Ian Brickey (202) 675-6270 or ian.brickey@sierraclub.org
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Today, September 23, the House of Representatives passed the Veterans Comprehensive Prevention, Access to Care, and Treatment (COMPACT) Act (H.R.8247). The package’s nine provisions aim to reduce veteran suicide and improve overall mental health and wellbeing for veterans. Included is the Accelerating Veterans Recovery Outdoors (AVRO) Act, which would begin the process of removing barriers that prevent veterans from accessing public lands to heal from service-related trauma. The bill now moves to the Senate for consideration.
“Our public lands are places for respite and healing, but for many veterans, those landscapes remain out of reach,” said Rob Vessels, campaign manager of Sierra Club Military Outdoors. “Today’s vote is an important first step in eliminating those barriers to access, so veterans can heal on the lands they swore an oath to protect. We thank Rep. Chris Smith, Rep. Adam Smith, Rep. Roe, and Rep. Takano for their work on this critical issue.”
Many veterans experience significant challenges after returning home from service. Although they may not leave visible scars, some effects of war, like traumatic brain injury and post-traumatic stress, can be equally or more disabling than obvious physical injury. The VA’s 2021 budget requests $10.2 billion for mental health services for the seven million veterans enrolled for treatment, $683 million more than in 2020.
Research into the effectiveness of outdoor recreation as therapy shows benefits to mental and physical wellbeing, social function, and outlook on life. For many, there are fewer stigmas associated with outdoor recreation compared to clinical treatments. The bipartisan AVRO Act would compel the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to establish an interagency task force to make recommendations on identifying barriers to access, and fostering opportunities for collaboration between the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and public lands agencies.
About the Sierra Club
The Sierra Club is America’s largest and most influential grassroots environmental organization, with more than 3.5 million members and supporters. In addition to protecting every person's right to get outdoors and access the healing power of nature, the Sierra Club works to promote clean energy, safeguard the health of our communities, protect wildlife, and preserve our remaining wild places through grassroots activism, public education, lobbying, and legal action. For more information, visit www.sierraclub.org.