Mike Michaud

It has been clearly demonstrated that DoD and VA must work together to address issues that face both departments, particularly suicide, mental health and substance abuse treatment.

To care for him who shall have borne the battle and for his widow and his orphan.

We urge this Subcommittee, the full Committee and the entire Congress to fully support the VA and Dr. Kemp in their important efforts by funding them at the highest levels possible, not just next year, but for many more years in the future.

We must connect vets to fellow vets that have gone through similar experiences.

While I commend the VA's efforts to reduce the suicide rate, particularly with the success of its Veterans Crisis hotline, challenges still remain.

What are your thoughts on their recommendations that both the VA and the DoD should use the PTSD protocol and guidelines suggested by the IOM?

Since 2007, this Committee has held five hearings regarding the issue of veterans' suicide, and the figures continue to increase at an alarming rate.

And we know that treatment works and that is extremely hopeful and is enough for us to keep going and to keep making these changes that we are headed towards and to know we are in the right direction.

The Military Office Association of America recommended that it require the VA and the DoD to establish a single strategy in a joint suicide prevention office that reports directly to the Department secretaries through a senior oversight…

And I think that that really makes what my good friends from the VVA and the IAVA talked about critically important, and that is outreach.

We have to stop that, and we have to change the way we think about outreach to veterans.

Fighting suicide is not just about preventing the act of suicide. It is about providing a soft and productive landing for veterans when they return home.

While I commend the VA's effort to reduce the suicide rate, particularly with the success of its veterans crisis hotline, challenges still remain.

The figures continue to increase at an alarming rate, far greater than the comparable suicide rate among the general population.

It is a tragedy that our servicemembers and veterans survive the battlefield abroad only to return home and fall to suicide.

Frankly, this is unacceptable.

In my view, this committee and the public would be better served delving into the complex questions of how best to balance our need for domestic fuel production with the protection of public health and the environment in a cautionary…

I am concerned that, given the recent history of the new EPA regulations, these new guidelines will be so needlessly restrictive...

I have the utmost faith in Secretary Shinseki and wholeheartedly support his efforts to transform the VA.

One of my foremost concerns is to make certain that the resources get to the veterans.

Some of my colleagues here in Congress look at potential budget savings within the VA as a way to reduce our overall budget deficit.

At this time I would like to yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentlewoman from Ohio (Ms. Kaptur), who has fought harder and longer for fair trade than any Member I have served with.

Thank you. At this time I would like to yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. Jones).

The Korea trade agreement is bad for workers who carry a lunch bucket like this one. At this time I would like to yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. Kissell).

The House on October 11, 2011, voted unanimously to approve language authored by Representative Mike Michaud