Elfreth Leads Colleagues in Urging $11 Million in Additional Funding for Mental Health Support at Cyber Command Following Suicides

WASHINGTON, DC - Today, Congresswoman Sarah Elfreth (D-MD-03), a member of the House Armed Services Committee, led her colleagues on the Cyber, Information Technologies, and Innovation (CITI) Subcommittee of the House Armed Services Committee and the Maryland Delegation in requesting an additional $11 million in funding for mental health support at U.S. Cyber Command following reports of multiple suicides earlier this year. On the letter from the CITI members, Elfreth was joined by Representatives Don Bacon (R-NE-02), Ro Khanna (D-CA-17), Rich McCormick (R-GA-07), Chrissy Houlahan (D-PA-06), Herbert Conaway (D-NJ-03), Eugene Vindman (D-VA-07), and Pat Ryan (D-NY-18). On the letter from the Maryland members, Elfreth was joined by her Maryland delegation colleagues, including Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), who co-led the letter, along with Senator Angela Alsobrooks (D-MD), and Representatives Steny Hoyer (D-MD-05), Kweisi Mfume (D-MD-07), Jamie Raskin (D-MD-08), Glenn Ivey (D-MD-04), Johnny Olszewski (D-MD-02), and April McClain Delaney (D-MD-06). Both letters were directed to the heads of the House and Senate Appropriations Committees.

"We respectfully urge you to retain the $11 million program increase for U.S. Cyber Command high-performance team training… Headquartered at Fort George G. Meade, U.S. Cyber Command is central to Maryland's national security community and relies on service members, civilian employees, and families throughout our state to conduct some of the Nation's most demanding and persistent missions," wrote the CITI members.

"As the Congressional Delegation of Maryland, we are troubled by recent public reporting describing several deaths by suicide among personnel in cyber operations and the Fort Meade community over a short period. These deaths have a severe impact on the family, friends, and wider community. The concentration of these tragedies within a small, highly specialized workforce demands sustained attention and an institutional response proportionate to the operational strain these personnel bear," wrote the Maryland lawmakers. "Cyber personnel operate in a uniquely stressful environment. Many are effectively 'deployed in place' for two- or three-year assignments, conducting real-world operations against capable adversaries without the clear start and end points, protected recovery periods, or unit-level reconstitution cycles associated with conventional deployments. Because much of their work is classified, they may be unable to discuss the sources of their stress with family members or medical professionals who lack the clearances or access to secure facilities necessary for a complete conversation. These conditions can isolate personnel, delay appropriate care, and ultimately weaken readiness, retention, and operational effectiveness."

"One loss of life is one too many. We must do everything we can to make sure our servicemembers and everyone at NSA and Cyber Command has the full mental health support and resources they need, so that a tragedy like this does not occur again," wrote the CITI members.

In last year's National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), Elfreth specifically secured a provision, H.R. 6630, the Expanding Mental Health Access for Cyber Command Personnel Act(Sec. 1506), requiring U.S. Cyber Command and the Cyber Mission Force to hire mental health professionals with security clearances at each of their operating locations. The amendment also requires quarterly briefings on the status of the initiative, validating the clearances, challenges carrying out the initiative, and efforts to improve awareness among troops regarding the cleared physicians. The $11 million in funding would ensure full funding of this provision.

Elfreth continues to work alongside U.S. Cyber Command to bring additional mental health resources to Fort Meade. Elfreth is working to rectify the reporting requirements and include civilian employees in DoD's suicide data, especially at installations like Fort Meade where civilian and uniformed officers work side by side on the same projects.

Elfreth is also working to address delays with the transfer of mental health licenses from out of state. During conversations with mental health professionals, Elfreth heard that the transfer of licenses can take several months to almost a year before these professionals can begin practicing in Maryland and on military bases. At the state level, she is working with partners, including Senator Dawn Gile and Secretary Ed Rothstein of the Maryland Department of Veterans and Military Families, to address delays and barriers to military-connected mental health professionals transferring or obtaining professional licensure in Maryland.

The full CITI letter can be accessed HERE. The full Maryland letter can be accessed HERE.

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