[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 161 (2015), Part 11]
[House]
[Page 14865]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                   NATIONAL SUICIDE PREVENTION MONTH

  (Mr. DOLD asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. DOLD. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize September as 
National Suicide Prevention Month. This month is especially important 
to think about what needs to be done to help our at-risk veterans.
  From 1990 to 2010, a veteran committed suicide almost every hour of 
every day. This is completely unacceptable and signifies a clear need 
for action to prevent suicide and to treat those who are suffering.
  Veterans have risked their lives and sacrificed tremendously for our 
Nation. But the disturbing reality is that far too many of our veterans 
who fought for our freedom are not free when they return. They are 
trapped in their own minds.
  We cannot afford to be bystanders any longer. Mr. Speaker, it is past 
time we stand by our veterans and everyone else who is suffering. It is 
incumbent upon all of us to reach out to those who may need help and 
erase the stigma surrounding mental illness.
  Together, with an increased focus on the very real, invisible wounds 
of war, we can better serve our returning heroes.

                          ____________________