[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 155 (2009), Part 20]
[House]
[Pages 27058-27059]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                    NATIONAL SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGY WEEK

  Mr. LOEBSACK. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to 
the resolution (H. Res. 700) expressing support for designation of the 
week beginning on November 9, 2009, as National School Psychology Week, 
as amended.
  The Clerk read the title of the resolution.
  The text of the resolution is as follows:

                              H. Res. 700

       Whereas all children and youth learn best when they are 
     healthy, supported, and receive an education that meets their 
     individual needs;
       Whereas schools can more effectively ensure that all 
     students are ready and able to learn if they work to meet the 
     needs of each student;
       Whereas sound psychological principles are critical to 
     proper instruction and learning, social and emotional 
     development, prevention and early intervention in a 
     culturally diverse student population;
       Whereas school psychologists are specially trained to 
     deliver mental health services and academic support that 
     lowers barriers to learning and allows teachers to teach more 
     effectively;
       Whereas school psychologists facilitate collaboration that 
     helps parents and educators identify and reduce risk factors, 
     promote protective factors, create safe schools, and access 
     community resources;
       Whereas school psychologists are trained to assess barriers 
     to learning, utilize data-based decisionmaking, implement 
     research-driven prevention and intervention strategies, 
     evaluate outcomes, and improve accountability;
       Whereas State educational agencies and other State 
     entitities credential more than 35,000 school psychologists 
     who practice in schools in the United States as key 
     professionals that promote the learning and mental health of 
     all children;
       Whereas the National Association of School Psychologists 
     establishes and maintains high standards for training, 
     practice, and school psychologist credentialing, in 
     collaboration with organizations such as the American 
     Psychological Association, that promote effective and ethical 
     services by school psychologists to children, families, and 
     schools;
       Whereas the people of the United States should recognize 
     the vital role school psychologists play in the personal and 
     academic development of the Nation's children; and
       Whereas the week beginning on November 9, 2009, would be an 
     appropriate week to designate as National School Psychology 
     Week: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
       (1) supports the designation of National School Psychology 
     Week;
       (2) honors and recognizes the contributions of school 
     psychologists to the success of students in schools across 
     the United States; and
       (3) encourages the people of the United States to observe 
     the week with appropriate activities that promote awareness 
     of the vital role school psychologists play in schools, in 
     the community, and in helping students develop into 
     successful and productive members of society.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Iowa (Mr. Loebsack) and the gentlewoman from Illinois (Mrs. Biggert) 
each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Iowa.


                             General Leave

  Mr. LOEBSACK. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members 
may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and to 
insert extraneous material on H. Res. 700 into the Record.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Iowa?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. LOEBSACK. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself as much time as I may 
consume.
  I am honored to speak in support of House Resolution 700, which I 
introduced with my colleague, Representative Ehlers, to designate the 
week of November 9, 2009, as National School Psychology Week. I want to 
thank Mr. Ehlers in particular for his work on this resolution and his 
dedication to the mental health needs of students in America. Mr. 
Ehlers has been a leader on these issues, and it is always a pleasure 
to work with him.
  As a former college teacher and a husband to a former second grade 
teacher, I have seen firsthand that the educational success of a 
student is based on many different factors, including their social and 
emotional health. Many children come to school with concerns for 
themselves, their family, and their loved ones. These students often 
face difficult home lives and the challenges they face at home follow 
them into the classroom, causing attention issues, behavior issues, 
poor grades and potentially lower educational success.
  In fact, research shows one in five children and adolescents will 
experience a significant mental health problem that can interfere with 
their educational achievement during their school years. The more than 
35,000 psychologists in our schools today have one priority--to help 
students in need.
  They are trained to identify and address barriers to learning. School 
psychologists collaborate with teachers, school administrators and 
families in the classroom and even in the home. School psychologists 
also work to address potential barriers to learning before they arise 
by screening and testing for educational and developmental problems.
  In addition, school psychologists work to ensure students' safety 
while attending school. They work to properly assess possible threats 
from students that could do harm to themselves or others. They also sit 
on school crisis teams that plan, and if called upon, act in the case 
of a serious crisis.
  School psychologists are an integral part of the dedicated team of 
professionals working in our schools every day to ensure that every 
student in America has an opportunity for academic success and reaching 
his or her full potential. I am glad that we are recognizing their good 
work by designating next week as National School Psychology Week.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mrs. BIGGERT. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of House Resolution 700, expressing 
the support for the designation of the week beginning November 9, 2009, 
as National School Psychology Week.
  National School Psychology Week takes place from November 9 to 
November 13 this year. Recognizing National School Psychology Week 
promotes the importance of providing support for children to help 
create a healthy, safe and positive learning environment.
  The theme of this year's National School Psychology week is ``See the 
possibilities in you. We do!'' This theme focuses on highlighting the 
positive work school psychologists do to promote the endless 
possibilities for academic and personal success in the lives of the 
students they serve. School psychologists assist the students they 
serve by helping to remove academic and personal barriers to learning 
and by assisting school administrators and teachers in improving the 
learning environment.
  By recognizing National School Psychology Week we show our support 
for the work school psychologists do to help create a healthy, safe and 
positive learning environment and to address barriers that prevent 
learning.
  I applaud the gentleman from Iowa (Mr. Loebsack) for authoring and 
bringing this resolution to the floor. I also commend the gentleman 
from Michigan (Mr. Ehlers) for cosponsoring the bill. I am honored to 
support this resolution and ask my colleagues to join me in voting 
``yes.''
  I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. LOEBSACK. Mr. Speaker, I again want to thank Mr. Ehlers for his 
work on this resolution and Mrs. Biggert as well for her comments. I 
thank all the cosponsors for their support and work.
  I again urge my colleagues to vote in favor of this resolution 
designating the week of November 9, 2009, as National School Psychology 
Week.
  Mr. PAUL. Mr. Speaker, I voted against H. Res. 700, designating the 
week of November 9 as National School Psychology Week to draw attention 
to the threat to liberty posed by proposals that school physiologists 
perform mandatory mental evaluations of all school children without 
parental consent.
  The New Freedom Commission on Mental Health has recommended that the 
federal and state governments work toward the implementation of a 
comprehensive system of mental-

[[Page 27059]]

health screening for all Americans. The commission recommends that 
universal or mandatory mental-health screening first be implemented 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.
  Too many children are suffering from being prescribed psychotropic 
drugs for nothing more than children's typical rambunctious behavior. 
According to Medco Health Solutions, more than 2.2 million children are 
receiving more than one psychotropic drug at one time. In fact, 
according to Medico Trends, in 2003, total spending on psychiatric 
drugs for children exceeded spending on antibiotics or asthma 
medication.
  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 federally funded 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.''
  In order to protect our nation's children from mandatory mental 
health screening, I have introduced introduce the Parental Consent Act 
(H.R. 2218). 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. I 
hope all my colleagues will cosponser H.R. 2218.
  Mr. LOEBSACK. I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from Iowa (Mr. Loebsack) that the House suspend the rules and 
agree to the resolution, H. Res. 700, as amended.
  The question was taken.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds 
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
  Mr. LOEBSACK. Mr. Speaker, I object to the vote on the ground that a 
quorum is not present and make the point of order that a quorum is not 
present.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX and the 
Chair's prior announcement, further proceedings on this motion will be 
postponed.
  The point of no quorum is considered withdrawn.

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