To the Editor:
U.S. Rep. Lauren Underwood, what are you waiting for? House Resolution 3495 is the Improve Well-being for Veterans Act, requiring the secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs to provide financial assistance to eligible entities to provide and coordinate the provision of suicide prevention services for veterans at risk of suicide, and veterans’ families, through the award of grants to such entities, and for other purposes.
There are 136 co-sponsors (73 Republicans, 63 Democrats) for the bill that was introduced in June: Democrat Bobby Rush, 1st Congressional District (joined Sept. 9); Republican Adam Kinzinger, 16th Congressional District (joined Sept. 11); Republican Mike Bost, 12th Congressional District (joined Sept. 12); and Republican Rodney Davis, 13th Congressional District (joined Sept. 16).
Missing is Underwood (a member of the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs), who says she supports veterans. What is she waiting for? Suicide doesn’t wait on politicians.
Mike Ruffner
Antioch