{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://www.smith.senate.gov/u-s-senators-tina-smith-marsha-blackburn-introduce-bipartisan-bill-to-prevent-veteran-and-military-suicide-by-victims-of-military-sexual-trauma/", "U.S. Senators\u00a0Tina Smith, Marsha Blackburn\u00a0Introduce Bipartisan Bill\u00a0to\u00a0Prevent\u00a0Veteran and Military\u00a0Suicide\u00a0by Victims of Military Sexual Trauma", "2026-06-29", "2026", "2026-06", "Democrat", "Senate", "MN", "Tina Smith", "S001203", "www.smith.senate.gov", "tinasmith", "https://www.smith.senate.gov/press-releases/", "scraper", "Two million American servicemembers reported experiencing Military Sexual Trauma, increasing the risk of suicide\n\nWASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 [6/29/2026] U.S. Senators Tina Smith (D-MN) and Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) introduced the Improving Personal Risk Assessments to Prevent Suicide Act, a bill to help better understand the relationship between servicemembers and veterans\u2019 experiences of military sexual trauma (MST) and suicide risk. The bill would require the Department of Defense (DoD) and the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to publish a study on the links between MST, intimate partner violence and the risk of suicide.\n\nThe bill would also require the Departments to incorporate those findings into clinical assessments for identifying and treating patients at risk of suicide \u2013 the first time military sexual trauma has been included in those official clinical tools. This will improve clinical risk assessment for patients and help the DoD, VA and clinicians recognize MST-related risk factors before someone attempts or dies by suicide.\n\nMST refers to the sexual assault or threatening sexual harassment servicemembers may experience during service. Many servicemembers choose not to report MST until after their service because they fear retaliation or threats from their superiors. Veterans are around 50% more likely to die by suicide than civilians, and the link between servicemembers who experienced MST and higher risk of suicide is well-established, making this bill essential to overall veteran suicide prevention efforts.\n\n\u201cIt is our solemn duty to provide the highest quality care for those who serve our country,\u201d said Sen. Smith. \u201cThat includes making sure servicemembers who endured military sexual trauma have access to the best clinical care and suicide prevention tools available as they work to heal. I\u2019m proud to introduce this bill to incorporate what we know about the relationship between experiencing military sexual trauma and the risk of suicide into clinical practice, improving the care that helps save lives.\u201d\n\n\u201cIt is absolutely unacceptable that veterans are 50% more likely to die by suicide, and we must do everything in our power to protect and care for those who have risked their lives for this country,\u201d said Sen. Blackburn. \u201cThe Improving Personal Risk Assessments to Prevent Suicide Act is an important step in saving servicemembers\u2019 lives and supporting them as they heal from unimaginable trauma.\u201d\n\nFull text of the bill can be found here.\n\nIf you or someone you know is considering suicide, there is help. Please call or text 988 or visit the 988 Lifeline website for help. You are not alone.\n\n###", 1, "2026-06-30T06:29:10Z", "2026-06-30T06:30:42Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://www.smith.senate.gov/u-s-senators-tina-smith-marsha-blackburn-introduce-bipartisan-bill-to-prevent-veteran-and-military-suicide-by-victims-of-military-sexual-trauma/"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.4762349892407656, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}