Veterans' Care Quality Transparency Act

Floor Speech

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Mr. DAVID P. ROE of Tennessee. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 2372, as amended, the Veterans' Care Quality Transparency Act.

This bill is sponsored by Congresswoman Lauren Underwood of Illinois, and I thank her for her efforts to bring it to the House floor today.

This bill would require the Government Accountability Office to conduct an assessment of the effectiveness of all memoranda of understanding and memoranda of agreement entered into by the Department of Veterans Affairs and other governmental or private-sector entities regarding suicide prevention activities and outreach, as well as the coordination of mental health services, during the 5-year period preceding the date of enactment.

For the last two decades, approximately 20 of our Nation's servicemembers and veterans have died by suicide on a daily basis.

Suicide is, unquestionably, a tragedy that impacts all Americans and is a crisis that VA cannot combat alone. In light of that, VA has become increasingly mindful of the need to collaborate with partners in both the public and private sectors to connect with servicemembers, veterans, and their families wherever they reside and with whatever they may be struggling.

This bill would ensure that Congress has insight into those collaborations and whether or not they are working as intended to reduce incidents of suicide among those who have served our country.

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