Joshua Omvig Veterans Suicide Prevention Act Becomes Law!
President Signed bill on November 5th
On November 5, 20007, President George W. Bush signed into law the Joshua Omvig Veterans Suicide Prevention Act (H.R. 327). Upon the bill becoming law, SPAN USA thanked the president for signing the bill and again praised Congressional sponsors Rep. Leonard Boswell (D-Iowa) and Sen. Tom Harkin (D-Iowa) for their tremendous work to pass the bill.
"As we approach Veterans Day, there is no better way we can honor our veterans than by ensuring they receive the mental health care that they deserve," said Jerry Reed, executive director of SPAN USA. "Randy and Ellen Omvig exemplify SPAN USA's mission of transforming grief into action to prevent future tragedies and they have exhibited courage in speaking out on the important public health issue of veterans' suicide."
"We know that male U.S. veterans are twice as likely to die by suicide as males without military service - making implementation of the Joshua Omvig Veterans Suicide Prevention Act as quickly as possible an imperative" Reed said.
The Joshua Omvig Veterans Suicide Prevention Act is now: Public Law 110-110, 121 Stat. 1031
reference:
Suicide Prevention Action Network USA
