House Passage of MEPS Act

Floor Speech

Mr. Speaker, I am proud to say that last night, the language that Representative Tim Ryan of Ohio and I introduced in March, H.R. 4305, the Medical Evaluation Parity for Servicemembers Act, or MEPS Act, was included as an amendment in the National Defense Authorization Act. This bipartisan legislation passed the full House this morning.

While our military has made great strides to address issues of mental illness, large gaps exist in this response that we must fill. Given these challenges and in light of the tragic events such as those at Fort Hood, we must and can do more.

Today, military recruits must undergo comprehensive physical evaluations. But what some are surprised or even shocked to hear is that currently no similar exam exists for mental competency.

The MEPS Act institutes a preliminary mental health assessment for all incoming recruits. This bill will offer our military an important tool and move us to a more comprehensive and effective approach to suicide prevention and detection.

I applaud my colleagues for joining us in support of this bill and encourage the Senate to take action on this important reform.

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