Press Release
Smith Cosponsored Veterans' Suicide Prevention Bill Passed by HouseFormer House Veteran’s Committee Chair Smith Is Original Cosponsor of Measure
A bill to address the tragic suicide rate of the nation’s veterans was approved by the House tonight 403-0 and should be taken up by the Senate as soon as possible, said Congressman Chris Smith (NJ-04), former chairman of the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee and an original cosponsor or the bill.
“The men and women of our military make tremendous, selfless sacrifices on behalf of a grateful nation,” said Smith, who chaired the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee from 2001-2005 and authored more than a dozen veterans’ laws. “Congress has the sacred duty to ensure that we do everything in our power to get ours vets the physical and psychological support they need to transition back to—and integrate into—civilian life. More must be done to address the systematic failures that leave too many veterans behind and this bill is an important step in the right direction.” A 2012 study conducted by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) estimated that 22 veterans are lost each day to suicide, or over 8,000 per year, more than have been killed in action since 9/11. ### |