Press Releases
Brendan Daly/Nadeam Elshami
202-226-7616
03/05/2008
Pelosi: Floor Statement on the Paul Wellstone Mental Health and Addiction Equity Act
Washington, D.C. – Speaker Nancy Pelosi spoke on the House
floor this afternoon in support of the Paul Wellstone Mental Health and
Addiction Equity Act, which the House will vote on tonight. Below are her remarks:
“This is a very special day in the Congress of the United
States. We are all very proud of our work, but there are some days that really
stand out as historic, days that represent breakthroughs for America’s
families.
“Today we are debating an issue that it relevant to the
lives of so many people in our country and we owe a great debt of gratitude to
two of our colleagues, Congressman Patrick Kennedy of Rhode Island and
Congressman Jim Ramstad of Minnesota.
“Through their great knowledge of the issue of mental
illness and addiction, through their political astuteness of the political
process here, their generosity of spirit to share their personal experience
with us will benefit so many people in our country. Simply said, without their
leadership, we would not have this opportunity today. So I am pleased to salute
the leadership of Congressman Kennedy and Ramstad. With this legislation, they
have given hope to millions of Americans.
“I rise in support of the legislation because illness of the
brain must be treated like illness anywhere else in the body. The Paul
Wellstone Mental Health and Addiction Equity Act is a comprehensive bill to
help end discrimination against those who seek treatment for mental illness.
“There is no shame in mental illness. The great shame would
be if Congress did not take action to ensure that individuals with mental
health illnesses and addictions are given the attention, treatment, and
resources that they need to live a healthy life.
“This is an issue of national significance. Every year,
mental illness results in 1.3 billion lost days of work or school. That adds up to more lost productivity for
mental illness than arthritis, stroke, heart attack and cancer combined. Yet
bipartisan and independent research shows that there is no significant cost to
insuring mental illness like any other medical disease.
“This legislation will be especially relevant for our
returning veterans from Iraq and Afghanistan who later become employed in the
private sector. This will be potentially
lifesaving for those brave men and women who served in the National Guard and
Reserves, but who don’t receive VA care for their entire lives.
“To help remove the stigma against mental illness, for the millions suffering from mental illness and addiction, and because it is the right thing for our nation, I urge my colleagues to support the Paul Wellstone Mental Health and Addiction Equity Act. It is legislation that is long overdue.”