IV 

114TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. RES. 850 

Recognizing suicide as a public health problem and expressing support for 

designation of September as ‘‘National Suicide Prevention Month’’. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

SEPTEMBER 8, 2016 

Mr. MURPHY of Pennsylvania (for himself, Mr. BLUMENAUER, Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania, Mrs. BLACK, Mr. WALDEN, Mr. YOUNG of Iowa, 

Mr. CURBELO of Florida, Mr. COSTELLO of Pennsylvania, Mr. 

BARLETTA, Mr. KINZINGER of Illinois, Mr. GIBSON, Ms. CLARKE of New 

York, Mr. DEUTCH, Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas, Ms. MATSUI, Ms. BONAMICI, Mr. LEVIN, Mr. RYAN of Ohio, Ms. NORTON, Mr. 

GRIJALVA, Mr. DESANTIS, Mr. MCDERMOTT, Mr. KELLY of Pennsylvania, Mr. KNIGHT, Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN, Mr. SHUSTER, Mr. JOHNSON

of Ohio, Mr. FITZPATRICK, Mr. DESAULNIER, Mrs. NOEM, Mr. 

ROTHFUS, Mr. EMMER of Minnesota, and Mr. KATKO) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and 

Commerce 

RESOLUTION 

Recognizing suicide as a public health problem and expressing support for designation of September as ‘‘National 

Suicide Prevention Month’’. 

Whereas suicide is the 10th leading cause of death in the 

United States and the second leading cause of death 

among individuals between the ages of 10 to 34; 

Whereas according to the Centers for Disease Control and 

Prevention (CDC), one person completes suicide every 


emcdonald on DSK9F6TC42PROD with BILLS
2 

•HRES 850 IH 

12.3 minutes, resulting in nearly 43,000 suicides each 

year in the United States; 

Whereas suicide is the only leading cause of death in the 

United States that has increased every year for the past 

decade; 

Whereas it is estimated that there are over 1,100,000 suicide 

attempts each year; 

Whereas over 90 percent of the people who die by suicide 

have a diagnosable and treatable mental health condition, 

although often that condition is not recognized or treated; 

Whereas according to the CDC, suicide results in an estimated $44,600,000,000 in combined medical and work 

loss costs nationally; 

Whereas the stigma associated with mental health conditions 

and suicidality works against suicide prevention by discouraging persons at risk for suicide from seeking lifesaving help and further traumatizes survivors of suicide 

loss and people with lived experience of suicide; and 

Whereas September would be an appropriate month to designate as ‘‘National Suicide Prevention Month’’ which 

overlaps World Suicide Prevention Day, September 10, 

recognized internationally and supported by the World 

Health Organization: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 

2 (1) recognizes suicide as a preventable national 

3 and State public health problem; 

4 (2) supports the designation of ‘‘National Sui5 cide Prevention Month’’; 


emcdonald on DSK9F6TC42PROD with BILLS
3 

•HRES 850 IH 

1 (3) supports declaring that suicide prevention 

2 should be a priority; 

3 (4) acknowledges that no single suicide preven4 tion program or effort will be appropriate for all 

5 populations or communities; 

6 (5) promotes awareness that there is no single 

7 cause for suicide, and that suicide most often occurs 

8 when stressors exceed current coping abilities of 

9 someone suffering from a mental health condition; 

10 and 

11 (6) develops and implements strategies to in12 crease access to quality mental health, substance 

13 abuse, and suicide prevention services. 

Æ 


emcdonald on DSK9F6TC42PROD with BILLS