I
104TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
H. R. 609
To establish the National Commission on Gay and Lesbian Youth Suicide
Prevention.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
JANUARY 20, 1995
Mr. MEEHAN (for himself, Mr. ACKERMAN, Mr. MCDERMOTT, Mr. MILLER
of California, Mr. FILNER, Mrs. MALONEY, and Mr. BROWN of Califor-
nia) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee
on Commerce
A BILL
To establish the National Commission on Gay and Lesbian
Youth Suicide Prevention.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Gay and Lesbian
Youth Suicide Prevention Act’’.
SEC. 2. ESTABLISHMENT.
There is established a commission to be known as the
‘‘National Commission on Gay and Lesbian Youth Suicide
Prevention’’ (in this Act referred to as the ‘‘Commis-
sion’’).
SEC. 3. DUTIES OF COMMISSION.
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Commission shall combat the
epidemic of suicide among gay and lesbian youth, who ac-
count for 30 percent of completed youth suicides as re-
ported by the United States Department of Health and
Human Services in the 1989 ‘‘Report of the Secretary’s
TaskForce on Youth Suicide’’. The Commission shall ad-
vise the Department of Health and Human Services and
other Federal and State youth service agencies concerning
how to include the concerns of gay and lesbian youth with-
in existing suicide prevention policies, programs, and re-
search.
(b) GOALS OF COMMISSION.—The goals of the Com-
mission shall be to—
(1) work to include the concerns of gay and les-
bian youth within existing suicide prevention pro-
grams at the national and State level;
(2) develop and make specific recommendations
to the Department of Health and Human Services
and other relevant Federal and State agencies about
how to stem the epidemic of gay and lesbian youth
suicide;
(3) work to expand current research on youth
suicide to include gay and lesbian youth; and
(4) work to amend existing youth suicide poli-
cies, guidelines, and programs to include gay and
lesbian youth.
SEC. 4. MEMBERSHIP.
(a) NUMBER AND APPOINTMENT.—The Commission
shall be composed of 30 members appointed by the Sec-
retary of Health and Human Services. Members shall in-
clude, but not be limited to, professionals and experts in
the field of youth suicide prevention.
(b) TERMS.—Each member of the Commission shall
be appointed for the life of the Commission.
(c) BASIC PAY AND EXPENSES.—
(1) PAY.—Members shall serve without pay.
(2) EXPENSES.—Each member shall receive
travel expenses, including per diem in lieu of subsist-
ence, in accordance with sections 5702 and 5703 of
title 5, United States Code.
(d) MEETINGS.—The Commission shall meet quar-
terly with the Secretary of Health and Human Services
and advise various departments within the Department of
Health and Human Services on an ongoing basis.
SEC. 5. REPORTS.
(a) INTERIM REPORTS.—The Commission shall sub-
mit an annual report to the Secretary of Health and
Human Services. The Commission shall conduct regional
public hearings around the United States to gather infor-
mation from youths, family members, and professionals
about the problem of gay youth suicide on an ongoing
basis.
(b) FINAL REPORT.—The Commission shall transmit
a final report to the Secretary of Health and Human Serv-
ices. The final report shall contain a detailed statement
of the findings and conclusions of the Commission.
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