May 10, 2019 - Issue: Vol. 165, No. 78 — Daily Edition116th Congress (2019 - 2020) - 1st Session

[Page H3719]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




            HONORING THOSE WHO STRUGGLE WITH MENTAL ILLNESS

  (Ms. KAPTUR asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute.)
  Ms. KAPTUR. Madam Speaker, I rise today in honor of every American 
who has ever struggled with mental illness.
  With May being National Mental Health Awareness Month as well as 
National Nurses Month, we recommit ourselves to:
  Building better futures for those struggling with a mental health 
condition;
  Supporting research into diagnoses and treatment;
  Erasing the stigma around seeking help; and
  Removing barriers to high-quality and timely mental healthcare by 
educating and training doctors, nurses, and behavioral specialists 
dedicated to these disabling conditions.
  Our Nation is also battling an epidemic of veteran suicide. 
Tragically, over 7,000 veterans die by suicide every year, more than 
the total number of American servicemembers killed in action during the 
entire Global War on Terrorism.
  It is no coincidence that our Nation is short 100,000 
neuropsychiatrists and 500,000 advance practice nurses in these fields. 
At the VA alone, today, there are nearly 50,000 medical vacancies.
  If we are to make progress, then our country, our Nation, must 
support investments in educating these physicians and nurses to treat 
those who, every day, look for a better way of life.
  I look forward to partnering with Members of Congress to help America 
treat these illnesses and create a more humane society for all.

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