[Congressional Bills 106th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 459 Introduced in House (IH)]







106th CONGRESS
  2d Session
H. RES. 459

 Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives with respect to 
promoting the use of proven academic and classroom-management solutions 
 for problems of behavior, attention, and learning in school children.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             April 4, 2000

Mr. Schaffer (for himself, Mrs. Roukema, Mr. DeMint, Mr. Sam Johnson of 
  Texas, Mr. Paul, Mrs. Chenoweth-Hage, Mr. Largent, Mr. Chabot, Mr. 
    Bartlett of Maryland, Mr. Norwood, Mr. Coburn, Mr. Linder, Mr. 
 Tancredo, Mr. Hoekstra, Mr. Terry, Mr. Green of Texas, Mr. Kucinich, 
    and Mr. McCollum) submitted the following resolution; which was 
        referred to the Committee on Education and the Workforce

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
 Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives with respect to 
promoting the use of proven academic and classroom-management solutions 
 for problems of behavior, attention, and learning in school children.

Whereas the Constitution of the United States reserves to the States the 
        responsibility for the general supervision of public education in 
        kindergarten through the twelfth grade;
Whereas State and local education agencies are dedicated to increasing academic 
        achievement levels for all students and ensuring that no student is left 
        behind;
Whereas it is the responsibility of school personnel to ensure that all students 
        achieve academically;
Whereas only licensed medical personnel have the authority to prescribe 
        psychotropic drugs;
Whereas State and local education agencies, schools, parents, and children have 
        expressed serious concerns regarding the appropriate and thorough 
        diagnosis and medication of students and the impact on student 
        achievement;
Whereas the Journal of the American Medical Association has documented that, 
        among children aged two to four, the use of some psychotropic drugs has 
        tripled between 1991 and 1995, and such findings are extremely 
        troublesome given the very limited amount of research and clinical data 
        that evaluates the safety and effectiveness of psychotropic drugs on the 
        physical, cognitive, and emotional development of young children;
Whereas the number of American school children receiving prescription 
        psychotropic drugs now approaches 6,000,000; and
Whereas there are documented incidents of highly negative consequences resulting 
        from psychotropic drugs that have been prescribed for school children 
        for what are essentially problems of discipline, and such prescriptions 
        may be related to the lack of academic success by the children involved: 
        Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That it is the sense of the House of Representatives that 
the Congress should--
            (1) exercise its oversight responsibilities and conduct 
        hearings   concerning the provision for school children of 
        prescriptions for psychotropic drugs;
            (2) recommend that the National Academy of Sciences study 
        the effects of prescription psychotropic drugs on the academic 
        achievement and behavior of school children;
            (3) acknowledge the efforts of State and local education 
        agencies, and support their conclusions and resolutions, 
        regarding the prevalence among school children of prescription 
        psychotropic drugs and the growing crisis of classroom 
        management;
            (4) encourage school personnel to use proven academic and 
        classroom-management solutions for problems of behavior, 
        attention, and learning difficulties in school children; and
            (5) urge greater communication between and education of 
        parents, educators, and medical professionals regarding the 
        effects of prescription psychotropic drugs on the academic 
        achievement and behavior of school children and the ability to 
        provide a successful, safe, and civil learning environment.
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