[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 39 (Wednesday, March 7, 2007)]
[Senate]
[Pages S2849-S2850]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        NATIONAL SAFE PLACE WEEK

  Mr. REID. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate 
proceed to S. Res. 100.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report the resolution by title.
  The assistant legislative clerk read as follows:

       A resolution (S. Res. 100) designating the week beginning 
     March 12, 2007, as ``National Safe Place Week.''

  There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the 
resolution.
  Mrs. FEINSTEIN. Mr. President, I rise today with Senator Craig and 14 
of my colleagues in support of a resolution designating the week of 
March 12 through 17, 2007, as National Safe Place Week.
  This resolution recognizes the participating businesses, community 
organizations, youth service agencies, and volunteers that are part of 
the YMCA National Safe Place Program and work for the safety and well 
being of at-risk youth.
  Youth today face a growing amount of pressure in their daily lives at 
school, at home, and in the community. For some youth, problems include 
abuse or neglect at home, drug or alcohol addictions of family members 
and friends, trouble at school or dangerous situations on a date.
  Young people who face these serious situations should not feel left 
alone and should have a place to go to in their community.
  Over the past 24 years, the National Safe Place Program has provided 
immediate help to more than 200,000 youth in crisis at nearly 16,000 
Safe Place locations and with counseling by phone.
  This important program is currently operated by 140 agencies serving 
700 communities in 40 States--bringing together the private and public 
sector to reach out and help at-risk youth who might be neglected, 
abused, threatened or in unsafe situations.

[[Page S2850]]

  In my home State of California, there are nine designated Safe Place 
programs with 1,738 Safe Place sites located in over 65 communities 
which have served more than 5,000 youth.
  National Safe Place sites include fast food restaurants, convenience 
stores, fire stations, schools, libraries, office buildings or even a 
city bus and are marked by large, yellow Safe Place signs displayed 
prominently in front windows.
  In Fresno, CA, for example, city buses are all designated as Safe 
Places.
  Any youth can walk into a Safe Place site and receive immediate help 
from a trained volunteer, and further help from a Safe Place staff 
person who can provide counseling, residential assistance or 
professional referrals, as needed.
  The National Safe Place Week recognizes the commitment, resources, 
and energy of thousands of businesses, community organizations and 
volunteers who make this effective, growing network of support for 
youth possible. In addition, it seeks to increase awareness of the 
crises that youth face today.
  I am encouraged by the National Safe Place Program's positive impact 
on communities throughout the Nation, and I hope that more communities 
will choose to participate in this innovative program.
  The National Safe Place Program brings us closer to making our 
country safe for youth, and I urge my colleagues to support this 
resolution.
  Mr. REID. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the resolution 
be agreed to, the preamble be agreed to, the motion to reconsider be 
laid upon the table, and that any statements relating to this bill be 
printed in the Record.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The resolution (S. Res. 100) was agreed to.
  The preamble was agreed to.
  The resolution, with its preamble, reads as follows:

                              S. Res. 100

       Whereas the youths of the United States will be the future 
     bearers of the bright torch of democracy;
       Whereas youths need a safe haven from various negative 
     influences, such as child abuse, substance abuse, and crime, 
     and youths need to have resources readily available to assist 
     them when faced with circumstances that compromise their 
     safety;
       Whereas the United States needs increased numbers of 
     community volunteers acting as positive influences on the 
     youths of the Nation;
       Whereas the Safe Place program is committed to protecting 
     the youths of the United States, the Nation's most valuable 
     asset, by offering short term safe places at neighborhood 
     locations where trained volunteers are available to counsel 
     and advise young people seeking assistance and guidance;
       Whereas the Safe Place program combines the efforts of the 
     private sector and nonprofit organizations to reach young 
     people in the early stages of crisis;
       Whereas the Safe Place program provides a direct way to 
     assist programs in meeting performance standards relative to 
     outreach and community relations, as set forth in the Runaway 
     and Homeless Youth Act (42 U.S.C. 5701 et seq.);
       Whereas the Safe Place placard displayed at businesses 
     within communities stands as a beacon of safety and refuge to 
     at-risk youths;
       Whereas more than 700 communities in 40 States make the 
     Safe Place program available at nearly 16,000 locations;
       Whereas more than 200,000 youths have gone to Safe Place 
     locations to get help when faced with crisis situations and 
     have received counseling by phone as a result of Safe Place 
     information the youths received at school;
       Whereas, through the efforts of Safe Place coordinators 
     across the United States, each year more than 500,000 
     students learn in a classroom presentation that the Safe 
     Place program is a resource they can turn to if they 
     encounter an abusive or neglectful situation, and 1,000,000 
     Safe Place information cards are distributed; and
       Whereas increased awareness of the Safe Place program will 
     encourage more communities to establish Safe Place locations 
     for the youths of the United States: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) designates the week of March 12 through March 18, 2007, 
     as ``National Safe Place Week''; and
       (2) calls upon the people of the United States and 
     interested groups to--
       (A) promote awareness of, and volunteer involvement in, the 
     Safe Place program; and
       (B) observe the week with appropriate ceremonies and 
     activities.

                          ____________________