Secretary Meginley Praises Senator Cassidy’s Bill to Support Spouses of Veterans Lost to Suicide

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE July 20, 2026 RELEASE # 20260018

Secretary Meginley Praises Senator Cassidy’s Bill to Support Spouses of Veterans Lost to Suicide

By Daniele Palen, Director of Communications, LDVA

BATON ROUGE, La. — The Louisiana Department of Veterans Affairs (LDVA) applauds U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA), for introducing the Veteran Suicide Spousal Career Services Act, legislation that would ensure spouses of veterans who died by suicide because of a service-connected disability have access to career counseling and employment services.

“When a family loses a veteran to suicide, the pain does not end with the loss itself. It carries into every part of the life left behind, including the surviving spouse’s ability to provide for their family and find their footing again,” said Secretary Charlton Meginley of the Louisiana Department of Veterans Affairs. “I have seen, both in this role and in my own life, what that kind of loss takes from a family. Senator Cassidy’s bill is a meaningful acknowledgment of that reality. A steady career and a sense of purpose will not undo the loss, but they can offer these families some semblance of peace moving forward. I am grateful for his leadership on this issue and for keeping the needs of these families in front of Congress.”

The bill would extend career support to a group of surviving spouses who currently have limited access to the resources available to other survivors, helping them rebuild financial stability and a sense of purpose after an unimaginable loss.

“When a veteran dies by suicide, the surviving spouse is left to rebuild a life after unimaginable loss. A steady job provides purpose, stability, and a path forward. This bill creates that opportunity,” said Dr. Cassidy.

The Veteran Suicide Spousal Career Services Act builds on Senator Cassidy’s previous work expanding career services for surviving military spouses through the U.S. Senate’s passage of the Gold Star and Surviving Spouse Career Services Act, which broadened access to employment assistance through the U.S. Department of Labor’s Disabled Veterans Outreach Program. That program funds states to hire workforce specialists who provide individualized career counseling with localized knowledge to eligible surviving spouses.

Louisiana is home to approximately 250,000 veterans. The Louisiana Department of Veterans Affairs serves those veterans and their families through a network of benefits counselors, state veteran homes, and state veterans cemeteries.

Please visit https://vetaffairs.la.gov/news for the latest Louisiana Department of Veterans Affairs releases, photos, and videos.

For more information, contact: Daniele Palen, Director of Communications, LDVA (985) 768-9996 LDVAMedia@LA.GOV