IV 
118TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. RES. 1251 
Honoring Rosalynn Smith Carter’s legacy in mental health advocacy. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MAY 22, 2024 
Mr. CARTER of Georgia (for himself and Mrs. DINGELL) submitted the fol-
lowing resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and 
Commerce 
RESOLUTION 
Honoring Rosalynn Smith Carter’s legacy in mental health 
advocacy. 
Whereas May 2024 is Mental Health Awareness Month; 
Whereas Rosalynn Smith Carter, since 1970, when her hus-
band, future President of the United States Jimmy Car-
ter, was a candidate for Governor of Georgia, was a lead-
ing advocate for raising awareness about mental health 
and substance use disorder; 
Whereas Mrs. Carter emerged as a national driving force for 
mental health when, during Jimmy Carter’s Presidential 
administration, Mrs. Carter became the active honorary 
chair of the President’s Commission on Mental Health; 
Whereas the work of President Carter’s Commission on Men-
tal Health resulted in passage of the Mental Health Sys-
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•HRES 1251 IH 
tems Act of 1980, which offered reforms to publicly fund-
ed mental health programs; 
Whereas, in 1982, President and Mrs. Carter founded The 
Carter Center, which is dedicated to improving the qual-
ity of life for people in the United States and in the de-
veloping world through programs waging peace, fighting 
disease, and building hope; 
Whereas, from 1985 to 2016, Mrs. Carter hosted the annual 
Rosalynn Carter Symposium on Mental Health Policy, 
bringing together national leaders in the mental health 
community to discuss a specific topic each year, including 
promoting access to appropriate and affordable behav-
ioral health care services, improving the quality of such 
services, and reducing the stigma and isolation associated 
with mental health disorders and substance use disorder; 
Whereas the Carter Center’s Mental Health Program, estab-
lished in 1990, under the leadership and guidance of 
Mrs. Carter, continues to build consensus in order to ef-
fect positive change in mental health and substance use 
policy and systems, with a focus on vulnerable popu-
lations, including children, the elderly, and those who 
care for individuals with mental health disorders or sub-
stance use disorder. 
Whereas, in 1996, Mrs. Carter established the Rosalynn Car-
ter Fellowships for Mental Health Journalism, which 
have provided training and support to more than 260 
journalists in the United States and abroad to report ac-
curately and sensitively about and reduce the stigma sur-
rounding mental health disorders, mental health care, 
mental health law and policy, and related issues; 
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•HRES 1251 IH 
Whereas Mrs. Carter, in 2008, played a key role in sup-
porting the passage of the Paul Wellstone and Pete 
Domenici Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity 
Act of 2008, which helps ensure that mental health dis-
orders and substance use disorders are covered by insur-
ance at parity with other illnesses; 
Whereas throughout Mrs. Carter’s 50 plus years of advocacy 
for mental health, she has been an effective champion for 
rights of persons with mental illness and substance use 
disorders, the inclusion of persons with lived experience 
in the crafting of policy, and the elimination of stigma 
and discrimination against people with mental health dis-
orders, which are among the most common health condi-
tions around the world; 
Whereas Mrs. Carter believed that solutions are truly within 
our reach to overcome stigma, provide mental health ad-
vocacy and substance use prevention programming in all 
communities, and make treatment and support available 
to all, including the people who care for individuals with 
mental health and substance use disorders, allowing every 
individual the chance to create a happy and fulfilling fu-
ture; and 
Whereas, after her passing on November 19, 2023, The Car-
ter Center continues to carry forward her legacy to con-
tinue to decrease stigma and discrimination against indi-
viduals with mental health and substance use disorders, 
increase mental health advocacy and substance use pre-
vention, and improve access to treatment and supports 
for all such individuals and those who care for such indi-
viduals in the United States and around the world: Now, 
therefore, be it 
Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 
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