In the United States, suicide has become the seventh leading cause of death for men and the fifteenth for women. Every year, there are nearly a million suicide attempts. I am especially alarmed that veterans account for 20% of all suicides. Nearly eighteen veterans and one active-duty soldier take their lives each day. This is simply unacceptable.
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Representative Charles B. Rangel
Representing the 15th Congressional District of New York
In This Section
Op-Eds
Op-Eds
Over the past several years, suicide rates among our veterans have increased significantly, to nearly 18 each day. Many of these cases are the result of the inability of our nation’s veterans to access the care they need, when they need it. Congress has a responsibility to provide our veterans with the best medical care, which can be further expanded through access to telemedicine.
"President Barack Obama recently called on Congress to extend tax breaks for America's 114 million middle-income families that make less than $250,000. The President has also proposed to let the Bush era's high-income tax cuts expire at the end of this year and use the resulting $1 trillion in savings over 10 years as part of a balanced plan to reduce deficits and debt and put the nation in the right direction towards shoring up our national budget."
It is important to invest in our students early in the education process. That is why I sponsored the Rebuilding America's Schools Act which will allocate $11 billion for various school construction projects and allow schools to borrow money at little to no interest. Schools must have adequate funding in order to support certain operational or expansionary investments.
Black soldiers have fought and died in every American war, both abroad and domestic. Throughout history, they have demonstrated courage and valor in the face of discrimination and prejudice. It is our patriotic duty to admire their resolve and honor their unwavering dedication to service.
As President Barack Obama begins to bring more of our men and women in uniform home from Iraq and Afghanistan, we should use this Memorial Day as an opportunity to remember the sacrifices that American soldiers of all social and political stripes have made in defense of our country. We need to make it clear that we treat those who defend our freedoms with dignity and respect.
President Obama's budget offers a vast reduction in the deficit while ensuring prosperity for all Americans. The Ryan Budget does neither. It is nothing more than Robin Hood in reverse: it would produce the largest redistribution of income from the bottom to the top in modern history.
It is unfair to ask taxpayers to pay taxes on their taxes. If others levels of government (i.e. states and municipalities) are already claiming that revenue, it is not part of any taxpayer's disposable income. By removing the deduction for state and local taxes, Gov. Romney's proposal would mean that the government taxes ordinary Americans twice, which seems a little hypocritical coming from such an ardent supporter of tax cuts for the wealthy.
Today's young minority men and women should expect nothing less from themselves than a college degree. Moreover, they should demand nothing less from their country than affordable options for a higher education. Congress must take action to make college accessible for everyone.
Rather than trying to repeal the healthcare law that that has bettered the lives of Americans young and old, Republicans should join Democrats in finding ways to expand it so that no American is without access to affordable healthcare.