Washington, D.C. — Today, Congressman Jim Himes (D-CT-04) and Congressman Andrew R. Garbarino (R-NY-02) reintroduced the Veteran Suicide Prevention Act, legislation that directs the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to conduct a comprehensive review of veteran suicides and identify gaps in care, prescribing practices, and data reporting. The bill aims to improve transparency, strengthen oversight, and ensure the VA can better support veterans in crisis.
Recent independent reviews have raised concerns that veteran suicide deaths may be significantly undercounted due to misclassified self-injury and overdose deaths. These discrepancies underscore the urgent need for accurate data to fully understand the scope of the crisis and take meaningful action to save lives.
Under this bill, the VA would be required to complete a detailed, publicly available review of suicide deaths among veterans who received VA care within the five years preceding their death. The review would assess medical histories, prescribed medications, facility-level prescribing patterns, diagnoses, and demographic information.
“Our men and women in uniform deserve the very best when they return home, but the tragically high rate of suicide is a clear sign that we are failing to live up to that standard. This important piece of bipartisan legislation will ensure that we better understand how best to support our veterans as they readjust to life after service,” said Congressman Himes.
“Too many of our nation’s heroes have been lost to suicide, and every one of those lives is a call to action,” said Congressman Garbarino. “This crucial legislation gives us the transparency and information needed to strengthen oversight and ensure veterans receive the support they deserve.”
“Accurate data saves lives. America’s Warrior Partnership strongly supports this bipartisan effort to bring greater transparency to veteran suicide and ensure every community has the information needed to prevent these tragic losses.” - Jim Lorraine, President & CEO of America's Warrior Partnership
Additional original cosponsors of the Veteran Suicide Prevention Act include Representatives Mike Lawler (R-NY-17), Joe Neguse (D-CO-02 ), and Thomas Kean (R-NJ-07).
“Our veterans deserve more than gratitude – they deserve a system that supports them as they readjust to life after service and one that intervenes before it’s too late,” said Congressman Tom Kean, Jr. “By requiring a comprehensive review of veteran suicides, this legislation will help us better understand the scope of the crisis, identify gaps in care, and most importantly, save lives. I am joining this bipartisan effort to ensure that our nation’s heroes receive effective, timely support and that none are left behind.”
“Improving the quality and accessibility of treatment for our veterans must be central in our effort to equip them for life after their honorable service to our nation. And I’m proud to join Representatives Garbarino and Himes in introducing a bill to ensure we have the data and oversight necessary to provide every veteran with the care and support they deserve,” said Congressman Neguse.
Under the Veteran Suicide Prevention Act, the VA review would include:
- The total number of veterans who died by suicide during the five years;
- A summary that includes age, gender, and race;
- A list of the medications prescribed to, and found in the systems of, such veterans at the time of their deaths, and a summary of medical diagnoses by VA physicians that led to the prescribing of such medications;
- The number of instances in which the veteran was concurrently on multiple medications prescribed by VA physicians;
- The percentage of veterans who were not taking any medication prescribed by a VA physician;
- The percentage of veterans with combat experience or trauma;
- Veterans Health Administration facilities with markedly high prescription and patient suicide rates;
- A description of VA policies governing the prescribing of medications; and
- Recommendations to improve the safety and well-being of veterans.
The full text of the bill can be found here.
Veterans in need of support can visit www.veteranscrisisline.net, dial The Veterans Crisis Line at 988 then Press 1, or text 838255.
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