U.S. Rep. Dave Joyce (R-OH) on Feb. 18 joined several colleagues to introduce a bipartisan bill directing the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to review U.S. military veteran suicides.
Rep. Joyce signed on as an original cosponsor of the Veteran Suicide Prevention Act, H.R. 1123, with bill sponsor U.S. Rep. Andrew Garbarino (R-NY) and fellow cosponsors including U.S. Reps. Mark Amodei (R-NV), John Katko (R-NY) and Derek Kilmer (D-WA).
“I’m proud to join Rep. Garbarino in introducing this important bill and know that it can help us better treat the invisible wounds of war and prevent veteran suicides,” Rep. Joyce said.
In September 2019, the VA reported that at least 60,000 veterans died by suicide between 2008 and 2017, according to Rep. Joyce’s office, which said that the VA’s most recent annual report shows that nearly 18 veterans take their own life every day.
“Issues surrounding mental health are a complex and unfortunate challenge for so many of our nation’s heroes,” said Rep. Joyce. “My heart breaks trying to understand the pain and suffering that drives 18 veterans a day to suicide. We have the responsibility to reverse that terrible statistic and provide those who have served our country with the care and support they have earned.”
If enacted, the VA review required under H.R. 1123 would include the total number of veterans who died by suicide during the five-year period; data including age, gender and race; a list of the medications prescribed to, and found in the systems of, such veterans at the time of their deaths; information on the medical diagnoses by VA physicians that led to the prescribing of such medications; and the percentage of veterans with combat experience or trauma, among other items, according to a bill summary provided by Rep. Joyce’s office.
H.R. 1123 has been referred for consideration to the U.S. House Veterans’ Affairs Committee.