[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 149 (Tuesday, September 24, 2024)]
[House]
[Pages H5659-H5660]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     FOCUSING ON SUICIDE PREVENTION

  (Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania asked and was given permission to 
address the House for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)

[[Page H5660]]

  

  Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania. Madam Speaker, September is Suicide 
Prevention Month, and nearly every 12 minutes, an American dies by 
suicide.
  It is now the 10th leading cause of death in the United States. 
Suicide claims the lives of more than 2,000 Pennsylvanians each year, 
an average of 5 lives a day.
  Madam Speaker, suicide is preventable. Increasing access to crisis 
resources saves lives. Mental and behavioral health research saves 
lives. Ending the stigma surrounding suicide saves lives.
  There is no single cause of suicide, and suicide risk increases when 
several health factors and life stressors converge to create an 
experience of hopelessness and despair.
  Together, we can reverse this course. By making mental health care, 
substance abuse treatment, and suicide prevention a national priority, 
we can reverse the tide on these deaths of despair.
  In fact, in 2020, the U.S. designated 988 as the national suicide and 
crisis hotline, making it easier for all Americans to reach help if 
needed.
  Madam Speaker, let's keep the conversation going year-round. We can 
all play an important role in prevention.

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