Washington D.C. (November 18, 2014) – Today, Senator John McCain (R-Ariz.) met with with Susan and Richard Selke, parents of Iraq and Afghanistan war veteran Clay Hunt, a Marine who died by suicide in 2011. Yesterday, Senators McCain, Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Richard Burr (R-N.C.), Roy Blunt (R-Mo.), Lisa Murkowski (R-Ala.) and Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) introduced in the Senate the Clay Hunt Suicide Prevention Bill of 2014 (S.2930), named after their son and spearheaded by IAVA. If passed, the bill will help combat veteran suicide and improve access to quality mental health care.

“We thank Senator McCain for meeting with us today and learning more about Clay and his story,” said Susan Selke. “We appreciate Senator McCain’s leadership in addressing mental health care for veterans and his stewardship with the Clay Hunt Suicide Prevention Bill of 2014. No veteran should have to go through what Clay experienced. We urge the Senate to take action and show their true support for the veteran community.”

Susan Selke will be testifying Wednesday morning at the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee (SVAC) hearing on Mental Health and Suicide Among Veterans at 10:30 a.m. in Russell Senate Office Building SR-418.

To learn more about the Clay Hunt Suicide Prevention Bill of 2014, visit iava.org/savact.