[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 106 (Thursday, September 9, 2004)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1573]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[[Page E1573]]
                     GARRETT LEE SMITH MEMORIAL ACT

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                               speech of

                         HON. JOHN T. DOOLITTLE

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, September 8, 2004

  Mr. DOOLITTLE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to explain why I voted 
against S. 2634, the Garrett Lee Smith Memorial Act, which authorizes 
$82 million over three years for federally funded suicide intervention, 
prevention and treatment programs in public schools.
  I most certainly empathize with those who have lost a loved one as a 
result of suicide. Many of us have been affected by this particularly 
painful form of tragedy, whether directly or indirectly. We need to do 
whatever it takes to reduce the number of suicides occurring each year 
in our Nation, and help the suffering realize that taking their own 
life is never the right answer. However, ``whatever it takes'' does not 
mean we take the role of suicide prevention out of the hands of friends 
and family and local health care providers and into the hands of the 
poorly-suited federal bureaucracy. Those contemplating suicide do not 
need help from the government--they need help from those who know them 
by name.
  Mr. Speaker, no one can argue that this bill came before the House 
with anything other than good intention. Unfortunately, good intention 
doesn't always translate into good legislation. This bill costs 
taxpayers $82 million over 3 years and creates two new Federal programs 
and a new technical assistance center, with virtually no mechanism to 
measure effectiveness or actual benefit of new services. Don't our 
loved ones deserve better, more direct care than that?
  I think absolutely they do, and so do the experts:
  In a December 2001 study published by the Journal of the American 
Medical Association (JAMA) entitled ``Suicide in Teenagers'' 
researchers concluded that ``Suicide awareness programs in schools . . 
. have not been shown to be effective either in reducing suicidal 
behavior or in increasing help seeking behavior.'' Additionally, Dr. 
David Shaffer, an expert in the field of suicide prevention states: 
``My research at Columbia University, supported by grants from the 
Centers for Disease Control, suggests that case finding that involves 
giving lessons or lectures about suicide, either to encourage suicidal 
students to identify themselves or to teach other students or teachers 
how to identify the suicidal teacher is not effective and in some 
instances may even undermine protective attitudes about suicide.''
  Mr. Speaker, I voted against this well-intentioned but misguided bill 
out of compassion for those contemplating suicide who deserve love, 
support and treatment. Those who know them best and want the very best 
for them are the ones living with them, not inside the beltway.

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