Clay Hunt Suicide Prevention Bill

Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America issued the following:


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.”

From left to right: Senator McCain, Susan Selke and Richard Selke

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.

Note to media: Email press@iava.org or call 212-982-9699 to speak with IAVA CEO and Founder Paul Rieckhoff or IAVA leadership.


Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (www.IAVA.org) is the nation's first and largest nonpartisan, nonprofit organization representing veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan and has nearly 300,000 Member Veterans and civilian supporters nationwide. Celebrating its 10th year anniversary, IAVA recently received the highest rating - four-stars - from Charity Navigator, America's largest charity evaluator.

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