[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 88 (Wednesday, May 24, 2023)]
[House]
[Page H2562]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    QUALITY-OF-LIFE ISSUES IMPORTANT

  (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 nurse practitioner, it 
frustrates me that the number of sailors who die by suicide continues 
to rise. It is clear for anyone to see we have to do better to serve 
those serving our great country.
  That is why last 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 quality mental health care through TRICARE, implement a 
system to track quality-of-life programs and their success rate, and 
expedite the Navy's medical separation process that impacts limited-
duty sailors.
  It is imperative that we address the mental health and other quality-
of-life challenges facing Active Duty servicemembers and veterans. 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 ready to fight tonight, and rightfully so, 
but we must take care of our people, too.
  It is time for Congress to focus on quality-of-life issues for our 
men and women in uniform and their families--not only mental health 
care, but housing, childcare, and spouse employment support. There is 
so much work to do.
  By doing so, we will not only do right by the men and women who make 
up our world's finest fleet, but we will also keep our Navy the best in 
the world.

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