[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 134 (Wednesday, October 1, 1997)]
[Senate]
[Pages S10262-S10263]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                            ANOTHER TRAGEDY

  Mr. DeWINE. Mr. President, I rise today to call the attention of my 
colleagues to a story on the front page of last Thursday's Washington 
Post. This article tells the story of the beating death of a little 4-
year-old girl, a little girl by the name of Monica Wheeler in 
Washington, DC. Monica was found dead in the bathroom of a man who was 
an acquaintance of her mother's. The police have ruled her death a 
homicide. In addition to being severely battered, Monica was suffering 
from malnutrition and showed signs of genital bleeding.
  Now, Mr. President, 3 years ago, one of Monica's siblings, her 
brother, Andre, then age 2, was also found dead--in the same man's 
bathroom. That earlier death was ruled at that time an accidental 
drowning, but the police now are reopening that case.
  Mr. President, it is up to the police and the courts to find out the 
truth about this particular tragedy. But one thing we know for certain 
is that there are far too many children returned to the care of people 
who have already abused and battered them, people who should not be 
allowed to take care of children at all. We know this occurs time and 
time again across this great country of ours.
  Mr. President, every day in America three children actually die of 
abuse and neglect at the hands of their parents or their caretakers. 
That is over 1,200 children every year.
  And almost half of these children are killed after--after--their 
tragic circumstances have already come to the attention of local child 
welfare agencies.
  Mr. President, at the end of 1996, over 525,000 children were in 
foster homes. Over a year's time, it is estimated that over 650,000 
children will spend some time in foster homes. Shockingly, 25 percent 
of the children in the foster care system at any one given point in 
time will languish in foster care longer than 4 years--25 percent of 
the kids. Ten percent will be in foster care longer than 7 years.

[[Page S10263]]

  This problem has been brewing for many years. It is, at least in 
part, the unintended consequence of a law passed by this Congress in 
1980, a law requiring that reasonable efforts be made to reunify 
families. In practice, this law has resulted in unreasonable efforts, 
unreasonable efforts, Mr. President, being made to reunite families 
that are really families in name only, families that simply never 
should be reunited.

  I have been working to change this for almost 3 years now. About 10 
days ago, along with Senator Chafee, Senator Craig and Senator 
Rockefeller, I introduced a bill that I hope will represent the 
culmination of this effort. The PASS Act--the acronym we have given to 
it stands for the Promotion of Adoption Safety and Support for Abused 
and Neglected Children Act--would make a difference. It would, Mr. 
President, save young lives. It would put an end to a tragic policy 
that has put parents' interests above the health, the safety, and yes, 
even the survival of innocent children.
  Mr. President, it would help child welfare agencies move faster to 
rescue these children. Every child deserves a better fate than being 
shuttled from foster home to foster home for years on end. That is why, 
Mr. President, we are working to pass this important bill.
  Once this bill is passed, Mr. President, then let's work together on 
the next step in the continuing battle for our children's right to live 
in safe, stable, permanent and loving homes.
  Mr. President, the tragedy of this little child who died in 
Washington, DC, a few day ago, this little 4-year-old girl, Monica 
Wheeler, should not be repeated. I think we have an obligation in this 
Congress to move as quickly as possible to change a 1980 law that has 
done a lot of good but that frankly had an unintended consequence. That 
unintended consequence is that children, even after there is evidence 
of abuse, even after there is not just evidence, even after there is 
overwhelming indication of abuse, children are placed back in homes 
time and time and time again. One of the reasons that occurs is because 
of the 1980 law.
  We must act, Mr. President, to clarify that law, to clarify the 
reasonable efforts requirement of the law, so that the safety of 
children will always be paramount, and that these tragedies will be 
eliminated.
  I yield the floor and I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
  The legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. GRAMS. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for 
the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Roberts). Without objection, it is so 
ordered.
  Mr. GRAMS. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent to speak as in 
morning business for 5 minutes.

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