Sgt. Ketchum Rural Veterans Mental Health Act of 2021

Floor Speech

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Mrs. MILLER-MEEKS. Madam Speaker, I thank my colleague from Illinois for yielding me time.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to speak in support of the bipartisan Sgt. Ketchum Rural Veterans Mental Health Act, which I was proud to introduce with the Iowa House delegation.

This legislation was named in honor of the memory and service of Sergeant Brandon Ketchum of Davenport, which is in my congressional district. Sergeant Ketchum died by suicide in 2016 after being denied access to much-needed mental health services for PTSD at the VA facility in Iowa City.

Our legislation would establish new Rural Access Network for Growth Enhancement, or RANGE, programs throughout the VA and support additional research on rural veteran mental healthcare needs.

The case of Sergeant Ketchum is tragic and shows us that we must do more to serve our veterans. Expanding healthcare services in rural America and among our veterans are two of my top priorities in Congress, so I am proud to join the entire Iowa delegation in this effort. We simply have to do better for our veterans. There is no other option.

I would like to thank my colleagues in the Iowa delegation, Congresswoman Axne, Congresswoman Hinson, and Congressman Feenstra, for their partnership in this simple legislation to help veterans. I urge all of my colleagues to support the bipartisan Sgt. Ketchum Rural Veterans Mental Health Act.

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