III

106TH CONGRESS

1ST SESSION S. RES. 99

Designating November 20, 1999, as ‘‘National Survivors for Prevention of

Suicide Day’’.

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

MAY 11, 1999

Mr. REID submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the

Committee on the Judiciary

RESOLUTION

Designating November 20, 1999, as ‘‘National Survivors for

Prevention of Suicide Day’’.

Whereas the 105th Congress, in Senate Resolution 84 and

House Resolution 212, recognized suicide as a national

problem and suicide prevention as a national priority;

Whereas the Surgeon General has publicly recognized suicide

as a public health problem;

Whereas the resolutions of the 105th Congress called for a

collaboration between public and private organizations

and individuals concerned with suicide;

Whereas in the United States, more than 30,000 people take

their own lives each year;
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•SRES 99 IS

Whereas suicide is the 8th leading cause of death in the

United States and the 3rd major cause of death among

young people aged 15 through 19;

Whereas the suicide rate among young people has more than

tripled in the last 4 decades, a fact that is a tragedy in

itself and a source of devastation to millions of family

members and loved ones;

Whereas every year in the United States, 200,000 people become suicide survivors (people that have lost a loved one

to suicide), and there are approximately 8,000,000 suicide survivors in the United States today;

Whereas society still needlessly stigmatizes both the people

that take their own lives and suicide survivors;

Whereas there is a need for greater outreach to suicide survivors because, all too often, they are left alone to grieve;

Whereas suicide survivors are often helped to rebuild their

lives through a network of support with fellow survivors;

Whereas suicide survivors play an essential role in educating

communities about the risks of suicide and the need to

develop suicide prevention strategies; and

Whereas suicide survivors contribute to suicide prevention research by providing essential information about the environmental and genetic backgrounds of the deceased:

Now, therefore, be it

1 Resolved, That the Senate—

2 (1)(A) designates November 20, 1999, as ‘‘Na3 tional Survivors for Prevention of Suicide Day’’; and

4 (B) requests that the President issue a procla5 mation calling on Federal, State, and local adminis-
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•SRES 99 IS

1 trators and the people of the United States to ob2 serve the day with appropriate programs, cere3 monies, and activities;

4 (2) encourages the involvement of suicide sur5 vivors in healing activities and prevention programs;

6 (3) acknowledges that suicide survivors face dis7 tinct obstacles in their grieving;

8 (4) recognizes that suicide survivors can be a

9 source of support and strength to each other;

10 (5) recognizes that suicide survivors have

11 played a leading role in organizations dedicated to

12 reducing suicide through research, education, and

13 treatment programs; and

14 (6) acknowledges the efforts of suicide survivors

15 in their prevention, education, and advocacy activi16 ties to eliminate stigma and to reduce the incidence

17 of suicide.

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