Report to the President on Issues Raised by the Virginia Tech Tragedy
Title
Report to the President on Issues Raised by the Virginia Tech Tragedy
Description
<p>Full Report (PDF) - 463 KB</p>
<p><b>June 13, 2007</b>
</p>
<blockquote><i>"We reflect on what has been lost and comfort those enduring a profound grief. And somehow we know that a brighter morning will come. We know this because together Americans have overcome many evils and found strength through many storms."</i></blockquote>
<blockquote>-President George W. Bush</blockquote>
<p>--</p>
<p>June 13, 2007</p>
<p>The President<br />
The White House<br/>
Washington, D.C. 20500</p>
<p>Dear Mr. President:</p>
<p>In the wake of the Virginia Tech tragedy, you charged us to travel to communities across our Nation to meet with a wide range of leaders on the broader issues raised by this tragedy, and to report back to you what we learned, together with our recommendations for how the Federal government can help avoid such tragedies in the future. The enclosed report summarizes our findings and provides our recommendations developed through discussions with educators, mental health experts, law enforcement and other key state and local officials from more than a dozen states.</p>
<p>We found great commonality in the themes that emerged from our meetings. Following the Virginia Tech tragedy and similar incidents of violence that have occurred in recent years, states and local communities are carefully considering whether they have properly addressed and balanced the fundamental interests of privacy and individual freedom, safety and security, and assisting those with mental health needs in getting appropriate care. Although state and local leaders recognized and underscored that these issues primarily must be resolved at the state and local level, these events make all of us ask whether there is more we can and should be doing.</p>
<p>As we note in our report, our recommendations are not a panacea. Rather, along with identifying steps that we can take, the report serves to focus our attention on the issues that must be part of the ongoing national dialogue as we continue to protect the freedoms we enjoy in our society, while appropriately minimizing risks to public safety.</p>
<p>We look forward to continuing our collaboration on the Federal level, as well as with states and localities, in our ongoing efforts to address these fundamental issues and take concrete steps to promote the well being and safety of all Americans.</p>
<p>Sincerely,</p>
<p>Michael O. Leavitt<br />
Secretary<br />
Department of Health and Human Services</p>
<p>Margaret Spellings<br />
Secretary<br />
Department of Education</p>
<p>Alberto R. Gonzales<br />
Attorney General<br />
Department of Justice</p>
<p>--</p>
<p>Table of Contents</p>
<p>Introduction<br />
Key Findings<br />
Canvassing the Nation<br />
Common Themes and Observations<br />
Findings and Recommendations<br />
Critical Information Sharing Faces Substantial Obstacles<br />
Accurate and Complete Information on Indivduals Prohibited from Possessing Firearms is Essential to<br />
Keep Guns Out of the Wrong Hands<br />
Improved Awareness and Communication are Key to Prevention<br />
It is Critical to Get People with Mental Illness Services They Need<br />
Where We Know What to Do, We Have to be Better at Doing It<br />
Conclusion<br />
Endnotes</p>
<p>--</p>
<p>Original Source: <a href="http://www.hhs.gov/vtreport.html">http://www.hhs.gov/vtreport.html</a></p>
<p><b>June 13, 2007</b>
</p>
<blockquote><i>"We reflect on what has been lost and comfort those enduring a profound grief. And somehow we know that a brighter morning will come. We know this because together Americans have overcome many evils and found strength through many storms."</i></blockquote>
<blockquote>-President George W. Bush</blockquote>
<p>--</p>
<p>June 13, 2007</p>
<p>The President<br />
The White House<br/>
Washington, D.C. 20500</p>
<p>Dear Mr. President:</p>
<p>In the wake of the Virginia Tech tragedy, you charged us to travel to communities across our Nation to meet with a wide range of leaders on the broader issues raised by this tragedy, and to report back to you what we learned, together with our recommendations for how the Federal government can help avoid such tragedies in the future. The enclosed report summarizes our findings and provides our recommendations developed through discussions with educators, mental health experts, law enforcement and other key state and local officials from more than a dozen states.</p>
<p>We found great commonality in the themes that emerged from our meetings. Following the Virginia Tech tragedy and similar incidents of violence that have occurred in recent years, states and local communities are carefully considering whether they have properly addressed and balanced the fundamental interests of privacy and individual freedom, safety and security, and assisting those with mental health needs in getting appropriate care. Although state and local leaders recognized and underscored that these issues primarily must be resolved at the state and local level, these events make all of us ask whether there is more we can and should be doing.</p>
<p>As we note in our report, our recommendations are not a panacea. Rather, along with identifying steps that we can take, the report serves to focus our attention on the issues that must be part of the ongoing national dialogue as we continue to protect the freedoms we enjoy in our society, while appropriately minimizing risks to public safety.</p>
<p>We look forward to continuing our collaboration on the Federal level, as well as with states and localities, in our ongoing efforts to address these fundamental issues and take concrete steps to promote the well being and safety of all Americans.</p>
<p>Sincerely,</p>
<p>Michael O. Leavitt<br />
Secretary<br />
Department of Health and Human Services</p>
<p>Margaret Spellings<br />
Secretary<br />
Department of Education</p>
<p>Alberto R. Gonzales<br />
Attorney General<br />
Department of Justice</p>
<p>--</p>
<p>Table of Contents</p>
<p>Introduction<br />
Key Findings<br />
Canvassing the Nation<br />
Common Themes and Observations<br />
Findings and Recommendations<br />
Critical Information Sharing Faces Substantial Obstacles<br />
Accurate and Complete Information on Indivduals Prohibited from Possessing Firearms is Essential to<br />
Keep Guns Out of the Wrong Hands<br />
Improved Awareness and Communication are Key to Prevention<br />
It is Critical to Get People with Mental Illness Services They Need<br />
Where We Know What to Do, We Have to be Better at Doing It<br />
Conclusion<br />
Endnotes</p>
<p>--</p>
<p>Original Source: <a href="http://www.hhs.gov/vtreport.html">http://www.hhs.gov/vtreport.html</a></p>
Creator
Michael O. Leavitt, Margaret Spellings, and Alberto R. Gonzales
Date
2007-06-14
Contributor
Brent Jesiek
Language
eng
Files
Citation
Michael O. Leavitt, Margaret Spellings, and Alberto R. Gonzales, “Report to the President on Issues Raised by the Virginia Tech Tragedy,” The April 16 Archive, accessed November 2, 2024, https://april16archive.org/index.php/items/show/523.