[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 141 (Friday, October 9, 1998)]
[House]
[Pages H10309-H10311]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




               RECOGNIZING SUICIDE AS A NATIONAL PROBLEM

  Mr. BURR of North Carolina. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules 
and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 212) recognizing suicide as a 
national problem, and for other purposes.
  The Clerk read as follows:

                              H. Res. 212

       Whereas suicide, the ninth leading cause of all deaths in 
     the United States and the third such cause for young persons 
     ages 15 through 24, claims over 31,000 lives annually, more 
     than homicide;
       Whereas suicide attempts, estimated to exceed 750,000 
     annually, adversely impact the lives of millions of family 
     members;
       Whereas suicide completions annually cause over 200,000 
     family members to grieve over and mourn a tragic suicide 
     death for the first time, thus creating a population of over 
     4,000,000 such mourners in the United States;
       Whereas the suicide completion rate per 100,000 persons has 
     remained relatively stable over the past 40 years for the 
     general population, and that rate has nearly tripled for 
     young persons;
       Whereas the suicide rate is rising among African American 
     young men;
       Whereas the suicide completion rate is highest for adults 
     over 65;
       Whereas the stigma associated with mental illness works 
     against suicide prevention by keeping persons at risk of 
     completing suicide from seeking lifesaving help;
       Whereas the stigma associated with suicide deaths seriously 
     inhibits surviving family members from regaining meaningful 
     lives;
       Whereas suicide deaths impose a huge unrecognized and 
     unmeasured economic burden on the United States in terms of 
     potential years of life lost, medical costs incurred, and 
     work time lost by mourners;
       Whereas suicide is a complex, multifaceted biological, 
     sociological, psychological, and societal problem;
       Whereas even though many suicides are currently 
     preventable, there is still a need for the development of 
     more effective suicide prevention programs;
       Whereas suicide prevention opportunities continue to 
     increase due to advances in clinical research, in mental 
     disorder treatments, and in basic neuroscience, and due to 
     the development of community-based initiatives that await 
     evaluation; and
       Whereas suicide prevention efforts should be encouraged to 
     the maximum extent possible: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
       (1) recognizes suicide as a national problem and declares 
     suicide prevention to be a national priority;
       (2) acknowledges that no single suicide prevention program 
     or effort will be appropriate for all populations or 
     communities;
       (3) encourages initiatives dedicated to--
       (A) preventing suicide;
       (B) responding to people at risk for suicide and people who 
     have attempted suicide;
       (C) promoting safe and effective treatment for persons at 
     risk for suicidal behavior;
       (D) supporting people who have lost someone to suicide; and
       (E) developing an effective national strategy for the 
     prevention of suicide; and
       (4) encourages the development, and the promotion of 
     accessibility and affordability, of mental health services, 
     to enable all persons at risk for suicide to obtain the 
     services, without fear of any stigma.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
North Carolina (Mr. Burr) and the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Brown) each 
will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. Burr).


                             General Leave

  Mr. BURR of North Carolina. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that 
all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and 
extend their remarks and insert extraneous material on H. Res. 212.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from North Carolina?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. BURR of North Carolina. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as 
I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, we are here today to address the House resolution that 
deals with recognizing suicide as a national problem. When I am back in 
my district, I spend a tremendous amount of time in our country's 
schools. It is very interesting to watch the children in elementary and 
middle and high school these days, as they talk about the problems that 
they hear their parents talk about around the dinner table, not the 
ones that influence us on the nightly news but the ones that truly 
affect their quality of life.
  I cannot imagine a school child without hope, but, believe me, in our 
world today there are many children that go to bed at night without 
that hope. This is a reason that I cosponsored House Resolution 212 
introduced by Mr. Lewis, my colleague from Georgia.
  I received a letter recently from a student in my district, and I 
want to share part of that letter with my colleagues here today. Her 
letter said:

       This letter concerns my opinion on teen suicide. There are 
     more and more teen suicides, and it is becoming more and more 
     popular. I think that teen suicide could be prevented. There 
     could be classes that teens could take, not for a grade, but 
     for them to build their self-esteem. If they do not feel 
     badly about themselves, they will not have a reason to kill 
     themselves.

  Let me read my colleagues some statistics. According to the Centers 
for Disease Control, despite a decrease in the number of overall deaths 
of children age 5 through 14 from 1980 to 1998, death itself due to 
suicide in that age group doubled. While the overall number of deaths 
age 15 to 24 also dropped during the same period, suicide increased 3 
percentage points.
  Mr. Speaker, any death leaves a hole in a family. A suicide not only 
leaves a hole, but many painful unanswered questions. It is my hope 
that by passage of House Resolution 212, fewer families will have to 
live with the pain, and more individuals will receive the help they 
desperately need.
  House Resolution 212 states that, one, Congress recognizes suicide as 
a national problem and wants suicide prevention to be a national 
priority. Two, no single suicide prevention program or effort will be 
appropriate for all populations and/or communities.
  So while a self-esteem class may be what is right for children in the 
Fifth District of North Carolina, House Resolution 212 says that 
Congress needs to promote a variety of types of intervention and 
treatment programs so that there is one suitable for every community in 
this country and their needs.
  Suicide prevention is an inexact science. It takes the efforts of all 
areas of society, teenagers, teachers, families, health care providers 
and, yes, even Congress.
  House Resolution 212 specifically encourages initiatives to, one, 
prevent suicide; two, respond to people at risk

[[Page H10310]]

for suicide and people who have attempted suicide; three, promote safe 
and effective treatment for persons at risk for suicidal behavior; 
four, support people who have lost someone to suicide; and, five, 
develop an effective national strategy for the prevention of suicide.
  I think this is an excellent resolution, and I would urge my 
colleagues to support it.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. BROWN of Ohio. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of House Resolution 
212.
  Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that the gentleman from Georgia 
(Mr. Lewis) be allowed to control the time for our side.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Ohio?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. LEWIS of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I am proud to join my colleagues in bringing to the 
floor today a resolution that addresses a common but often unrecognized 
problem, suicide. This resolution recognizes suicide as a national 
problem and declares suicide prevention to be a national priority.
  While no single prevention program would be appropriate for all 
populations and communities, the point of this resolution is to create 
a climate for suicide prevention, to recognize as a Nation that we must 
become aware of the problem, that we are to address it and eventually 
solve it.

                              {time}  1615

  We must not remain quiet or silent on problems that cause us pain. 
Instead, we must bring the problems out from under the rug into the 
light where we can deal with them. If we begin to do that as a Nation, 
it is my hope that we will encourage individuals and communities 
nationwide to do the same.
  I am pleased that more than 92 of my colleagues are joining me in 
this effort by becoming original cosponsors of this resolution. I want 
to thank my good friend from North Carolina (Mr. Burr) for managing the 
bill on the other side.
  Suicide touches hundreds of American families every year. An 
estimated 750,000 people attempt suicide each year. Suicide claims the 
lives of more than 31,000 people annually, more than homicide. Suicide 
is the ninth leading cause of all deaths in the United States, and the 
third for young people age 15 to 24. It is on the rise for young people 
in general and for African-American young men in particular.
  Only by talking about mental illness and encouraging treatment can we 
begin to address the painful issue that leads to suicide. We must tell 
our friends and our loved ones that it is okay to talk about feelings 
of despair, depression and hopelessness and suicide. For those who have 
the courage to get help, to seek treatment, we must support them, and 
we must talk about suicide so that we can try to understand it and 
prevent it.
  Too much shame surrounds feelings of depression and suicide. We can 
change that and we must, by reaching out to others in our communities. 
The Senate has already passed a similar resolution on suicide 
recognition and prevention. I urge all of my colleagues in the House to 
join me and many others, Republicans and Democrats, from all parts of 
the Nation in our pledge to work together towards suicide prevention, 
awareness and treatment. Please join us in supporting House Resolution 
212, a resolution recognizing suicide as a national problem.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. 
Jackson-Lee).
  Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the gentleman 
from Georgia (Mr. Lewis) for his outstanding leadership on this issue. 
I thank my colleagues on the other side of the aisle as well, the 92 
cosponsors, of which I am one, to finally acknowledge that suicide 
strikes at so many Americans. It is a silent killer almost, because so 
many Americans and so many American families suffer in silence.
  This resolution will help us establish the criteria and the focus on 
this devastating, devastating occurrence in our families. It results 
in, of course, the enormous loss of life, the loss of talented 
individuals, and it is now time that we say to those families and even 
say to those who, in moments have thought about suicide, and maybe have 
not acted upon it, that they are not alone, and that we can find ways 
to stem the tide of this devastation.
  I want to simply say to the gentleman, I join him in reemphasizing 
that everyone counts in America, everyone counts. No one should believe 
that they are not counted or not in, or not important. Suicide 
sometimes comes about because people believe they are alone, that they 
can turn to no one. So many of us have experienced the tragedies of 
suicide, and frankly, I want to tell my colleagues the most devastating 
suicide occurrences are those among our children. I hate to say that my 
young 13-year-old son experienced that while he was in the 6th grade 
with one of his classmates. What a tragedy, one that leaves us 
speechless.
  So I want to applaud the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Lewis), for 
bringing this to the Nation's attention and calling upon this Congress 
to stand up and be counted, acknowledging how important all persons 
are, and that those who may be contemplating and those families who 
have experienced this, they are not alone. We are here to now answer 
the question of how we can prevent this terrible devastation.
  Mr. Speaker, I strongly endorse this measure. Suicide affects people 
of all ages, races, and gender. It is high time that we recognize this 
dire problem that plagues the citizens of our Nation. Suicide is the 
ninth leading cause of death in our country. Worse yet, suicide is the 
third leading cause of death for young persons ages 15 through 24. 
Everyday, six children commit suicide, and by the end of the year, this 
blight will claim over 31,000 lives.
  These statistics are intolerable. And the situation worsens each day. 
Suicide is on the rise among young people, especially among young 
African-American men.
  In addition to the thousands lost each year to suicide, over 750,000 
citizens attempt suicide each year. Even when these attempts fail, 
families are adversely impacted.
  The thought of the 200,000 family members who must grieve and mourn 
suicide deaths each year saddens my soul. I find it even more sobering 
that a population of over 4,000,000 such mourners currently exists in 
America.
  Most of these suicides and suicide attempts are preventable. The 
stigma of mental illness, however, prevents our citizens from seeking 
lifesaving help. This stigma spreads to the family members as well, and 
these family members are inhibited from regaining meaningful lives.
  We must provide suicide prevention opportunities to the public. 
Clinical research has improved mental disorder treatments. Help is 
available, and we can provide it.
  It is imperative that we respond to this epidemic.
  Mr. LEWIS of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my 
time.
  Mr. BURR of North Carolina. Mr. Speaker, I also commend the gentleman 
from Georgia (Mr. Lewis) for his foresight with this issue. Many times 
teen suicide and child suicide goes with many unanswered questions. I 
urge my colleagues to support this resolution.
  Mr. PACKARD. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H. Res. 212, 
which recognizes suicide as a national problem. I would like to commend 
John Lewis for his leadership in introducing this legislation. David 
Skaggs and I also introduced H. Res. 548, which recognizes that the 
prevention of youth suicide is a compelling national priority.
  While I has home in my district, I was contacted by a constituent of 
mine, Lisa Dove, the mother of Justin Dove who tragically committed 
suicide at age 16. Justin was a well liked child who lived with 
clinical depression and Attention Deficit Disorder. Despite several 
years of medical psychological treatments and antidepressant 
medications, Justin decided to take his own life. I will submit her 
letters for the Record for my colleagues to read.
  The Light For Life Foundation recognized September 20-26, 1998 as 
Yellow Ribbon Youth Suicide Awareness and Prevention Week. There is a 
need to increase awareness about youth suicide and make it a national 
priority and I urge my colleagues to support H. Res. 212 to encourage 
committees nationwide to increase awareness about and prevent suicide.
  I would also like to recognize the Light For Life Foundation of 
America and their founders, the Emme family, who tragically lost their 
teenage son, Michael to suicide in 1994. It was through the vision of 
the Emme family that the Yellow Ribbon Program, which is now 
responsible for saving over 1000 teenage lives since its inception, has 
become a reality.

[[Page H10311]]

  Mr. Speaker, I urge the adoption of H. Res. 212.


                                            Mission Viejo, CA,

                                                  August 19, 1998.
     Congressman Ron Packard,
     Fairfax, VA.
       Dear Brother Packard: I write to you first as your role of 
     a father and a friend of my family's and second, as a 
     Congressman of the United States. I write in hopes of your 
     understanding and support in a very real and tragic problem 
     facing the youth in our country.
       My parents are Val and Diane Mortensen from Carlsbad. I am 
     their second daughter, Lisa, and I grew up with many of your 
     children as well as your nieces and nephews in Carlsbad, 
     California Stake.
       Recently, our family suffered an incredibly painful loss. 
     Our oldest child, Justin, three weeks before his sixteenth 
     birthday, went to a park near our home and shot himself in 
     the head. He suffered brain death shortly afterward, and we 
     lost him that night, May 4, 1998.
       Justin was a sweet natured, polite, kind-hearted, and well 
     liked youth, who lived with clinical depression and ADD 
     (Attention Deficit Disorder). Despite several years of 
     medical and psychological treatments and antidepressant 
     medications, it seemed the pain won out, and Justin decided 
     to take his own life; I'm sure in hopes of relief.
       As a parent you can imagine the pain, guilt, questions, and 
     terrible sense of loss we are living with day to day. It is 
     an agonizing and heart-breaking experience that will affect 
     the rest of our lives. Almost more terrible than the act 
     itself, is the extreme inner pain and loneliness that I felt 
     in the moments preceding his death. As the Savior, he was 
     alone in his extreme pain, and I, the parent could not 
     staunch it. It is so incredibly sad!
       Almost immediately after Justin's death I knew in my heart 
     of hearts that I would somehow and in some way devote my time 
     to increase awareness of depression and also teenage suicide. 
     This is my first attempt to help. This is how you can help.
       There is an existing foundation called the Light for Life 
     Foundation of America, based in Westminster, Colorado. They 
     have a Yellow Ribbon program that has been effective in the 
     prevention and awareness of suicide.
       Youth suicide is the ``fastest growing killer of youth 
     today'' according to federal officials and we need your 
     interest and support to help stop this epidemic. Statistics 
     show that 95% of all suicides are preventable with proper 
     prevention and awareness. Even though the rates are 
     increasing every year, there are programs that are working 
     and one of the most effective is the Yellow Ribbon Program of 
     the Light For Life Foundation of America.
       Started in September 1994 with the suicide of 17-year-old 
     Michael Emme, the program has spread across all 50 states and 
     many foreign countries and is already credited officially 
     with SAVING MORE THAN 1,000 LIVES as of September 1997, and 
     the numbers are growing. Youth and adults all over this 
     country are starting the programs in their schools, churches, 
     and communities and are helping to form a network of caring, 
     willing people who realize that not only does it take a 
     ``village to raise a child, but it takes a village to SAVE a 
     child'' and they are saving precious lives.
       This letter is a request for recognition of a ``Yellow 
     Ribbon Youth Suicide Awareness and Prevention Week'' to be 
     designated on 20-26 September, 1998.
       Will you designate, or ask your agency, to proclaim this 
     week officially and to contact the Light For Life Foundation 
     of America for more information on how you personally and 
     officially can help save lives? This proclamation is being 
     designated throughout the United States and Canada already. 
     Never before has the opportunity to do something so simple 
     been so effective. Simply knowing that it is okay to ask for 
     help and that people are willing to listen has been credited 
     with many saved lives.
       Brother Packard, thank you for your precious time--in 
     reading this letter and hopefully in supporting my request 
     for an official suicide prevention week in your jurisdiction.
       Enclosed please find the Yellow Ribbon Card that was made 
     in Justin's memory, and of which 450+ were distributed at his 
     memorial service. Also, a recent photograph of Justin and a 
     small verse I wrote about him the day following his death.
       Please contact the Light For Life Foundation of America and 
     tell them, of your intent to proclaim September 20-26, 1998 
     ``Yellow Ribbon Youth Suicide Awareness and Prevention 
     Week''. (See addresses below.)
       Further, if you need to speak with me, or if I can in some 
     way be of support to any family in a similar situation, 
     please call me at (949) 472-8363.
       How wonderful to possess the truth of the gospel in these 
     Latter-days and enjoy the knowledge and blessings of eternal 
     families. To know that Justin is in the arms of our Savior's 
     love is the sustaining hope that lifts our hearts.
           Most Sincerely,
                                                     Lisa M. Dove.
  Mr. BLILEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to urge support for House 
Resolution 212.
  This issue is important to every family with children and to every 
family that has suffered the loss of a loved one through suicide.
  This resolution recognizes that suicide is a national problem. And it 
encourages that the nation undertake suicide prevention efforts.
  Mr. Speaker, it is estimated that 750,000 people attempt suicide each 
year. These attempts are traumatic not only for the individual but also 
for family and friends who surround him or her.
  Just as tragic, more than 31,000 lives annually are lost to suicide. 
It may be hard to believe, but that is even more than homicide.
  In fact, suicide is the ninth leading cause of all death in the U.S. 
It is the third leading cause of death for young people. And it is on 
the rise.
  I hope that this resolution will help focus attention on this 
tragedy--and will lead to action in our homes and our communities to 
save young and old lives alike from suicide.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. Burr) that the House suspend the 
rules and agree to the resolution, H. Res. 212.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds having voted in favor 
thereof) the rules were suspended and the resolution was agreed to.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

                          ____________________