South Iowa News

U.S. Representatives Zach Nunn of Iowa and Seth Magaziner of Rhode Island have introduced bipartisan legislation designed to support veterans transitioning to civilian life. The bill, named the Daniel J. Harvey and Adam Lambert Improving Servicemember Transition to Reduce Veteran Suicide Act, aims to help servicemembers improve mental health and combat veteran suicide.

The legislation honors the memory of Corporal Adam Lambert from Iowa and Lance Corporal Daniel J. Harvey from Rhode Island, both Marines who served in Afghanistan and died by suicide shortly after leaving the military. Representative Nunn expressed his motivation, stating, “America is the land of the free and home of the brave because of people like Cpl. Adam Lambert. A proud Marine from Iowa, Adam raised his hand to serve our country. Unfortunately, too often the transition back to civilian life is more difficult than it should be. In honor of Adam’s memory, I’m grateful to work with Adam’s parents to make the transition easier for America’s veterans by improving mental health services.”

According to available data, veterans face a tripled risk of suicide during the first year post-separation from service, and Iowa's veteran suicide rate is notably higher than the national average. Many veterans reportedly remain unaware of the support resources available through the Department of Veteran Affairs and Department of Defense.

Rep. Magaziner emphasized the importance of addressing veterans' mental health needs: “Our nation has a sacred duty to care for Veterans when they return from service, and that starts with recognizing that the most serious wounds of war are not always visible from the outside. This bipartisan bill improves the VA Solid Start program and DOD Transition Assistance Program by increasing awareness of these mental health resources for servicemembers transitioning to civilian life. This is a necessary and long overdue step toward addressing a mental health crisis that has taken far too many lives.”

The legislation proposes enhancements to pre-separation programs provided by the Department of Defense and the Department of Veterans Affairs, focusing on mental health support for transitioning servicemembers. Rye Barcott, Co-Founder and CEO of With Honor, voiced support for the bill, stating, “Cpl. Adam Lambert and Lance Cpl. Daniel Harvey Jr. exemplified what it means to serve our country with honor. We should never forget their sacrifices and ensure their struggles after returning home are met with the support and care they deserve. We thank Representative Zach Nunn, member of the For Country Caucus, for introducing this crucial legislation that provides mental health resources for veterans during the critical transition to civilian life, helping prevent the tragedies we’ve seen all too often. We are proud to support this bill, which honors their memories and works to make a meaningful difference for all those who served.”

The House passed the bill unanimously during the 118th Congress, and it was incorporated into the House-passed FY25 National Defense Authorization Act.

The full text of the bill is available online.