[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 76 (Wednesday, May 3, 2017)]
[Senate]
[Pages S2723-S2725]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
STATEMENTS ON INTRODUCED BILLS AND JOINT RESOLUTIONS
By Mr. HATCH (for himself and Mr. Donnelly):
S. 1015. A bill to require the Federal Communications Commission to
study the feasibility of designating a simple, easy-to-remember dialing
code to be used for a national suicide prevention and mental health
crisis hotline system; to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and
Transportation.
Mr. HATCH. Mr. President, I rise today to discuss the epidemic of
suicide--a growing crisis that has devastated millions of families
across our Nation. Over the past 8 years, the rate of deaths by suicide
in our country has tripled. Let me repeat that. It has tripled, and the
problem is particularly severe among young adults.
According to the Centers for Disease Control, for youth between the
ages of 10 and 24, suicide is now the third leading cause of death. In
other words, more of America's youth die each year from suicide than
cancer, heart disease, AIDS, birth defects, stroke, pneumonia,
influenza, and chronic lung disease combined.
This crisis shows no signs of abating. Consider that each day in our
Nation, there are an average of over 5,400 suicide attempts by young
people in grades 7 to 12. In my home State of Utah, the statistics are
particularly alarming. Every 14 hours, a Utahn commits suicide,
resulting in an average of 630 deaths each year. The problem is so
acute that Utah now has the fifth highest suicide rate in the Nation.
This troubling trend is particularly pronounced among Utah's youth.
Even though Utahns from ages 10 to 17 comprise only 13 percent of the
State population, they represent nearly 23 percent of all suicide
attempts. Suicide is now the leading cause of death among Utah's
teenagers.
To stem the tide of teenage suicide in Utah, I convened a roundtable
discussion in Salt Lake City last December that included community
leaders, healthcare professionals, high school principals, and parents
from across the State. There we discussed proven methods that
destigmatize mental illness, a critical first step in addressing the
suicide crisis. We also discussed the links between bullying and
depression.
In an effort to prevent teen suicide, the effect of bullying cannot
be overlooked. A recent study in the Journal of the American Medical
Association finds that kids who are bullied are more than twice as
likely to consider suicide. In my home State of Utah, dozens of
community leaders have drawn attention to the pernicious effects of
bullying. The foremost among them is Dr. Greg Hudnall, a nationally
recognized expert in suicide prevention. Dr. Hudnall found that between
8 and 12 percent of all suicides are committed by young people who have
been bullied. To discourage bullying and to help our teenagers who are
suffering most, Dr. Hudnall led in the development of HOPE4UTAH.
HOPE4UTAH is a dynamic peer-to-peer program designed to empower
students in groups called Hope Squads. Hope Squads identify warning
signs of depression in teenagers and offer help to those in need.
Wendy Nelson, principal of Utah's Syracuse High School, recently told
me how Hope Squads have helped students at risk of suicide to connect
with therapists that the school has made available on a regular basis.
The high school has since partnered with a local community health
center for help in addressing the need for help in this particular area
and, of course, the need for mental health professionals in schools.
This shortage of mental health counselors is a serious problem, not
only in Utah but in schools across the Nation. It is a very, very
serious problem.
In our December roundtable discussion, we learned that teen suicide
is something schools, parents, and mental health professionals cannot
address individually. Instead, a continuum of care must exist for each
child from the first day of school to graduation. We must all work
together to ensure that our children feel safe.
Educators play a vital role in maintaining an infrastructure of
support for teenagers struggling with mental illness. Because educators
are often the first to identify warning signs in vulnerable students,
hundreds of teachers in Utah receive training in how to identify and
respond to these signs. Once we know a teen is suffering, parents and
mental health professionals can step in to provide ongoing care.
Building community partnerships that involve everyone and that focus on
evidence-based practices can save hundreds, if not thousands, of lives.
My main purpose in organizing the roundtable discussion was to find
ways I could help prevent suicide on a national level. Increasing
access to mental healthcare has been a fixture of my Senate service.
Nearly 20 years ago, I convened the Senate Finance Committee's first
hearing dedicated to mental health. More recently, I focused my
legislative efforts on fighting prescription drug abuse, an epidemic
that has only accelerated our Nation's mental health crisis. I played a
leading role in passing the Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act
and helped to draft the 21st Century Cures Act, which President Obama
signed into law in December. Both bills take aim at the opioid epidemic
that is ravaging entire communities across the Nation.
As a legislative body, we have set aside partisan differences in
recent months to combat the opioid crisis as part of a broader effort
to address growing rates of mental illness and death by suicide.
But there is more we can do to help. To begin, we need to provide
better and more immediate access to counseling and mental health
services. This is one of the main takeaways from last year's roundtable
discussion. So often we hear that those seeking help are just one
positive interaction away from giving life another chance. As Utah
State Senator Daniel Thatcher said:
If you talk to someone, they live. If you connect them to
support, they live.
Laura Warburton, a Utah mother who lost her daughter to suicide, said
that the day her daughter died, she had attempted to make one last call
to her therapist and could not get through.
While this is a complex problem with no simple, immediate answer,
there are steps we can take to help. Today, we are taking those
critical first steps to prevent future tragedies from taking place.
In response to what I learned during the suicide roundtable in Utah,
I have joined Senator Joe Donnelly in introducing the National Suicide
Hotline Improvement Act, a bipartisan proposal that will make it easier
for Americans of all ages to get the help and treatment they need when
they are experiencing suicidal thoughts. The current suicide prevention
lifeline system and veterans crisis line are in desperate need of
reform. Our bill will require the Federal Communications Commission, in
consultation with the Department of Health and Human Services and the
Department of Veterans Affairs, to study the current national suicide
hotline system and make recommendations to Congress on how we can
improve it.
Across our great Nation, there are millions of people, especially
young people, who are alone and suffering in the shadows of depression.
Many of them are bombarded by suicidal thoughts and have no idea where
to turn for help. To make matters worse, the national suicide hotline
number, 1-800-273-TALK, is not an intuitive or easy number to remember,
particularly for those experiencing a mental health emergency.
Fortunately, the success of the 911 emergency system provides a model
for addressing this problem. My bill will require the Federal
Communications Commission to recommend an easy-to-remember, three-digit
number for the national suicide prevention hotline. I believe that by
making the national suicide prevention lifeline system more user-
friendly and accessible, we can save thousands of lives by helping
people find the help they need when they need it most.
In introducing this legislation, I wish to thank my fellow Utahn,
Congressman Chris Stewart. Congressman Stewart has been an invaluable
partner in offering some of the most important measures of this bill.
Additionally, I would like to thank the American Foundation for Suicide
Prevention. I also wish to express my appreciation for the support we
have received from the Utah State Legislature, Utah's attorney general,
and the Utah Department of Health Services, as well as several groups
from the law enforcement community.
This proposal transcends party lines and stands to save thousands of
lives.
[[Page S2724]]
We cannot delay this effort to prevent suicide. So I call on my
colleagues in both the House and the Senate to act quickly to pass this
bill. Your support for this legislation represents your commitment to
preventing future tragedies. I ask all of you today, regardless of your
party affiliation, to cosponsor this legislation. In doing so, you can
help us help those who need our help the most. There is absolutely no
time to lose.
______
By Ms. COLLINS (for herself, Ms. Baldwin, Ms. Murkowski, and Mr.
Bennet):
S. 1028. A bill to provide for the establishment and maintenance of a
National Family Caregiving Strategy, and for other purposes; to the
Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
Ms. COLLINS. Mr. President, I rise today to introduce legislation
with my colleague from Wisconsin, Senator Baldwin, that would require
the Secretary of Health and Human Services to convene a panel to
develop a national strategy to recognize and support the more than
forty million family caregivers in the United States. I am pleased that
Senators Murkowski and Bennet have joined us as cosponsors.
The United States' population is aging. Every day, 10,000 baby
boomers turn 65 years old. Americans 85 and older--our oldest old--are
the fastest growing segment of our population. This is the population
that is most at risk of multiple and interacting health problems that
can lead to disability and the need for round-the-clock care.
At the very time that our population is aging, birth rates are
declining. While the need for care and support is increasing, the
numbers of professional and informal caregivers is shrinking. In the
future, more people will have to rely on fewer caregivers.
Families will likely continue to be the most important source of
support for people with long-term care needs. We must do more to
support the more than 43 million family caregivers in the United States
who make remarkable sacrifices to care for their loved ones. While it
is impossible to put a dollar amount to the value of the devotion,
time, and services that these caregivers provide, it is estimated that
in 2013 family caregivers provided $470 billion in uncompensated long-
term care. This figure nearly equals the annual sales of the four
largest United States tech companies combined.
Family caregivers provide tremendous value, and they also face many
challenges. Caregivers experience high levels of stress and have a
greater incidence of chronic conditions like heart disease, diabetes,
and depression. Caregiving can be an isolating experience. Last week,
the Aging Committee held a hearing highlighting that social isolation
is a serious risk factor for depression, anxiety, dementia, functional
decline, and even death.
The average caregiver is a 49-year-old woman. She is caring for a 69-
year-old relative living with a long-term physical condition. That
relative is often a parent. She has been providing care for four years
on average, spending 24.4 hours a week. She may be raising her own
children and working full time.
Other caregivers are seniors. One third of family caregivers are age
65 or older, and even more susceptible to putting their own health at
risk.
I am, therefore, introducing legislation with my colleague from
Wisconsin that would lead to the development of a national strategy to
recognize and support family caregivers. Titled the Recognize, Assist,
Include, Support, and Engage, or RAISE Family Caregivers Act, the
legislation is based on a recommendation of the bipartisan Commission
on Long Term Care. It is modeled after a law that I co-authored in 2010
with then-Senator Evan Bayh that created a coordinated strategic
national plan to combat Alzheimer's disease.
The RAISE Family Caregivers Act directs the Secretary of Health and
Human Services to establish a National Family Caregiving Project to
develop and sustain a national strategy to support family caregivers.
The bill would create a Family Caregiving Advisory Council comprised of
relevant Federal agencies and non-federal members. It would include
representatives of family caregivers, older adults with long-term care
needs, individuals with disabilities, employers, health and social
service providers, advocates for family caregivers, state and local
officials, and others with expertise in family caregiving.
The Advisory Council would be charged with making recommendations to
the Secretary. The strategy and plan would be updated to reflect new
developments. The plan would include an initial inventory and
assessment of federally funded caregiver efforts. It would then
identify specific actions that government and communities could take to
support family caregivers.
The Project would be funded from existing funding appropriated for
the Department of Health and Human Services. No new funding is
authorized and it would sunset in five years.
Family caregivers are an invaluable resource to our aging society.
Chances are that, sooner or later, we will all either be family
caregivers or someone who needs one. The RAISE Family Caregivers Act
will launch a coordinated, national strategic plan that will help us to
leverage our resources, promote innovation and promising practices, and
provide our nation's family caregivers with much-needed recognition and
support. Our bipartisan legislation is widely endorsed by aging and
disability organizations. I urge all of our colleagues to join as
cosponsors.
______
By Mr. DAINES:
S. 1031. A bill to amend provisions in the securities laws relating
to regulation crowdfunding to raise the dollar amount limit and to
clarify certain requirements and exclusions for funding portals
established by such an Act; to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and
Urban Affairs.
Mr. DAINES. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of
the bill be printed in the Record.
There being no objection, the bill was ordered to be printed in the
Record, as follows:
S. 1031
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Crowdfunding Enhancement
Act''.
SEC. 2. CROWDFUNDING VEHICLES.
(a) Amendments to the Securities Act of 1933.--The
Securities Act of 1933 (15 U.S.C. 77a et seq.) is amended--
(1) in section 4A(f)(3) (15 U.S.C. 77d-1(f)(3)), by
inserting ``by any of paragraphs (1) through (14) of'' before
``section 3(c)''; and
(2) in section 4(a)(6)(B) (15 U.S.C. 77d(a)(6)(B)), by
inserting ``, other than a crowdfunding vehicle (as defined
in section 2(a) of the Investment Company Act of 1940 (15
U.S.C. 80a-2(a))),'' after ``any investor''.
(b) Amendments to the Investment Company Act of 1940.--The
Investment Company Act of 1940 (15 U.S.C. 80a-1 et seq.) is
amended--
(1) in section 2(a) (15 U.S.C. 80a-2(a)), by adding at the
end the following:
``(55) The term `crowdfunding vehicle' means a company--
``(A) whose purpose (as set forth in its organizational
documents) is limited to acquiring, holding, and disposing
securities issued by a single company in 1 or more
transactions and made pursuant to section 4(a)(6) of the
Securities Act of 1933 (15 U.S.C. 77d(a)(6));
``(B) that issues only 1 class of securities;
``(C) that receives no compensation in connection with such
acquisition, holding, or disposition of securities;
``(D) no associated person of which receives any
compensation in connection with such acquisition, holding or
disposition of securities unless such person is acting as or
on behalf of an investment adviser registered under the
Investment Advisers Act of 1940 (15 U.S.C. 80b-1 et seq.) or
registered as an investment adviser in the State in which the
investment adviser maintains its principal office and place
of business;
``(E) the securities of which have been issued in a
transaction made pursuant to section 4(a)(6) of the
Securities Act of 1933 (15 U.S.C. 77d(a)(6)), if both the
crowdfunding vehicle and the company whose securities it
holds are co-issuers;
``(F) that is current in its ongoing disclosure obligations
under section 227.202 of title 17, Code of Federal
Regulations;
``(G) the company whose securities it holds is current in
its ongoing disclosure obligations under section 227.202 of
title 17, Code of Federal Regulations; and
``(H) is advised by an investment adviser registered under
the Investment Advisers Act of 1940 (15 U.S.C. 80b-1 et seq.)
or registered as an investment adviser in the State in which
the investment adviser maintains its principal office and
place of business.''; and
(2) in section 3(c) (15 U.S.C. 80a-3(c)), by adding at the
end the following:
``(15) Any crowdfunding vehicle.''.
[[Page S2725]]
SEC. 3. CROWDFUNDING EXEMPTION FROM REGISTRATION.
Section 12(g)(6) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (15
U.S.C. 78l(g)(6)) is amended--
(1) by striking ``The Commission'' and inserting the
following:
``(A) In general.--The Commission'';
(2) by striking ``section 4(6)'' and inserting ``section
4(a)(6)''; and
(3) by adding at the end the following:
``(B) Treatment of securities issued by certain issuers.--
An exemption under subparagraph (A) shall be unconditional
for securities offered by an issuer that had a public float
of less than $75,000,000 as of the last business day of the
issuer's most recently completed semiannual period, computed
by multiplying the aggregate worldwide number of shares of
the issuer's common equity securities held by non-affiliates
by the price at which such securities were last sold (or the
average bid and asked prices of such securities) in the
principal market for such securities or, in the event the
result of such public float calculation is zero, had annual
revenues of less than $50,000,000 as of the issuer's most
recently completed fiscal year.''.
____________________