Statements on Introduced Bills and Joint Resolutions

Floor Speech

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Mr. REED. Mr. President, as we all know too well, rates of suicide have risen to epidemic levels in the United States, with suicide now the 10th leading cause of death in the country. On average, there are 130 suicides every day, roughly 1 every 11 minutes. These are staggering statistics behind which there are tragic stories of loss. That is why I am joining Senator Moran to introduce the Suicide Prevention Act.

Our bipartisan, bicameral bill would provide new resources to help turn the tide on this disturbing trend. It would authorize new funding for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, CDC, partner with State and local health departments to improve surveillance of suicide attempts and other incidences of self-harm. Data collection efforts regarding suicide often occur years after the fact, which limits the ability of State and local health departments, as well as community organizations, to recognize trends early and intervene. CDC has already begun some of this work as a pilot program, but the Suicide Prevention Act would expand these efforts and enhance data collection so we can respond to new trends quickly and save lives.

We know that emergency healthcare providers are often at the frontlines of responding to suicide attempts. Approximately 37 percent of individuals without a previous history of mental health or substance abuse who die by suicide make an emergency department visit within the year before their death. According to the Suicide Prevention Resource Center, the risk of suicide is greatest within a month of discharge from the hospital. To help ensure our emergency healthcare professionals have the tools to respond, the bill would also authorize funding for a grant program within the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, SAMHSA, to help better train emergency department staff to implement suicide prevention strategies, screen at- risk patients, and refer patients to appropriate followup care. The legislation would also require SAMHSA to develop best practices for such programs, so that healthcare providers are able to provide their patients with the best possible care and advice.

Nationwide, suicide rates have skyrocketed over the last decade. In 2020, nearly 46,000 Americans lost their lives to suicide. That same year, there were 1.2 million suicide attempts. We must renew our efforts on suicide prevention and take a holistic approach. In addition to the Suicide Prevention Act, we must reauthorize the Garrett Lee Smith Memorial Act, which I am working with Senator Murkowski to do. Despite the troubling national trend, programs under this law have contributed to declines in the youth suicide rates in my home State of Rhode Island over the last decade.

We must also invest in the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline and the new nationwide three-digit 9-8-8 number, which is scheduled to go live this summer. Senator Moran and I have teamed up on the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline Improvement Act that will increase funding for the Lifeline and make key improvements, such as enhance texting capability.

Today, I am pleased to have the opportunity to partner with Senator Moran once again by introducing the Suicide Prevention Act. This bill is one more step Congress can take to combat the mental health and suicide crisis in our country. I look forward to working with Senator Moran and advocates in Rhode Island and across the country to make a difference in addressing this epidemic. ______

By Mr. CORNYN (for himself, Mr. King, Mr. Sasse, and Mrs. Gillibrand):

S. 4456. A bill to prohibit certain former employees of the intelligence community from providing certain services to governments of countries that are state sponsors of terrorism, the People's Republic of China, and the Russian Federation, and for other purposes; to the Select Committee on Intelligence.

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