[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 43 (Thursday, March 13, 2008)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E384]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                RECONNECTING HOMELESS YOUTH ACT OF 2008

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. JUDY BIGGERT

                              of illinois

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, March 13, 2008

  Mrs. BIGGERT. Madam Speaker, I rise today as the lead Republican 
Sponsor of H.R. 5524, the Reconnecting Homeless Youth Act of 2008. I am 
pleased to join with my good friend Congressman John Yarmuth to 
introduce this important hill reauthorizing and strengthening programs 
for runaway and homeless youth programs set to expire this year.
  Madam Speaker, each year, between one and three million children in 
the United States find themselves on their own and on the street. 
Throughout our Nation, local shelters, like Naperville Community 
Outreach and Aunt Martha's in my district, rely on Federal support to 
keep these kids safe and off the streets.
  Congress first enacted the Runaway and Homeless Youth Act, RHYA, in 
1974 and has regularly reauthorized it to ensure a basic level of 
support for unaccompanied youth. The Reconnecting Homeless Youth Act 
does more than reauthorize the Runaway and Homeless Youth Act. It gives 
children whose lives have been disrupted an opportunity to overcome 
homelessness and get on track for a successful future.
  This bill gives needed flexibility to shelters receiving Basic Center 
Program, BCP, funds, which provide children with emergency short-term 
shelter while attempts are made at family reunification. It strengthens 
Transitional Living Programs, TLP, that provide older youth with lite 
skills, education and employment services to help them become self-
sufficient and independent. The bill also strengthens outreach efforts 
aimed at educating runaways on the services available and preventing 
youth from running away in the first place.
  While the bill improves key components of runaway and homeless youth 
programs, I do have some concerns that I look forward to addressing as 
the bill moves through the Education and Labor Committee. First, I am 
concerned that raising minimum small state and territory allotments 
could adversely affect other States and territories if RHYA funding 
levels remain flat. Secondly, while I support the intent of more 
accurate research on runaway and homeless youth, I believe we can find 
a more cost-effective alternative to the research mandated in this 
bill. Lastly, I am concerned that the grant appeals process created in 
the bill attempts to fix a problem that simply does not exist and, in 
doing so, raises costs associated with administering the program.
  I very much appreciate the assurances I've been given by the majority 
and minority on the Education and Labor Committee that we will discuss 
these and other issues in a bipartisan manner to make a good bill 
great, and, most importantly, to keep children off the streets.

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