Help for Our Returning Servicemen and Servicewomen

Floor Speech

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Mr. BACON. Madam Speaker, I rise today to discuss the need to improve access to critical mental health resources for veterans battling with Post-Traumatic Stress and TBI, and to pledge my continued support on these vital issues facing our countless brave and heroic men and women who have dedicated their lives to serving our nation. It is imperative that we as a country and the United States Congress continue to work with our partners in government, industry, academia, and with private citizens to provide the best possible tools needed for their mental health and well-being.

TBI is a serious and complex injury that happens on and off the battlefield. In fact, most TBl's occur during training. While many injuries appear to be psychological, many of them are physical and are caused by actual damage to the brain because of blast exposure, heavy weaponry, or just doing the day-to-day job of a service member.

I stand firmly behind my colleague, Representative Lee Zeldin, as a partner in his efforts and a cosponsor of H.R. 1476, the PFC Joseph Dwyer Peer Support Program Act--a wonderful tool for our military that provides grants for peer-to-peer mental health support authorized by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs. I will continue to support efforts like this and other measures to improve the safety, research, and well- being of those who volunteer to keep our nation safe.

The timing of this cannot be more critical. We know that following the debacle in Afghanistan, we have seen a significant increase of veterans calling the suicide hotlines and, very unfortunately, we've seen an increase in suicides. Many veterans are questioning the value of their service in Afghanistan, and hurting knowing that friends and colleagues died for what General Millie has called a strategic failure. I share in that pain frankly. I encourage anyone struggling with this to reach out and get help. You are not alone. But also know, that your service was worth it. We stopped terrorism for 20 years coming out of Afghanistan and protected the homeland. We killed or captured the terrorists that masterminded 9/11. I think the decisions by President Biden were wrong in the failed withdrawal from Afghanistan, but our country will learn from its mistakes and we will rebound. We always do because we are a free country. I encourage my fellow veterans to keep the faith . . . in our God and country.

I urge my colleagues from both sides of the aisle to work together and ensure we do all we can to serve and support our men and women in uniform by keeping their physical brain health and mental health a priority.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Source