[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 75 (Tuesday, May 20, 2003)]
[House]
[Pages H4266-H4270]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




         RUNAWAY, HOMELESS, AND MISSING CHILDREN PROTECTION ACT

  Mr. GINGREY. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill (H.R. 1925) to reauthorize programs under the Runaway and Homeless 
Youth Act and the Missing Children's Assistance Act, and for other 
purposes, as amended.
  The Clerk read as follows:

                               H.R. 1925

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,

     SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

       This Act may be cited as the ``Runaway, Homeless, and 
     Missing Children Protection Act''.

         TITLE I--AMENDMENTS TO RUNAWAY AND HOMELESS YOUTH ACT

     SEC. 101. AMENDMENT TO FINDINGS.

       Section 302 of the Runaway and Homeless Youth Act (42 
     U.S.C. 5701) is amended to read as follows:

     ``SEC. 302. FINDINGS.

       ``The Congress finds that--
       ``(1) youth who have become homeless or who leave and 
     remain away from home without parental permission, are at 
     risk of developing, and have a disproportionate share of, 
     serious health, behavioral, and emotional problems because 
     they lack sufficient resources to obtain care and may live on 
     the street for extended periods thereby endangering 
     themselves and creating a substantial law enforcement problem 
     for communities in which they congregate;
       ``(2) many such young people, because of their age and 
     situation, are urgently in need of temporary shelter and 
     services, including services that are linguistically 
     appropriate and acknowledge the environment of youth seeking 
     these services;
       ``(3) in view of the interstate nature of the problem, it 
     is the responsibility of the Federal Government to develop an 
     accurate national reporting system to report the problem, and 
     to assist in the development of an effective system of care 
     (including preventive and aftercare services, emergency 
     shelter services, extended residential shelter, and street 
     outreach services) outside the welfare system and the law 
     enforcement system;
       ``(4) to make a successful transition to adulthood, runaway 
     youth, homeless youth, and other street youth need 
     opportunities to complete high school or earn a general 
     equivalency degree, learn job skills, and obtain employment; 
     and
       ``(5) improved coordination and collaboration between the 
     Federal programs that serve runaway and homeless youth are 
     necessary for the development of a long-term strategy for 
     responding to the needs of this population.''.

     SEC. 102. GRANT PROGRAM CONFORMING AMENDMENT.

       The heading for part A of the Runaway and Homeless Youth 
     Act (42 U.S.C. 5711 et seq.) is amended by striking ``Runaway 
     and Homeless Youth'' and inserting ``Basic Center''.

     SEC. 103. GRANTS FOR SERVICES PROVIDED.

       Section 311(a)(2)(C) of the Runaway and Homeless Youth Act 
     (42 U.S.C. 5711(a)(2)(C)) is amended--
       (1) in clause (ii) by striking ``and'';
       (2) in clause (iii) by striking the period and inserting 
     ``; and''; and
       (3) after clause (iii) by inserting the following:
       ``(iv) at the request of runaway and homeless youth, 
     testing for sexually transmitted diseases.''.

     SEC. 104. REPEAL OF OBSOLETE PROVISION RELATING TO CERTAIN 
                   ALLOTMENTS.

       Section 311(b) the Runaway and Homeless Youth Act (42 
     U.S.C. 5711(b)) is amended--
       (1) in paragraph (2), by striking ``Subject to paragraph 
     (3), the'' and inserting ``The'';
       (2) by striking paragraph (3); and
       (3) by redesignating paragraph (4) as paragraph (3).

     SEC. 105. ELIGIBILITY PROVISION.

       Section 312(a) of the Runaway and Homeless Youth Act (42 
     U.S.C. 5712(a)) is amended by striking ``juveniles'' each 
     place it appears and inserting ``youth''.

     SEC. 106. RECOGNITION OF STATE LAW RELATING TO CAPACITY 
                   LIMITATION ON ELIGIBLE RUNAWAY AND HOMELESS 
                   YOUTH CENTERS.

       Section 312(b)(2)(A) of the Runaway and Homeless Youth Act 
     (42 U.S.C. 5712(b)(2)(A)) is amended by inserting after 
     ``youth'' the following: ``, except where the applicant 
     assures that the State where the center or locally controlled 
     facility is located has a State or local law or regulation 
     that requires a higher maximum to comply with licensure 
     requirements for child and youth serving facilities''.

     SEC. 107. MATERNITY GROUP HOMES.

       (a) Eligibility.--Section 322(a)(1) of the Runaway and 
     Homeless Youth Act (42 U.S.C. 5714-2(a)(1)) is amended--
       (1) by inserting after ``group homes,'' the following: 
     ``including maternity group homes,''; and
       (2) by inserting after ``use of credit,'' the following: 
     ``parenting skills (as appropriate),''.
       (b) Definition.--Section 322 of the Runaway and Homeless 
     Youth Act (42 U.S.C. 5714-2) is amended by adding at the end 
     the following new subsection:
       ``(c) Definition.--In this part, the term `maternity group 
     home' means a community-based, adult-supervised transitional 
     living arrangement that provides pregnant or parenting youth 
     and their children with a supportive and supervised living 
     arrangement in which such pregnant or parenting youth are 
     required to learn parenting skills, including child 
     development, family budgeting, health and nutrition, and 
     other skills to promote their long-term economic independence 
     in order to ensure the well-being of their children.''.

     SEC. 108. LIMITED EXTENSION OF 540-DAY SHELTER ELIGIBILITY 
                   PERIOD.

       Section 322(a)(2) of the Runaway and Homeless Youth Act (42 
     U.S.C. 5714-2(a)(2)) is amended by inserting after ``days'' 
     the following: ``, except that a youth in a program under 
     this part who is under the age of 18 years on the last day of 
     the 540-day period may, if otherwise qualified for the 
     program, remain in the program until the earlier of the 
     youth's 18th birthday or the 180th day after the end of the 
     540-day period''.

     SEC. 109. PART A PLAN COORDINATION ASSURANCES.

       Section 312(b)(4)(B) of the Runaway and Homeless Youth Act 
     (42 U.S.C. 5712(b)(4)(B)) is amended by striking 
     ``personnel'' and all that follows through the semicolon and 
     inserting ``McKinney-Vento school district liaisons, 
     designated under section 722(g)(1)(J)(ii) of the McKinney-
     Vento Homeless Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 11432 
     (g)(1)(J)(ii)), to assure that runaway and homeless youth are 
     provided information about the educational services available 
     to such youth under subtitle B of title VII of that Act;''.

     SEC. 110. PART B PLAN COORDINATION AGREEMENT.

       Section 322(a) of the Runaway and Homeless Youth Act (42 
     U.S.C. 5714-2(a)) is amended--
       (1) by striking ``and'' after the semicolon at the end of 
     paragraph (13);
       (2) by striking the period at the end of paragraph (14) and 
     inserting ``; and''; and
       (3) by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
       ``(15) to coordinate services with McKinney-Vento school 
     district liaisons, designated under section 722(g)(1)(J)(ii) 
     of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 
     11432(g)(1)(J)(ii)), to assure that runaway and homeless 
     youth are provided information about the educational services 
     available to such youth under subtitle B of title VII of that 
     Act.''.

     SEC. 111. PART B PLAN DEVELOPMENT.

       Section 322(a)(7) of the Runaway and Homeless Youth Act (42 
     U.S.C. 5714-2(a)(7)) is amended to read as follows:
       ``(7) to develop an adequate plan to ensure proper referral 
     of homeless youth to social service, law enforcement, 
     educational (including post-secondary education), vocational, 
     training (including services and programs for youth available 
     under the Workforce Investment Act of 1998), welfare 
     (including programs under the Personal Responsibility and 
     Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996), legal service, 
     and health care programs and to help integrate and coordinate 
     such services for youths;''.

     SEC. 112. COORDINATION OF PROGRAMS.

       Section 341 of the Runaway and Homeless Youth Act (42 
     U.S.C. 5714-21) is amended--
       (1) in paragraph (1), by striking ``and'' after the 
     semicolon at the end;

[[Page H4267]]

       (2) in paragraph (2), by striking the period at the end and 
     inserting ``; and''; and
       (3) by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
       ``(3) shall consult, as appropriate, the Secretary of 
     Housing and Urban Development to ensure coordination of 
     programs and services for homeless youth.''.

     SEC. 113. CLARIFICATION OF GRANT AUTHORITY.

       Section 343(a) of the Runaway and Homeless Youth Act (42 
     U.S.C. 5714-23(a)) is amended by inserting after ``service 
     projects'' the following: ``regarding activities under this 
     title''.

     SEC. 114. TECHNICAL AMENDMENT RELATING TO DEMONSTRATION 
                   PROJECTS.

       The section heading of section 344 of the Runaway and 
     Homeless Youth Act (42 U.S.C. 5714-24) is amended by striking 
     ``temporary''.

     SEC. 115. REPEAL OF OBSOLETE PROVISION RELATING TO STUDY.

       The Runaway and Homeless Youth Act (42 U.S.C. 5701 et seq.) 
     is amended by striking section 345 (42 U.S.C. 5714-25).

     SEC. 116. AGE LIMIT FOR HOMELESS YOUTH.

       Section 387(3)(A)(i) of the Runaway and Homeless Youth Act 
     (42 U.S.C. 5732a(3)(A)(i)) is amended by inserting after ``of 
     age'' the following: ``, or, in the case of a youth seeking 
     shelter in a center under part A, not more than 18 years of 
     age''.

     SEC. 117. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

       (a) Other Than Part E.--Section 388(a)(1) of the Runaway 
     and Homeless Youth Act (42 U.S.C. 5751(a)(1)) is amended by 
     striking ``such sums as may be necessary for fiscal years 
     2000, 2001, 2002, and 2003'' and inserting ``$105,000,000 for 
     fiscal year 2004, and such sums as may be necessary for 
     fiscal years 2005, 2006, 2007, and 2008''.
       (b) Part E.--Section 388(a)(4) of the Runaway and Homeless 
     Youth Act (42 U.S.C. 5751(a)(4)) is amended by striking 
     ``2000, 2001, 2002, and 2003'' and inserting ``2004, 2005, 
     2006, 2007, and 2008''.
       (c) Part B Allocation.--Section 388(a)(2)(B) of the Runaway 
     and Homeless Youth Act (42 U.S.C. 5751(a)(2)(B)) is amended 
     by striking ``not less than 20 percent, and not more than 30 
     percent'' and inserting ``45 percent and, in those fiscal 
     years in which continuation grant obligations and the quality 
     and number of applicants for parts A and B warrant not more 
     than 55 percent''.

     SEC. 118. REPORT ON PROMISING STRATEGIES TO END YOUTH 
                   HOMELESSNESS.

       Not later than 2 years after the date of the enactment of 
     this Act, the Secretary of Health and Human Services, in 
     consultation with the United States Interagency Council on 
     Homelessness, shall submit to the Congress a report on 
     promising strategies to end youth homelessness.

     SEC. 119. STUDY OF HOUSING SERVICES AND STRATEGIES.

       The Secretary of Health and Human Services shall conduct a 
     study of programs funded under part B of the Runaway and 
     Homeless Youth Act (42 U.S.C. 5714-1 et seq.) to report on 
     long-term housing outcomes for youth after exiting the 
     program. The study of any such program should provide 
     information on housing services available to youth upon 
     exiting the program, including assistance in locating and 
     retaining permanent housing and referrals to other 
     residential programs. In addition, the study should identify 
     housing models and placement strategies that prevent future 
     episodes of homelessness.

     SEC. 120. RESTRICTION ON USE OF FUNDS.

       The Runaway and Homeless Youth Act (42 U.S.C. 5701 et seq.) 
     is amended by adding at the end the following new section:

     ``SEC. 389. RESTRICTION ON USE OF FUNDS.

       ``(a) In General.--None of the funds contained in this 
     title may be used for any program of distributing sterile 
     needles or syringes for the hypodermic injection of any 
     illegal drug.
       ``(b) Separate Accounting.--Any individual or entity who 
     receives any funds contained in this title and who carries 
     out any program described in subsection (a) shall account for 
     all funds used for such program separately from any funds 
     contained in this title.''.

       TITLE II--AMENDMENTS TO MISSING CHILDREN'S ASSISTANCE ACT

     SEC. 201. AMENDMENT TO FINDINGS.

       Section 402 of the Missing Children's Assistance Act (42 
     U.S.C. 5771) is amended to read as follows:

     ``SEC. 402. FINDINGS.

       ``The Congress finds that--
       ``(1) each year thousands of children are abducted or 
     removed from the control of a parent having legal custody 
     without such parent's consent, under circumstances which 
     immediately place the child in grave danger;
       ``(2) many missing children are at great risk of both 
     physical harm and sexual exploitation;
       ``(3) in many cases, parents and local law enforcement 
     officials have neither the resources nor the expertise to 
     mount expanded search efforts;
       ``(4) abducted children are frequently moved from one 
     locality to another, requiring the cooperation and 
     coordination of local, State, and Federal law enforcement 
     efforts;
       ``(5) the National Center for Missing and Exploited 
     Children--
       ``(A) serves as the national resource center and 
     clearinghouse;
       ``(B) works in partnership with the Department of Justice, 
     the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Department of the 
     Treasury, the Department of State, and many other agencies in 
     the effort to find missing children and prevent child 
     victimization; and
       ``(C) operates a national and increasingly worldwide 
     network, linking the Center online with each of the missing 
     children clearinghouses operated by the 50 States, the 
     District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico, as well as with 
     Scotland Yard in the United Kingdom, the Royal Canadian 
     Mounted Police, INTERPOL headquarters in Lyon, France, and 
     others, which enable the Center to transmit images and 
     information regarding missing children to law enforcement 
     across the United States and around the world instantly.''.

     SEC. 202. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

       (a) Annual Grant to National Center for Missing and 
     Exploited Children.--Section 404(b)(2) of the Missing 
     Children's Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5773(b)(2)) is amended 
     by striking ``2005'' and inserting ``2008''.
       (b) In General.--Section 408(a) of the Missing Children's 
     Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5777(a)) is amended by striking 
     ``2005.'' and inserting ``2008''.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Georgia (Mr. Gingrey) and the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Hinojosa) each 
will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Gingrey).


                             General Leave

  Mr. GINGREY. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members 
may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their 
remarks and include extraneous material on H.R. 1925, as amended.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Georgia?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. GINGREY. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, let me start by thanking my colleagues on the Committee 
on Education and the Workforce for their diligence in getting us to the 
floor today. Specifically, I want to commend the gentleman from Ohio 
(Chairman Boehner), the ranking member, the gentleman from California 
(Mr. George Miller), as well as the subcommittee chairman, the 
gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Hoekstra), and the gentleman from Texas 
(Mr. Hinojosa).
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 1925, the Runaway, Homeless, 
and Missing Children Protection Act, which provides for the 
reauthorization of both the Runaway and Homeless Youth Act and the 
Missing Children's Assistance Act. This legislation strengthens and 
funds the programs and services authorized under these acts in order to 
address the needs of these children who need our help and protection.
  The purpose of both acts remains relatively unchanged. However, we do 
aim to strengthen these programs that serve these at-risk children and 
youth.

                              {time}  1030

  H.R. 1925 continues to fund the Basic Center Program, the 
Transitional Living Program, and the Street Outreach Program to meet 
the needs of runaway, homeless and street youth. Grants are awarded to 
local public and private organizations to establish and operate these 
community-based shelters that are not part of the law enforcement, 
juvenile justice, child welfare, or mental health systems.
  This legislation also seeks to improve Federal coordination to ensure 
a collaboration between the United States Departments of Health and 
Human Services, Education, Labor, Housing and Urban Development, and 
Justice in providing programs and services targeting runaway and 
homeless youth.
  H.R. 1925 increases Federal support for these at-risk youth by 
authorizing the Runaway and Homeless Youth programs at $105 million for 
fiscal year 2004 and at ``such sums'' for fiscal years 2005 through 
2008.
  Additionally, H.R. 1925 continues to provide Federal support for the 
National Center for Missing and Exploited Children to enhance efforts 
to locate and recover missing children and help prevent abductions and 
sexual exploitation.
  This bill increases the authorization level of the National Center 
for Missing and Exploited Children from $10 million to $20 million for 
each of the fiscal years 2004 through 2008, mirroring the PROTECT Act, 
and extends the authorization of the remaining activities under the act 
as ``such sums'' for fiscal years 2004 through 2008.
  As the Nation's resource center and clearinghouse for information on 
missing and exploited children, the Center provides assistance to 
families and law

[[Page H4268]]

enforcement agencies in locating and recovering missing and exploited 
children, both nationally and internationally.
  The Center acts to coordinate public and private programs that 
locate, recover, or unite missing children with their families; and it 
nationally disseminates information relating to innovative and model 
programs, services, and legislation that benefit missing and exploited 
children.
  Mr. Speaker, it is important that we continue to support the National 
Center for Missing and Exploited Children; and I am pleased that H.R. 
1925 accomplishes that goal.
  H.R. 1925 does make several modifications to current law to 
streamline and strengthen the Federal support for the programs and 
activities that serve this very vulnerable segment of our country's 
youth population. The improvements made in this legislation will result 
in better services for at-risk youth. In fact, these improvements will 
benefit the Advocates for Bartow's Children, a basic center that is 
located in the Eleventh Congressional District of Georgia in Bartow 
County, my district.
  Additionally, the work of the National Center for Missing and 
Exploited Children will continue to be supported, as they have played a 
role in many of the 1,074 cases of recovering of missing children in my 
home State of Georgia.
  The Runaway, Homeless and Missing Children Protection Act makes small 
changes to these programs for at-risk youth. I would like to say that, 
although we are making some changes, these programs are already working 
well and efficiently. These are valuable programs that make a big 
difference in the lives of the children, youth, and families that rely 
on them. This bill enjoys support from both sides of the aisle, and the 
effort to pass this legislation has been truly bipartisan.
  Mr. Speaker, this is much-needed legislation; and I would urge my 
colleagues to support H.R. 1925.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. HINOJOSA. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 1925, the Runaway, 
Homeless, and Missing Children Protection Act. I am pleased to be an 
original cosponsor of this important and much-needed legislation which 
reauthorizes the Federal programs that protect and assist the most 
vulnerable young people in our society.
  This legislation enjoys broad bipartisan support. I would like to 
thank the committee chairman, the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Boehner), 
the chairman of the Subcommittee on Select Education, the gentleman 
from Michigan (Mr. Hoekstra), and my colleague, the gentleman from 
Georgia (Mr. Gingrey), the sponsor of H.R. 1925, for working diligently 
with us to ensure that this important legislation could move 
expeditiously through the process and remain something we can all 
support.
  We would never get anything through the legislative process without 
dedicated, professional staff work; and this bill is no exception. I 
would like to also commend our committee staff, Denise Forte and 
Ricardo Martinez, as well as the staff for the majority, Whitney 
Rhoades, Krisann Pierce, and Rebecca Jones for their excellent work.
  The programs funded under this act reflect what brings us together as 
a society. In the face of crisis, Americans want to lend a helping 
hand. That is what these programs do, they provide emergency shelter 
and services to young people in crisis, helping them get on a path to 
healthy, independent lives, and hopefully reuniting them with their 
families.
  The programs funded under this act, Basic Centers, Transitional 
Living Programs, and Street Outreach Programs, are desperately needed 
in communities across the country. We have excellent programs operating 
in my own home State of Texas. During our subcommittee hearing, we 
learned of the tremendous work being done by the Washington, D.C., 
Latin American Youth Center through these programs.
  We heard from a young man who was once homeless. Through these 
programs, he is now on the path to independence and possibly a college 
degree. I asked him how the program earned his trust so he was willing 
to leave the streets and take another life path. His answer was simple: 
They gave him a place to stay immediately.
  I urge my colleagues to support this legislation so that other young 
people in need will have a place to stay, a place that will put them on 
a path to a better life.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. GINGREY. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from 
Nebraska (Mr. Osborne).
  Mr. OSBORNE. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding time to 
me.
  I rise to support the Homeless and Runaway Youth Act, H.R. 1925. I 
would like to thank the gentleman from Ohio (Chairman Boehner) and the 
subcommittee chairman, the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Hoekstra), for 
their work on this committee.
  The number of young people in our country who are currently homeless 
is truly alarming. Most of these young people are without any parental 
support. Many are simply fleeing abusive and dangerous situations. So 
it is critical that we provide these young people a safe haven, a place 
where they can have food and shelter.
  But certainly young people need more than this. They need the help 
and the care of an adult. They need a relationship. I think that is 
important. I think whether a child is homeless because he simply has no 
parents or is fleeing an abusive situation, they all share one thing; 
that is that there is no adult in their life that they can really count 
on.
  In my previous profession, 36 years of coaching, I dealt with a great 
many young people in situations like this where they had absolutely no 
support. I saw firsthand the difference a coach, a teacher, a mentor 
could make in the life of a young person.
  This is one reason why I would like to, in conjunction with 
discussing this particular bill, mention the importance of an 
initiative that the President has recently promoted, which is to make a 
rather concerted effort in this country to promote mentoring. A mentor 
will reduce absenteeism from school by 50 percent, reduce teenage 
pregnancy, reduce drug and alcohol abuse and violent behavior.
  Currently, we have 18 million young people in the country who need a 
mentor, so along with this bill I think a mentoring initiative is 
critical. I certainly support this bill and would like to thank again 
the chairman and the subcommittee chairman, the gentleman from Michigan 
(Mr. Hoekstra), for their work.
  Mr. HINOJOSA. Mr. Speaker, it gives me great pleasure to yield 4 
minutes to the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Van Hollen) of the 
Committee on Education and the Workforce.
  Mr. VAN HOLLEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 
1925, the Runaway, Homeless, and Missing Children Protection Act.
  As a member of the Committee on Education and the Workforce, I would 
like to begin by commending the subcommittee chairman, the gentleman 
from Michigan (Mr. Hoekstra), our ranking member, the gentleman from 
Texas (Mr. Hinojosa), and the bill's author, the gentleman from Georgia 
(Mr. Gingrey), for their leadership in fashioning a sensible bipartisan 
consensus in this very important area of public policy.
  Our Nation's most vulnerable youth needed us to set aside our 
differences and come together and step up to the challenge of getting 
them the help they need and deserve. I think in this bill we have done 
that.
  Mr. Speaker, compared to the size of some of the other 
reauthorization bills that have come out of the Committee on Education 
and the Workforce, some may say this is a small bill. But I think we 
should make no mistake about it. This bill will be a big deal to the 
youth and the thousands of homeless and runaway children who, by virtue 
of our actions today, will have a better opportunity to reclaim their 
lives with the Federal support this bill provides. It will help throw 
many youth whose lives are sinking that life jacket they so desperately 
need.
  For the first time, this legislation includes the specific 
authorization for Federal programs designed to help runaway and 
homeless youth, $105 million for fiscal year 2004, which represents a 
19 percent increase for the worthy outreach, screening, counseling, 
referral, shelter services, and other services funded under the act.

[[Page H4269]]

  It includes maternity group homes to support teen mothers' care for 
their young children as they begin their walk down the road to 
financial independence.
  It sets the age of eligibility for needed services at 18, so 
vulnerable teens are not summarily kicked out of programs helping them 
turn their lives around after an arbitrary period of time.
  It sensibly ensures that services for homeless and runaway youth are 
well coordinated with other Federal programs, like the McKinney-Vento 
Act, the Work Force Investment Act, and Temporary Assistance to Needy 
Families.
  It also reauthorizes the National Center for Missing and Exploited 
Children, which has proven itself an invaluable tool to law enforcement 
since its creation nearly two decades ago.
  Finally, Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the substantial bipartisan 
majority that turned back what I believe was an ideologically-driven 
attempt in committee to handcuff public health officials in efforts to 
ensure the reproductive health of the youth we are trying to reach with 
this legislation. Our unity across the aisle on this committee was a 
triumph for good science and common sense.
  Mr. Speaker, I believe this is a very worthy piece of legislation and 
a good response to a critical public policy need. Again, I want to 
commend the leadership of the committee leaders on both sides of the 
aisle and again, the author of the bill, the gentleman from Georgia 
(Mr. Gingrey).
  Mr. GINGREY. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from 
Michigan (Mr. Hoekstra), the honorable chairman of the Subcommittee on 
Select Education.
  Mr. HOEKSTRA. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Georgia for 
yielding time to me. I congratulate him on moving this bill forward. 
Also, thanks to the ranking member of the subcommittee, the gentleman 
from Texas (Mr. Hinojosa), with whom once again we have demonstrated 
that we have been able to work in a bipartisan way and move an 
important bill out of the subcommittee.
  I rise in support of H.R. 1925, the Runaway, Homeless, and Missing 
Children Protection Act. This authorizes Federal assistance for 
programs that serve runaway and homeless youth and missing and 
exploited children.
  H.R. 1925 contains the reauthorization of both the Runaway and 
Homeless Youth Act and the Missing Children's Assistance Act. This 
legislation strengthens the programs and services authorized under 
these acts in order to better address the needs of at-risk youth.
  H.R. 1925 makes several modifications to current law to streamline 
and strengthen the Federal support for the programs and activities that 
serve this very vulnerable segment of our country's youth population. 
We have worked to protect runaway and homeless youth by keeping them 
off the streets, away from criminal activities, and out of desperate 
circumstances.
  Additionally, we continue to support the Center in its efforts to 
locate and recover missing children and help prevent child abductions 
and sexual exploitation.
  More specifically, H.R. 1925 defines the term ``group homes'' in the 
transitional living program to include maternity group homes, which are 
defined as community-based adult-supervised transitional living 
arrangements that provide pregnant or parenting youth and their 
children with supportive and supervised living arrangements in which 
the pregnant or parenting youth are required to learn parenting and 
other skills to promote their long-term economic independence and self-
sufficiency in order to ensure the well-being of their children.
  This provision affords pregnant and parenting runaway and homeless 
youth access to transitional living opportunities, an alternative to 
the environments of violence and despair that many young pregnant and 
parenting mothers face.
  H.R. 1925 also adjusts the percentage allocations split between the 
Basic Center Program and the Transitional Living Program to address the 
increased need for transitional services that will enable more 
communities to serve the long-term needs of runaway and homeless youth.
  A young man who was participating in the Transitional Living Program 
in the D.C. area told the members of the Subcommittee on Select 
Education during a recent hearing that when the Transitional Living 
Program that he is participating in ends, he is confident that he will 
be ready to make the transition to self-sufficient adulthood. The 
Transitional Living Program has been the bridge that he needs to safely 
begin this journey. It is important that this journey to self-
sufficiency be available to more homeless youth.

                              {time}  1045

  H.R. 1925 enjoys bipartisan support and the staff and Members on both 
sides of the aisle have worked diligently throughout the process. We 
have also worked with the administration and sought the input of 
outside groups and programs in the field in crafting the legislation 
before us today.
  I think that everyone involved in this process recognizes that these 
programs and services are vitally important to the at-risk population 
they serve. The Runaway, Homeless and Missing Children Protection Act 
makes minor changes to these programs for at-risk youth and children, 
programs which are already operating efficiently. This legislation 
includes provisions worked out by Members on both sides of the aisle 
and reauthorizes programs that should be supported by the Congress.
  I would like to thank the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Gingrey), the 
ranking member of the subcommittee, the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. 
Boehner), the chairman of the committee, for the work in passing this 
legislation and getting it to the floor today.
  Mr. HINOJOSA. Mr. Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the distinguished 
gentleman from the State of Illinois (Mr. Davis).
  Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 
1925, the Runaway, Homeless and Missing Children's Protection Act. I 
would like to commend the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Boehner); the 
ranking member, the gentleman from California (Mr. George Miller); 
Select Education subcommittee chairman, the gentleman from Michigan 
(Mr. Hoekstra); and Select Education subcommittee ranking member, the 
gentleman from Texas (Mr. Hinojosa), for working together to produce a 
great piece of legislation. I also want to commend the gentleman from 
Georgia (Mr. Gingrey) for his introduction of this legislation which 
reaches out to one of America's youngest hard-to-serve populations.
  According to the second ``National Incidence Studies of Missing, 
Abducted, Runaway and Throwaway Children'' released in October of 2002, 
it is estimated that there are approximately 80,000 children reported 
missing each year, which is 2,000 children each day.
  The Illinois Coalition to End Homelessness estimates that of the 
150,000 that are homeless in Illinois, approximately 12,000 are 
unaccompanied teenagers. This resolution reaches out to our young 
people who are in need and who are in some of the most desperate 
situations. Unfortunately, we cannot make street life disappear or even 
make it reach a level of utopia or have the sense of morality that we 
would seek, but we can ensure that there are services made available to 
help ease the stress and fear of not having the security of a home or 
family.
  I am pleased to support this resolution because it will provide 
grants to support emergency centers, long-term residential supports, 
and street-based outreach and education to those individuals that have 
been victims of sexual abuse or are sexually active. The 19 percent 
increase over fiscal year 2003, bringing the funding total to $105 
million, is very promising. And I believe that as a result of it we 
will save many young lives from violence, disease, and death. By 
reaching out to help these young people turn their lives around, we are 
really helping our Nation decrease the number of teens that will resort 
to violence, drugs, and sex for survival.
  I believe that this is a seriously important piece of legislation. 
And, once again, I want to thank the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. 
Gingrey) for his understanding and sensitivity in introducing it. I 
commend the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Boehner); the ranking

[[Page H4270]]

member, the gentleman from California (Mr. George Miller); and the 
gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Hoekstra) and the gentleman from Texas 
(Mr. Hinojosa) for their leadership on bringing this to us today.
  Mr. BOEHNER. Mr. Speaker, today we are considering H.R. 1925, the 
Runaway, Homeless, and Missing Children Protection Act, which 
authorizes Federal assistance for programs that serve and protect 
runaway and homeless youth and missing and exploited children.
  H.R. 1925 contains the reauthorization of both the Runaway and 
Homeless Youth Act and the Missing Children's Assistance Act. This 
legislation strengthens these programs in order to address the unique 
needs of these at-risk youth. With this bill, we will ensure the 
protection of runaway and homeless youth, keeping them off the streets 
and away from dangerous circumstances by providing both emergency 
shelter programs and long-term supportive assistance. Additionally, we 
continue to support the National Center for Missing and Exploited 
Children and its efforts to locate and recover missing children and 
help prevent child abductions and sexual exploitation.
  H.R. 1925 reauthorizes the Runaway and Homeless Youth Act (RHYA), and 
will continue to fund the Basic Center Program, the Transitional Living 
Program, and the Street Outreach Program. Grants are used to develop or 
strengthen community-based programs that are not part of the law 
enforcement, juvenile justice, and child welfare system. The Act has 
been successful in meeting the needs of runaway and homeless youth and 
in reuniting these youth with their families. There are, however, some 
specific improvements in H.R. 1925, including adjusting the funding 
allocation between the Basic Center Program and the Transitional Living 
Program to address the increased need for transitional services and 
enable more communities to serve the long-term needs of runaway and 
homeless youth. This legislation also clarifies that group homes in the 
Transitional Living Program may provide parenting youth and their 
children with a supportive and supervised living arrangement in which 
the pregnant or parenting youth learn parenting and other skills to 
promote their long-term economic independence and self-sufficiency in 
order to ensure the well-being of their children.
  The Runaway, Homeless, and Missing Children Protection Act also 
addresses the needs of missing, abducted, and sexually exploited 
children by reauthorizing the Missing Children's Assistance Act. This 
legislation increases the authorization level of the National Center 
for Missing and Exploited Children from $10 million to $20 million for 
each of the fiscal years 2004 through 2008, extending the authorization 
that was begun in the PROTECT Act, and extends the authorization of the 
remaining activities under the Act through 2008.
  I would like to thank Congressman Gingrey for his leadership as the 
sponsor of this bill, Subcommittee Chairman Hoekstra for his guidance 
on this bill, as well as Mr. Miller and Mr. Hinojosa for working with 
us in a bipartisan manner from the very beginning of the process.
  This legislation includes provisions worked out by Members on both 
sides of the aisle, and reauthorizes programs that should be supported 
by the Congress. I would urge my colleagues to support this bill.
  Mr. HOLT. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 1925, the Runaway, 
Homeless, and Missing Children Protection Act. For a program that is 
only funded at 90 million dollars it has had a large impact.
  The Runaway and Homeless Youth Act (RHYA) programs provide funds to 
community-based, faith-based and public organizations to develop and 
expand comprehensive, cost-efficient, and effective management, 
shelter, housing and supports for youth in high-risk situations and 
their families. I am pleased this bill was completed in a bipartisan 
manner and will not prevent shelters from distributing contraception.
  There continues to be a need for stable, residential environments 
that provide life skills supports for youth who are unable to live 
safely with their families, due to situations of child abuse, neglect, 
and parental substance abuse.
  The current competitive grant mechanism for distributing RHYA funds 
to community-based, faith-based and public organizations is 
fundamentally sound and entirely appropriate given the relatively small 
size of the federal RHYA budget. Most state and local governments do 
not have the capacity at this time, given their budgetary problems, to 
absorb the burden of administering RHYA programs.
  Congress established RHYA programs as low-cost, prevention and early 
intervention oriented program alternatives to State custodial child 
welfare, law enforcement, juvenile justice and mental health systems. 
The complimentary relationship between runaway and homeless youth 
serving programs and these various systems would be severely damaged if 
RHYA programs would be consolidated into any one of them.
  The child welfare system in New Jersey is in crisis. Many youths slip 
through the cracks of the child welfare, juvenile justice and mental 
health systems. RHYA programs help provide supportive services, i.e., 
crisis intervention, counseling, housing, safety from the streets and 
other basic needs such as food, shelter and clothing.
  RHYA funds help programs leverage state, local and private funding. 
Somerset Home, which serves some of my constituents, has a Transitional 
Living Program, a Basic Center Program and a Street Outreach Program. 
Federal funds represent $450,000 of their $2.5 million budget. The rest 
of the funding comes from state and local government with private 
funding from individuals, corporations, corporations and civic-minded 
groups comprising nearly $400,000 of the operating budget.
  Somerset Home's Outreach Program ensures rapid engagement with young 
people on the street in an effort to prevent physical and sexual 
assault, commercial sexual exploitation, disease, long term 
homelessness, and death.
  The Basic Center Program provides funds for emergency shelters for 
young people unable to live safely with their families and services 
while conducting efforts to reunite youth with their families or 
arrange for their placement in alternative supervised settings.
  The Transitional Living Program provides transitional housing and 
life skill supports to older homeless youth.
  Somerset Home facilitates health promotion, pregnancy prevention, 
academic achievement, employment, reduction in sexual exploitation, and 
other positive factors for youth in high-risk situations.
  These services provide a vital safety net that protects youth from 
further victimization and exploitation. These youth run to the street 
and find their way to RHYA funded programs due to circumstances in the 
one such as sexual abuse, physical abuse, substance abuse and other 
forms of domestic violence. These youths are victims of the unthinkable 
actions of parents or guardians, entrusted with their care that has 
violated this trust. Together we can help these youth through the 
difficult transition from a difficult adolescence to a productive and 
maybe even happy adulthood.
  Mr. Speaker, the nation's runaway and homeless need this program and 
I ask my colleagues to support this bill.
  Mr. HINOJOSA. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I 
yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. GINGREY. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I 
yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Terry). The question is on the motion 
offered by the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Gingrey) that the House 
suspend the rules and pass the bill, H.R. 1925, as amended.
  The question was taken.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds of 
those present have voted in the affirmative.
  Mr. GINGREY. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
  The yeas and nays were ordered.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX and the 
Chair's prior announcement, further proceedings on this motion will be 
postponed.

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