[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 133 (Thursday, October 10, 2002)]
[Senate]
[Pages S10388-S10390]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                  STATEMENTS ON SUBMITTED RESOLUTIONS

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   SENATE RESOLUTION 338--DESIGNATING THE MONTH OF OCTOBER, 2002, AS 
                  ``CHILDREN'S INTERNET SAFETY MONTH''

  Mr. McCAIN (for himself, Mr. Hollings, Mr. Breaux, Mrs. Hutchison, 
Mr. Allen, Mr. Cleland, Mr. Brownback, Mr. Craig, Mrs. Clinton, Ms. 
Cantwell, Mr. Durbin, Mr. Edwards, Mr. Dodd, Mr. Kerry, Mr. Bunning, 
Mr. Hatch, Mr. Bennett, Mr. Hutchinson, and Ms. Snowe) submitted the 
following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on the 
Judiciary:

                              S. Res. 338

       Whereas the Internet is one of the most effective tools 
     available for purposes of education and research and gives 
     children the means to make friends and freely communicate 
     with peers and family anywhere in the world;
       Whereas the new era of instant communication holds great 
     promise for achieving better understanding of the world and 
     providing the opportunity for creative inquiry;
       Whereas it is vital to the well-being of children that the 
     Internet offer an open and responsible environment to 
     explore;
       Whereas access to objectionable material, such as violent, 
     obscene, or sexually explicit adult material may be received 
     by a minor in unsolicited form;
       Whereas there is a growing concern in all levels of society 
     to protect children from objectionable material; and
       Whereas the Internet is a positive educational tool and 
     should be seen in such a manner rather than as a vehicle for 
     entities to make objectionable materials available to 
     children: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate
       (1) designates October, 2002, as ``Children's Internet 
     Safety Month'' and supports its official status on the 
     Nation's promotional calendar; and
       (2) supports parents and guardians in promoting the 
     creative development of children by encouraging the use of 
     the Internet in a safe, positive manner.
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SENATE RESOLUTION 339--DESIGNATING NOVEMBER 2002, AS ``NATIONAL RUNAWAY 
                           PREVENTION MONTH''

  Mrs. MURRAY (for herself and Ms. Collins) submitted the following 
resolution; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary:

[[Page S10389]]

                              S. Res. 339

       Whereas the prevalence of runaway and homeless youth in our 
     Nation is staggering, with studies suggesting that between 
     1,300,000 and 2,800,000 young people live on the streets of 
     the United States each year;
       Whereas running away from home is widespread, with 1 out of 
     every 7 children in the United States running away before the 
     age of 18;
       Whereas youth that end up on the streets are often those 
     who have been ``thrown out'' of their homes by their 
     families, who have been physically, sexually, and emotionally 
     abused at home, who have been discharged by State custodial 
     systems without adequate transition plans, who have lost 
     their parents through death or divorce, and who are too poor 
     to secure their own basic needs;
       Whereas effective programs supporting runaway youth and 
     assisting young people in remaining at home with their 
     families succeed because of partnerships created among 
     families, community-based human service agencies, law 
     enforcement agencies, schools, faith-based organizations, and 
     businesses;
       Whereas preventing young people from running away and 
     supporting youth in high-risk situations is a family, 
     community, and national responsibility;
       Whereas the future well-being of the Nation is dependent on 
     the value placed on young people and the opportunities 
     provided for youth to acquire the knowledge, skills, and 
     abilities necessary to develop into safe, healthy, and 
     productive adults;
       Whereas the National Network for Youth and its members 
     advocate on behalf of runaway and homeless youth and provide 
     an array of community-based support services that address the 
     critical needs of such youth;
       Whereas the National Runaway Switchboard provides crisis 
     intervention and referrals to reconnect runaway youth to 
     their families and to link young people to local resources 
     that provide positive alternatives to running away; and
       Whereas the National Network for Youth and National Runaway 
     Switchboard are co-sponsoring National Runaway Prevention 
     Month to increase public awareness of the life circumstances 
     of youth in high-risk situations and the need for safe, 
     healthy, and productive alternatives, resources, and supports 
     for youth, families, and communities: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate designates November 2002, as 
     ``National Runaway Prevention Month''.

  Mrs. MURRAY. Mr. President, I am pleased to be joined by my colleague 
from Maine, Senator Collins, in submitting this Senate resolution 
designating November as ``National Runaway Prevention Month.''
  A recent study by the Federal Office of Juvenile Justice and 
Delinquency Prevention estimates that nearly 1.7 million American youth 
run away or are turned out of their homes in a single year. Many of 
these children end up living on the streets where they become victims 
of illness, hunger, drug use, and crime. Any parent knows how important 
their support is to helping children get a good start in life.
  Unfortunately, too many young people find themselves in desperate 
straits. Imagine a young girl, perhaps 15 or 16 years old, finding 
herself with no place to sleep. Or realizing that she is hungry but has 
no money left for food or for bus fare to get to a soup kitchen. 
Imagine her fear when the nights turn very cold and the clothes on her 
back are not enough to keep her warm. As a country, we would not, could 
not and must not ignore this young girl. I bring this resolution to the 
floor today to raise awareness of the tragedy of runaway youth, to 
express my appreciation for those who work to prevent runaways and help 
street children, and to remind my colleagues of the difference our 
funding decisions make in people's lives.
  Many street youth are running from families beleaguered by physical 
abuse, neglect, parental substance abuse, poverty or serious family 
conflict. Unlike many homeless adults, who often suffer from mental 
illness or substance abuse problems, most of these young people are 
leaving their homes as a reaction to intolerable circumstances. But 
while the conditions that drive these young people out of their homes 
may be intolerable, they are almost always preventable or treatable.
  As with many problems our society faces, the best way for us to 
prevent runaway and ``thrownaway'' children from taking to the streets 
is for our communities to work together. Communities can and must 
intervene to strengthen families and help youth in high-risk 
situations. The needs of these families are as diverse as our nation, 
but the solutions are often as simple as high-quality intervention 
services from a government, community or faith-based organization. 
Local organizations offering services to victims of domestic violence, 
counseling and anger management courses, substance abuse treatment and 
other social services could make the difference in whether or not a 
child runs away.
  I would like to take a moment to recognize and thank the social 
workers, counselors, caseworkers, teachers, and volunteers who devote 
their lives to preventing runaways. The services they offer vary 
widely, but their intervention may keep a family together and a young 
person in a healthy home. I would also like to thank the thousands of 
workers and volunteers who work with runaway youth. It is not always 
easy to work with young people who may be angry, alienated or addicted 
to drugs, but the people who go into the streets to find and help these 
children are capable, committed and caring. They are often the only 
thing standing between a young person and self-destruction. They help 
street children find shelter and food, get an education and recover 
from substance abuse where necessary. They also help them reunite with 
their families when appropriate, or find a safe alternative. They are 
truly guardian angels.
  Finally, I want to remind my colleagues that many of the local 
services that can help a struggling family become a healthy home are 
federally funded. We often see these services as abstract line-items in 
an appropriations bill: Temporary Assistance to Needy Families, Child 
Abuse Prevention and Treatment State Grants, and Social Services Block 
Grants. We must remember that these are not just line-items, they are 
lifelines to youth who need our help. Given the enormous deficits most 
States are facing, many of these services are losing critical state 
resources. As we ensure resources are available for the war against 
terrorism, we must not abandon our vulnerable young people in their own 
fight for survival.
  The recent White House Conference on Missing, Exploited, and Runaway 
Children helped to remind us of the fate of thousands of these 
children. Declaring November to be ``National Runaway Prevention 
Month'' would build on that reminder. Across our country, communities 
will undertake activities during November to increase public awareness 
of the circumstances facing many youth and the need for safe, healthy, 
and productive alternatives and resources for these children and their 
families. This resolution puts the United States Senate on record in 
support of National Runaway Prevention Month and its effort to promote 
family-based and community-based interventions that prevent young 
people from running away from home. I urge my colleagues to support our 
Nation's vulnerable youth by co-sponsoring this resolution and making 
an effort through their actions or their words to raise awareness of 
the tragedy of runaway youth.
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   SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 152--DESIGNATING AUGUST 7, 2003, AS 
               ``NATIONAL PURPLE HEART RECOGNITION DAY''

  Mrs. CLINTON (for herself and Mr. Hagel) submitted the following 
concurrent resolution; which was referred to the Committee on the 
Judiciary:

                            S. Con. Res. 152

       Whereas the Order of the Purple Heart for Military Merit, 
     commonly known as the Purple Heart, is the oldest military 
     decoration in the world in present use;
       Whereas the Purple Heart is awarded in the name of the 
     President of the United States to members of the Armed Forces 
     who are wounded in conflict with an enemy force or while held 
     by an enemy force as a prisoner of war, and posthumously to 
     the next of kin of members of the Armed Forces who are killed 
     in conflict with an enemy force or who die of a wound 
     received in conflict with an enemy force;
       Whereas the Purple Heart was established on August 7, 1782, 
     during the Revolutionary War, when General George Washington 
     issued an order establishing the Honorary Badge of 
     Distinction, otherwise known as the Badge of Military Merit 
     or the Decoration of the Purple Heart;
       Whereas the award of the Purple Heart ceased with the end 
     of the Revolutionary war, but was revived out of respect for 
     the memory and military achievements of George Washington in 
     1932, the 200th anniversary of his birth; and
       Whereas the designation of August 7, 2003, as ``National 
     Purple Heart Recognition Day'' is a fitting tribute to 
     General Washington and to the over 1,535,000 recipients of 
     the Purple Heart Medal, approximately 550,000 of whom are 
     still living: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved by the Senate (the House of Representatives 
     concurring), That Congress--

[[Page S10390]]

       (1) designates August 7, 2003, as ``National Purple Heart 
     Recognition Day'';
       (2) encourages all Americans to learn about the history of 
     the Order of the Purple Heart for Military Merit and to honor 
     its recipients; and
       (3) requests that the President issue a proclamation 
     calling on the people of the United States to conduct 
     appropriate ceremonies, activities, and programs to 
     demonstrate support for the Order of the Purple Heart for 
     Military Merit.

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