[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 128 (Monday, August 1, 2022)]
[Senate]
[Pages S3826-S3827]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
FIGHTING POST-TRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER ACT OF 2022
The senior assistant legislative clerk read as follows:
A bill (S. 4007) to require the Attorney General to propose
a program for making treatment for post-traumatic stress
disorder and acute stress disorder available to public safety
officers, and for other purposes.
There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the bill,
which had been reported from the Committee on the Judiciary with an
amendment to strike all after the enacting clause and insert in lieu
thereof the following:
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Fighting Post-Traumatic
Stress Disorder Act of 2022''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
Congress finds the following:
(1) Public safety officers serve their communities with
bravery and distinction in order to keep their communities
safe.
(2) Public safety officers, including police officers,
firefighters, emergency medical technicians, and 911
dispatchers, are on the front lines of dealing with
situations that are stressful, graphic, harrowing, and life-
threatening.
(3) The work of public safety officers puts them at risk
for developing post-traumatic stress disorder and acute
stress disorder.
(4) It is estimated that 30 percent of public safety
officers develop behavioral health conditions at some point
in their lifetimes, including depression and post-traumatic
stress disorder, in comparison to 20 percent of the general
population that develops such conditions.
(5) Victims of post-traumatic stress disorder and acute
stress disorder are at a higher risk of dying by suicide.
(6) Firefighters have been reported to have higher suicide
attempt and ideation rates than the general population.
(7) It is estimated that between 125 and 300 police
officers die by suicide every year.
(8) In 2019, pursuant to section 2(b) of the Law
Enforcement Mental Health and Wellness Act of 2017 (Public
Law 115-113; 131 Stat. 2276), the Director of the Office of
Community Oriented Policing Services of the Department of
Justice developed a report (referred to in this section as
the ``LEMHWA report'') that expressed that many law
enforcement agencies do not have the capacity or local access
to the mental health professionals necessary for treating
their law enforcement officers.
(9) The LEMHWA report recommended methods for establishing
remote access or regional mental health check programs at the
State or Federal level.
(10) Individual police and fire departments generally do
not have the resources to employ full-time mental health
experts who are able to treat public safety officers with
state-of-the-art techniques for the purpose of treating job-
related post-traumatic stress disorder and acute stress
disorder.
SEC. 3. PROGRAMMING FOR POST-TRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER.
(a) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) Public safety officer.--The term ``public safety
officer''--
[[Page S3827]]
(A) has the meaning given the term in section 1204 of the
Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 (34 U.S.C.
10284); and
(B) includes Tribal public safety officers.
(2) Public safety telecommunicator.--The term ``public
safety telecommunicator'' means an individual who--
(A) operates telephone, radio, or other communication
systems to receive and communicate requests for emergency
assistance at 911 public safety answering points and
emergency operations centers;
(B) takes information from the public and other sources
relating to crimes, threats, disturbances, acts of terrorism,
fires, medical emergencies, and other public safety matters;
and
(C) coordinates and provides information to law enforcement
and emergency response personnel.
(b) Report.--Not later than 150 days after the date of
enactment of this Act, the Attorney General, acting through
the Director of the Office of Community Oriented Policing
Services of the Department of Justice, shall submit to the
Committee on the Judiciary of the Senate and the Committee on
the Judiciary of the House of Representatives a report on--
(1) not fewer than 1 proposed program, if the Attorney
General determines it appropriate and feasible to do so, to
be administered by the Department of Justice for making
state-of-the-art treatments or preventative care available to
public safety officers and public safety telecommunicators
with regard to job-related post-traumatic stress disorder or
acute stress disorder by providing public safety officers and
public safety telecommunicators access to evidence-based
trauma-informed care, peer support, counselor services, and
family supports for the purpose of treating or preventing
post-traumatic stress disorder or acute stress disorder;
(2) a draft of any necessary grant conditions required to
ensure that confidentiality is afforded to public safety
officers on account of seeking the care or services described
in paragraph (1) under the proposed program;
(3) how each proposed program described in paragraph (1)
could be most efficiently administered throughout the United
States at the State, Tribal, territorial, and local levels,
taking into account in-person and telehealth capabilities;
(4) a draft of legislative language necessary to authorize
each proposed program described in paragraph (1); and
(5) an estimate of the amount of annual appropriations
necessary for administering each proposed program described
in paragraph (1).
(c) Development.--In developing the report required under
subsection (b), the Attorney General shall consult relevant
stakeholders, including--
(1) Federal, State, Tribal, territorial, and local agencies
employing public safety officers and public safety
telecommunicators; and
(2) non-governmental organizations, international
organizations, academies, or other entities, including
organizations that support the interests of public safety
officers and public safety telecommunicators and the
interests of family members of public safety officers and
public safety telecommunicators.
Mr. SCHUMER. I ask that the committee-reported substitute amendments
be agreed to; that the bills, as amended, be considered read a third
time and passed; that the motions to reconsider be considered made and
laid upon the table with no intervening action or debate, all en bloc.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
The committee-reported amendments, in the nature of a substitute,
were agreed to, en bloc.
The bill (S. 2151), as amended, was ordered to be engrossed for a
third reading, was read the third time and passed.
The bill (S. 4007), as amended, was ordered to be engrossed for a
third reading, was read the third time, and passed.
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