Harry Reid: “But today is not a day to celebrate. Instead, it is a call to arms--a call to pass the full and meaningful mental health…”

“But today is not a day to celebrate. Instead, it is a call to arms--a call to pass the full and meaningful mental health parity bill that Paul Wellstone and Pete Domenici have fought for so tirelessly. It is a day to sound the battle cry for finally ensuring that no American is discriminated against because they suffer from a mental illness. Mental illness is a pervasive problem in our society, and too often it is a problem that is swept under the rug with an immense human cost. One out of five Americans will suffer from some form of mental illness this year--but only one-third of them will receive treatment. The fight against discrimination is not new--it is as old as the Republic and as fresh as today's headlines. All Americans deserve equality of opportunity and fundamental fairness. Next year this fight begins anew.”