[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 152 (Wednesday, September 12, 2018)]
[House]
[Page H8163]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        SUICIDE PREVENTION WEEK

  (Mr. GIANFORTE asked and was given permission to address the House 
for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. GIANFORTE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to bring attention to the 
tragic epidemic that impacts too many Montanans and Americans.
  Suicide rates are increasing across the country. On average, a 
Montanan dies by suicide every 33 hours. Suicide is now the eighth 
leading cause of death in Montana. The Centers for Disease Control 
recently reported a 30 percent increase in suicide rates in the last 20 
years, with nearly 45,000 Americans taking their own lives in 2016.
  Veterans account for almost 20 percent of all suicides in the United 
States. Suicide rates amongst farmers have been increasing.
  We, however, can reverse the trajectory of one of the leading causes 
of death in this country.
  There is good news coming out of Montana. The Billings Clinic, which 
I recently toured, announced it will launch Montana's first psychiatric 
residency program. This will expand access to mental healthcare for our 
more rural areas.
  I speak out today during Suicide Prevention Week because suicide is 
preventable. Access to crisis resources saves lives. Mental and 
behavioral health research saves lives. Ending the stigma surrounding 
suicide saves lives

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