Republicans and Democrats in Congress have found something meaningful they can agree about: strengthening the nation’s response to the tragic wave of veteran suicides. On Tuesday, by a 99-to-0 vote, the Senate approved a bill to improve suicide prevention and mental health treatment programs at the Department of Veterans Affairs.
The measure, which cleared the House unanimously, is named for Clay Hunt, a Marine who battled depression and post-traumatic stress disorder when he returned from Iraq and Afghanistan, and took his own life in 2011. President Obama is expected to sign the bill this week.
The legislation addresses an urgent problem, as the V.A. works to make improvements after last year’s scandal. An estimated 22 veterans kill themselves each day on average, according to the latest government data. Although many are older veterans, and some never served in combat, the suicide rate is particularly high and has been climbing among veterans under 30.
[For more of this story go to http://www.nytimes.com/2015/02...tntemail0=y&_r=0]
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