[Congressional Bills 113th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 262 Agreed to Senate (ATS)]

113th CONGRESS
  1st Session
S. RES. 262

    Supporting the goals and ideals of suicide prevention awareness.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                           September 26, 2013

 Mr. Donnelly (for himself, Mr. Isakson, Mr. Begich, Mr. Boozman, Mr. 
    Chambliss, Ms. Hirono, and Mr. Tester) submitted the following 
             resolution; which was considered and agreed to

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
    Supporting the goals and ideals of suicide prevention awareness.

Whereas suicide is the tenth leading cause of all deaths in the United States 
        and the second leading cause of death among individuals between the ages 
        of 10 and 34;
Whereas, on average, there is a death by suicide in the United States every 13.7 
        minutes;
Whereas an estimated 6,000,000 individuals in the United States are survivors of 
        suicide, meaning they have lost a loved one to suicide;
Whereas suicide is a leading noncombat cause of death among members of the Armed 
        Forces;
Whereas, on average, 22 veterans are lost to suicide in the United States each 
        day;
Whereas the Joshua Omvig Veterans Suicide Prevention Act (Public Law 110-110; 
        121 Stat. 1031) was enacted in 2007 to establish a comprehensive program 
        for suicide prevention among veterans;
Whereas the Veterans Crisis Line, which was established under the Joshua Omvig 
        Veteran Suicide Prevention Act, has received more than 890,000 telephone 
        calls and facilitated more than 30,000 life-saving rescues;
Whereas the stigma associated with mental illness and suicidality works against 
        suicide prevention by discouraging individuals at risk of suicide from 
        seeking life-saving help and further traumatizes survivors of suicide;
Whereas 90 percent of the individuals who die by suicide have a diagnosable 
        psychiatric disorder at the time of death;
Whereas many suicides are preventable; and
Whereas September is National Suicide Prevention Awareness Month: Now, 
        therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the Senate--
            (1) supports the goals and ideals of National Suicide 
        Prevention Awareness Month;
            (2) supports efforts during National Suicide Prevention 
        Awareness Month to raise awareness and improve outreach to 
        individuals at risk for suicide, especially such efforts 
        addressed to veterans and members of the Armed Forces; and
            (3) encourages the people of the United States to learn 
        more about the warning signs of suicide and how each person can 
        help prevent suicide and promote mental health.
                                 <all>