WASHINGTON, Nov. 20 -- Rep. Phil Roe, R-Tennessee, ranking Republican member of the House Veterans' Affairs Committee, issued the following statement after the committee held a legislative hearing on the IMPROVE Act (H.R. 3495), which is bipartisan legislation cosponsored by 228 members of congress to prevent suicide among veterans:

"2,960 - that's how many veteran and servicemember lives have been lost to suicide since the introduction of this bipartisan bill 148 days ago.