[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 52 (Wednesday, May 4, 1994)]
[House]
[Page H]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: May 4, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]


                              {time}  1440
 
                          CHILDREN AND POVERTY

  (Mrs. CLAYTON asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend her remarks.)
  Mrs. CLAYTON. Mr. Speaker, I received some truly frightening news 
this week, news that threatens the very core of America's future.
  In my home State of North Carolina, it was revealed that the lives of 
our children have grown more and more treacherous over the last 5 
years.
  Today in North Carolina, it is dangerous to be a child. Listen, as I 
sound out the disgraceful statistics.
  Each day in North Carolina, 3 babies die, 88 children are abused or 
neglected, 43 teenagers become pregnant, and 40 young people drop out 
of school.
  In the four measures of social welfare--health, education, safety, 
and security--we have failed our children miserably.
  In the last year alone, poverty among children increased 16 percent, 
the dropout rate rose 10 percent; crime rates are up and so are arrests 
among juvenile offenders.
  Mr. Speaker, this disgraceful situation is not limited to my State of 
North Carolina, it is a national tragedy. We cannot afford to lose 
this, our most valuable resource.
  Let us commit ourselves today, to public policies that will rescue 
our children from these mean circumstances.

                          ____________________