Pete Sessions: “I simply ask that this amendment be considered. Its purpose is to deal with the situation that we have seen in recent…”

“I simply ask that this amendment be considered. Its purpose is to deal with the situation that we have seen in recent years in which teenagers at school have caused serious violence or committed criminal acts and in which other people knew about it and did little to respond. I believe we can improve upon that. In my State of Alabama, a crisis hotline was set up several years ago. In just a few weeks, they had 800 calls. For example, parents were calling in to say they heard that a certain child had a gun or a weapon or that they were threatening the lives of other people. Having such a hotline would allow the police and school administrators to know about those situations and to perhaps intervene and keep this from happening. I think it is appropriate that this amendment be made a part of this legislation involving education. It does not appropriate money. It provides an authorized use. The moneys can be used for this, but it does not mandate it on the States. I do believe it is a policy that if more States followed, it could save lives by simply providing a 1-800 number that would be readily available to everyone in and about the school, including parents, to have a place to call to express concerns that something serious may be going on.”