I 

116TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 8173 

To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to conduct a study on the 

connection between living at high altitude and suicide risk factors among 

veterans. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

SEPTEMBER 4, 2020 

Mr. MCADAMS (for himself, Mr. CISNEROS, and Mr. TIPTON) introduced the 

following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs 

A BILL 

To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to conduct a 

study on the connection between living at high altitude 

and suicide risk factors among veterans. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘VA High Altitude and 

5 Suicide Research Act’’. 


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1 SEC. 2. STUDY ON CONNECTION BETWEEN LIVING AT HIGH 

2 ALTITUDE AND SUICIDE RISK FACTORS 

3 AMONG VETERANS. 

4 (a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 180 days after the 

5 date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Vet6 erans Affairs, in consultation with Rural Health Resource 

7 Centers of the Office of Rural Health of the Department 

8 of Veterans Affairs, shall commence the conduct of a study 

9 on the connection between living at high altitude and the 

10 risk of developing depression or dying by suicide among 

11 veterans. 

12 (b) COMPLETION OF STUDY.—The study conducted 

13 under subsection (a) shall be completed not later than 

14 three years after the date of the commencement of the 

15 study. 

16 (c) INDIVIDUAL IMPACT.—The study conducted 

17 under subsection (a) shall be conducted so as to determine 

18 the effect of high altitude on suicide risk at the individual 

19 level, not at the State or county level, controlling for po20 tential confounders including with respect to age, sex, 

21 mental health status, and access to firearms. 

22 (d) REPORT.—Not later than 150 days after the com23 pletion of the study conducted under subsection (a), the 

24 Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Veterans’ Af25 fairs of the Senate and the Committee on Veterans’ AfVerDate Sep 11 2014 23:50 Sep 05, 2020 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H8173.IH H8173

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1 fairs of the House of Representatives a report on the re2 sults of the study. 

3 (e) FOLLOW-UP STUDY.— 

4 (1) IN GENERAL.—If the Secretary determines 

5 through the study conducted under subsection (a) 

6 that living at high altitude is a risk factor for devel7 oping depression or dying by suicide, the Secretary 

8 shall conduct an additional study to identify the fol9 lowing: 

10 (A) The most likely biological mechanism 

11 that makes living at high altitude a risk factor 

12 for developing depression or dying by suicide. 

13 (B) The most effective treatment or inter14 vention for reducing the risk of developing de15 pression or dying by suicide associated with liv16 ing at high altitude. 

17 (2) REPORT.—Not later than 150 days after 

18 completing the study conducted under paragraph 

19 (1), the Secretary shall submit to the Committee on 

20 Veterans’ Affairs of the Senate and the Committee 

21 on Veterans’ Affairs of the House of Representatives 

22 a report on the results of the study. 

Æ 


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