[Congressional Bills 108th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 345 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

  2d Session
S. RES. 345

  Expressing the Sense of the Senate that Congress should expand the 
supports and services available to grandparents and other relatives who 
are raising children when their biological parents have died or can no 
                       longer take care of them.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             April 28, 2004

  Mrs. Clinton (for herself, Ms. Snowe, Mr. Kennedy, Mr. Miller, Mr. 
Kerry, Mr. Johnson, Mr. Pryor, Mr. Corzine, Mrs. Murray, Ms. Stabenow, 
Ms. Mikulski, Mr. Baucus, Mr. Cochran, Mr. Lieberman, and Mrs. Lincoln) 
submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee 
               on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
  Expressing the Sense of the Senate that Congress should expand the 
supports and services available to grandparents and other relatives who 
are raising children when their biological parents have died or can no 
                       longer take care of them.

Whereas 4.5 million children in the United States are living in grandparent-
        headed households--a 30 percent increase from 1990 to 2000--and an 
        additional 1.5 million children are living in households headed by other 
        relatives;
Whereas 70 percent of grandparents who report they are responsible for the 
        grandchildren living with them are under the age of 60, many of whom are 
        still in the workforce and making a valuable contribution to the 
        national economy;
Whereas an increasing number of parents are unable to raise their own children 
        due to substance abuse, incarceration, illnesses such as HIV/AIDS, child 
        abuse and neglect, domestic and community violence, unemployment and 
        poverty, and other serious community crises;
Whereas grandparents and other relatives raising children, especially those 
        without formal legal custody or guardianship of the children under their 
        care, face a variety of unnecessary barriers, including difficulties 
        enrolling children in school, authorizing medical treatment, maintaining 
        their public housing leases, obtaining affordable legal services, and 
        accessing a variety of federal benefits and services;
Whereas grandparents and other relatives have stepped forward at great personal 
        sacrifice to their financial and health status, to provide safe and 
        loving homes and keep thousands of children from unnecessarily entering 
        the formal foster care system;
Whereas children feel content to live in an environment with people that they 
        know, who are familiar, and who are able to provide them with extended 
        family as additional support and a family history, which gives them a 
        sense of belonging;
Whereas the time, effort, and unselfish commitment shown by these family members 
        is worthy of recognition;
Whereas almost one-fifth of grandparents who report that they are responsible 
        for the grandchildren living with them live in poverty;
Whereas grandparents and other relatives have taken over the care of abused and 
        neglected children who have been removed from their homes even though 
        they often fail to receive the same services and supports offered to 
        non-related foster parents; and
Whereas grandparents and other relatives, whether raising children inside or 
        outside of the foster care system, need better access to health 
        insurance, respite care, child care, special education, housing, and 
        other benefits, and where appropriate, support from Temporary Assistance 
        For Needy Families, federal foster care and subsidized guardianship 
        programs: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That it is the sense of the Senate that--
            (1) Congress and all Americans should recognize and 
        publicly laud the commitment of grandparents, aunts, uncles, 
        and other relative caregivers raising children whose parents 
        are unable or unwilling to do so;
            (2) Congress urges institutions and government entities at 
        every level to promote public policies that support, and remove 
        barriers to these caregivers; and
            (3) Congress should establish new and expanded appropriate 
        supports and services, such as respite care, housing, and 
        subsidized guardianship, for grandparents and other relatives 
        who are raising children inside and outside of the foster care 
        system.
                                 <all>