House passes bipartisan suicide prevention legislation

The House of Representatives today passed bipartisan suicide prevention legislation introduced by Reps. Don Beyer (D-VA) and Adam Kinzinger (R-IL) with broad support from both parties.

The Campaign To Prevent Suicide Act would set up an educational campaign recommended by suicide prevention advocates and the Federal Communications Commission to raise awareness for a three-digit suicide lifeline phone number and suicide prevention resources, and foster more effective discourse on how to prevent suicide.

The House also passed Rep. John Katko’s (R-NY) Suicide Prevention Lifeline Improvement Act, on which Beyer is co-lead. The bill would increase funding for the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, require improvements to service, and eliminate wait times.

Beyer and Katko co-chair the Suicide Prevention Task Force.

“The suicide prevention legislation passing in the House today would greatly strengthen the federal response to rising incidence of suicide,” said Beyer. “The Campaign to Prevent Suicide Act and Suicide Prevention Lifeline Improvement Act will ensure that help is there for Americans who need it, and raise awareness of tools we have that can help reduce suicide. These bills will save lives, and every life saved will be one less tragedy that ripples through a family and a community. I thank my colleagues for passing these bills, and especially Reps. Adam Kinzinger, John Katko, and Grace Napolitano for their leadership and partnership.”