Improving Mental Health Access for Students Act

Mr. President, I join my colleagues today during Police Week to honor the work of our Nation's law enforcement officers.

Being a law enforcement officer is one of the toughest jobs that there is, but it is also foundational to a functioning society. We rely on these brave men and women to protect and serve our country every day.

Unfortunately, many officers are being driven out by a wave of anti- police rhetoric on the heels of bad actors who operated outside of their training. We need to have trust between law enforcement and citizens. Without it, our society frays and decays.

Over the course of this week, my colleagues are sharing many stories of law enforcement officers stepping up to help their fellow citizens in times of need and build trust with the communities that they serve.

We are lucky to have many brave and honorable officers in Alabama and around this country.

I think about Officer Jonathan Espino from the Decatur Police Department. Last year, Officer Espino responded to a medical call. A man was trying to bring his mom back to life, trying to perform CPR. Officer Espino took over for the man after he arrived and began CPR. Just before medical personnel arrived, the woman's heart started beating again, and she was gasping for air. He saved her life.

I think of Officer Wesley Harrison from the Abbeville Police Department. Officer Harrison received a call that a woman was in a burning building. Officer Harrison arrived on the scene minutes later and was able to carry the elderly woman out of the structure, with the help of another investigator.

These police officers went above and beyond the call of duty, and lives were saved because of their heroism. But we know such an important job comes with great risk. Just last week, Alabama honored the 11 law enforcement officers who gave the ultimate sacrifice the last 2 years. In the last 2 days alone across the United States of America, four law enforcement officers have been killed. We are forever grateful to each of these officers who have laid down their lives in service for their community.

How would you like to every day wake up, put a uniform on, a badge on your chest, a gun on your side, leave your family, walk out the door, knowing it might be the last time you ever walk into that home or see your family? That is what happens to these law enforcement officers every day of their career, which is why I firmly believe we need more support for law enforcement, not less.

They need more training so they can be better at handling difficult situations. This is especially true as we see an uptick in mental health issues all across this country. They need targeted resources so they can recruit the best and brightest for these important roles in the community and across our country. Let's invest in the resources that they can ensure all law enforcement officers are a true force for good for all people across their State and across this country.

Part of keeping communities safe is making sure our law enforcement officers have the authority they need to enforce compliance with our current laws. This is especially necessary as we see a flood of immigrants coming into our country illegally.

Right now, unless State and local law enforcement agencies have an agreement with Immigration and Customs Enforcement, if an officer encounters an illegal alien in the course of performing their normal duties in their hometowns, they cannot arrest or detain that individual for immigration purposes.

Right now, ICE arrests are low, even while illegal border crossings are historically high. Under President Biden's enforcement of our immigration laws, which has fallen dramatically, arrests by ICE for the last 4 months have fallen 66 percent. Under the Biden administration, ICE has released at least 3,700 inmates. Alarmingly, 1,800 of those were charged or convicted of crimes including homicide, rape, assault, child abuse, and more. Secretary Mayorkas recently limited the places where ICE and CBP can enforce the law. Many Federal law enforcement officers fear that the Biden administration will further restrict where they can do their jobs.

If the Federal Government will not enforce the immigration laws, our State and local law enforcement should be empowered to do so. That is why today I introduced the Empowering Law Enforcement Act, which grants inherent authority to State and local officials to enforce our Nation's immigration laws.

Additionally, my bill will give Federal authorities the flexibility to extend the amount of time they can detain criminal aliens. If a State or local law enforcement entity is detaining an alien, this bill would require Homeland Security to take that illegal alien into custody upon request from that entity.

The bill ensures that State and local authorities can get reimbursed for the cost related to the incarceration and transportation of the alien.

The Empowering Law Enforcement Act is about common sense. If the Biden administration won't enforce the law, let's empower those who will. I urge my colleagues to support this practical solution to a very real and very serious problem.

Mr. President, I am going to talk for a few minutes about mental health for our kids. I think many Americans have known and, unfortunately, some Americans have loved some of our fellow citizens who suffer with depression and anxiety and thoughts of suicide. It is a particular problem for our young people. CDC reports that one in four young Americans have actually considered suicide, and, in fact, the second leading cause of death for young people is suicide.

I am sure there are a lot of reasons for this. I think it is harder to be a young person today. Many of our kids see things that those of us who are older didn't have to deal with until we were adults--drugs, of course; alcohol; also, social media. You can still find kindness in America, but unfortunately you have to go offline to do it.

Some of our young people--many of our young people--just need someone to talk to. Some of them, when their anxiety and their depression is acute, need medical treatment, and this bill will simply provide a mechanism for our young people to receive it.

The bill, as I said, is called the Improving Mental Health Access for Students Act. It would provide that schools--our universities--be required to print phone numbers for the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, the Crisis Text Line, and a campus mental health center or program on the student ID cards.

This bill would not require our schools to tear up current ID cards. It would be phased in. And if a school doesn't use an ID card, they don't have to start using an ID card. My bill

would simply require that the schools put the information on their website.

This bill passed unanimously by UC in our last Congress, but, unfortunately, the House ran out of time to take it up.

Toward that end, Mr. President, as if in legislative session, I am going to ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the immediate consideration of S. 1585, introduced earlier today.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the bill be considered read a third time.

Mr. President, I know of no further debate on the bill.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table.

I yield the floor.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be printed in the Record.