Political Quotes

“It is a pleasure for me to follow my good friend, Dr. Murphy, on the floor. I appreciate his tireless efforts in terms of mental health and of suicide prevention. I was pleased this week to introduce with him legislation to recognize September as National Suicide Prevention Month. We have this ritual of designating certain days, weeks, and months in honor of issues that can be momentous and sometimes arcane, but this one is existential. We are looking at a time of great division not just in Congress but in American society. Suicide prevention ought to be a great unifier. We lose five lives every hour to a cause that is usually treatable and often preventable. The nature of the suicide epidemic, which has been increasing every year for the last decade, has the power to unite and bring people together to make a difference. I applaud him for his work on the mental health legislation. I hope that we are all encouraged and emboldened, particularly as relates to our veterans, and his work there is commendable. We are losing a veteran almost every hour to suicide. It is also the second leading cause of death among young people ages 10 to 34, yet people who commit suicide almost always show symptoms that could be diagnosed and treated. In addition to the tragic disruption on individuals and families, it is estimated that suicide results in $44 billion in combined economic and work costs. It is a national crisis and a tragedy that has touched almost every family I know.…”