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WASHINGTON—U.S. Sen. John Cornyn, a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, today issued the following statement regarding his support for and Senate passage of the Mental Health Care and Other Improvements Act of 2008, S. 2162. The bipartisan legislation, which passed the Senate unanimously late last night, would improve veterans' mental health and substance abuse care, enhance mental health outreach, and improve VA research on the invisible wounds of war. “As more and more of troops returning from Iraq and Afghanistan are being diagnosed with mental health conditions like post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety and depression, many others are not reporting their symptoms because of stigmas or worries about the impact such a diagnosis will have on their military careers. As a result, many of our men and women in uniform are not receiving the vital care they need to overcome these conditions,” Sen. Cornyn said. “I applaud the Senate’s passage of this critical legislation to boost the VA’s mental health care, outreach and research. We have a moral obligation to provide our military personnel with the best in care and benefits, and this legislation would take several steps to that end. Through compassionate and quality care early on, we can help our troops and their families to better understand these conditions and take the important steps to recovery.” Recent figures released by the Pentagon indicate the number of troops diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder jumped by roughly 50 percent in 2007. Defense Department officials said nearly 40,000 troops have been diagnosed with the illness since 2003. Officials have estimated that roughly 50 percent of troops with mental health problems don't get treatment because of embarrassment or fear it will harm their careers. Below is an outline of Sen. Cornyn’s more recent efforts to bring greater attention to the mental health care needs of America’s veterans and military personnel: 

• Following a recent report by the Rand Corporation indicating 1 in 5 U.S. troops returning from Iraq and Afghanistan now suffers from depression or stress disorders, Sen. Cornyn wrote to U.S. Department of Defense Secretary Robert Gates, urging him to carefully review the study and report back to Congress. Sen. Cornyn requested that Sec. Gates confirm whether Pentagon records confirm the Rand report, and if so, what more must be done to ensure the necessary attention and resources are being applied to research and treat these increasing conditions. 
• Sen. Cornyn cosponsored the Dignified Treatment of Wounded Warriors Act, which was wrapped into the Fiscal Year 2008 Defense Authorization bill and signed into law on January 28. This new law takes several steps to improve the health care and benefits for recovering veterans, troops, and their families. Of note are provisions that expand the treatment and research for traumatic brain injuries, post-traumatic stress disorder and traumatic eye injuries, along with a guarantee that combat veterans who request mental health evaluations receive them within 30 days from their request. 
• Sen. Cornyn is also a cosponsor of the Veterans' Mental Health Outreach and Access Act to require the VA to help Operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom veterans and their families, including National Guard and Reservists, gain access to mental health care and readjustment services, especially for those who do not live near a VA facility. 
• He has also cosponsored the Veterans Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) Rehabilitation Act requiring the VA to develop personalized plans prior to discharge from inpatient care for the rehabilitation of veterans with TBI. This act directs the VA to work with non-VA facilities to provide veterans' TBI intervention, rehabilitative treatment, and reintegration services when a veteran is not close to a VA facility.

Sen. Cornyn serves on the Armed Services, Judiciary and Budget Committees. In addition, he is Vice Chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Ethics. He serves as the top Republican on the Judiciary Committee’s Immigration, Border Security and Refugees subcommittee and the Armed Services Committee’s Airland subcommittee. He served previously as Texas Attorney General, Texas Supreme Court Justice, and Bexar County District Judge.