Kelly, Colleagues Introduce Legislation to Support Construction Worker Mental Health

Senators Mark Kelly (D-AZ), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Mark Warner (D-VA), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Ben Ray Luján (D-NM), and John Hickenlooper (D-CO) introduced legislation to prevent suicide among construction workers. The Constructing the Path to Suicide Prevention Act would authorize a national study through the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to collect data on the unique suicide risk factors facing construction workers to inform future suicide prevention programming.

The construction industry has the second-highest risk of suicide across all industries. In 2023, almost a fifth of deaths by suicide with a reported industry code were tied to construction, despite construction workers making up only seven percent of the American workforce.

"Construction workers build America-our homes, our roads, and our communities. With an alarming suicide rate in this industry, they should have the resources to take care of their mental health," said Kelly. "This bill will help us understand what's driving those numbers to prevent more deaths."

"From our homes to our offices, our roads to our favorite coffee shops, construction workers are responsible for building America," said Cortez Masto. "But work in this industry presents distinct mental health risks, and we owe it to construction workers to find solutions. This legislation will give us the tools we need to combat the tragically high rate of suicide among construction workers and work to end the stigma around mental health on the jobsite."

"There is an unacceptably high rate of suicide among construction workers," said Warner. "This legislation will give us the resources to understand how we can combat it and better inform suicide prevention programs."

"The high rate of suicide among construction workers should be alarming to us all," said Shaheen. "I'm proud to help introduce legislation alongside a group of my colleagues who understand the importance of figuring out what's fueling this crisis and the urgent need to make sure we're getting mental health resources where they're needed."

"In New Mexico and across the country, our construction workers are the backbone of our country," said Luján. "The high rate of suicide in the construction industry is deeply concerning, and we must do more to address this crisis. This legislation will do just that and help us better strengthen suicide prevention programs."

"The people who build Colorado from the ground up are also among those most at risk of suicide," said Hickenlooper. "We need to understand why and make sure construction workers have access to the support they need."

Background:

This legislation builds on Kelly's ongoing work to expand mental health resources for those who serve their communities. In January 2025, Kelly pushed the Department of Veterans' Affairs to continue funding for Arizona's Be Connected Program, a suicide prevention partnership serving the state's veterans and military families. Kelly also authored the Brandon Act, which passed as part of the Fiscal Year 2022 National Defense Authorization Act, to protect service members experiencing mental health emergencies and reduce the stigma around seeking help.

The CDC study authorized by the Constructing the Path to Suicide Prevention Act would:

• Investigate risk factors for deaths by suicide among construction workers, including employment and financial stability, history of substance and alcohol use, and access to essential resources like health care coverage, employment benefits, and employee assistance programs.
• Require the Department of Health and Human Services to submit a report to Congress on policy recommendations for future suicide prevention programming targeted to construction workers.

Click here to read the full text of the bill.