Marcy Kaptur: “we all know the name Russell Weston, Jr., and we all know that he tragically took the lives of two fine Americans…”

“we all know the name Russell Weston, Jr., and we all know that he tragically took the lives of two fine Americans, Officers Jacob J. Chestnut and John Gibson. But many Americans still do not know that this tragedy could have been avoided, not by installing even more security here, but by improving the state of health care available to the seriously mentally ill among our citizens. The state of psychiatric care in our country has spawned growing homelessness, more neglect, as well as increasing violence since deinstitutionalization of mental patients occurred over 2 decades ago with no community follow-up. The gentlewoman from New Jersey (Mrs. Roukema) and I are working hard to establish a special House task force on serious mental illness. This task force would be responsible for examining the state of our mental health system, especially those who are not being adequately treated. This task force would gather testimony about what America can and should do. Please support our effort to establish a task force on mental illness.”