[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 160 (2014), Part 5]
[House]
[Page 6909]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                       MAY IS MENTAL HEALTH MONTH

  (Mr. TONKO asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. TONKO. Mr. Speaker, May is Mental Health Month, a month where we 
step up our efforts to raise awareness for mental health and work to 
remove the stigma of seeking help for mental illness.
  This issue is very close to my heart, as I worked in the New York 
State Assembly to pass Timothy's Law, which provides parity in mental 
health coverage in my home State.
  We work in a very divided environment here, Mr. Speaker, in 
Washington, but one of the few things I believe we can all agree on is 
the need to focus more on individuals and families that struggle with 
mental illness. That means providing better resources, more robust 
programs, enhanced coordination, and a more comprehensive mental health 
national program.
  Mental illness affects all ages, all races, tax brackets, and 
political ideologies, and our response to mental illness must be as 
comprehensive as the group of people it affects. We can only do this by 
joining together, reflecting in our budget our commitment to overcoming 
the challenges mental illnesses pose, and passing the Strengthening 
Mental Health in Our Communities Act, legislation that my colleagues 
and I introduced just today.

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