[Congressional Record Volume 162, Number 139 (Wednesday, September 14, 2016)]
[House]
[Page H5451]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        SUICIDE PREVENTION MONTH

  (Mr. ASHFORD asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute.)
  Mr. ASHFORD. Mr. Speaker, I rise today out of respect for all those 
across the country who have lost a loved one due to suicide.
  September is Suicide Prevention Month, time to raise awareness of a 
mental illness that far too many of our veterans and their families 
find great difficulty discussing.
  We have all heard the numbers: an estimated 20 veterans commit 
suicide every day, nearly one life every hour. Those horrific numbers 
have names, the names of men and women who put themselves in harm's way 
to keep each other and every one of us safe.
  Last year, we passed the Clay Hunt Suicide Prevention for American 
Veterans Act. It addresses the need for more mental health care experts 
inside the VA, evaluates what is working and what is not, and gives 
veterans more time to get the mental health care they need.
  In Nebraska, we are working with the VA to create centers of 
excellence, a national model for veterans care that will include top-
flight mental health treatment, including for post-traumatic stress, 
depression, and anxiety.
  The debt we owe our veterans is a debt that can never be repaid, but 
we must keep our promises to our veterans and support their unique 
healthcare issues.

                          ____________________