JOHN WALSH

(US SENATE)—Senator John Walsh urged his colleagues in Congress to join the fight combatting veteran suicide today during a speech on the Senate Floor.

Walsh, the Senate’s only Iraq War Veteran, is sponsoring the Suicide Prevention for America’s Veterans (SAV) Act to more effectively treat the unseen wounds of war. 

Walsh wrote the bill in collaboration with the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of American, and the legislation now has bipartisan support in the Senate and in the House of Representatives.

“We must remember the sacrifice they made to defend us, and for many of them, the sacrifices they continue to make after they return to civilian life,” Walsh said.  “Our veterans deserve our support and we have a responsibility to provide it.  So today I ask my colleagues to join me in the fight to live up to the promises this country made to our veterans.”

During his speech, Walsh reminded his colleagues that 22 veterans die by suicide each day in the United States.

The SAV Act extends combat eligibility for veterans claiming benefits, reviews wrongful discharges from the armed services, and increases the training and number of mental health professionals in the VA system.

Walsh also highlighted President Obama’s executive action to address veterans suicide, noting that key parts of the President’s action were included in the SAV Act, including strengthening the relationship between the Defense Department and VA by adopting the same drug formulary for prescription medicine to ensure seamless care, requiring inter-operable electronic health records, and establishing an annual review of suicide prevention programs.

September 7^th-13^th is observed as National Suicide Prevention Week.