Category: US Senate

Source: United States Senator Jacky Rosen (D-NV)

Legislation Would Enhance Federal Services To Treat Post-Traumatic Stress And Combat Suicide Among First Responders

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, U.S. Senators Jacky Rosen (D-NV) and Deb Fischer (R-NE) introduced the Helping Emergency Responders Overcome (HERO) Act to improve federal mental health support programs available to our nation’s firefighters, law enforcement officers, and other emergency response personnel. First responders in Nevada have recently highlighted the need to increase mental health resources, including by declaring mental health a top priority. 

This bipartisan legislation would direct the Department of Health and Human Services to collect data on first responder suicides and help determine best practices for identifying and treating post-traumatic stress and combating suicide. It would also establish a federal grant initiative for peer-to-peer counseling programs to address firefighter and emergency medical services (EMS) mental health challenges. 

“Our nation’s first responders are heroes who regularly put themselves in harm’s way to save lives and protect communities, which can take an enormous toll on their mental health. We must take action to make sure our firefighters, law enforcement officers, and paramedics in Nevada have the mental health resources they need,” said Senator Rosen. “My bipartisan legislation will help ensure that our first responders have the counseling and mental health care support they deserve.”

“I’m pleased to co-lead the HERO Act because our firefighters and first responders deserve our full support,” said Senator Fischer. “These brave men and women put their lives on the line every day to keep us safe, often at the expense of their own physical and mental health. Our bipartisan bill would boost access to critical mental health resources that will reduce suicides, set up peer-to-peer counseling, and treat posttraumatic stress.”

“Every day, fire fighters and rescue workers respond to some of the most dangerous and demanding emergencies imaginable,” said Edward Kelly, General President of the International Association of Firefighters. “These responses take an enormous toll on fire fighters’ mental health and place them at risk for developing a variety of behavioral health conditions. We owe it to fire fighters to ensure they have the resources to stay safe on the job. The IAFF is proud to endorse the HERO Act, which will help train fire fighters on peer mental health counseling and drive more effective treatments for fire fighters. We thank Senators Rosen and Fischer for their leadership in ensuring fire fighters aren’t forced to struggle with job-related mental health emergencies. We urge Congress to pass the HERO Act immediately and stand beside our dedicated first responders.”

“Las Vegas Firefighters Local 1285 are grateful for Senator Rosen’s support to reintroduce the HERO Act,” said James Suarez, President of Las Vegas Firefighters Union Local 1285. “Unfortunately, our department has experienced the loss of our members by suicide. The HERO Act will not only study first responder mental health, but also assist with much needed treatment.”

“Firefighters and Emergency Medical Services (EMS) personnel respond to traumatic events daily, and these incidents cause acute and cumulative impacts on the responders and their families,” said Fernando Gray, Las Vegas Fire and Rescue Chief. “We appreciate Senator Rosen taking the lead to help our nation’s first responders in this critical area. The HERO Act will provide local fire and EMS departments significant behavioral and mental wellness resources.”

“The Reno Firefighters Association is grateful to Senator Rosen for reintroduction of the HERO Act,” said Dan Tapia, President of the Reno Firefighters Association. “As we work diligently at the local, state and federal level to remove the stigma of behavioral health in the fire service it is important to recognize that we have lost both active and retired firefighters to suicide here in Nevada. The HERO Act will provide additional funding to improve recognition and peer support services.”

“The mental health of law enforcement officers has long been overlooked,” said Dan Gordon, president of Nevada Police Union. “Thank you to Senator Rosen for acknowledging this important issue and working to create resources that will help police officers live healthier.”

“As Founder and CEO of Firefighter Behavioral Health Alliance, we would like to endorse Senator Rosen’s HERO Act to ensure the support of the Senate for the behavioral health of our first responders in the United States,” said Jeff Dill, Founder and CEO of Firefighter Behavioral Health Alliance. “Firefighter Behavioral Health Alliance has been tracking and validating Firefighter, EMS and Dispatcher suicides since 2010. The impact of these tragic events on department members and families are devastating. Senator Rosen’s dedication by supporting the behavioral health needs of these brave men & women should be commended. Firefighter Behavioral Health Alliance is both honored and proud to support Senator Rosen.”

Senator Rosen has been a leader in the push to support firefighters and first responders with the resources they need to do their jobs safely. Senator Rosen recently helped pass bipartisan legislation providing fire departments with more funding to hire more firefighters and purchase lifesaving equipment. Earlier this year, Rosen introduced the Recruit and Retain Act to get law enforcement increased resources to hire and retain more police officers in an effort to tackle the law enforcement shortage in Nevada and nationwide. Last year, she helped deliver a historic pay raise and benefits funding for federal wildland firefighters through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.

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Source: United States Senator for Vermont – Bernie Sanders

WASHINGTON, June 14 – Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), former Chair of the Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs and current Chair of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee, along with his colleagues in the Senate, yesterday introduced two pieces of legislation that would close eligibility gaps to ensure millions more veterans regardless of income, as well as the National Guard and Reserve service members, can access health care through the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). Sen. Peter Welch (D-Vt.) joined Sanders on the Department of Veterans Affairs Income Eligibility Standardization Act, and Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.) and Welch joined Sanders on the National Guard Health Care Access and Expansion Act.

“As a longtime member and former Chair of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee, I have seen up close the pain, death, and despair caused by war and its aftermath,” said Sanders. “Honoring the extraordinary sacrifice and bravery of our veterans, Guard and Reserve service members is one of the most important commitments we have as a country. It’s time to stop making veterans jump through bureaucratic hoops to get the health care and benefits they have earned and were promised. These two pieces of legislation will go a long way in cutting through the red tape so that millions more veterans, National Guard and Reserve service members, and their families receive the best and most comprehensive health care our country can provide.”

“The cost of the war must include the cost of caring for the warrior. Too often that’s not the case, and veterans and National Guard and Reserve service members struggle to access the benefits they’ve earned and deserve,” said Welch. “This legislation will help service members and veterans cut through red tape and secure the support they need. I’m proud to join Senators Sanders and Booker to support these essential bills.”

“Many of America’s veterans are unable to access health care due to eligibility gaps that entangles them in bureaucratic red tape,” said Booker. “This barrier to services is unjustifiable, and it goes against one of our most sacred responsibilities as a nation: providing accessible and quality health care for our veterans. We owe it to our veterans, who risked their lives in service of our nation, to ensure they receive the comprehensive care they deserve.”

Currently, 4.7 million veterans across the U.S. cannot access health care through the VA because of inconsistent enrollment policies for a category titled Priority Group 8 – a grouping currently determined by whether the veteran’s gross household income is above the VA national income threshold of $43,834. The Veterans Affairs Income Eligibility Standardization Act simplifies the unnecessary complexity of Priority Group 8 to ensure that the millions of veterans who fall into this grouping are not denied access to quality, affordable health care through the VA.

Regarding the National Guard Health Care Access and Expansion Act, in recent years, the National Guard and Reserve service members have experienced the highest number of activations since World War II. However, under current law, members of the National Guard and the Reserves are not allowed to access health care through the VA, and many members of the Guard and Reserve have no health insurance when not active under federal orders. In 2019, approximately 60,000 members of the National Guard, 14 percent of the force, reported having no medical or hospitalization insurance – many due to cost.

For example, a drilling E-4 earns roughly $351 per month in basic pay, while TRICARE Reserve Select premiums cost $46.70 a month for an individual or $229.99 monthly for family coverage, plus copays/coinsurance. Additionally, Guard and Reserve members are only eligible for TRICARE Prime – which provides them and their families with no-cost health care – if they serve on federal orders for more than 30 days.

With the expanding scope of their missions, a significant increase in activations, and the need to recruit and retain a talented, skilled, and ready workforce, the National Guard Health Care Access and Expansion Act will ensure that members of the National Guard and Reserve have the health care needed to maintain force readiness by allowing them to access VA health care when not on active orders.

In public testimony given to Senate Appropriations Committee, Subcommittee on Defense on June 1, 2023, Gen. Daniel R. Hokanson, Chief of the National Guard Bureau, said: “As I begin my final year as chief, there are still many things we must accomplish to ensure the National Guard remains always ready…There are many things we can surge in times of emergency, but medical readiness is not one of them. Access to care is critical to medical readiness and the number one concern I hear from our guardsmen and recruiters when I visit our states and territories. To help recruit and retain the most talented skilled and ready force, all National Guard service members regardless of status need medical coverage. This is a matter of readiness, a matter of duty to the guardsmen who serve and sacrifice for our nation.”

The National Guard Health Care Access and Expansion Act is endorsed by AIDS Healthcare Foundation, Business Leaders for Health Care Transformation, Center for Health & Democracy, Center for Popular Democracy, Coalition of Veteran Organizations, Common Defense, For All, Health Care Voices, Honor the Earth, Hunger Free America, National Rural Health Association, Save our VA (SOVA), SMART Recovery, and Sojourners.

AMVETS National Commander Don McLean said: “AMVETS strongly supports the National Guard Health Care Access and Expansion Act, which will provide specialized health care resources to members of the National Guard and Reserve. Whether on active orders or not, these men and women require consistent access to health care to remain ready to defend our country.”

The Department of Veterans Affairs Income Eligibility Standardization Act is endorsed by AIDS Healthcare Foundation, Business Leaders for Health Care Transformation, Center for Health & Democracy, Center for Popular Democracy, Coalition of Veteran Organizations, Common Defense, Disabled American Veterans (DAV), For All, Health Care Voices, Honor the Earth, Hunger Free America, Justice in Aging, Save our VA (SOVA), SMART Recovery, Sojourners, and Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW).

“Because AMVETS strongly supports access to health care for all veterans, regardless of background or income, we are proud to support the Department of Veterans Affairs Income Eligibility Standardization Act,” continued Commander Don McLean.

The Department of Veterans Affairs Income Eligibility Standardization Act

• Read the summary, here.
• Read the bill text, here.

The National Guard Health Care Access and Expansion Act

• Read the summary, here.
• Read the bill text, here.

Source: United States Senator for Vermont – Bernie Sanders

WASHINGTON, June 14 – In a continued effort to expand and strengthen access to dental care for veterans through the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) joined with Rep. Julia Brownley (D-Calif.) to introduce legislation yesterday that would establish a new pilot program to provide comprehensive dental care to veterans diagnosed with diabetes and ischemic heart disease. Funded for four years, the program would also study the health outcomes and cost effectiveness of such care, as well as provide loan reimbursement opportunities for qualified dental care professionals who agree to serve for the duration of the pilot at a VA dental clinic deemed high need.

Joining Sanders and Brownley on the Improving Whole Health for Veterans with Chronic Conditions Act are Sens. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), John Fetterman (D-Pa.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Bob Menendez (D-N.J.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.), Peter Welch (D-Vt.), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.).

“The goal of this legislation is really pretty simple: To improve and expand access to dental care for veterans throughout the country,” said Sen. Sanders, who is a longtime member and former chair of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee. “Today, millions of veterans have access to timely, high-quality health care through the VA. However, very few of these veterans have access to dental care through the VA and many also struggle with chronic health conditions made worse by that lack of dental care. To my mind, this doesn’t make sense. The evidence is very clear that a person’s oral health is directly linked to a person’s general health. This pilot program would be an important step toward delivering essential dental care to veterans who really need it, so that no veteran is left behind.”

“Poor dental care is directly associated with poorer overall health,” said Congresswoman Brownley. “We simply cannot address veterans’ whole health without also addressing the critical and dire need for dental care. I am proud to author the House companion to Senator Sanders’ bill, and I look forward to working with him and our colleagues on the House and Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committees to expand dental coverage to more veterans.”

Study after study shows that poor dental hygiene is directly linked to other chronic health care conditions such as diabetes and heart disease. According to the American Diabetes Association, diabetes triples the risk of getting periodontal disease, a severe gum infection that can lead to tooth loss, bone loss, and other serious health complications. An individual with diabetes and periodontal disease is also three times more likely to develop cardiorenal mortality, a fatal combination of ischemic heart disease and diabetic nephropathy. Another study has found that people with periodontitis, or gum disease, have a greater risk of experiencing a major cardiovascular event, such as a heart attack or stroke.

However, out of the 9.2 million veterans enrolled in VA health care, only 1.4 million are eligible for comprehensive dental care. According to the VA, in 2020, more than 3 million veterans with diabetes and heart disease went without access to affordable, comprehensive dental care, increasing their exposure to the fatal risks associated with these chronic health conditions.

Studies estimate that if 50 percent of veterans are treated for gum disease, over six billion dollars would be saved annually in heart disease and diabetes treatments. In 2020, the VA spent an average of $86,000 per veteran per year on health care for veterans with heart disease, while it spent an average of $11,000 on veterans with diabetes. Compare that with the $1,132 it costs the VA annually to provide a veteran with comprehensive dental care. Additionally, the VA has spent over $124 million in the past four years on emergency room care for veterans with oral health problems who do not have access to affordable dental care. According to the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, of the 2 million Americans who visited the Emergency Room in 2018 for dental emergencies, 1.9 million could have been treated by a dentist, reducing associated ER expenses by 78 percent.

The Improving Whole Health for Veterans with Chronic Conditions Act is endorsed by American Institute of Dental Public Health (AIDPH), American Dental Hygienists’ Association, American Heart Association, Association of State and Territorial Dental Directors, Care in Action , CareQuest Institute for Oral Health, Common Defense, Disabled American Veterans (DAV), Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA), Minority Veterans of America (MVA), National Domestic Workers Alliance, Paralyzed Veterans of America (PVA), National Council on Aging, Public Citizen, Save our VA (SOVA), SMART Recovery, Social Security Works, and Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW).

“Denying dental care to veterans most vulnerable to dental problems makes no sense. This legislation would guarantee such care to veterans with diabetes and heart disease – chronic conditions that put them most at-risk,” said Sen. Blumenthal, a member of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee. “Expanding care means investing in our veterans’ health and wellbeing. I’m proud to join my colleagues in this legislation.”

“Many of America’s veterans are unable to access dental care due to current VA eligibility restrictions,” said Sen. Booker. “Dental care is important to our overall health and well-being. I am proud to join my colleagues in introducing this legislation to establish a pilot program that would work towards providing comprehensive dental care to veterans. We owe it to our veterans, who risked their lives in service of our nation, to ensure they have the comprehensive care they deserve.”

“Our veterans honorably served our country, and they deserve quality, accessible health care after their service,” said Sen. Durbin. “The VA has provided this care for decades, but not many veterans are eligible for dental care despite studies that link poor dental health to other chronic health conditions like diabetes and heart disease. I’m signing on to the Improving Whole Health for Veterans with Chronic Conditions Act to research and study the health care outcomes of offering comprehensive dental care to veterans with these conditions. My hope is that this legislation will be a steppingstone to making dental care accessible for all veterans using the VA’s health care system.”

“Our veterans have laid their lives on the line for our country, but too often they are left behind despite their sacrifices,” said Sen. Fetterman. “Pennsylvania is home to one of the nation’s highest population of veterans, yet many Pennsylvania veterans cannot get dental care coverage through the VA. Our veterans and their families deserve the best health care this country can offer. This bill to expand dental care eligibility and provide the VA with the resources it needs will help serve our veterans wherever they are, regardless of their zip code.”

“Access to high-quality dental care is integral to one’s overall physical health and should be part of the whole spectrum of care we offer our veterans,” said Sen. Menendez. “I have long-championed expanding health care for our veterans and this pilot program will ensure that dental care is part of comprehensive health care at the VA.”

“We cannot fully address veterans’ health care by leaving out dental services – Congress must ensure the VA has the resources necessary to reach all of our veterans no matter the services they require,” said Sen. Merkley. “This bill is a critical step in ensuring the VA can recruit top flight dental professionals so our veterans have the accessible and quality health care services that they have earned.”

“We owe our veterans a debt of gratitude and support after they return home, and that includes ensuring they have access to a full range of health care benefits,” said Sen. Whitehouse. “Our legislation will launch a pilot program to provide comprehensive dental care to veterans and better support the overall health of those who served.”

“Quality comprehensive dental care to veterans in Oregon and nationwide is a crucial and earned benefit,” Sen. Wyden said. “Any good dentist will tell you that poor dental hygiene can lead to diabetes and heart disease, which is why access to quality affordable care is critical. I’ll always fight tooth and nail to get veterans the care they deserve.”

Annaliese Cothron, co-founder and executive director for the American Institute of Dental Public Health: “Veterans deserve equitable oral health. Our data and research are very compelling: For every dollar invested in expanding dental care, the VA could be saving one dollar on diabetes management and two dollars on heart disease management. An expansion for high-risk, high-cost veterans would not only save taxpayer dollars but save veterans the inescapable pain that comes with chronic poor oral health. We commend Senator Sanders’ focus on fiscally viable policy solutions that ensure veterans have their dental needs met.”

“Poor dental hygiene is linked to many ailments afflicting disabled veterans,” DAV National Commander Joe Parsetich said. “But with the VA providing dental services to only a fraction of those they serve, far too many are left to search for such care on their own, or worse, not look at all. The Improving Whole Health for Veterans with Chronic Conditions Act would take a big step in the right direction by temporarily expanding dental care to veterans suffering from heart disease and diabetes. We thank Sen. Sanders for his leadership in introducing this necessary legislation.”

AMVETS National Commander Don McLean said: “AMVETS believes in granting our veterans additional opportunities to access treatments and care that could prevent more severe conditions from manifesting. We support the Improving Whole Health for Veterans with Chronic Conditions Act that will provide dental care for veterans with certain conditions that could be made worse by lack of access to this resource.”

“As a grassroots organization, Common Defense and our members strongly support the Improving Whole Health for Veterans with Chronic Conditions Act,” said Naveed A. Shah, Political Director at Common Defense. “Expanding access to dental care for veterans who are suffering from diseases which amplify the risk of potentially fatal complications is a commonsense measure. Not only does this fit with the VA’s Whole Health mission, but also will help to reduce health care costs overall, and save lives. We applaud Senators Sanders, Whitehouse, Welch, Merkley, Wyden, Blumenthal, Booker, and Fetterman for bringing this important legislation forward. We hope Congress will take it up swiftly.”

“The need for dental care to lessen the complications of diabetes and cardiovascular heart disease is obvious to experienced health care providers,” said Dr. James Martin, National Representative of the American Federation of Government Employees and National VA Council. “This bill gives the VA the opportunity to demonstrate that providing dental care to veterans, will improve their overall health and well-being, lessen their risk of complications from cardiovascular heart disease and diabetes, and accomplish this at impressive cost savings. These savings will be apparent when historical costs and outcomes of those who did not have dental benefits are compared with those who will have dental benefits.”

Read the bill summary, here.
Read the section-by-section, here.
Read the bill text, here.

Source: United States Senator for Kentucky Mitch McConnell

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) delivered the following remarks today on the Senate floor regarding national security:

“As I’ve discussed repeatedly, Vladimir Putin’s brutal escalation in Ukraine has prompted America’s European allies to take their commitments to collective defense more seriously.

“Meanwhile, on the other side of the world, Russia’s authoritarian aggression has reinforced a reality our friends in the Indo-Pacific understand all too well.

“From communist China’s backyard, American partners in Japan, Taiwan, and elsewhere see the clear connection between Ukraine’s fight against Putin’s Russia and the threats they face closer to home. And they haven’t been shy in calling it out.

“Last year, Japanese Prime Minister Kishida said, ‘Ukraine might be East Asia tomorrow… We must show there are consequences to the attack’.

“The Japanese Defense Minister put it this way, ‘If the international community somehow allows or condones Russia’s aggression… it might send a wrong message that such actions can be tolerated in other parts of the world’.

“Last month, Taiwan’s ambassador delivered the same message. ‘Support for Ukraine is relevant to us because…it helps to deter. It imposes costs on the aggressor.’

“And Taiwan’s Deputy Foreign Minister was even more specific. He recently said support for Ukraine is, ‘the best way to deter China,’ and that Beijing is, ‘waiting to see’ whether the ‘Western democratic camp will be able to hold their position.’

“Mr. President, take it from our friends with the most to lose from Chinese aggression: Ukraine’s fight is not a distraction – it’s fundamental to deterring China.

“Fundamental.

“Of course, our friends in the Indo-Pacific aren’t just telling us – they’re showing us.

“Japan has committed more than $7 billion dollars to the Ukrainian cause, including drone technology, mine detection systems, support for critical infrastructure, and humanitarian aid.

“And Prime Minister Kishida made a special effort to travel to Kyiv in March.

“Taiwan has provided tens of millions of dollars in humanitarian relief to Ukraine, and the island’s businesses are stepping up to send life-saving technologies to the front lines.

“And let’s not forget the brave citizens of Taiwan who have literally volunteered for frontline service in Ukraine!

“Mr. President, America’s Indo-Pacific partners are standing with the West against today’s authoritarian aggression. And our combined efforts are helping the entire free world prepare to meet tomorrow’s threats.

“As Taiwan’s Foreign Minister pointed out today in Prague, we’re drawing critical lessons from Ukraine’s successful defense of its territory, allowing vulnerable partners to adjust training, procurement, and tactics accordingly.

“We’re investing in our own defense industrial capacity – here in America – to improve our ability to compete with China and to enhance deterrence. And importantly, America’s friends in Europe and the Indo-Pacific are forging closer ties with one another.

“Europe increasingly understands that NATO has global interests. That the world’s key theaters of competition are connected. And that the challenges we all face from China are not confined to Asia.

“Our European allies will be affected by instability or conflict in Asia as much as the United States – if not more so. So I’m encouraged by the way NATO is thinking about the scope of the challenges posed by the PRC’s aggression.

“In particular, I’m glad that NATO has invited our friends in Japan, South Korea, Australia, and New Zealand to join the United States and our allies at the Vilnius Summit next month.

“China may have proxies and client states.

“But the United States and our allies are friends with shared interests.

“To paraphrase NATO Secretary General Stoltenberg: it’s better to have friends.”

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Source: United States Senator for Kentucky Mitch McConnell

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) delivered the following remarks today on the Senate floor regarding nominations:

“The Biden Administration has been sending the Senate a dizzying list of radical and unqualified nominees to both the executive branch and the federal bench.

“In several cases, the President’s picks have been so far outside the mainstream that this chamber’s Democrat majority hasn’t even been willing to confirm them.

“Right now, our Democratic colleagues are struggling to convince one another to confirm a state employment commissioner who was responsible for tens of billions of dollars in fraudulent unemployment insurance payments to become the Biden Administration’s Secretary of Labor.

“They’ve had a hard time agreeing to give a lifetime judgeship to a self-described ‘wild-eyed leftist’ who likened hate for conservative Americans to ‘righteous indignation’ and ‘moral clarity’.

“And all the while, the docket of downright radical nominees continues to fill. This week, the Democratic Leader filed cloture on two new nominations to the federal bench:

“First, Nusrat Choudhury is President Biden’s latest pick to join the Eastern District of New York.

“This nominee has made statements ranging from reckless suggestions that crimes like theft do not threaten public safety to false and inflammatory assertions that police kill black men ‘every day’ in America.

“Unsurprisingly, these statements have drawn the ire and opposition of law enforcement groups across the country.

“And second, Julie Rikelman is nominated to the First Circuit Court of Appeals. Ms. Rikelman has described efforts to limit abortion as a ‘vicious assault’ by ‘hostile politicians’, and has even objected to restrictions on reprehensible practices like sex-selective abortions.

“Mr. President, these are the nominees of a President who promised to unify our country. I would urge my colleagues to join me in rejecting each of them.”

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