[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 84 (Thursday, May 18, 2023)]
[House]
[Page H2443]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                            SAILOR SUICIDES

  (Mrs. KIGGANS of Virginia asked and was given permission to address 
the House for 1 minute and to revise and extend her remarks.)
  Mrs. KIGGANS of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, over the past 2 years, our 
Hampton Roads and Navy communities have been devastated by multiple 
sailor suicides, in particular aboard the USS George Washington and at 
MARMAC.
  As a former Navy helicopter pilot and a primary care nurse 
practitioner, it infuriates me that the number of sailors who die by 
suicide continues to rise.
  It is clear for anyone to see we have to better serve those who serve 
our great Navy and our country.
  That is why this week I introduced the Sailor Standard of Care Act. 
This important bipartisan legislation would increase mental health 
resources and require mental health screenings for sailors assigned to 
limited duty, address challenges servicemembers and their families face 
accessing mental health care through TRICARE and implement a system to 
track quality of life programs and their success rates.
  It is imperative that we address the mental health challenges facing 
today's Active Duty servicemembers and veterans and that we do it 
today. This is exactly why I came to Congress.
  We speak so much about providing our military men and women with the 
necessary equipment, technology, training, et cetera, to be able to 
``fight tonight,'' and rightfully so. However, all those resources in 
the world are meaningless without the capable men and women behind it.
  Right now, the harsh reality is that suicides among Active Duty 
servicemembers are at an all-time high. Tragically, they increased by 
more than 40 percent between 2015 and 2020. We owe it to our 
servicemembers to do everything in our power to make sure they have the 
support and mental health care they need.
  They put their well-being on the line to serve our Nation, and our 
Nation must put their well-being first. We must prioritize our 
servicemembers and their families by focusing on the quality of life we 
provide for them while they serve.
  As a veteran, granddaughter of a veteran, spouse of a veteran, and 
mother of future veterans, I am honored to fight every day for the 
quality of life they deserve.

                          ____________________