NC Congressman seeks to expand veteran services, data about suicides
RALEIGH, N.C. (WNCN) — On this Memorial Day, North Carolina Congressman Chuck Edwards says the Department of Veterans Affairs needs to do more to protect veterans, and he's introducing legislation to help.
'These are folks that have served our country, that deserve the very best that we can give them,' said Edwards (R-11).
The Justice for America's Veterans and Survivors Act calls on the Department of Veterans Affairs to properly document causes of death for veterans across the country and note if suicide was a factor in an annual report.
Current VA data shows on average, 22 veterans commit suicide every single day.
Edwards says better reporting will help Congress pass legislation to improve mental health treatment for veterans and help surviving family members receive benefits they deserve.
'Given the statistics that we see in America today of so many veterans taking their own lives, it just makes sense to work to get more underneath the data and to fully understand,' Edwards said.
With the legislation, Edwards said he is also planning visits to every military base in North Carolina to hear from servicemembers and their families about what they need.
'After they've taken risks to serve our great nation, we need to do everything we can to make sure that they are healthy once they return into normal society,' Edwards said.
The bill now heads to a committee on Capitol Hill where Edwards says he is expecting wide support for it.
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