Veterans 2nd Amendment Protection Act

Floor Speech

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Ms. MORRISON. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong opposition to H.R. 1041, legislation that would prevent VA from keeping firearms out of the hands of some of the most vulnerable veterans in the VA system.

As a physician and the wife of an Army combat veteran, I care deeply about making sure our veterans receive the care we owe them for their service. Like my colleagues, I am heartbroken and appalled by the scale of veteran suicides in our country, and I remain committed to working with my colleagues to end this epidemic.

Unfortunately, the bill before us today is a step in the wrong direction.

VA's decision to assign a fiduciary to a beneficiary is made based on medical evidence, and there already exist multiple avenues for beneficiaries to appeal VA's decision. In addition, we know that many of these veterans suffer from severe mental illness or impairment and may face an increased risk of death by suicide.

According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, 46 percent of people who die by suicide suffered from a known mental health condition. In addition, a recent VA estimate suggested that veterans are 57 percent more likely to die by suicide than nonveterans.

All told, we lose more than 17 veterans per day to suicide, 13 of them using a firearm, which is completely unacceptable.

While mental illness and impairment do not lead to suicide on their own, we must be cognizant of veterans who might be at a greater risk than the general population.

As public health and suicide prevention experts will tell you, Mr. Speaker, putting time and distance between a firearm and a person experiencing a mental health crisis is essential to preventing a successful suicide attempt.

Preventing VA from reporting to the NICS background check system risks putting more firearms in the hands of a population of veterans who are already at an increased risk of death by suicide.

When we considered this legislation in the Veterans' Affairs Committee, I offered an amendment that would have made a carve-out for veterans suffering from severe conditions, such as schizophrenia, dementia, Alzheimer's, and other mental conditions with psychotic features.

Unfortunately, the bill my Republican colleagues decided to bring to the floor today fails to include even the most basic safeguards for veterans suffering from these severe impairments.

While no silver bullet that will eradicate veteran suicide, making it easier for veterans suffering from severe mental illness or impairment to obtain a gun is not the answer.

H.R. 1041 creates serious risks for a group of veterans who are already in a vulnerable position, and I cannot support it.

Instead of considering this partisan legislation that puts more veterans at risk, we should be working together to advance solutions that will help us fight veteran suicide, like improving access to timely mental health care, protecting crisis intervention resources such as the Veterans Crisis Line, and ensuring VA has the resources and staffing it needs to give our veterans the outstanding care they deserve.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote ``no'' on this legislation. For this reason, at the appropriate time I will offer a motion to recommit this bill back to committee. If the House rules permitted, I would have offered the motion with an important amendment to this bill.

My amendment would ensure this legislation does not take effect until the VA Secretary certifies that it will not lead to an increase in veteran suicide using a firearm.

If my Republican colleagues are so confident that this legislation won't risk increasing the rate of veteran suicide, then this should be an easy measure for them to support.

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Ms. MORRISON. I hope my colleagues will join me in voting for the motion to recommit.

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Ms. MORRISON. Mr. Speaker, I have a motion to recommit at the desk.

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