On the recordMay 2, 2019
As we enter the month of May, many of us will be gathering at the end of the month to honor and recognize those who have fallen. In mid-month, we will celebrate the mothers of this Nation, many of whom are veterans and who have died in battle. I rise today to speak about veteran suicide, and to view it as a national crisis. It is told that there are 20 veterans a day committing suicide. So, as I stand here today, tragically, a man or woman who has worn the uniform, who is willing to sacrifice himself or herself for this Nation, for the freedom of our people, for democracy, is taking their life. This is such a national crisis that I believe that this should be a major issue for all of us to ensure that we find the resources, including the resources for family members, early counseling, and a helping hand to ensure that those veterans who find themselves lonely or homeless and feel that there is no other way out but to commit suicide--many of them young--that we will find a way to legislate, but also to protect the men and women who stood for us. ____________________
