Mark Gordon: “Unfortunately, it is certainly no fault of the chairman that this Garrett Lee Smith Memorial Act which started out as a…”

“Unfortunately, it is certainly no fault of the chairman that this Garrett Lee Smith Memorial Act which started out as a bipartisan agreement is now mired in political extremism and really bizarre anecdotes. Let me be clear. I support the Senate version of this bill. The bill passed that body unanimously with the support of the White House. I sponsored the companion bill in the House. Unfortunately, a small group in the House have insisted on inserting language that undermines the very programs we are seeking to encourage. The language would require schools to treat suicide prevention programs differently from all other school-sponsored programs, requiring prior written parental permission for a child to even attend a suicide prevention and awareness event.”