[Congressional Bills 103th Congress] [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office] [H.R. 4148 Introduced in House (IH)] 103d CONGRESS 2d Session H. R. 4148 To establish the National Commission on Gay and Lesbian Youth Suicide Prevention. _______________________________________________________________________ IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES March 24, 1994 Mr. Meehan introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce _______________________________________________________________________ A BILL To establish the National Commission on Gay and Lesbian Youth Suicide Prevention. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. This Act may be cited as the ``Gay and Lesbian Youth Suicide Prevention Act''. SEC. 2. ESTABLISHMENT. There is established a commission to be known as the ``National Commission on Gay and Lesbian Youth Suicide Prevention'' (in this Act referred to as the ``Commission''). SEC. 3. DUTIES OF COMMISSION. (a) In General.--The Commission shall combat the epidemic of suicide among gay and lesbian youth, who account for 30 percent of completed youth suicides as reported by the United States Department of Health and Human Services in the 1989 ``Report of the Secretary's Task Force on Youth Suicide''. The Commission shall advise the Department of Health and Human Services and other Federal and State youth service agencies concerning how to include the concerns of gay and lesbian youth within existing suicide prevention policies, programs, and research. (b) Goals of Commission.--The goals of the Commission shall be to-- (1) work to include the concerns of gay and lesbian youth within existing suicide prevention programs at the national and State level; (2) develop and make specific recommendations to the Department of Health and Human Services and other relevant Federal and State agencies about how to stem the epidemic of gay and lesbian youth suicide; (3) work to expand current research on youth suicide to include gay and lesbian youth; and (4) work to amend existing youth suicide policies, guidelines, and programs to include gay and lesbian youth. SEC. 4. MEMBERSHIP. (a) Number and Appointment.--The Commission shall be composed of 30 members appointed by the Secretary of Health and Human Services. Members shall include, but not be limited to, professionals and experts in the field of youth suicide prevention. (b) Terms.--Each member of the Commission shall be appointed for the life of the Commission. (c) Basic Pay and Expenses.--[TO BE SUPPLIED] (d) Meetings.--The Commission shall meet quarterly with the Secretary of Health and Human Services and advise various departments within the Department of Health and Human Services on an ongoing basis. SEC. 5. REPORTS. (a) Interim Reports.--The Commission shall submit an annual report to the Secretary of Health and Human Services. The Commission shall conduct regional public hearings around the United States to gather information from youths, family members, and professionals about the problem of gay youth suicide on an ongoing basis. (b) Final Report.--[TO BE SUPPLIED] <all>