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[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 454 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

<DOC>

117th CONGRESS
  1st Session
S. RES. 454

    Expressing support for the designation of November 21, 2021, as 
    ``National Warrior Call Day'' and recognizing the importance of 
    connecting warriors in the United States to support structures 
             necessary to transition from the battlefield.

_______________________________________________________________________

                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                           November 17, 2021

 Mrs. Shaheen (for herself, Mr. Cotton, Ms. Klobuchar, Mr. Blumenthal, 
  Ms. Rosen, Mr. Hoeven, and Mrs. Hyde-Smith) submitted the following 
   resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Armed Services

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION

 
    Expressing support for the designation of November 21, 2021, as 
    ``National Warrior Call Day'' and recognizing the importance of 
    connecting warriors in the United States to support structures 
             necessary to transition from the battlefield.

Whereas establishing an annual ``National Warrior Call Day'' will draw attention 
        to the members of the Armed Forces whose connection to one another is 
        key to the veterans and first responders in the United States who may be 
        dangerously disconnected from family, friends, and support systems;
Whereas the number of suicides of members of the Armed Forces serving on active 
        duty increased to 377 in 2020, a figure up from 348 in 2019;
Whereas the suicide rate for veterans has steadily increased since 2006, with 
        6,261 veterans taking their own lives in 2019;
Whereas, after adjusting for sex and age, the rate of veteran suicide in 2018 
        was 27.5 per 100,000 individuals, higher than the rate among all United 
        States adults at 18.3 per 100,000 individuals;
Whereas more veterans have died by suicide in the last 10 years than members of 
        the Armed Forces who died from combat in Vietnam;
Whereas many of the veterans who take their own lives have had no contact with 
        the Department of Veterans Affairs;
Whereas the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic can lead to increased 
        isolation and disconnection, further exacerbating mental and physical 
        ailments such as post-traumatic stress disorder and traumatic brain 
        injury;
Whereas the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention note that law enforcement 
        officers and firefighters are more likely to die by suicide than in the 
        line of duty, and emergency medical services providers are 1.39 times 
        more likely to die by suicide than members of the general public;
Whereas invisible wounds linked to an underlying and undiagnosed traumatic brain 
        injury can mirror many mental health conditions, a problem that can be 
        addressed through appropriate medical treatment;
Whereas additional research is needed to highlight the connection between 
        traumatic brain injury as a root cause of invisible wounds and suicide 
        by members of the Armed Forces and veterans; and
Whereas November 21, 2021, would be an appropriate day to designate as 
        ``National Warrior Call Day'': Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the Senate--
            (1) supports the designation of November 21, 2021, as 
        ``National Warrior Call Day'';
            (2) encourages all individuals in the United States, 
        especially members of the Armed Forces serving on active duty 
        and veterans, to call up a warrior, have an honest 
        conversation, and connect them with support, understanding that 
        making a warrior call could save a life; and
            (3) implores all individuals in the United States to 
        recommit themselves to engaging with members of the Armed 
        Forces through ``National Warrior Call Day'' and other 
        constructive efforts that result in solutions and treatment for 
        the invisible scars they carry.
                                 <all>
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