reality they needed the help.
  When someone makes a decision to leave the military, they often think 
that by going back to the real world they will lose their experiences 
and that the memories that terrorize many of us will come off with the 
uniform. This simply could not be further from the truth. The memories 
are always there weighing on you mentally, physically, and emotionally. 
This is why it is crucial that we raise awareness for those dealing 
with PTSD or TBI.

  The mental toughness taught in the military does not mean staying 
silent or not reaching out for help. Instead, I believe that receiving 
help and talking with a professional or a fellow veteran shows 
resilience. It shows you are longing to heal, Madam Speaker, so you can 
be a better spouse and you can be a better parent and a better friend. 
That is what real toughness looks like.
  It is abundantly clear that there is a dire need to improve access to 
the critical mental health resources for our veterans battling PTSD and 
TBI. This is what H.R. 1476 does. And I commend Representative Zeldin 
for introducing the bipartisan bill, the PFC Joseph P. Dwyer Peer 
Support Program Act, which would establish a peer-to-peer support 
program for military veterans suffering from PTSD and TBI.
  Private First Class Joseph P. Dwyer, an Iraq war veteran, is just one 
example of a life taken too soon because of PTSD acquired during his 
time of service. There is a bond amongst those who have served that 
cannot be broken, and this program will create efforts that take into 
account this bond and this friendship and this kinship, and it provides 
a way for veterans to heal alongside one another.
  Madam Speaker, I strongly support this legislation and encourage 
others to do the same. Our precious warriors deserve our support. Our 
precious warriors and their families need our support.
  God bless all those who serve.
  Mr. ZELDIN. Madam Speaker, the gentleman just said something that

[[Page H5914]]

really struck with me as he reflects on people he served with who lost 
their lives due to PTSD.
  I have actually known more people in the military who have lost their 
lives due to PTSD than have lost their lives in combat. When we were 
deciding whether or not to create a program like this and we created a 
veterans' advisory panel to design the proposal, one of the members was 
someone named John Jennings. Right before we had our first meeting, 
John lost his battle due to PTSD, and we named it the John P. Jennings 
Veterans' Advisory Panel. But these stories for many post-9/11 
veterans--and it was called something else in decades and generations 
past, it seems like each time there has been a conflict it has had a 
different name--so many veterans have been impacted actually losing 
more friends due to PTSD than in combat.
  My colleague from New York, Chris Jacobs, who is a cosponsor of H.R. 
1476, comes from a part of the State that I actually had just visited. 
They have successful Dwyer models now in his region, too. Veterans of 
all generations and proud veteran supporters all throughout Chris 
Jacobs' district are looking to find ways to tell the story of how the 
Dwyer program is working for them and in other areas looking for ways 
to expand it to go further. Every minute since he has been here, Chris 
Jacobs has been an outstanding leader for our veterans and our veteran 
community. Of course, he is cosponsoring this legislation because he 
doesn't waste any opportunity to do everything in his power to help 
fight for vets.
  Madam Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from New York (Mr. Jacobs).
  Mr. JACOBS of New York. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman for his 
service and sacrifice to our country.
  Madam Speaker, I rise today in support, as well, of H.R. 1476 to 
allocate more resources to our American heroes struggling with post-
traumatic stress disorder, PTSD, and traumatic brain injury.
  Madam Speaker, as we become more aware of mental health, we must 
ensure that we make every possible effort to help those who served our 
Nation and are now struggling. It is estimated that 11 to 20 percent of 
veterans suffer from PTSD, and almost 500,000 veterans have suffered a 
TBI in the past 20 years.
  These injuries were incurred protecting our Nation and defending our 
freedom across numerous wars. Certainly this conversation surrounding 
mental health has gained a new national spotlight in the past number of 
months as veterans witnessed the chaotic and reckless withdrawal from 
Afghanistan. My office has received numerous calls from veterans in my 
district who are deeply disturbed by the events we have witnessed, and 
many are experiencing new grief and pain.
  Similarly, it was reported that the veterans crisis hotline saw a 
recent surge in both texts and calls from veterans struggling with 
mental health around the Nation.
  There is no greater honor or act of selflessness than to sign up to 
serve our Nation in our military. We have a moral and sworn obligation 
to protect those who sacrificed protecting us, and we have an 
obligation to ensure any veteran can access the resources they need.
  I proudly cosponsored the PFC Joseph P. Dwyer Peer Support Program 
Act as one solution to this complex problem. I would say I knew full 
well how well this program operated as a member of the State senate 
trying to carry on the great work and the creation of Congressman 
Zeldin when he was in the State senate. I want to thank him for his 
leadership on this issue and carrying this forward to the Federal level 
so more areas can benefit from it.
  Supporting our veterans is a bipartisan issue we can all get behind. 
There is no room to debate this issue, only room for action to help our 
American heroes.
  Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in cosponsoring H.R. 
1476, and I urge this body to move efficiently to provide more mental 
health and brain injury resources to hundreds of thousands of veterans 
across the Nation who desperately need it. I am grateful for this 
opportunity.
  Mr. ZELDIN. Madam Speaker, Congressman Jacobs, as he mentioned, was a 
member of the New York State Senate, and every single year it was a 
budget battle to get this money in that final budget. Thanks to Chris' 
efforts working on both sides of the aisle in both the New York State 
Senate and New York State Assembly, it didn't just continue to get 
funded but it expanded, and it is now in his region very successfully.
  Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman for being here and for his 
cosponsorship.
  Congressman Madison Cawthorn with North Carolina's 11th District is a 
member of the House Veterans' Affairs Committee. He is a cosponsor of 
H.R. 1476. He is all in on that committee to fight for our veterans to 
make sure that the Department of Veterans Affairs is being run as 
effectively and efficiently as possible and there are a whole lot of 
Americans all across this country who know that as Madison Cawthorn has 
their back as a member of this committee. We are all proud of him and 
glad he is here in the House with us. We are honored to have him as a 
cosponsor.

  Madam Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. 
Cawthorn).
  Mr. CAWTHORN. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding to 
me.
  I will say that I am proud to be a cosponsor on his bill. I think it 
is far past time that Congress start taking the mental health 
requirements, necessities, and needs of our veterans' community more 
seriously. Not only does this mean just sending more money to it, it 
means thinking outside of the box; and I think that is exactly what the 
gentleman's bill does.
  I will tell you, Madam Speaker, when we start thinking about the debt 
that our Nation owes to this Nation's veterans, we realize that the 
debt can never truly be repaid. But certainly we can make sure that not 
23 servicemembers--veterans--are committing suicide every single day. 
Certainly we can make sure that the telehealth program within the VA is 
expanded so that people can have easy mental checkups that won't deem 
them as someone who is mentally unfit.

                              {time}  1630

  Certainly, this means that we can take a proactive manner in making 
sure that our veterans feel safe and feel as if they can come forward 
and speak about the mental health issues that they are facing.
  So many servicemembers are dying. I believe the gentleman from New 
York remarked earlier that one of our members of this committee said 
that they actually knew more people who had committed suicide since 
returning home from the battlefield than had actually died on the 
battlefield, and that is truly heartbreaking.
  When they come home to America, they should be greeted as our 
Nation's heroes because that is exactly what they are.
  It is my honor to cosponsor this bill. It is my honor to support the 
mental health needs of our veteran community. And it is my honor to 
fight for them every single day.
  Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman for his leadership.
  Mr. ZELDIN. Madam Speaker, I thank Congressman Cawthorn, and I am not 
surprised that he is a cosponsor of this bill. He very eloquently 
stated the need to think outside the box.
  People go for help, and there are some people who just always 
thought, Congressman Rutherford, that the answer is just to provide a 
medication. They weren't thinking outside the box.
  I remember people were showing up sick to PT. They would go to the 
infirmary complaining, and they were diagnosing Tylenol and codeine. 
You have a headache, Tylenol and codeine. You need knee surgery? Well, 
here is Tylenol and codeine. Whatever it was, it was just all over the 
base. It was the instinctive response.
  I think, for a while, the Department of Veterans Affairs thought that 
that was the only answer.
  We have a county sheriff who, in many ways, I look to him as the 
sheriff here in the House. He is also a cosponsor of H.R. 1476. He is 
someone who knows his purpose here in the House, a principled man, a 
fighter. His constituents are very lucky to have him in Florida's 
Fourth Congressional District. And he gets it.

[[Page H5915]]

  That is why he has been all in fighting for veterans every day that 
he has been here.
  Madam Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Florida (Mr. 
Rutherford).
  Mr. RUTHERFORD. I thank my good friend from New York for his kind 
words.
  Madam Speaker, I rise today to discuss something that affects far too 
many of our veterans around the country. Every year in America, 
thousands of young men and women, they raise their right hands and take 
that oath to support and defend the Constitution of the United States 
against all enemies, foreign and domestic.
  They take this oath with the full knowledge of the risks associated 
with military service. They may be shipped off to a dangerous place. 
They may be required to have courage under fire. And like scores of 
American heroes who have paid the ultimate sacrifice throughout our 
history, they may even lay down their lives as well.
  Madam Speaker, what these men and women did not sign up for is the 
torment that follows too many after their service is complete. In fact, 
for some, the toughest battle that they will face comes after they 
leave the military.
  Over the last 2 years, Americans have weathered the COVID-19 
pandemic. But I tell you, there is another pandemic raging in our 
veteran community. Every single day, over 20 veterans take their 
lives--every single day.
  Since 9/11, we have lost four times as many veterans and Active Duty 
servicemembers to suicide than we have to combat--four times more to 
suicide than combat. This pandemic may not get the front-page attention 
in the media, but for those battling PTSD, TBI, and other forms of 
service-connected trauma, it is personal, and it is real.
  We owe not only a debt of gratitude to those who have served but also 
a commitment that we are there for them throughout their lives. That is 
why I am proud to support the PFC Joseph P. Dwyer Peer Support Program 
Act because I know it works.
  This bipartisan legislation expands an already proven, successful 
peer-to-peer support program for veterans suffering from PTSD and TBI. 
This program, as I said, has already been proven to be effective 
therapy across the State of New York. It is time to bring this to 
veterans in every corner of the United States to save those lives.
  I want to thank my good friend, Congressman Lee Zeldin, for filing 
this bill, this very important bill.
  Madam Speaker, I urge all of my colleagues to support this bill and 
continue to fight for those who have so bravely fought for us.
  Mr. ZELDIN. Madam Speaker, here, in the Halls of Congress, you hear 
millions, billions, trillions get thrown around, big dollar numbers. 
What has been so amazing is that a county gets $180,000, saving 
countless lives, seeing families staying together, people being able to 
stay in their jobs, and communities are stronger.
  It is so efficient, and that, I think, is one of the keys of success 
because there are people in our communities who want to volunteer their 
specialties. There is a social worker, psychologist, psychiatrist. 
There is someone who wants to provide food to that barbecue, a venue 
for a meeting. They want to give back.
  There are a lot of people I come across all the time who say that 
their only regret in life is that they never served. They wanted to 
serve and didn't do it, and that is their biggest regret in life. They 
are finding ways to serve.
  The gentleman is stepping up in a huge way, and it is something that 
I would be excited to see in his congressional district in Florida.
  Mr. RUTHERFORD. I would, too. I will tell the gentleman, listening to 
him speak, it reminds me that this is not even just about those 
servicemembers. We talk about the 20 to 23 number that take their lives 
every day. But there are thousands of family members and friends who 
are affected by those deaths. So this is not only for our 
servicemembers. It is also for all of their families and friends and 
loved ones. I thank the gentleman for this bill.

  Mr. ZELDIN. Madam Speaker, I have seen that, too. There is a spouse 
out there who is seeing their loved one struggling with post-traumatic 
stress, and they don't know what to do to help. They are reaching out 
to the local veterans service office. They are reaching out to their 
local Dwyer program because they want to help their loved one. They 
want to keep their marriage together. They don't want everything to 
fall apart.
  The specialty, the expertise here, is not just about providing that 
support and help to the servicemember. When one person serves in the 
military, just like you were a sheriff, when one person serves in law 
enforcement, the whole family serves. You come home with the mental 
wounds of war, and really, in a way, the whole family is experiencing 
the mental wounds of war.
  Mr. RUTHERFORD. I will tell the gentleman, it is proven in New York. 
It is actually proven in northeast Florida. We have a peer-to-peer 
program that is called Fire Watch, which has been incredibly successful 
just recently.
  That is why I was excited to see this bill because I know from Fire 
Watch, and I know from the results that you all have had in the great 
State of New York, just how important this is to saving lives.
  Mr. ZELDIN. Madam Speaker, I remember when I first got here to the 
House, and there was somebody with a national veterans service office 
who was advocating for peer-to-peer support. I asked this national 
commander what he had in mind, what he envisioned, what his model was 
for how to provide peer-to-peer support.
  I wasn't trying to ask it as some type of a trick question, a gotcha 
question, but I realized, in his answer, he didn't really know. He knew 
that he was supposed to advocate for peer-to-peer support, but he 
didn't know exactly what that model was going to look like.
  Then, over the course of these last few years, more of these national 
veterans service organizations have been looking at what is going on in 
New York. Now they come to the Halls of Congress and are testifying in 
front of the Veterans' Affairs Committee. They talk about peer support, 
and they specifically are citing the Dwyer program as that model.
  I saw, at a place called the Warrior Ranch in Suffolk County, a 
veteran who is struggling with post-traumatic stress disorder be placed 
in this area with a wild horse that was just rescued. He had never 
interacted with horses before. Within minutes--he had some training as 
to how to understand what the horse is thinking, how to take charge, 
realizing that the horse is going to be testing you out a little bit as 
to who is in charge. He took charge of that situation, and he 
immediately developed this bond with this horse.
  I was speaking to someone who barely survived his own struggle with 
post-traumatic stress. He is upstate New York. Through a similar 
program, he developed a bond with a horse, and it was so strong that 
the owner of this ranch would allow him to come in the middle of the 
night if he was having a bad night and spend some time with this horse. 
That was how he got through his tough time.
  I mean, he is healthy. He is doing great. He is a leader in his 
community, with the veterans community specifically. And he credits 
that interaction he had with a horse.
  Others, it is fly-fishing. Others, it is having access to a companion 
animal.
  The answer is not just to medicate a person with mental health 
issues. You need to find other alternative ways to try to assist these 
men and women in need.
  It is not just veterans, although here we are specifically talking 
about veterans with the mental wounds of war. A lot of the examples 
that could be provided of success with the Dwyer program can be 
replicated for others who are nonveterans who have mental health 
challenges in this country.
  The Dwyer program has made a lifesaving impact in our State. I have 
received a few testimonials.
  Danielle is an Army veteran enrolled in the Suffolk County Dwyer 
program. She stated:

       I started the Dwyer program back in April 2020 because the 
     internship program I was in was no longer an option during 
     COVID-19. I was a single mother who was furloughed and 
     attempting graduate school through virtual means, which was 
     extremely taxing on my mental health.
       The support group grew into a sisterhood of not only 
     emotional and spiritual support but guidance and education on 
     the resources available to us and that female veterans

[[Page H5916]]

     must continue to fight for their needs as a special 
     population.
       I owe everything to this magnetic group for being the 
     positive guidance I needed to continue my service, complete 
     my educational goals, and become employed at an agency that 
     truly cares about veterans' special needs.

  In Suffolk, that program is led by Thomas Ronayne and Marcelle Leis 
and a number of others. They are all in. They have dedicated their 
lives toward making it a huge success. They certainly impacted 
Danielle's life.
  They also impacted Robert's life. He is a Navy veteran and a Suffolk 
County Dwyer program participant who said:

       I was struggling with both substance abuse and use and 
     thoughts of self-harm, as well as a suicide attempt.
       This program, and those involved, helped me battle all 
     this, and I now have over 5 years sober, a family, two 
     degrees, and a new career.

  Roger is a Marine Corps veteran, a Purple Heart recipient, and a 
Suffolk County Dwyer program participant. He said:

       You have to be mentally ready to say to yourself, I need 
     something. I need to reach out to somebody somewhere, because 
     even though it takes a tremendous amount of courage and 
     dedication to join the military, it takes just as much 
     courage and dedication to be able to express that you have an 
     issue with your life because of your experiences through the 
     military. I am really happy for the Dwyer program because it 
     gives us the outlet we need, because veterans only relate to 
     other veterans.

  Judy is from Suffolk County. She said:

       I am a psychiatric RN with 33 years clinical experience. 
     During that time, I have treated veterans with PTSD and 
     traumatic brain injury. As these issues are long term, the 
     problem has always been providing support after 
     hospitalization. There have been no resources in the 
     community until Dwyer came along.
       Now there is a strong helping hand to support these heroes. 
     But it needs to be expanded to accomplish more. Without it, 
     veterans face repeated hospitalizations, resulting in 
     premature and unnecessary deaths.

  Arthur is a Vietnam veteran from Suffolk County. He said:

       As a combat vet of the Vietnam war, I can relate to the 
     need for the Dwyer program. When I returned home from 
     Vietnam, there were no support services that I was aware of. 
     I went from my duty station in Vietnam to CONUS in 3 days, no 
     adjustment.
       I am not alone, as there are many Vietnam vets that are 
     suffering even today. I believe that not adjusting to 
     civilian life sets back an individual's progress and 
     assimilation back into society.

                              {time}  1645

  I will give you one last testimonial, and I would like to be able to 
introduce my friend, Buddy Carter from Georgia.
  Anthony is a Suffolk County Dwyer program participant. He said: I 
have personally seen how veterans, myself being a disabled veteran 
included, show up to a meeting, and they are provided with food, 
drinks, and a safe and secure environment to share veteran-related 
issues with other veterans and receive positive, supportive feedback 
that significantly improves their quality of life. I am happy to 
support this program and be involved in any way possible.
  Congressman Buddy Carter and I were elected in 2014. He is a friend. 
He is a great public servant. He has a number of specialties that bring 
diversity here to our Chamber. A number of times, based off of his 
civilian experiences in life, he has made letters, requests, and 
legislation all better and stronger when he has weighed in.
  Madam Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Carter), 
who is my friend and a cosponsor of H.R. 1476.
  Mr. CARTER of Georgia. Madam Speaker, this afternoon, I am pleased to 
join many of my colleagues to discuss the crucial need to improve 
access to critical mental health resources for veterans battling post-
traumatic stress disorder, PTSD, and traumatic brain injury, TBI.
  Georgia's First Congressional District, which I have the honor and 
privilege of representing, has a strong presence from each branch of 
the military, with 61,000 Active Duty servicemembers.
  We are home to four major military bases: Fort Stewart, Hunter Army 
Airfield, Kings Bay Naval Submarine Base, and Moody Air Force Base.
  My district is also home to over 50,000 veterans. Approximately 
19,000 of these veterans are post-9/11 veterans, 14,000 are Gulf war 
veterans, 15,000 are Vietnam war veterans, 1,800 are Korean war 
veterans, and nearly 200 are World War II veterans.
  Suicide is a major issue, not just within Georgia's First District, 
but one across our entire Nation as well.
  The Department of Veterans Affairs reports that an estimated 20 
veterans a day commit suicide. Madam Speaker, that is totally 
unacceptable. Twenty servicemembers, 20 veterans a day committing 
suicide. It is a sad thought that 20 of our veterans and servicemembers 
are taking their own lives after returning home.
  Even worse, a recent study released this past summer by the Costs of 
War Project found that servicemembers and veterans are four times more 
likely to have committed suicide than those who lost their lives in 
combat. This is an epidemic.
  We are losing more veterans on our home front than we have fighting 
the global war on terrorism. It affects not only the veterans suffering 
from mental stress but their families, friends, and loved ones they 
leave behind.
  The Department of Veterans Affairs estimates that 11 to 20 percent of 
veterans who deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom and 
Operation Enduring Freedom will have PTSD in a given year, compared to 
veterans of Desert Storm and Vietnam, who will suffer from PTSD at a 
rate of 12 and 30 percent, respectively.
  As many as 23 percent of combat veterans who have returned home from 
Iraq and Afghanistan have come back with a traumatic brain injury. The 
reason why these statistics are so alarming is the increased risk 
factors veterans with PTSD and TBI have for committing suicide.
  Veterans who suffer from PTSD are four times more likely to commit 
suicide than those veterans without PTSD, while veterans with a TBI are 
twice as likely to commit suicide than those without one.
  That is why I stand here today with my colleagues and pledge we work 
together in passing crucial legislation needed to improve access to 
critical mental health resources for our veterans.
  One critical piece of legislation that I was proud to cosponsor is 
H.R. 1476, the PFC Joseph P. Dwyer Peer Support Program Act, which has 
been offered by my friend and colleague, Representative Lee Zeldin. 
This bill will expand veteran peer-to-peer support programs nationally 
and help veterans suffering from PTSD and TBI. It is imperative that 
veterans receive the care they need and to prevent this ongoing crisis.
  Over 60 percent of the veterans that died by suicide in 2018 did not 
visit the VA in the year of their death or the previous year. Again, 
over 60 percent of the veterans that died by suicide in 2018 did not 
visit the VA in the year of their death or the previous year.
  While the VA offers different types of treatment for veterans who are 
battling with PTSD and TBI, we need to ensure that veterans are aware 
of the programs available to them and remind them that they are not 
alone.
  That is also why earlier this month I cosigned a letter led by my 
friend Representative   David Joyce to Secretary McDonough. This letter 
urged the VA to develop a comprehensive plan to connect veterans of the 
war in Afghanistan and the global war on terrorism to essential VA 
benefits and services as soon as possible.
  As I mentioned, Georgia's First Congressional District is home to a 
large military and veteran community. We have several veteran nonprofit 
organizations who focus on providing peer-to-peer support for veterans 
who suffer from PTSD.
  The PFC Joseph P. Dwyer Peer Support Program Act will ensure that all 
veterans have access to a safe and confidential peer-to-peer platform. 
I wholeheartedly believe this will help lower the number of veterans 
who commit suicide in our country each day.
  One death is too many.
  Madam Speaker, I thank my friend from New York for organizing this 
today. His efforts are appreciated, they are recognized, and we thank 
him for that.
  Mr. ZELDIN. Madam Speaker, I thank Congressman Buddy Carter of 
Georgia for being here and for cosponsoring this bipartisan bill. There 
are a lot of people on both sides of the aisle who have signed on, 
on this effort.

  Congressman Carter has the expertise to understand what has been a

[[Page H5917]]

longtime, conventional treatment, where doctors would just be 
prescribing a medication. The value of thinking outside the box has 
just saved so many lives. To be able to bring this program to Georgia, 
to Florida, to California, all across our entire Nation, would be 
enormous.
  I want to thank all my colleagues who joined me here today in sharing 
stories of veterans they represent or served with during their time in 
the military, and some of their own experiences. I look forward to 
continuing to work with each of them to expand and improve access to 
lifesaving mental health resources for our veterans suffering from PTSD 
and TBI.
  We are less than 2 months removed from the 20th anniversary of the 9/
11 terror attacks and less than 3 months since the withdrawal of 
Afghanistan. The tragic events that unfolded in Afghanistan were hard 
for Americans to watch, including many Afghanistan vets who are 
speaking out.
  What was interesting to note, and not surprising for many, as we are 
having our individual conversations, especially with the Afghan vets, 
the calls rose to the Veterans Crisis Line, online chats with the 
crisis line staff were up almost 40 percent, and texts to the crisis 
line rose by 98 percent.
  For me, my life could be separated into two parts. I am 41 years old. 
Half of my life was before September 11, 2001; half of my life was 
after September 11, 2001. But what is so amazing about those who are 
currently serving, so many of them, and those who are contacting our 
offices looking for congressional nominations to go to a service 
academy, all they know is life post-September 11, 2001. They either 
weren't born yet or they are just too young to remember.
  Everyone who is here in this Chamber now, every one of us probably 
vividly remembers exactly where we were on September 11, 2001. For 
these people who are signing up right now, to think that their whole 
life is everything we have seen post-9/11 and they still raise their 
hand and answer the call. We have a duty to look out for them, in some 
way to try to give back, because they are willing to give it all up in 
defense of us.
  I want to thank all 14 of the veteran service organizations who have 
stepped up, the national commanders who come here to the Halls of 
Congress to talk about the PFC Joseph P. Dwyer program.
  If you go back and look at the American Legion National Commander's 
testimony earlier this year in front of the House and Senate VA 
committees, he was advocating for the Dwyer program to be expanded 
nationally.
  It is our duty to give back, to look out for our vets and our veteran 
families. PFC Joseph P. Dwyer left behind a young widow, a 2-year-old 
daughter, a proud family, and forever they should know that this 
country will never forget Joseph Dwyer's service and sacrifice. We are 
trying to turn it into as much of a positive as possible.
  For anyone who is out there, any veteran in need, there is the 
Veterans Crisis Line to call and there are online chats. There are ways 
to reach out in your local community and nationally. Please reach out 
to your local Department of VA, at the very least, if you don't know of 
any other opportunities or resources available in your community.
  There are people who live around the block from you who will drop 
everything in the middle of the night to help you, as I mentioned 
earlier. Don't give up. We have your back. We are so grateful for your 
service to our country. This is a great world, a great country that is 
worth fighting to protect and defend, and a life worth living.
  Madam Speaker, I thank all of the cosponsors, and I yield back the 
balance of my time.
  Mr. BACON. Madam Speaker, I rise today to discuss the need to improve 
access to critical mental health resources for veterans battling with 
Post-Traumatic Stress and TBI, and to pledge my continued support on 
these vital issues facing our countless brave and heroic men and women 
who have dedicated their lives to serving our nation. It is imperative 
that we as a country and the United States Congress continue to work 
with our partners in government, industry, academia, and with private 
citizens to provide the best possible tools needed for their mental 
health and well-being.
  TBI is a serious and complex injury that happens on and off the 
battlefield. In fact, most TBl's occur during training. While many 
injuries appear to be psychological, many of them are physical and are 
caused by actual damage to the brain because of blast exposure, heavy 
weaponry, or just doing the day-to-day job of a service member.
  I stand firmly behind my colleague, Representative Lee Zeldin, as a 
partner in his efforts and a cosponsor of H.R. 1476, the PFC Joseph 
Dwyer Peer Support Program Act--a wonderful tool for our military that 
provides grants for peer-to-peer mental health support authorized by 
the Secretary of Veterans Affairs. I will continue to support efforts 
like this and other measures to improve the safety, research, and well-
being of those who volunteer to keep our nation safe.
  The timing of this cannot be more critical. We know that following 
the debacle in Afghanistan, we have seen a significant increase of 
veterans calling the suicide hotlines and, very unfortunately, we've 
seen an increase in suicides. Many veterans are questioning the value 
of their service in Afghanistan, and hurting knowing that friends and 
colleagues died for what General Millie has called a strategic failure. 
I share in that pain frankly. I encourage anyone struggling with this 
to reach out and get help. You are not alone. But also know, that your 
service was worth it. We stopped terrorism for 20 years coming out of 
Afghanistan and protected the homeland. We killed or captured the 
terrorists that masterminded 9/11. I think the decisions by President 
Biden were wrong in the failed withdrawal from Afghanistan, but our 
country will learn from its mistakes and we will rebound. We always do 
because we are a free country. I encourage my fellow veterans to keep 
the faith . . . in our God and country.
  I urge my colleagues from both sides of the aisle to work together 
and ensure we do all we can to serve and support our men and women in 
uniform by keeping their physical brain health and mental health a 
priority.

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