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Amata-Led Bills Are Part of Veterans Mental Health Legislation

August 19, 2020

Pago Pago – Wednesday, Congresswoman Aumua Amata is urging House passage of the Commander John Scott Hannon Veterans Mental Health Care Improvement Act of 2019. This bill, S. 785, contains two bills she co-led in the House as original cosponsor. Amata is original cosponsor of H.R. 5024 with Rep. Gregorio Kilili Camacho Sablan (D-CNMI), and Amata introduced H.R. 7888 recently with Rep. Xochitl Torres Small (D-New Mexico). These two bills are included as Sections 101 and 103 of S. 785.

H.R. 7888, just introduced on July 31 by Congresswoman Amata and Congresswoman Torres Small, is the Recovery Engagement and Coordination for Health – Veterans Enhanced Treatment Report Act (the REACH VET Report Act). This measure would strengthen VA transparency and information to improve the REACH VET analysis to prevent Veterans' suicides.

H.R. 5024, working with Congressman Sablan, would amend title 38, United States Code, to expand health care coverage provided by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) during the transition of members of the Armed Forces from service in the Armed Forces to civilian life.

"This extensive bill has many important provisions for our Veterans with bipartisan backing, including the two I cosponsored," said Aumua Amata. "I appreciate Dr. Roe's urgency on behalf of our Veterans. In the Senate, I want to thank Chairman Jerry Moran and Ranking Senator Jon Tester for including these two bills I worked on with colleagues, along with other excellent measures."

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Congresswoman Amata, Ranking Member Dr. Roe and Chairman Mark Takano in Veterans' Committee

(File photo) Congresswoman Amata in Veterans' Committee with Ranking Member Dr. Phil Roe and Chairman Mark Takano

Amata is in support of Ranking Member Dr. Phil Roe's request this week for a House vote, as he released a letter to Speaker Pelosi and Majority Leader Hoyer urging prompt House consideration. In his statement, Ranking Member Roe said, "We have been talking all Congress about how suicide prevention is our first priority. Now is the time to prove that it really is. This bill alone won't end the tragedy of veteran suicide, but it is an undoubtedly important next step that will save lives."

A heartbreaking daily average of 20 servicemembers and veterans die by suicide. This bill would work to improve that tragic outcome, and expand access to care, services, and support for at-risk individuals within the VA healthcare system and in their local communities. The legislation has widespread support from Veteran Service Organizations (VSO) and compiles numerous bipartisan provisions as introduced in both the House and Senate. In addition to the Amata-cosponsored components, another is the bipartisan Improve Act and is named after Ranking Member Roe's constituent, SSgt Parker G. Fox, who tragically lost his life to suicide recently.

Several VSO's sent a joint letter in support of S. 785: The Disabled American Veterans, the Paralyzed Veterans of America, The American Legion, and the Veterans of Foreign Wars. To read it, click here.

Another joint letter in support of S. 785 is from 30 community-based service programs that serve veterans and military families. To read, click here.

Free and confidential crisis support is available 24/7 by calling the Veterans Crisis Line at 1-800-273-8255 and pressing 1, texting 838255, or visiting https://www.veteranscrisisline.net/.

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Issues:Veterans