Guest guest Posted September 12, 2004 Report Share Posted September 12, 2004 > R > Sat, 11 Sep 2004 01:11:41 -0700 (PDT) > Attempt to dump mental screening > fails > > http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=40384 > > ON CAPITOL HILL > Attempt to dump mental screening fails > Rep. Ron Paul hoped to stop mandatory federal > program for children > > > Posted: September 10, 2004 > 1:00 a.m. Eastern > > > © 2004 WorldNetDaily.com > An amendment offered by Rep. Ron Paul, R-Texas, in > the House of Representatives yesterday that would > have remove from an appropriations bill a new > mandatory mental-health screening program for > America's children failed by a vote of 95-315. > Paul's amendment would have removed the program from > the Labor, HHS and Education Appropriations Act for > Fiscal Year 2005. Ninety-four Republicans and one > Democrat sided with Paul, while 118 Republicans, 196 > Democrats and one Independent voted against the > amendment. > As WorldNetDaily reported, the New Freedom > Initiative recommends screening not only for > children but eventually for every American. The > initiative came out of the New Freedom Commission on > Mental Health, which President Bush established in > 2002. > Critics of the plan say it is a thinly veiled > attempt by drug companies to provide a wider market > for high-priced antidepressants and antipsychotic > medication, and puts government in areas of > Americans' lives where it does not belong. > As WND reported yesterday, Kent Snyder of the > Paul-founded Liberty Committee argued strongly > against the program: > " The real payoff for the drug companies is the > forced drugging of children that will result – as we > learned tragically with Ritalin – even when parents > refuse. " > The congressman, who is known for his strict > adherence to the Constitution, wrote in a letter to > his colleagues before the vote: " As you know, > psychotropic drugs are increasingly prescribed for > children who show nothing more than children's > typical rambunctious behavior. Many children have > suffered harmful effects from these drugs. Yet some > parents have even been charged with child abuse for > refusing to drug their children. The federal > government should not promote national mental-health > screening programs that will force the use of these > psychotropic drugs such as Ritalin. " > The New Freedom Commission found that " despite their > prevalence, mental disorders often go undiagnosed " > and recommended comprehensive mental-health > screening for " consumers of all ages, " including > preschool children. > The commission said, " Each year, young children are > expelled from preschools and childcare facilities > for severely disruptive behaviors and emotional > disorders. " > Schools, the panel concluded, are in a " key > position " to screen the 52 million students and 6 > million adults who work at the schools. > Previous stories: > Forced mental screening hits roadblock in House > Bush to screen population for mental illness Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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