[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 137 (Tuesday, October 25, 2005)]
[House]
[Pages H9063-H9065]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
SUPPORTING EFFORTS TO PROMOTE GREATER AWARENESS OF EFFECTIVE RUNAWAY
YOUTH PREVENTION PROGRAMS
Mr. PORTER. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the
resolution (H. Res. 484) supporting efforts to promote greater
awareness of effective runaway youth prevention programs and the need
for safe and productive alternatives, resources, and supports for
homeless youth.
The Clerk read as follows:
H. Res. 484
Whereas preventing young people from running away and
supporting homeless youth and youth in other high-risk
situations is a family, community, and national concern;
Whereas the prevalence of runaway and homeless youth in the
Nation is staggering, with studies suggesting that between
1,600,000 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
[[Page H9064]]
United States running away before the age of 18;
Whereas youth that end up on the streets or in emergency
shelters are often those who have been thrown out of their
homes by their families; who have been physically, sexually,
or 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 providers of services to runaway and homeless youth
are experiencing increased demand for services due to the
displacement of youth and families in the aftermath of
Hurricanes Katrina and Rita;
Whereas the commemoration of National Runaway Prevention
Month will encourage all sectors of society to develop
community-based solutions to prevent runaway and homeless
episodes among the Nation's youth;
Whereas effective programs that support runaway and
homeless youth and assist young people 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 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 Congress supports an array of community-based
support services that address the critical needs of runaway
and homeless youth, including family strengthening, street
outreach, emergency shelter, and transitional living
programs;
Whereas Congress supports programs that provide crisis
intervention and referrals to reconnect runaway and homeless
youth to their families and to link young people to local
resources that provide positive alternatives to running away;
and
Whereas the purpose of National Runaway Prevention Month in
November 2005 is to increase public awareness of the life
circumstances of youth in high-risk situations and the need
for safe and productive alternatives, resources, and supports
for youth, their families, and their communities: Now,
therefore, be it
Resolved, That the House of Representatives supports
efforts to promote greater public awareness of effective
runaway youth prevention programs and the need for safe and
productive alternatives, resources, and supports for homeless
youth and youth in other high-risk situations.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
Nevada (Mr. Porter) and the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Hinojosa) 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. 484.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Nevada?
There was no objection.
{time} 1515
Mr. PORTER. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H. Res. 484, which seeks to
promote greater public awareness of effective runaway youth prevention
programs and the need for safe and productive alternatives, resources,
and support for youth in high-risk situations. I would like to thank
the leadership for allowing this resolution to come to the House floor
as it highlights a very tragic and very important issue.
Runaway and thrown-away episodes among our Nation's youth are serious
and widespread, with one of every seven children and youths in the
United States running away or being turned out of the home before the
age of 18. A recent study by the Federal Office of Juvenile Justice and
Delinquency Prevention estimates that nearly 1.7 million youth
experienced a runaway or thrown-away episode in a single year. The
prevalence of runaway and homeless youth in the Nation is astounding,
with studies suggesting that between 1.6 million and 2.8 million young
people live on the streets of the United States of America each year.
The primary factors of running away or being thrown away are severe
family conflict, abuse, neglect, and parental abuse of alcohol and of
drugs. In the wake of massive loss of life and property after the
recent natural disasters, we can expect these numbers to rise. We must
congratulate service providers for their response to the increased
numbers of displaced youth as a result of these terrible tragedies.
In the district I represent in southern Nevada, the statistics are
similar. In 2003, the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department reported
4,527 runaways. There were approximately 3,500 children who required
emergency shelter; 1,800 of these children were placed in foster care.
In addition to that, the Clark County School District estimates 3,500
of our students were homeless.
These astonishing statistics highlight the need for our support of
those very important programs that seek to prevent these types of
incidences. Many of the conditions that lead young people to leave or
be turned out of their homes are preventable through interventions that
strengthen family and support youth in high-risk situations. Successful
interventions are grounded in partnerships among families and
community-based human service agencies, law enforcement agencies,
schools, faith-based organizations, and the business community.
The National Network For Youth and the National Runaway Switchboard
are collaborative since 2002 in cosponsoring National Runaway
Prevention Month during the month of November. National Runaway
Prevention Month is a public education initiative aimed at increasing
the awareness of issues facing runaways, as well as making the public
aware of role they play in preventing youth from running away.
As a result of this collaboration, communities across the country
have undertaken a range of activities to commemorate National Runaway
Prevention Month. Preventing young people from running away and
supporting youth in high-risk situations is a family, community, and
national concern. Please join us in encouraging all Americans to play a
role in supporting the millions of young people who have run away, who
are at risk of doing so each year.
H. Res. 484 supports efforts to promote greater public awareness of
effective runaway youth prevention programs and the need for safe and
productive alternatives, resources and supports for youth in high-risk
situations.
Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this resolution.
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 in strong support of H. Res. 484, in recognition
of National Runaway Prevention Month. I would like to commend the
gentleman from Nevada (Mr. Porter) for bringing it to the floor.
The prevalence of runaway and homeless youth in our Nation is
staggering, with studies suggesting that between 1.6 and 2.8 million
young people live on the streets of the United States each year. Each
year roughly 5,000 of these troubled young people die from assault,
illness, and in some cases from suicide. In my home State of Texas,
more than 100,000 young people ages 7 through 17 run away from home
each year. It is literally a matter of life and death that we raise
awareness and do everything in our power to prevent runaways.
In the aftermath of hurricanes Katrina and Rita, the system of
support for runaway and homeless youths is being stretched to the
limit. This is especially true in Texas where many of the victims of
these terrible storms have sought refuge.
National Runaway Prevention Month is a time to encourage the
development of community-based solutions to prevent runaway and
homeless episodes among our Nation's youths. More importantly, it is a
time to draw attention to the need for resources to combat this
problem.
During National Runaway Prevention Month, the National Runaway
Switchboard and the National Network For Youth seek to raise community
member awareness of the widespread nature of runaway situations and the
importance of strengthening families and engaging their involvement in
crisis intervention communities.
In Texas, our hotline started in 1973 as Operation Peace of Mind
after the devastating discovery of 27 young men, many runaways, who
were brutally murdered. Today, our hotline operates 24 hours a day and
provides critical services which include the following:
Crisis intervention and counseling; information and referrals for
callers seeking food, shelter and transportation home; confidential
conference calls between youth and their families;
[[Page H9065]]
and, yes, it provides a message service to promote communication
between runaways and their families.
Mr. Speaker, runaways are the Nation's most vulnerable youth. We must
be united in helping them find a safe, healthy, and productive place
where they can fulfill their potential. I urge my colleagues to support
this resolution.
Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman from Minnesota (Ms.
McCollum).
Ms. McCOLLUM of Minnesota. Mr. Speaker, today we will vote on a
resolution in support of preventive programs; yet this Congress
continues to underfund the critical resources needed to address the
problems faced by these vulnerable youth.
Homelessness is merely a symptom of a bigger problem. For many youth,
their home situation is violent and it is unhealthy. The Wilder
Foundation, a nonprofit health and human service organization that has
served the greater St. Paul area since 1906, understands this issue
well. They tell us that children who run away are three times more
likely to have been physically abused, five times more likely to have
been treated for drug and alcohol problems. These young adults need our
help, they need our support, and they need the opportunity to know that
they can get their lives back on track. And there are many in our
community and across this country who are ready to serve homeless
youths.
In Minnesota there are groups such as the Ain Dah Yung Center,
serving Native American youths; the Bridge For Runaway Youth, and they
are working hard to provide critical services.
When I visited one of the homeless shelters for youth just recently,
I found out that they had to cut their hours back, that they could not
provide a safe haven for children to escape the cold during the day and
to get counseling, to reunite them with their families when possible or
to put them in a place where they would be safe. These children need
our assistance. They need a partner at the Federal level, one that they
can count on, not only for well-intentioned resolutions but the dollars
needed to provide those resources, those safe havens, especially as
winter sets in on these young adults in Minnesota.
They need resources. They need beds. They need counselors. But most
of all they need to know, our children need to know that Congress is
prepared to vote for them and to approve not only this resolution but
in the future the resources needed in order for them to turn their
lives around.
Our children deserve our hope for a better future for them, and they
deserve an opportunity to have that future.
Mr. HINOJOSA. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to my good friend and
colleague from the great State of Illinois (Mr. Davis).
Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I want to first of all thank the
gentleman from Texas for yielding me time. I also want to commend my
colleague from Nevada for bringing this important matter before us
today.
Mr. Speaker, I rise as a strong supporter of H. Res. 484. Studies
indicate that a staggering between 1.8 and 2.6 million children live on
the streets of our country each and every year. This legislation in a
way honors the individuals and organizations who work so hard to reach
out to our young people that are in some of the most desperate of
situations.
As we can all imagine, the situation on the streets for these young
people is desperate and incredibly rough. Half of the HIV cases in the
United States are in the youth population. Homeless and runaway youth
are two to 10 times higher than the nonhomeless teens who have HIV, and
the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report that 94 percent
of homeless youth are sexually active. We, unfortunately, cannot make
street life disappear or even reach a level of utopia; but we can
ensure that there are services available to help with the daily lives
of these young people, whether it is trying to find a bed, a warm meal,
or some safe, genuine companionship.
Mr. Speaker, I support this legislation. In a large urban district
like mine where there are thousands of impoverished young people living
in less than desirable home situations, we know that they need help.
And I commend some of the many organizations like the Night Ministry,
Tabitha House, Hope House, the House of Daniel, Clare's House, Mother's
House, and all of the other programs that are designed to assist young
people as they go through this stage of their lives.
Ms. BORDALLO. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H. Res. 484, a
resolution introduced by our colleague from Nevada, Mr. Porter, to
recognize the value of runaway youth prevention programs and the needs
of homeless and at-risk youth. Our consideration of this resolution
today is timely given that October is recognized as National Runaway
Prevention Month.
In my district, we have benefited greatly from the development and
implementation of several runaway youth prevention programs. These
programs have proven their effectiveness with increasing support from
various members of our community. They have been built with support
from families, parents, teachers, social workers, counselors,
ministers, and other civic-minded citizens in our community. They have
also been supplemented with important grant assistance from both the
local and federal government. Their effectiveness is worth promoting
and increasing awareness of the needs of our homeless and at-risk youth
is an important undertaking.
I take this opportunity to share the story of just one particular
organization in Guam that has grown to fulfill these needs of Guam's
homeless and at-risk youth. As a member of the National Network for
Youth, Sanctuary, Inc. has developed and sponsored many important
programs serving our homeless and at-risk youth. Sanctuary, Inc. works
in close collaboration with the Department of Youth Affairs of the
Government of Guam as well as with the judicial system and the courts
to identify ways to support our youth.
Through workshops, counseling, referral services, support groups, and
especially with their annual summer parent-child conference, Sanctuary,
Inc. works to strengthen family relationships and promotes a drug,
alcohol and violence-free lifestyle among youth participants. Their
after-school programs are especially effective in providing activities
for our youth and complementing their classroom instruction. Apart from
their programs, Sanctuary operates two temporary emergency shelters to
accommodate our homeless youth, providing them with room and board and
a family away from home.
I commend Sanctuary, Inc. for their outstanding work and their
positive influence on our at-risk youth and their families. I urge my
colleagues to support H. Res. 484. I too urge all of us to work
together to increase awareness of effective runaway youth prevention
programs. Through these proven community-based programs we can help
provide for a safer and more educational environment for our at-risk
youth.
Mr. HINOJOSA. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. PORTER. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I
yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Petri). 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. 484.
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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