[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 12 (Tuesday, February 4, 1997)]
[House]
[Page H252]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




     WE MUST WORK TOGETHER TO END THE VICIOUS CYCLE OF CHILD ABUSE

  (Mr. DEAL of Georgia asked and was given permission to address the 
House for 1 minute.)
  Mr. DEAL of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, too often we ignore the caldron of 
neglect, violence, and moral decay that pervades our society until its 
poison boils over into our own lives.
  On January 16, 1996, that occurred in my community of Gainesville, 
Hall County, GA, when a 19-month-old young boy, Austin Sparks, was 
brutally beaten to death by his baby-sitter. As we are now in this 
first anniversary period of Austin Sparks' death, the Hall County 
community has undertaken a campaign to fight child abuse by 
implementing the blue ribbon campaign in his memory. These small blue 
ribbons help remind us to be aware of child abuse every day of every 
year. Another positive that has come out of this tragedy is the 
purchase of a permanent home in Gainesville to assess the needs of 
abused children. The Children's Center will provide multiagency 
interviews for child abuse victims.
  We must all work together to end this cycle of child abuse in our 
country.

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