Former Navy SEAL Commander Rep. Ryan Zinke is leading a bipartisan group of lawmakers in the House and Senate to push forward a new bill that would address the mental health crisis among American veterans by ‘simplifying’ the ‘Health care access.
The “Veterans Community Care Protection Act” spearheaded by Zinke, R-Mont., and Air Force veteran Donald Davis, DN.C., is designed to address lingering pitfalls in the department Veterans Affairs (VA) – including extremely long wait times and rescheduled appointments.
Including Zinke, the legislation has the support of five former Navy SEAL lawmakers in Congress, including Rep. Dan Crenshaw, R-Texas, Morgan Luttrell, R-Texas, Eli Crane, R-Arizona and Derrick Van Orden, R- Wis. .
Zinke, a former Navy SEAL commander who served in the military for 23 years, told DailyMail.com in an exclusive interview that the bill was an opportunity for fellow SEALs in Congress to “give back to the community.” that we love”.
“We want to lend our expertise to ensure the mental health issues faced by veterans are addressed. There should be no casualties,” Zinke said.
Rep. Zinke, a former Navy SEAL who served in the military for 23 years, leads the poster
“I think we probably trained harder than the SEALs today,” Zinke said, in part because of the rise of technology on the battlefield. The congressman spent most of his time learning how to integrate thermal optics and drone technology into the battlefield, then “occasionally” went to war, he says.
Zinke added that his experiences throughout his 23 years in the military also contrast with the work of those who served in the Vietnam War and World War II — and are different from the experiences of more recent veterans.
Due to the changing nature of combat, young veterans find it more difficult to “reintegrate into society” after having completed multiple tours abroad.
“They come out of service and then come back because they’re addicted to it, and they feel like it’s their safe place, which is ironic,” said Zinke, who served as mission chief in Iraq.
The new veterans also don’t participate in veterans clubs or the American Legion and as a result they feel “separated” because they are not connected, Zinke told DailyMail.com. ‘We have to do better.’
‘I can’t tell you how many friends I’ve lost – those who suffered from [traumatic brain injuries] TBI, anxiety or suicide,” Zinke continued.
“We want veterans to be productive members of society, to be confident, to be pillars in the community, and it’s hard to achieve that if you’re dealing with issues that can’t be resolved.”
He called the current politicization of veterans’ issues “unpleasant” as Democrats have accused Republicans of trying to cut funding in the recently passed debt ceiling bill – something the president of the Chamber, Kevin McCarthy, flatly denied.
Zinke, who calls himself an “appropriations advocate,” added that Congress was given authority by the founding fathers of Article I of the Constitution to invest money in important priorities – in this case, l access to mental health care that will help reduce homelessness, suicide and a plethora of other problems.
The congressman – who was also the former interior secretary under President Trump from 2017 to 2019 – called the bill’s policies ‘non-partisan’ and told DailyMail.com the funding will be used from already allocated resources that are currently untouched. .
Under proposed legislation, veterans who meet priority admission criteria — within 72 hours — would not have to wait any longer for a VA option for mental health care when community care is available sooner. .
In addition, it creates safeguards to prevent the VA from “subverting” community care access standards and also requires the agency to provide Congress with an annual update on the number of eligibility decisions for community care that was taken.
Finally, any changes to community care access standards would need to be approved by Congress before being enacted.
The legislation specifically amends the VA ‘MISSION’ Act of 2018 to include access to mental health.
“As a veteran with a disability and a representative of a large veteran community, I understand the challenges our service members face when they return from service – it’s not always physical or visible,” the official said. former Navy SEAL Luttrell in a statement to DailyMail. com.
“When I speak with veterans in my district, they always express concerns about broader access and various forms of treatment for mental health care. I am proud to co-sponsor this legislation that will provide much-deserved faster, better care for veterans.
Dan Crenshaw, former Navy SEAL representative, added: “After returning home, many veterans still carry the weight of their service with them in their daily lives and face long wait times to use resources. GOES.”
Veteran Air Force Rep. Donald Davis, DN.C., Brad Finstad, R-Minn., Matt Rosendale, R-Mont., Michelle Steel, R-Calif., Stephanie Bice, R-Okla., Jeff Van Drew, RN.J., Daniel Webster, R-Fla., Chip Roy, R-Texas, and Kevin Hern, R-Okla., also joined Zinke and the former SEALs as the bill’s original co-sponsors.
“With many of our veterans living in rural areas, expanding access to supportive healthcare choices often means the difference between life and death,” Luttrell, also a former SEAL, told DailyMail. .com
Former SEAL Van Orden added that he had seen “many friends with the invisible wounds of war” and urged support for legislation that will hold the VA to account.
In the Senate, an identical version of the bill was introduced by Sen. Steve Daines, R-Mont., last week.
“The VA’s mission is to ‘care for those who have served in our country’s military,’ which means making sure our brave Montana veterans have access to the highest quality care, no matter where they live,” Daines said in a statement.
Former SEAL Rep. Zinke is leading the bill in the House, while an identical version of the bill was introduced by Sen. Steve Daines, R-Mont., Last week
The bill has the support of all Navy SEAL lawmakers in Congress on both sides of the aisle.
The bill also has the support of major veterans groups, including the American Legion, Concerned Veterans for America and the Independence Fund.
“I will always work to protect Montana veterans’ access to health care in Montana communities.”
An aide told DailyMail.com the bill also has the support of major veterans groups, including the American Legion, Concerned Veterans for America and the Independence Fund.
May marks Mental Health Awareness Month and the White House last week announced a series of actions to help ‘reduce the stigma’ of service members and veterans seeking mental health care. .
The Pentagon released a new policy last month that would make it easier for troops to initiate a self-referral for a mental health assessment.
“This policy, based on Brandon’s Law, allows Service members to seek confidential help, thereby reducing the stigma associated with mental health issues,” the White House said in a statement.
Additionally, the VA has launched a pilot program to expand mental health services to caregivers, which includes couples therapy and family therapy.
