[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 126 (Thursday, October 7, 2004)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1828]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




          INTRODUCTION OF THE LET PARENTS RAISE THEIR KIDS ACT

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                             HON. RON PAUL

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                       Wednesday, October 6, 2004

  Mr. PAUL. Mr. Speaker, I rise to introduce the Let Parents Raise 
Their Kids Act. This bill forbids Federal funds from being used for any 
universal or mandatory mental-health screening of students without the 
express, written, voluntary, informed consent of their parents or legal 
guardians. This bill protects the fundamental right of parents to 
direct and control the upbringing and education of their children.
  The New Freedom Commission on Mental Health has recommended that the 
Federal government adopt a comprehensive system of mental-health 
screening for all Americans. The commission recommends the government 
implement universal or mandatory mental-health screening in public 
schools as a prelude to expanding it to the general public. However, 
neither the commission's report nor any related mental-health screening 
proposal requires parental consent before a child is subjected to 
mental-health screening. Federally funded universal or mandatory 
mental-health screening in schools without parental consent could lead 
to labeling more children as ``ADD'' or ``hyperactive'' and thus force 
more children to take psychotropic drugs, such as Ritalin, against 
their parents' wishes.
  Already, too many children are suffering from being prescribed 
psychotropic drugs for nothing more than children's typical 
rambunctious behavior. According to the Journal of the American Medical 
Association, there was a 300-percent increase in psychotropic drug use 
in two to four year old children from 1991 to 1995!
  Many children have suffered harmful side effects from using 
psychotropic drugs. Some of the possible side effects include mania, 
violence, dependence, and weight gain. Yet, parents are already being 
threatened with child abuse charges if they resist efforts to drug 
their children. Imagine how much easier it will be to drug children 
against their parents' wishes if a Federal mental-health screener makes 
the recommendation.
  Universal or mandatory mental-health screening could also provide a 
justification for stigmatizing children from families that support 
traditional values. Even the authors of mental-health diagnosis manuals 
admit that mental-health diagnoses are subjective and based on social 
constructions. Therefore, it is all too easy for a psychiatrist to 
label a person's disagreement with the psychiatrist's political beliefs 
a mental disorder. For example, a federally funded school violence 
prevention program lists ``intolerance'' as a mental problem that may 
lead to school violence. Because ``intolerance'' is often a code word 
for believing in traditional values, children who share their parents' 
values could be labeled as having mental problems and a risk of causing 
violence. If the mandatory mental-health screening program applies to 
adults, everyone who believes in traditional values could have his or 
her beliefs stigmatized as a sign of a mental disorder. Taxpayer 
dollars should not support programs that may label those who adhere to 
traditional values as having a ``mental disorder.''
  Mr. Speaker, universal or mandatory mental-health screening threatens 
to undermine parents' right to raise their children as the parents see 
fit. Forced mental-health screening could also endanger the health of 
children by leading to more children being improperly placed on 
psychotropic drugs, such as Ritalin, or stigmatized as ``mentally ill'' 
or a risk of causing violence because they adhere to traditional 
values. Congress has a responsibility to the nation's parents and 
children to stop this from happening. I, therefore, urge my colleagues 
to cosponsor the Let Raise Their Kids Act.

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