[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 49 (Wednesday, March 26, 2003)]
[House]
[Pages H2316-H2319]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
RECOGNIZING THE SOCIAL PROBLEM OF CHILD ABUSE AND NEGLECT, AND
SUPPORTING EFFORTS TO ENHANCE PUBLIC AWARENESS OF THE PROBLEM
Mr. PORTER. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the
resolution (H. Res. 113) recognizing the social problem of child abuse
and neglect, and supporting efforts to enhance public awareness of the
problem, as amended.
The Clerk read as follows:
H. Res. 113
Whereas approximately 3,000,000 reports of suspected or
known child abuse and neglect involving 5,000,000 American
children are made to child protective service agencies each
year;
Whereas 556,000 American children are unable to live safely
with their families and are placed in foster homes and
institutions;
Whereas it is estimated that more than 1,200 children, 85
percent of whom are under the age of 6 years and 44 percent
of whom are under the age of 1 year, lose their lives as a
direct result of abuse and neglect every year in the United
States;
Whereas this tragic social problem results in human and
economic costs due to its relationship to crime and
delinquency, drug and alcohol abuse, domestic violence, and
welfare dependency; and
Whereas Childhelp USA has initiated a ``Day of Hope'' to be
observed on Wednesday, April 2, 2003, during Child Abuse
Prevention Month, to focus public awareness on this social
ill: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That--
(1) it is the sense of the House of Representatives that--
(A) all Americans should keep the victims of child abuse
and neglect in their thoughts and prayers;
(B) all Americans should seek to break the cycle of child
abuse and neglect and to give these victimized children hope
for the future; and
(C) the faith community, nonprofit organizations, and
volunteers across the United States should recommit
themselves and mobilize their resources to assist these
abused and neglected children; and
(2) the House of Representatives--
(A) supports the goals and ideals of the ``Day of Hope'',
which was initiated by Childhelp USA; and
(B) commends Childhelp USA for all of its efforts on behalf
of abused and neglected children throughout the United
States.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
Nevada (Mr. Porter) and the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Davis) each
will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Nevada (Mr. Porter).
General Leave
Mr. PORTER. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may
have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks
on H. Res. 113.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Nevada?
There was no objection.
Mr. PORTER. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of House Resolution 113 offered
by my colleague, the gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Hayworth).
House Resolution 113 recognizes the social problem of child abuse and
neglect and supports efforts to enhance public awareness of child
maltreatment. The resolution is timely and appropriate, as next week
begins National Child Abuse Prevention Month.
Every year, approximately 3 million reports of possible child abuse
and neglect are made to child protective services. According to the
most recent report, it is estimated that 63 percent of
[[Page H2317]]
victims suffered neglect, 19 percent were physically abused, and 10
percent were sexually abused in the year of 2000. Unfortunately, Mr.
Speaker, 1,200 children died in that same year due to child
maltreatment.
Child abuse and neglect have tragic social repercussions. Human and
economic costs related to crime and delinquency, drug and alcohol
abuse, domestic violence, and welfare dependency affect all citizens;
and all citizens should seek to break this cycle and give victimized
children hope for a brighter future.
This resolution also commends Child Help USA for its efforts on
behalf of abused and neglected children throughout the United States.
Child Help USA is one of the Nation's oldest and largest nonprofit
organizations dedicated to the prevention and treatment of child abuse
and neglect.
Mr. Speaker, their mission is to meet the physical, emotional,
educational, and spiritual needs of abused and neglected children.
Child Help USA has also created a National Day of Hope to be observed
on April 2, 2003, to focus public awareness on child maltreatment.
{time} 1030
National Day of Hope is a time for all Americans to remember the
young victims of abuse and neglect by keeping them in their thoughts
and prayers and encouraging community involvement to ensure that all
appropriate resources are available to assist the abused and neglected
children.
Mr. Speaker, this resolution is important and timely in that it draws
attention to the need for more public awareness of the problem of child
abuse and neglect and supports the goals and ideals of the National Day
of Hope.
I would like to thank the gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Hayworth) for
bringing this resolution forward and urge my colleagues to vote in
support of this resolution.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to rise in support of House Resolution 113,
recognizing the social problems of child abuse and neglect and to bring
attention to this issue. I also want to commend the gentleman from
Arizona (Mr. Hayworth) for introducing such a timely and important
piece of legislation.
Mr. Speaker, today we call attention to the important fact that in
the year 2000 about 879,000 children were victims of abuse and neglect
in this country. Of this number, approximately 1,200 children died of
abuse or neglect, and 44 percent of those children were under the age
of 1 year. It is indeed a disturbing thought that an adult would want
to hurt an innocent, helpless child; yet it still occurs daily in our
country.
By the United States Congress taking a moment to bring this issue to
the floor, we are not only acknowledging that there is a problem, but
expressing a concern to help a child in need. I am pleased to report
that in the past 7 years, the State of Illinois, my State, has seen a
significant drop in its number of abuse cases. There was a 39 percent
decrease in the number of cases of children that were victims of sexual
abuse, as well as a 45 percent decrease in child abuse and neglect
cases.
However, there is always the correlation between the state of the
economy and violence. As the economy worsens and the number of
unemployed rises, it is likely that we will see the number of crimes
also increase. We will see the level of frustration increase. We will
see an increase in the number of individuals who will take out their
anger and frustration on whoever and whatever is closest to them.
Oftentimes, these are innocent children.
We must ensure that crimes towards one's child are prevented as much
as crimes towards one's neighbor. The National Institute of Justice
reported that maltreatment in childhood increases the likelihood of
arrest as a juvenile by 53 percent and as an adult by 38 percent.
Therefore, we need to intervene today and every day to keep our
children safe and protected before we severely pay for it tomorrow.
Mr. Speaker, I again commend the gentleman from Arizona (Mr.
Hayworth) for this thoughtful and timely legislation.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. PORTER. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the
gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Hayworth), the distinguished author of this
legislation.
(Mr. HAYWORTH asked and was given permission to revise and extend his
remarks.)
Mr. HAYWORTH. Mr. Speaker, let me also, at the outset, begin with a
personal note: how pleased I am to have my neighbor from Nevada here
managing this legislation on the floor of the House, the first such
opportunity he has had. I predict he will have many more opportunities
to serve his home State of Nevada and this Nation with great
distinction.
Let me also take time at the outset to thank my friend, the gentleman
from Illinois (Mr. Davis), on the other side of the aisle for his
support of this resolution, House Resolution 113, a resolution that
recognizes the scope of child abuse and neglect and declares support
for efforts to raise public awareness of this tragic problem.
Mr. Speaker, in many ways this House Chamber becomes America's town
hall. We are able to focus the collective attention of our Nation on
vital concerns of the day. While war rages around the globe, while our
men and women in harm's way are doing their best to liberate another
nation, it is worth noting that here at home we have serious problems;
and, indeed, these problems extend to the youngest among us.
Mr. Speaker, homicide is the only major cause of childhood death that
has increased over the last 30 years. Think about that for just a
minute. In the last 3 decades, while we have made such tremendous
strides against childhood disease, a cause of death so brutal as the
premeditated taking of another's life continues to be on the rise among
our youngest. Mr. Speaker, the tragic fact is, murders of children 5
years old and younger are most often committed by family members
through beatings or suffocation.
While we welcome the strides my friend, the gentleman from Illinois,
talked about in his home State, Mr. Speaker, I am compelled to come to
the floor and talk about the challenges my home State of Arizona
confronts. An average of 89 reports of alleged child abuse and neglect
are made to Arizona's Child Protective Services each day. Of the over
17,000 reports of alleged maltreatment received from April 1 of 2002 to
September 30 of that same year, 60 percent alleged neglect, 32 percent
physical abuse, 6 percent sexual abuse, and 2 percent emotional abuse.
My friend, the gentleman from Illinois, touched on it earlier; but it
bears repeating: sadly, parents who abuse all too often raise children
who become abusers when they become parents. Maltreated children are at
a higher risk of arrest at a younger age, with more significant and
repeated criminal involvement. They can be expected to commit nearly
twice as many crimes as children raised in a healthier environment.
We come to this floor today to recognize this social ill, but to go
beyond that, not only to draw the scrutiny of our Nation, Mr. Speaker,
to this problem, not only to talk about the width and breadth of the
challenge we confront, that approximately 3 million cases of suspected
or known child abuse and neglect involving 5 million American children
are made each year, but also the sobering speculation and belief among
many who study this problem that the actual incidence of abuse and
neglect is estimated to be three times greater than the number actually
reported to authorities. Mr. Speaker, we move beyond mere statistics to
the very real human equation of the desperation confronted by the
youngest among us.
Therefore, Mr. Speaker, this resolution expresses the sense of
Congress that all Americans should keep victims of child abuse and
neglect in their thoughts and prayers and urges the faith community,
nonprofit organizations, and individual volunteers to recommit and
mobilize their resources to assist the victims.
Mr. Speaker, we might also make a personal appeal to those parents
who, for reasons of rage or helplessness or, sadly, convenience, reach
out almost
[[Page H2318]]
reflexively to strike a child. Mr. Speaker, in this place at this time
we would ask those parents and those adults to stop and think. Indeed,
Mr. Speaker, this resolution urges Americans to seek to break the cycle
of child abuse and neglect and to give these victimized children hope
for the future.
As was noted earlier, the upcoming month of April is distinguished as
Child Abuse Prevention Month. The nonprofit organization Childhelp USA,
which I am honored by the fact that it is headquartered in the Fifth
Congressional District of Arizona, has initiated the National Day of
Hope to focus public awareness of child abuse and neglect. As my
colleagues mentioned earlier, this year National Day of Hope is
scheduled for Wednesday, April 2.
This resolution also commends Childhelp USA for its efforts on behalf
of children and its embracing of the goals of the National Day of Hope.
Lost among all the platitudes about children representing our future
is this stunning fact that we cannot ignore: millions of American
children are abused and neglected each year. This brutal behavior is so
devastating that not only those children, but also our society, are
victimized.
The challenge we confront demands the attention and compassionate
action of every American. That is why I would urge Members' support for
this resolution today.
Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may
consume to the gentleman from American Samoa (Mr. Faleomavaega).
(Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA asked and was given permission to revise and extend
his remarks.)
Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Mr. Speaker, I first would like to extend my
commendation to the sponsor of this resolution, my good friend, the
gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Hayworth), who also happens to be the co-
chair of our Congressional Native American Caucus. I am very moved by
the leadership and the initiative that this gentleman has taken to
bring this resolution to the floor for consideration by the Members of
this Chamber.
I also would like to thank my good friend, the gentleman from
Illinois (Mr. Davis), as co-manager of this legislation, and the
gentleman from Nevada (Mr. Porter) for his management of this proposed
resolution.
Mr. Speaker, today I rise in support of House Resolution 113 to
recognize the social problems of child abuse and neglect and support
efforts to enhance public awareness of the problem. Currently, much of
the world is focused on the current global events, and as a Nation we
support our troops overseas and pray for their safe return home.
I would also like to express my gratitude to our Committee on Armed
Services for their diligence and bravery, as well as to their family
members who continue to remain stalwart in support of them.
Mr. Speaker, as we continue to keep abreast of these global events,
we must also remember that we have a generation of children who need
our support and our protection. Each year, child protective service
agencies receive approximately 3 million reports of suspected or known
child abuse and neglect. Many of these children are removed from their
unsafe home conditions and placed in foster care; tragically, some die
as a result of abuse and neglect.
Mr. Speaker, our children require our assistance. They need us to
defend their right to provide safe havens for them to grow and
flourish. There has been a recognition for the need to get out into the
public and educate families regarding parenting skills aimed at
rehabilitating the family and preventing out-of-home placement of
children.
We have seen a struggle between old, traditional views of
childrearing and modern society's views. As a society, it has been
important for us to recognize that child abuse and neglect occurs in
our community and that we as a collective unit are charged with
preventing such abuses. We cannot continue to ignore the problems our
children face. Now is the time for us to act to stand up for our
children's rights, to report abuse that we see take place, and to get
involved.
With all the trials and tribulations that life holds, we owe it to
our children to provide them a safe environment while they are young,
one where they have the opportunity to grow, to learn, and to live
without fear. We can achieve this goal by supporting this resolution
and calling on all Americans to participate in breaking the cycle of
child abuse and neglect and to give these victimized children hope for
the future.
Again, I am always impressed by the eloquence of my good friend, the
gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Hayworth), and I thank him for his
initiative and efforts to bring this resolution to the floor. I ask my
colleagues to support this resolution.
Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
I will just make two observances in closing. One is to follow up on
the comments of Mr. Faleomavaega, that there is a tremendous need for
parenting classes and parenting help, for many of our young parents,
especially, who have children but not much opportunity to really know
about parenting. That is one of the needs that exists and one of the
program areas that we need to pay serious attention to.
{time} 1045
The other is, people often ask me, are these kind of resolutions of
any value? Do they make any sense?
I thought of a story that I heard the other day that a man was
walking along the beach, and he saw a silver fish, and he picked it up
and threw it in the water. Another fellow walking behind him says, I
hate to bother you, he said, but can you tell me what you are doing? He
said, well, I am throwing the silver fish back into the water. He said,
I do not know why you are doing that. There are so many of them you
could never throw them all in, and even if you did all of them in this
particular area, there are beaches all over the world, and so you are
kind of wasting your time. Do you really think it will make a
difference?
The man never answered. He just reached down, threw another fish into
the water. Of course, when the fish fall into the water, they oxidate
and continue to live, and he said it made a difference to that one,
picked up another one, made a difference to that one.
If we only make a difference in the life of one child with this
resolution, we have made a difference to that one.
Mr. TOM DAVIS of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of
this resolution and thank my colleague from Arizona for introducing it.
The problem of child abuse and neglect is one of the great social
ills of our society and must be a major focus of our nation. The
statistics are staggering. More than three children die each day as a
result of abuse in the home, with 85% of the victims under the age of
six. Approximately three million child abuse reports are made each
year, and it is estimated that the actual incidence of abuse and
neglect is estimated to be three times that of the number reported to
authorities.
We all know that the federal government is limited in our ability to
combat this problem. It takes the individuals on the front lines in
child protective services, law enforcement, and the volunteer community
to break the cycle of abuse and neglect, ensuring that the most fragile
and innocent among us are protected. We are fortunate that such
individuals and organizations exist among us.
In my home county of Fairfax, we are fortunate to have the Childhelp
USA Children's Center of Virginia working to combat abuse. Last week,
they entered into an agreement with the Fairfax County Police
Department, Fairfax County Department of Family Services, Fairfax/Falls
Church Community Services Board, Office of the Commonwealth Attorney,
Inova Fairfax Hospital for children, and Hispanics Against Child Abuse
and Neglect to better integrate our efforts to prevent and respond to
child abuse and neglect in Fairfax County. I commend this partnership
for their commitment and for their efforts.
We can never appropriately thank or recognize the individuals and
organizations that make up this network for the services, compassion,
and hope that they provide to children all across our great nation. We
can, however, ensure that we work with them and help to provide the
necessary resources to ensure that all children have the ability to
hope, dream, and achieve their full potential. Together we can break
the cycle of abuse that threatens the future of so many of our nation's
children.
Mr. ACEVEDO-VILA. Mr. Speaker, I commend the gentleman from Arizona
for bringing this critical issue to the floor of the House, and I join
him in calling for a Day of Hope during Child Abuse Month. Thank you
for your commitment and dedication to addressing this issue that
impacts over 5 million children in the United States.
[[Page H2319]]
It is also my hope that this will be a year of action by this
Congress in working to strengthen our nation's response to child abuse
and foster care.
Sadly, as is the case on the Mainland, child abuse and neglect are
very serious and urgent problems in Puerto Rico. The twin evils of
poverty and substance abuse have combined to conspire against our
children and have placed too many of them at risk for abuse and
neglect. In 2002, the Commonwealth received around 30,000 complaints of
abuse and neglect and nearly 10,000 children went through our foster
care system,
Governor Calderon has made this issue a top priority, and, with an
additional investment of $12 million in Commonwealth funds, and no
additional support from the federal government, doubled the number of
social workers in the Family Department, lowered caseloads to 31, and
practically eliminated the backlog of complaints. A pilot program to
reduce investigation time to less than 48 hours was implemented
successfully and is being expanded, and a new inter-agency, multi-
service transitional housing center for foster children was
inaugurated. We know this is not enough, but we think it is an
excellent start, and the Commonwealth will be more aggressive in
reaching out and partnering with the community based and church
affiliated organizations on the island in order to succeed.
In fact, some of the residential services offered to our foster
children are being provided by a variety of community and faith based
organizations throughout the Island, such as ``Ave Maria,'' in Bayamon,
which is run by priests and shelters children from infancy to five
years, and ``Aldea Juvenil,'' in San Lorenzo, a specialized facility
for boys with behavioral problems that is run by a local pastor.
Mr. Speaker, as you may know, on the mainland a child in need of
foster care is entitled to federal/state assistance for foster care
through the Title IV-E program. However, because of statutory
restrictions, children in Puerto Rico do not have that same guaranteed
access. Our children get care, but once the limit of federal support is
reached, it is the Commonwealth alone providing the resources. Even
when the Commonwealth has earned a performance bonus for its good work,
if it means the so-called cap is exceeded, the Commonwealth is denied
the bonus. Just last year a $200,000 adoption bonus payment was denied
because of limitations on Title IV-E funds--a restriction that children
on the mainland do not have to worry about.
This resolution calls on us to give children hope for the future.
Mr. Speaker, it is my hope that my colleagues will join with me this
year in working to see that Puerto Rico's abused and neglected children
are provided the same access to federal assistance during the darkest
times of their lives--without the imposition of arbitrary limits that
bear no relationship to their actual needs.
If we are able to accomplish this goal, it will get one more positive
step in making sure no child living under the laws of our land be left
behind.
Again, Mr. Speaker, I want to commend the gentleman from Arizona for
bringing this important issue to the floor of this House and I join
with him in urging the resolution's adoption.
Mr. BURTON of Indiana. Mr. Speaker, today the House considered H.
Res. 113, a resolution that recognizes the scope of child abuse and
neglect and declares support for efforts to raise public awareness of
this tragic problem. I wholeheartedly support H. Res. 113 for several
reasons. Approximately 3 million cases of suspected or known child
abuse and neglect involving 5 million American children occur each
year. The actual incidence of abuse and neglect is estimated to be 3
times greater than then number reported to authorities. This social
problem results in human and economic costs due to its relationship to
crime, delinquency, drug and alcohol abuse, domestic violence, and
welfare dependency.
As a child growing up in Indiana, I personally experienced the
horrors of child abuse in my own family. Children in abusive homes have
very few options to improve their situations. I believe that the public
needs to be better educated about the effects of abuse. It is important
that children living in abusive homes know that there are people and
organizations available to help them. Children shouldn't have to live
in fear of abuse. The law should be there to protect them, and when it
doesn't we should take steps to ensure their safety.
H. Res. 113 recognizes the need for better public awareness of the
tragedy of child abuse. I urge my colleagues to continue to promote
awareness of this tragic problem.
Mr. BOEHNER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of House Resolution
113 offered by my friend and colleague, the gentleman from Arizona, Mr.
Hayworth. House Resolution 113 recognizes the social problem of child
abuse and neglect and supports the goals and ideals of the National Day
of Hope. I am pleased to have the opportunity today to speak on behalf
of it.
This resolution addresses an issue that, unfortunately, plagues many
of our districts. Each year approximately 3 million reports of possible
child abuse and neglect are made to child welfare agencies. As a
result, about 556,000 children are unable to live safely with their
families at home and are placed in foster care.
Child abuse and neglect is a social problem that affects all
Americans. The results of such abuse and neglect have great human and
economic costs and are related to crime and delinquency, drug and
alcohol abuse, domestic violence, and welfare dependency. Therefore,
all Americans should strive to break the cycle of child abuse and
neglect to give victimized children hope for the future.
Childhelp USA is one of the Nation's oldest and largest nonprofit
organizations dedicated to the prevention and treatment of child abuse
and neglect. As part of their efforts to bring attention to this issue,
Childhelp USA has initiated a National Day of Hope to be observed on
April 2, 2003. A day that is appropriate and timely as April is
designated as National Child Abuse Prevention Month.
This day of hope is a reminder to all Americans that they should keep
the victims of child maltreatment in their thoughts and prayers, and it
encourages community efforts to mobilize resources to assist abused and
neglected children.
Mr. Speaker, this resolution is very simple and straightforward. It
rightly recognizes the need for more public awareness of the problem of
child maltreatment and supports the goals and ideals of the National
Day of Hope.
I commend the gentleman from Arizona for his leadership on this
matter and urge my colleagues to vote in support of the resolution.
Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my
time.
Mr. PORTER. Mr. Speaker, I applaud all the speakers this morning. We
have no further requests for time, and I yield back the balance of my
time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Otter). The question is on the motion
offered by the gentleman from Nevada (Mr. Porter) that the House
suspend the rules and agree to the resolution, H. Res. 113, as amended.
The question was taken; and (two-thirds having voted in favor
thereof) the rules were suspended and the resolution, as amended, was
agreed to.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
____________________