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Joshua Omvig Veterans Suicide Prevention Act

Floor Speech

Date: March 21, 2007
Location: Washington, DC
Issues: Veterans

JOSHUA OMVIG VETERANS SUICIDE PREVENTION ACT

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Mr. McNERNEY. Mr. Speaker, I applaud the chairman and the ranking member of the Veterans Committee and all members of the Veterans Committee for working together to provide our veterans with the services that they need.

The Veterans Administration health care system does, in most cases, provide outstanding health care to our Nation's veterans. Yet, as the brave men and women from our Armed Forces return home from Iraq and Afghanistan, we are seeing additional demands already being placed on the VA. Those demands include addressing the hallmark injuries of these conflicts, post-traumatic stress disorder and traumatic brain injury.

These conditions are often the root causes behind the large numbers of soldiers who have attempted or contemplated suicide. The Defense Department estimates that 114 Iraqi and Afghanistan veterans have already committed suicide, and that one out of every 100 veterans has considered suicide. We must quickly address this problem by equipping the caregivers at our VA facilities nationwide with the ability to recognize and prevent these needless tragedies.

I strongly support H.R. 327, the Joshua Omvig Suicide Prevention Act. It directs the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to develop and implement a comprehensive program to reduce the incidence of suicides among veterans. It trains VA staff to recognize the symptoms of PTSD and suicidal thoughts. It monitors veterans who receive medical care in the VA system for suicide risk factors. It provides for suicide prevention counselors at each medical facility, so that when the veterans need help they can get it immediately. And it establishes a suicide hot line for veterans to call.

Our brave men and women in uniform have served this Nation with honor. We owe them more than a debt of gratitude. We must also provide them with the support and care they need to return to a healthy and productive civilian life.

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