[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 49 (Wednesday, March 26, 2003)]
[House]
[Pages H2325-H2327]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
RECOGNIZING AND SUPPORTING GOALS AND IDEALS OF NATIONAL RUNAWAY
PREVENTION MONTH
Mr. DUNCAN. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the
resolution (H. Res. 57) recognizing and supporting the goals and ideals
of ``National Runaway Prevention Month''.
The Clerk read as follows:
H. Res. 57
Whereas the prevalence of runaway and homeless situations
among youth is staggering, with studies suggesting that
between 1,300,000 and 2,800,000 youth live on the streets of
the United States each year;
Whereas running away from home is widespread, with 1 out of
every 7 youth in the United States running away from home
before the age of 18;
Whereas runaway youth most often are youth who have been
expelled from their homes by their families, physically,
sexually, and emotionally abused at home, discharged by State
custodial systems without adequate transition plans,
separated from their parents through death and divorce, too
poor to secure their own basic needs, and ineligible or
unable to access adequate medical or mental health resources;
Whereas effective programs supporting runaway youth and
assisting youth and their families in remaining at home
succeed because of partnerships created among families,
community-based human service agencies, law enforcement
agencies, schools, faith-based organizations, and businesses;
Whereas preventing youth from running away from home and
supporting youth in high-risk situations is a family,
community, and national priority;
Whereas the future well-being of the Nation is dependent on
the opportunities provided for youth and families to acquire
the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary for youth 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 supports that address their
critical needs;
Whereas the National Runaway Switchboard provides crisis
intervention and referrals to reconnect runaway youth to
their families and to link youth to local resources that
provide positive alternatives to running away from home; and
Whereas the National Network for Youth and National Runaway
Switchboard are co-sponsoring National Runaway Prevention
Month, during the month of November, 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 House of Representatives recognizes and
supports the goals and ideals of ``National Runaway
Prevention Month''.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
Tennessee (Mr. Duncan) and the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Davis) each
will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Tennessee (Mr. Duncan).
General Leave
Mr. DUNCAN. 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. 57.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Tennessee?
There was no objection.
Mr. DUNCAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, House Resolution 57, introduced by my distinguished
colleague, the gentleman from the City of New York (Mr. Israel),
recognizes and supports the goals and ideas of National Runaway
Prevention Month.
Mr. Speaker, we all want every child in America to grow up in a safe,
loving home and to realize his or her full potential in life. However,
the plight of children who run away from their homes continues to
plague American families. Sadly, the factors that prove to increase the
chances that children will leave their homes seem so preventable. These
factors include drug and alcohol abuse by a family member, severe
neglect or mistreatment, and serious family unrest. I remember hearing
after one of the school shootings a couple of years ago the national
head of the YMCA on the CBS national news who said children were being
neglected in this country like never before.
Even in this compassionate Nation, the challenges that today's youth
face are many. But so too are the responsibilities that all Americans
have to be aware of the conditions that encourage children to run away
from home, and to address those conditions where they exist.
Hopefully, all Americans will pay more attention to the serious
problem of runaway children. We can each act to enrich the lives of
children in our communities by volunteering at a local school, or in a
child-mentoring program, or in a faith-based organization that works
with children or families. And in the most unfortunate cases in which
children have left their homes, for whatever reason, it must be a
priority of all Americans to work together to reunite parents with
their runaway children.
Since nothing is more important than the safety and stability of the
lives of our Nation's children, I urge all Members to support the
adoption of House Resolution 57.
Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from New York (Mr. Israel) for
introducing this worthwhile measure.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
{time} 1200
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 H. Res. 57, a bill
recognizing and supporting the goals and ideals of National Runaway
Prevention Month, and I commend the gentleman from New York (Mr.
Israel) for its introduction.
Each year, more than 1 million teenagers run away in the United
States, a rate of more than 1 every minute. Many of these young people
leave their homes to escape abuse and neglect or because their parents
could not or would not meet their basic needs for food, shelter, and a
safe, supportive home environment.
While on the streets, America's children are vulnerable and may be
exploited by drug dealers or become victims of crime or violence.
To survive, runaways may resort to shoplifting or prostitution to
earn money for food and clothing. Medical conditions may go untreated
or become aggravated by neglect, and those who drop out of school
threaten their chances for economic independence.
The National Runaway Switchboard, which was founded by a group of
Chicago agencies in 1971, gives help and hope to youth and their
families by providing nonjudgmental, confidential crisis intervention
and local and national referrals through a 24-hour hotline. The NRS,
along with the National Network for Youth, are cosponsoring National
Runaway Prevention Month during the month of November to increase
awareness of the life circumstances of youths in high-risk situations
and the need for a safe haven for these youths.
I also want to commend the Chicago public school system, the Chicago
Board of Education for the work that it does of providing education for
homeless children without their having to go through lots of changes in
terms of identification of where they are and where they come from.
This resolution supports NRS and NN4Y in their efforts to create
National Runaway Prevention Month. I urge my colleagues to support H.
Res. 57 and the runaway children it will help.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. DUNCAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as she may consume to the
gentlewoman from Illinois (Mrs. Biggert).
[[Page H2326]]
Mrs. BIGGERT. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Tennessee (Mr.
Duncan) for yielding me this time.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to join my colleague, the gentleman from
New York (Mr. Israel) in strong support of a resolution recognizing the
goals and ideals of Runaway Youth Prevention Month, which is being
sponsored by the National Network For Youth and the National Runaway
Switchboard.
Within the last year, a number of highly publicized child abductions
focused the attention of Americans on the plight of exploited and
abducted children and the pain and agony suffered by the families left
behind. Recognizing the serious threat that faces our children every
day as they travel to and from school and play with friends in parks
and neighborhoods, President Bush, in October of last year, convened a
conference on missing, exploited, and runaway children. Again, the main
focus was on abducted and exploited children, and rightly so. One child
abduction is one too many.
But let us put the problem of child abductions into perspective. Five
times as many children run away as are abducted in this country, and
one runaway child is also one too many. There are approximately 1.3
million young Americans on the street every day as a result of running
away and/or homelessness. One in seven children between the ages of 10
and 18 will run away. Some will return within a few days, while others
will remain on the streets and never return. And each year, assault,
illness, or suicide will take the lives of 5,000 runaway youth. That is
5,000 too many.
There are many reasons why children run away from home. Some are
expelled from their homes by their families or separated from their
parents because of death or divorce. As much as violence is involved in
the abduction of a child, so too does physical, sexual, and emotional
abuse at home often cause a child to run away. Having run away, these
youth are now homeless, too poor to secure their own basic needs and
often ineligible or unable to access medical or mental health
resources.
Many runaway youth also have difficulty obtaining an education
because they are homeless. Being a runaway or being without a home
should not mean being without an education. Yet that is what
homelessness means for far too many of our poor and runaway children
and youth today.
Congress recognized the importance of educating homeless and runaway
youth when it enacted in 1987 the McKinney Education program. But
despite the progress made over the past decade, we know that homeless
children continue to miss out on what is often the only source of
stability and promise in their lives: school attendance.
That is why in the 107th Congress I introduced the McKinney-Vento
Homeless Education Act, which was included in the No Child Left Behind
Act that became law at the beginning of 2002.
By incorporating the innovative provisions contained in the
legislation, the No Child Left Behind Act strengthened the McKinney
program, ensuring that homeless or runaway children are immediately
enrolled in school when they desire an education. That means no red
tape, no waiting for paperwork, and no bureaucratic delays. A school
liaison helps runaway or homeless youth make certain decisions about
their education and, upon enrollment, ensures that they have access to
the special assistance and services available to runaway and homeless
youth.
This is only one small way in which more is being done to help
children who are runaways or who are homeless. There are many others,
individuals and organizations, who are doing whatever they can to
assist America's runaway youth by providing food, shelter, clothing,
and counseling. Others are working with families to prevent a child
from running away in the first place, and still others are intervening
and advocating on behalf of children and giving them options other than
running away.
One such organization is the National Runaway Switchboard, which
provides crisis intervention and referrals to reconnect runaway youth
with their families and to link young people to local resources that
provide positive alternatives to running. I am compelled to call to the
attention of my colleagues, just as the gentleman from Illinois (Mr.
Davis) did, this important resource because it originated in Chicago.
Founded by a group of Chicago agencies, the National Runaway
Switchboard was established in 1971 to provide comprehensive crisis
intervention services for young people in the Chicago area. It was
conceived as a centralized organization with free, 24-hour services,
expertise in all youth-related issues, and as an information
clearinghouse.
In 1974, it became a national resource and now is the federally
designated national communication system for runaway and homeless
youth. The Switchboard is still available 24 hours a day and fields
more than 100,000 calls each year from the Nation's runaway and
homeless youth; and through a partnership with Greyhound, the National
Runaway Switchboard reunited approximately 1,000 families each year.
The National Runaway Switchboard, the National Network for Youth, an
organization that my colleague, the gentleman from New York (Mr.
Israel), will highlight, I am sure, have designated November as
National Runaway Prevention Month. The purpose of this month is to call
attention to the problem, its causes and impacts, and all of those
organizations and services that exist to help both runaways and their
families.
I want to thank the gentleman from New York (Mr. Israel) for
introducing this resolution. It has been an honor and a privilege to
work with him in the last Congress, and now in this Congress, to bring
this issue to the forefront. It is fitting for Congress to endorse the
goals and ideals of National Runaway Prevention Month and to highlight
those organizations that work so hard to help the youth of America who
have left or who are seriously considering leaving their homes for a
dangerous and uncertain life on the street.
Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this resolution.
Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield such time
as he may consume to the author of this resolution, the gentleman from
New York (Mr. Israel).
Mr. ISRAEL. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding me this
time, and I also thank the distinguished gentlewomen from Illinois for
her continued bipartisan leadership and compassion and concern on the
issue of runaways.
The gentlewoman and I introduced this bill in February, 2003.
The National Network for Youth and the National Runaway Switchboard
have designated November as National Runaway Prevention Month because
many of the causes of runaways can be successfully addressed before the
problem emerges. Unfortunately, many children do not realize that there
are resources available to them, and they choose to run away because
they think that there are no other options.
During National Runaway Prevention Month, the National Network for
Youth and the National Runaway Switchboard publicizes the realities
that runaways face on our streets. During this month, parents are
reminded to keep communication with their children open. During
November, the two organizations will reinforce the message that setting
aside regular time for planned family activities is just critical.
These organizations also reach out to youth to educate them about how
they can communicate more effectively with their parents. Young people
can learn the techniques needed to adequately express their feelings.
These organizations have the resources that can show youth that there
are alternatives, which include counseling to address the unhappiness
and a myriad of social services and youth groups.
The two main goals of National Runaway Prevention Month are to
increase awareness of issues facing runaways and to educate the public
about their role in preventing youth from running away.
Community programs in my district such as the Sanctuary Program in
Huntington provide a safe haven for youth. They teach youth the value
of trusted friends, family, adults, clergy, professionals. They teach
teens how to listen, how to understand, and how to communicate.
Some people run away because of physical or sexual abuse in their
[[Page H2327]]
homes. In these cases, youth should know that there are options. They
do not have to run and live on the streets. They can make the abuse
stop. They can get counseling, they can continue their education, they
can remain fully contributing members of society. There are
alternatives. We need to educate our youth as to where those
alternatives are.
That is what this bill helps do. The National Network for Youth and
the National Runaway Switchboard use the month of November to publicize
their efforts and educate people about those alternatives. National
Runaway Prevention Month provides a vital service in informing both at-
risk youth and their parents that communication is essential. This
resolution before us demonstrates that the House of Representatives
recognizes the service that these organizations provide.
I was very proud to introduce and cosponsor this resolution with the
gentlewoman from Illinois (Mrs. Biggert), and I urge the House to join
us in passing it today so that we may save families and save lives.
Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I would just again commend the
gentleman from New York (Mr. Israel) and the gentlewoman from Illinois
(Mrs. Biggert) for the introduction of this resolution and the work
that they have done on it. It is an important one.
Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. DUNCAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
I will simply close by saying that I would also like to commend the
gentleman from New York (Mr. Israel) and the gentlewoman from Illinois
(Mrs. Biggert).
The scope or magnitude of this problem is simply staggering. The
gentlewoman from Illinois (Mrs. Biggert) mentioned that there are 1.3
million children on the streets, either because of running away or
because of homelessness. Probably the most conservative study I have
seen on this says there are a minimum of 450,000 children who run away
from homes all across this Nation each year.
As I mentioned in my opening statement, I was so amazed when I heard,
as I was driving to the airport one afternoon here in Washington, I
heard on the CBS National Radio News that the national head of the YMCA
said children are being neglected in this country today like never
before. Unfortunately, children have more material wealth today than
probably ever before, but there are also many, many, many children who
are growing up without the love or discipline that they had in past
years or, perhaps because of broken homes or parents working long
hours, they are not getting the attention that they need and deserve.
I have said before that children today would be far better off with a
few less toys and designer fashions and another brother or sister, or
certainly more attention from their parents.
So this resolution is a small, but important, step in trying to do
something about a very serious national problem; and I urge my
colleagues to support this resolution.
Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Stearns). The question is on the motion
offered by the gentleman from Tennessee (Mr. Duncan) that the House
suspend the rules and agree to the resolution, H. Res. 57.
The question was taken; and (two-thirds having voted in favor
thereof) the rules were suspended and the resolution was agreed to.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
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