Political Quotes

“I thank the gentleman for yielding. According to the Department of Veterans Affairs, the gentlewoman is correct, roughly 20 veterans take their own lives every day in the United States, and it is a very serious problem that we need to address. As the chairman mentioned, the bill provides $8.6 million for mental health programs, and that is actually $6 million above the budget request. We are very proud of the work that the committee has done. In addition, the $196 million for suicide prevention outreach fully funds the veterans' crisis line, additionally, at $90 million. The bill repeats language first included in the FY17 act requiring the veterans crisis line to provide to individuals who contact them immediate hotline assistance from a trained professional and to adhere to all requirements of the American Association of Suicidology. The potential for suicide and making sure that we take care of our veterans who are facing crisis is absolutely critical. I do not oppose the amendment, but I do think it is important to stress that the committee did work to significantly prioritize this issue, and we appreciate the gentlewoman's attention to it.”