[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 162 (2016), Part 10]
[House]
[Page 13355]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                      HELP PREVENT VETERAN SUICIDE

  (Mr. TIPTON asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. TIPTON. Mr. Speaker, Colorado is home to over 400,000 of our 
Nation's veterans--men and women who have fought to protect our freedom 
in conflicts around the world. These men and women are often some of 
the most respected individuals in our communities, which makes it easy 
to overlook that they may be struggling to transition back into 
civilian life at the end of their service.
  A study from the Department of Veterans Affairs found that 22 
veterans tragically end their lives by suicide each day. This is a 
shocking and heartbreaking statistic.
  September is National Suicide Prevention Awareness Month and a time 
when everyone can learn about helping to prevent veteran suicide. In 
our communities, we can all work to make sure that no veteran ever 
feels like suicide is their only option. I am honored to represent a 
district that works so hard to make sure our veterans are taken care of 
when they return home, and I am committed to advancing policies to 
ensure that we honor and serve the men and women who have so honorably 
served our country.
  The next time you run into a veteran in the community, take a minute 
to let them know that you appreciate their service. None of us may ever 
know how far a thank-you may go in a person's life and what a big 
difference that could mean.

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