Doris Matsui: “Mr. Speaker, I would like to begin today by thanking my colleagues, Mr. Kennedy and Mr. Ramstad. Their advocacy on this…”

“Mr. Speaker, I would like to begin today by thanking my colleagues, Mr. Kennedy and Mr. Ramstad. Their advocacy on this issue has been truly remarkable. We held a field hearing in my district last year on mental health. It provided my constituents with a forum for important dialogue about an issue that affects millions of Americans. Mr. Speaker, anyone who has had a family member with a mental illness knows how difficult living with the disease can be for everyone involved. They also know one thing above all else: physical illness and mental illness are equally painful and equally challenging. In many ways, mental health patients suffer more because our insurance system discriminates against them. That is why this legislation is so important, because it is about people, people who struggle with mental illness every day and every night, people who suffer in silence without a doctor's help because their insurance will not cover mental health or addiction treatments. This House has the chance to demonstrate its compassion and commitment to these people, Mr. Speaker.”