[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 159 (2013), Part 11]
[House]
[Page 15494]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                      MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS WEEK

  (Mr. LOEBSACK asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute.)
  Mr. LOEBSACK. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to mark Mental Health 
Awareness Week.
  I was raised by a mother who struggled with mental illness her entire 
adult life. I personally know firsthand how important timely and proper 
intervention and care are for those who are struggling and how 
important that care can be.
  I want to the thank the mental health advocates who have contacted me 
or whom I have met at Iowa events to raise awareness in my district, 
events such as the walks hosted by the National Alliance on Mental 
Illness.
  Hearing from those at home in Iowa who are personally affected by 
mental illness on a daily basis has strengthened my resolve to continue 
to fight to make improving access to mental health care for all 
Americans a top priority.
  Mr. Speaker, it is time to end this shutdown of government and get 
back to work on the critical issues that face our Nation, including a 
mental health system that will work for all those who are struggling, 
as my mom did for so long.

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