[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 155 (Friday, November 5, 1999)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2289]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




       ESTABLISHING THE NATIONAL CENTER FOR SOCIAL WORK RESEARCH

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. CIRO D. RODRIGUEZ

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                        Friday, November 5, 1999

  Mr. RODRIGUEZ. Mr. Speaker, I have introduced legislation that will 
provide a clearinghouse for the latest research on issues of 
significant social concern so that national policymakers can make 
informed and sound decisions. The bipartisan legislation I am 
introducing with Representative Asa Hutchinson will create a National 
Center for Social Work Research at the National Institutes of Health. 
The research conducted and supported through this Center will provide 
Congress, government agencies and other policymakers with empirical 
research on how to address social problems such as school violence, 
depression, mental illness, domestic violence, child abuse, teen 
pregnancy and a host of other challenges facing our society.
  Social workers are in a unique situation to provide such valuable 
research. They approach both service delivery and research from an 
interdisciplinary, family-centered, and community-based approach. This 
comprehensive approach also takes into account a wide-range of social, 
medical, economic and community influences--information that we as 
policymakers need to make better informed decisions.
  For example, this year Congress has struggled to develop 
comprehensive legislation on how to deal with the spread of school 
violence. Unfortunately, there is not one place we as policymakers can 
turn in order to receive the latest, up-to-date research on what other 
communities or States are doing to approach this serious issue. Through 
the National Center for Social Work Research, we can ensure that all 
research conducted on issues of serious social concern are collected 
and made available through one entity.
  Currently, the Federal Government provides funding for various social 
work research activities through the NIH and other agencies. However, 
we currently lack coordination or direction of these activities.
  I look forward to working with my colleagues on providing us with a 
research center that we can turn to for help on formulating policy that 
will improve the lives of women, children, and families in our 
communities. The collection of this important data will help us find 
solutions so that children can feel safer at school, women will no 
longer suffer from abuse, and communities and States will be empowered 
with resources on how to deal with major social issues. We owe it not 
only to ourselves but the women, children and families that rely on us 
to make informed policy decisions on a daily basis.

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