Political Quotes

“shortly, the senior Senator from Connecticut, Senator Blumenthal, will ask consent that the Senate take up and pass the Clay Hunt Suicide Prevention Act. The reason Clay Hunt was used as a model for this situation we have is because of his outstanding record. And ``60 Minutes'' has done specials about him. He had two tours of duty. He was a marine who served in Iraq and Afghanistan and received the Purple Heart. He was a wonderful human being. He even helped out in Haiti after they had an earthquake. But he could not overcome what happened to him in his combat mission. This issue is so important for our veterans. Since 7 a.m. this morning until 7 a.m. tomorrow morning, 22 veterans will have killed themselves. They commit suicide every day. They don't take weekends off. It happens 7 days a week. We need to stop this devastation--and that is what it is. Suicide is very personal to me. As some of you know, my good dad killed himself. The heartbreak that is caused--the total loss and inability to understand--from a needless and preventable death of a loved one is hard to comprehend. The Clay Hunt Suicide Prevention Act is bipartisan legislation. The bill passed the House last Tuesday. I thank Senators McCain and Walsh for their work on this veterans suicide issue. They have both introduced their own legislation to address this important issue--a Vietnam veteran and an Iraq veteran.…”