IV 118th CONGRESS 1st Session H. RES. 535 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES June 21, 2023 Mr. Van Orden (for himself, Mr. Hudson , Mr. Reschenthaler , Mr. Nehls , Mr. Zinke , Mr. Hunt , Ms. De La Cruz , Mr. Crane , Mr. Yakym , Mr. Luttrell , Mrs. Hinson , Mr. Kilmer , Ms. Spanberger , Ms. Craig , Mr. Pappas , and Ms. Norton ) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Armed Services , and in addition to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs , for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned RESOLUTION Expressing support for the designation of November 12, 2023, 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, an increase 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, which was 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 12, 2023, would be an appropriate day to designate as National Warrior Call Day : Now, therefore, be it

That the House of Representatives— (1) supports the designation of 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 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 that members of the Armed Forces carry.