{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://sinema.house.gov/latest-news/sinemas-sgt-daniel-somers-classified-veterans-access-to-care-act-signed-into-law/", "Sinema's Sgt. Daniel Somers Classified Veterans Access to Care Act Signed Into Law", "2016-12-21", "2016", "2016-12", "Democrat", "House", "AZ", "Kyrsten Sinema", "S001191", "sinema.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:  \r\n\tDecember 21, 2016  \r\n\tContact: Macey Matthews  \r\n\tPhone: 202-225-9888  \r\n\tEmail: macey.matthews@mail.house.gov\r\n\r\n\tSinema\u2019s Sgt. Daniel Somers Classified Veterans Access to Care Act Signed Into Law\r\n\r\n\tWASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 The President of the United States signed into law the Jeff Miller and Richard Blumenthal Veterans Health Care and Benefits Improvement Act (H.R. 6416), a package of legislation that includes Congresswoman Kyrsten Sinema\u2019s\u00a0Sergeant Daniel Somers Classified Veterans Access to Care Act.\r\n\r\n\tSinema, working closely with Sgt. Somers\u2019 parents,\u00a0introduced the Sgt. Daniel Somers Classified Veterans Access to Care Act in honor of Arizona Army Veteran Sergeant Daniel Somers.\u00a0 Sgt. Somers served two tours in Iraq and was diagnosed with both a traumatic brain injury and PTSD upon returning home. He sought treatment from the Phoenix VA but was tragically unable to get the care he needed. He lost his life to suicide in June 2013.\r\n\r\n\t\u201cThe VA has a responsibility to care for our veterans when they return home \u2013 and that includes treating the invisible wounds of war,\u201d said Sinema.\u00a0 \u201cThe Sgt. Daniel Somers Classified Veterans Access to Care Act ensures all veterans have access to appropriate mental health care. We have worked with Howard and Jean Somers for more than three years to pass this bill.\u00a0Finally, this important piece of legislation is now law.\u00a0There is still more work to do, and we will not rest until every veteran receives the care he or she has earned.\u201d\r\n\r\n\t\u201cOur son, Daniel, was one of the\u00a0thousands\u00a0of veterans who did not receive the care he needed,\u00a0\u201c said Howard and Jean Somers. \"Now we\u2019re working every day to fix the\u00a0system and improve the lives of all veterans and\u00a0military\u00a0families. We worked closely \u00a0with Congresswoman Sinema to introduce the Sgt. Daniel Somers Classified Veterans Access to Care Act and are proud to see this important bill signed into law. Our work\u00a0will not\u00a0end here. We\u00a0will\u00a0continue working with lawmakers, veterans organizations,\u00a0the VA\u00a0and DoD,\u00a0to ensure all veterans\u00a0and members of the military receive the\u00a0physical and\u00a0mental health care that they need and deserve.\"\u00a0\r\n\r\n\t\u00a0\r\n\r\n\t###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://sinema.house.gov/latest-news/sinemas-sgt-daniel-somers-classified-veterans-access-to-care-act-signed-into-law/"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.665306044742465, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}