September 18, 2020

The Honorable Speaker of the House U.S. House of Representatives Washington, DC 20515

Dear Madam Speaker:

On behalf of Wounded Warrior Project’s (WWP) community of over 145,000 warriors and 37,000 of their family members, I write to respectfully ask the House of Representatives to consider passing S. 785, the Commander John Scott Hannon Veterans Mental Health Care Improvement Act of 2019, and H.R. 8247, the Veterans Comprehensive Prevention, Access to Care, and Treatment Act of 2020, under suspension pursuant to clause 1 of Rule XV. These bipartisan bills will deliver key enhancements to our Nation’s efforts to prevent the loss of more veteran lives to suicide

Over the past several months, WWP has worked extensively with lawmakers and staff members to forge strong bipartisan support for measures to improve veteran mental health and well-being. These bills include key WWP priorities for mental health legislation including proposals to expand Department of Veterans Affairs services through innovations in community partnership, advance research into biomarkers for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and Traumatic brain injuries (TBI), grow telehealth access points, and better incorporate family members and caregivers to the network of support that exists during service and after separation. These bills collectively show that through good faith negotiations, legislative solutions to important questions and problems can be achieved. WWP resoundingly thanks the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs – particularly the leadership of Chairman Mark Takano and Ranking Member – for their dedication to addressing veteran mental health care and suicide throughout the 116th Congress and now delivering these critical pieces of legislation to the full House for its consideration.

As we enter the second half of National Suicide Prevention Month and approach Veterans Day in November, Congress can honor the service and sacrifice of those who served by passing S. 785 and H.R. 8247. Collectively, they represent more than 40 new measures designed to bolster veteran mental health care and support. As S. 785 has already passed the Senate, House action will bring immediate expansion of the Department of Veterans Affairs’ resources to continue its aggressive pursuits of improving mental health and ending veteran suicide.

I want to thank you again for your leadership and your tireless support of our Nation’s veterans. WWP and the community we serve looks forward to working with you to ensure that the Commander John Scott Hannon Veterans Mental Health Care Improvement Act of 2019 and the Veterans Comprehensive Prevention, Access to Care, and Treatment Act of 2020 are passed

into law as soon as possible. Please feel free to direct your staff to Brian Dempsey, Government Affairs Director, who has been leading our efforts on these bills. Mr. Dempsey can be reached at (904) 465-6903 or by e-mail at [email protected].

Sincerely,

Jose Ramos Vice President for Government and Community Relations cc: The Honorable Kevin McCarthy Minority Leader The Honorable Mark Takano Chairman House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs The Honorable Phil Roe Ranking Member House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs

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