Congressman Joe Morelle says veteran suicide is an epidemic in the United States and more needs to be done to prevent it. 

  • The Veterans Administration only spent $1.5 million of its 2018 suicide prevention budget, according to Morelle.
  • More than 7,000 veterans commit suicide every year in the U.S.

“Twenty veterans in America take their lives each day," said Morelle. "It’s a number which is astonishing. Twenty veterans each day, over 7,000 veterans a year. That’s more than the number of veterans, of soldiers we lost in the entire Iraq War."

Morelle stopped in Rochester on Wednesday to announce the "Reach Every Veteran in Crisis Act." It's aimed at strengthening mental health resources for veterans in crisis and bolstering suicide prevention efforts.

“Personally, unfortunately, I’ve had a number of veterans I served with who ultimately wound up taking their life so it is a serious issue,” said U.S. Army veteran Matt Murray.

Murray, who served two tours in Iraq, says he faced his own struggles transitioning back to civilian life.

"I remember for the first couple weeks, I would reach down and I thought my weapon was missing, because you’re so used to carrying it," said Murray. "You panic; 'where’s my weapon?' It takes a while to get readjusted."

According to Morelle, the Veterans Administration only spent $1.5 million of the $6.2 million that had been secured by Congress for suicide prevention outreach last year. He hopes the new bill will ensure more of those funds are used the way they were meant to.

The Reach Every Veterans in Crisis Act would require the Department of Veterans Affairs to establish a focused and documented campaign to reach struggling vets and provide the help they need.

“No one who has so bravely and selflessly served our country should feel isolated should feel alone,” said Morelle.

If you are a veteran in crisis or have concerns about a loved one, the Veterans Crisis Line can help.