IV
106TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
H. RES. 133
Recognizing the significance to society of issues relating to mental illness
and expressing full support for the White House Conference on Mental
Health.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
MARCH 25, 1999
Mrs. CAPPS (for herself, Mrs. ROUKEMA, Ms. KAPTUR, Mrs. JOHNSON of Con-
necticut, Ms. DEGETTE, Mr. BROWN of Ohio, Mr. SHAYS, Mr. WAXMAN,
Mrs. MORELLA, Ms. SLAUGHTER, Mr. HORN, Mr. LEACH, Mr. GEJDEN-
SON, Mrs. KELLY, Mrs. BONO, Ms. PELOSI, Mrs. CHRISTENSEN, Mr.
MCNULTY, Mr. SANDERS, Mr. FARR of California, Mr. GREEN of Texas,
Mr. SHOWS, Mrs. MCCARTHY of New York, Mr. STARK, Mr. BAIRD, Mr.
FRANK of Massachusetts, Ms. DELAURO, Ms. KILPATRICK, Mr. FILNER,
Mr. WISE, Mr. PAYNE, Mr. SNYDER, Mr. BALDACCI, Mr. NADLER, Mrs.
NAPOLITANO, Ms. NORTON, Mr. UNDERWOOD, Mr. WEXLER, Mr. PRICE
of North Carolina, Mr. FROST, Mr. CLEMENT, Mr. MEEHAN, Mr. MAT-
SUI, Mrs. MALONEY of New York, Mr. SANDLIN, Mr. GONZALEZ, Mr.
ROMERO-BARCELO´, Ms. SCHAKOWSKY, Mr. ROEMER, Mrs. JONES of
Ohio, Ms. BERKLEY, Ms. MILLENDER-MCDONALD, Ms. JACKSON-LEE of
Texas, Ms. LEE, Mr. RANGEL, Mr. LUTHER, Ms. CARSON, Mr. SERRANO,
Mr. MALONEY of Connecticut, Ms. WOOLSEY, Mr. LAFALCE, Mr. BENT-
SEN, Mr. STRICKLAND, Mr. DELAHUNT, Mr. FOLEY, Ms. STABENOW,
Mr. NEAL of Massachusetts, Ms. RIVERS, Mrs. CLAYTON, Ms. LOFGREN,
Ms. BROWN of Florida, Ms. SANCHEZ, Mr. BERMAN, Mr. LANTOS, Mr.
RAHALL, Mr. RUSH, Mr. WYNN, Mr. TRAFICANT, Mrs. THURMAN, Mr.
THOMPSON of Mississippi, Ms. DANNER, Mr. JEFFERSON, Mr. CROWLEY,
Mrs. MEEK of Florida, Mr. LEWIS of Georgia, Mr. DIXON, Mr.
CUMMINGS, Mr. SCOTT, Mr. CLYBURN, Mr. HASTINGS of Florida, Ms.
MCKINNEY, Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas, and Ms. ROYBAL-
ALLARD) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the
Committee on Commerce
•HRES 133 IH
RESOLUTION
Recognizing the significance to society of issues relating to
mental illness and expressing full support for the White
House Conference on Mental Health.
Whereas in June 1999 the White House will hold the White
House Conference on Mental Health;
Whereas the conference is the result of the work of Mrs. Tip-
per Gore, the mental health policy advisor to the Presi-
dent;
Whereas Mrs. Gore has devoted much of her life to raising
awareness of issues related to mental health and has both
an informed understanding of the issues to be explored
at the conference and an appreciation of the complexities
of the issues;
Whereas mental illnesses are a variety of different disorders
of the brain, many of which often result in challenges in
coping with the ordinary demands of life;
Whereas persons with mental illnesses often need a con-
tinuum of care that may include job training, child care,
substance abuse treatment, and mental health services;
Whereas States, communities, providers, and insurance agen-
cies have ethical obligations to provide humane and effec-
tive treatment to persons with mental illnesses who are
in correctional settings;
Whereas approximately 10,000,000 adults in the United
States suffer serious and chronic effects from mental ill-
ness, and 3,500,000 to 4,000,000 children suffer from
emotional disturbance;
Whereas mental illnesses can affect persons of any gender,
age, race, ethnicity, religion, or income;
•HRES 133 IH
Whereas mental illnesses are highly treatable for people of all
ages;
Whereas issues relating to mental illness have failed to re-
ceive national attention at levels that are commensurate
with their significance to society;
Whereas stigmas associated with mental illness are detri-
mental to receiving appropriate diagnosis, treatment, and
care for persons with mental illnesses;
Whereas persons with mental illnesses experience discrimina-
tory practices in access to availability of appropriate care;
Whereas the conference will bring together mental health pro-
viders, consumers, State officials and other public offi-
cials, and representatives of private-sector entities and
foundations to develop strategies for eliminating the stig-
mas relating to mental illness and for encouraging a
healthy environment where persons with mental illnesses
can receive the diagnosis, treatment, and care that they
need; and
Whereas the conference will highlight promising methods to
reduce discrimination and improve prevention and treat-
ment, and will explore new actions that public agencies
and private entities can take to improve the lives of per-
sons with mental illnesses: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the House of Representatives—
(1) recognizes the significance to society of
issues relating to mental illness; and
(2) expresses full support for the White House
Conference on Mental Health.
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