The Medical Evaluation Parity for Servicemembers Act

Floor Speech

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Mr. Speaker, today, along with the gentleman from Ohio, Congressman Tim Ryan, I am introducing the Medical Evaluation Parity for Servicemembers Act.

This legislation, which has strong bipartisan support and the support of a large number of military and mental health advocacy groups, will help the military identify behavioral health issues and improve suicide prevention by instituting a mental health assessment for all incoming military recruits.

A recent Army study confirmed the need to address mental health issues in a timely manner, finding that ``nearly one in five Army soldiers enter the service with a psychiatric disorder, and nearly half of all soldiers who tried suicide first attempted it before enlisting.''

Our military makes sure that every servicemember is physically fit for duty, and this legislation will ensure that they are also mentally fit. Furthermore, it will ensure that we have a better baseline against which to measure any potential mental harm that may have occurred during their duty.

These brave men and women put their lives on the line every day in the service of our Nation, and it is our duty to offer everything in our power to guarantee they return home safely, both physically and mentally.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this commonsense, bipartisan legislation.

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