Ranking Member Walz Statement Following Release Of VA National Veteran Suicide Data Report
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs Ranking Member Tim Walz (D-MN) released the following statement after the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Office of Mental Health and Suicide Prevention released its report, “National Suicide Data Report 2005-2016.”
“As a veteran as well as the original author of the Clay Hunt Suicide Prevention for American Veterans Act, I believe that the VA report released today simply reiterates what many of us have known for a long time: that our fight to end the tragic epidemic of veteran suicide is far from over,” said Ranking Member Walz. “We must continue to work together to provide veterans with immediate access to quality, culturally competent mental healthcare and make bipartisan progress toward eliminating veteran suicide entirely. No place is better suited to coordinate this effort than VA. What’s more, we must continue to erase the stigma surrounding veterans and servicemembers seeking the mental healthcare they need. Today, we are reminded that our mission won’t be over until the number of veteran suicides is brought to zero.”
###
Next Article Previous Article