Vice President Mike Pence signaled a new White House focus on school safety and mental health in light of the Parkland, Florida school shooting in a Saturday speech.
“When President Trump meets with our nation’s governors in just a few short weeks,” Pence said, “he will make the safety of our nation’s schools our top administration priority.”
Pence discussed the shooting at a Saturday speech in Dallas for America First Policies, an issue advocacy group supportive of President Donald Trump. Pence said the Justice Department is working with other federal agencies to study “the intersection of mental health and criminality” and vowed to “get to the bottom” of what happened.
“We are going to remain focused on bringing renewed energy to making our schools safe and taking a renewed look at giving law enforcement and local authorities the tools they need to deal with individuals struggling with dangerous mental illness,” Pence said.
Pence concluded his remarks on Parkland with a call for prayer, while “Washington and the media are running to their predictable debates.”
“In this challenging time, I would offer to all of you who, like my little family, take time to bow the head and bend the knee,” he said. “I encourage you to do so this week for our fellow Americans.”
