WASHINGTON –Today on the floor, U.S. Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) urged Texans to take the necessary precautions to protect themselves and health care workers from the coronavirus. He also discussed the pandemic’s impact on mental health and his Crisis Stabilization and Community Reentry Act, which would authorize grants to allow law enforcement to partner with mental health providers on treatment and crisis stabilization services for incarcerated individuals. Excerpts of Sen. Cornyn’s remarks are below, and video can be found here.
“If we don’t shape up, the present spread of the virus will continue with perhaps, in some instances, dangerous, even fatal, consequences.”
“That’s a path we should not head down and one that will put an even greater strain on our health care workers.”
“There are two ways to approach this pandemic. One is to leave it to government to tell us what we can and cannot do, to engage in more and more lockdowns and deprivation of our individual liberty. Or we can take personal responsibility.”
“Beyond the physical toll this virus has taken, it’s also having a profound impact on this country’s mental health.”
“I hope the Senate can pass this legislation soon and that our colleagues in the House will follow suit. With the ongoing mental health challenges brought on by COVID-19, there could not be a more critical time to strengthen our nation’s mental health resources.”