[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 162 (2016), Part 1]
[House]
[Page 129]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                SOUTH SOUND BEHAVIORAL HEALTH COALITION

  (Mr. KILMER asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute.)
  Mr. KILMER. Mr. Speaker, I rise to highlight some progress being made 
to improve health care.
  Right now, in my district in Pierce County, Washington, we have a 
startling shortage of beds for folks who are suffering from mental 
illness. It is a problem. It has led to overcrowded jails, it has led 
to people who are in severe mental crisis ending up in emergency rooms, 
it has led to people not getting the treatment that they need, and it 
has led to there being desperate families.
  Folks in our region have decided to do something about it. Together 
with the two largest healthcare providers, our community has formed the 
South Sound Behavioral Health Coalition, which is comprised of 
healthcare experts, social service providers, local elected officials, 
law enforcement, business, labor, and faith leaders. We have come 
together with a plan to build a new facility that includes 120 beds and 
that bolsters local behavioral health care.
  It is an extraordinary contrast to the action this week in this body 
in which the House voted to repeal the Affordable Care Act for the 62nd 
time. Leaders shouldn't be stripping away care. They should be coming 
together. They should take a page from my community, where folks are 
coming together and are moving forward together.

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