Senate OKs vets’ suicide prevention bill

[unhappycamper]

Senate OKs vets’ suicide prevention bill
The Associated Press
Posted : Friday Sep 28, 2007 23:49:07 EDT

DES MOINES, Iowa — The Senate has unanimously approved a bill authored by Iowa Sen. Tom Harkin intended to prevent suicides by military veterans.

The Senate approved the bill late Thursday by unanimous consent and sent it back to the House, which passed a previous version of the measure, 423-0.

The measure is named the Joshua Omvig Veterans Suicide Prevention Act, honoring a 22-year-old Army reservist from Grundy Center who took his life in December 2005 after returning from Iraq.

The Senate’s approval came after Oklahoma Sen. Tom Coburn removed a hold on the bill, which had prevented its passage. Coburn, a Republican, said he was concerned by parts of the bill calling for mental health screenings of veterans and tracking of veterans who have received mental health services.

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VA estimates more than 5,000 veterans commit suicide each year, according to Harkin’s office.


Rest of article at: http://www.marinecorpstimes.com/news/2007/09/ap_suicide_bill_070928/