[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 737 Agreed to Senate (ATS)]

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116th CONGRESS
  2d Session
S. RES. 737

   Expressing support for the designation of September 30, 2020, as 
             ``National Veterans Suicide Prevention Day''.


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                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

           September 30 (legislative day, September 29), 2020

    Mr. Kaine (for himself, Mr. Wicker, Mr. Moran, and Mr. Tester) 
 submitted the following resolution; which was considered and agreed to

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                               RESOLUTION


 
   Expressing support for the designation of September 30, 2020, as 
             ``National Veterans Suicide Prevention Day''.

Whereas the wounds sustained through armed service to the United States are both 
        visible and invisible;
Whereas the wounds sustained through armed service to the United States may be 
        invisible, but those wounds are treatable if the bearers of those wounds 
        are connected to the right resources;
Whereas the Department of Veterans Affairs and the Department of Defense have 
        determined that an average of nearly 20 current or former members of the 
        Armed Forces die by suicide each day;
Whereas veterans account for a disproportionate percentage of all adult suicides 
        in the United States;
Whereas the surviving family members of veterans who succumb to the invisible 
        wounds of armed service to the United States must not be forgotten and 
        isolated but instead must be directed to available resources and 
        support;
Whereas, after the loss of a veteran family member to the invisible wounds of 
        armed service to the United States, the family members of that veteran 
        must not lose their link to the support and strength of the military and 
        veteran communities;
Whereas the families of veterans who die by suicide hold valuable ``lessons 
        learned on the lookback'' that can be used to prevent future suicides in 
        veteran populations;
Whereas the voices of the surviving family members of veterans who die by 
        suicide are useful and should be leveraged in prevention efforts;
Whereas the need for formal recognition of the families of veterans who succumb 
        to the invisible wounds of armed service to the United States is vital 
        to the strength, health, and survival of the veteran community;
Whereas those families should be recognized, supported, and heard on National 
        Veterans Suicide Prevention Day and throughout the year; and
Whereas September 30, 2020, is an appropriate day to designate as ``National 
        Veterans Suicide Prevention Day'': Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the Senate supports the designation of September 30, 
2020, as ``National Veterans Suicide Prevention Day''.
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