Support for Suicide Prevention Coordinators Act

Floor Speech

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Mr. BOST. Madam Speaker, I thank Ranking Member Roe and Chairman Takano for allowing this piece of legislation to move forward.

As a veteran, first off, let me say this: I couldn't be prouder than to serve on the Veterans' Affairs Committee with the men and women we serve with because we get the opportunity to actually, hopefully, make a difference in those veterans' lives.

Twenty veterans commit suicide every day, and as was mentioned a while ago, that number hasn't changed much. So clearly, the current situation is not good enough.

We need to think differently about veteran suicide. President Trump recently took action on this issue. Now Congress is too, and it is vitally important that we do. We are acting in a bipartisan manner.

I am honored to stand with the gentleman from New York in supporting this legislation to improve the VA's suicide prevention coordinators.

Veteran suicide isn't a Republican or Democrat issue, and I am proud of the work we have been doing to try to help our veterans. They deserve our help, and, hopefully, with this bill, they are going to get it.

We have to turn the tide on our veterans that are committing suicide around this Nation at the level that they are. We have to do everything we can.

This bill, I believe, was a step in the right direction. I believe that we should pass it to the Senate as quickly as possible, and the Senate should then move forward, and then it should be implemented.

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