Ernst unveils two bipartisan, bicameral bills to support mental health of military veterans

Two bipartisan, bicameral bills proposed last week by U.S. Sen. Joni Ernst (R-IA) aim to provide additional mental health support to United States military veterans.

The National Green Alert Act of 2021, S. 1342, which Sen. Ernst cosponsored on April 22 with bill sponsor U.S. Sen. Maggie Hassan (D-NH), would require that the president appoint members to a newly established interagency committee, according to the text of the bill. The companion bill, H.R. 2797, was also introduced on April 22 by U.S. Reps. Mariannette Miller-Meeks (R-IA) and Chris Pappas (D-NH) in their chamber.

“I’m hopeful that our bipartisan legislation, which will create an alert system to quickly help locate veterans who tragically go missing, will go a long way to protect those in crisis,” Sen. Ernst said last week.

The new Green Alert System Advisory and Support Committee would develop best practices and provide technical assistance to states to establish Green Alert systems, which would be activated when a veteran with a history of mental health issues, including neurocognitive disorders, suicide attempts or impulses, or substance use disorder goes missing, the bill’s text says.

The committee would be comprised of members from the U.S. Departments of Health and Human Services, Justice, Transportation, and Veterans Affairs (VA), as well as state and local officials and veterans, according to a bill summary provided by Sen. Ernst’s office.

“As a combat veteran, I know firsthand the challenges and hardships many of our veterans experience when they return home from serving our country,” said Sen. Ernst. “We owe it to these heroes to make sure they have the support and care they deserve.”

On April 21, Sen. Ernst and Rep. Miller-Meeks unveiled the bipartisan, bicameral Daniel J. Harvey Jr. and Adam Lambert Improving Servicemember Transition to Reduce Veteran Suicide Act, which would create a pilot program to add a new component to the VA’s Transition Assistance Program. 

The bill is designed to counsel service members about mental health, the challenges that they might face during transition to civilian life, and any associated impacts on their mental health, according to a bill summary provided by Sen. Ernst’s office, which noted that the measure was named to honor two U.S. Marines who died by suicide, Iowan Cpl. Adam Lambert and Rhode Islander Lance Cpl. Daniel J. Harvey, Jr.

“Our nation has a duty to our veterans and their loved ones to ensure that our heroes have the care and support they are promised when they return home, and this bipartisan legislation will help do exactly that,” said Sen. Ernst, who cosponsored her chamber’s version of the bill, S. 1296, with bill sponsor U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH).

The U.S. House of Representatives’ version of the bill, H.R. 2778 was introduced by Reps. Miller-Meeks, James Langevin (D-RI), and bill sponsor Anthony Gonzalez (R-OH).