[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 62 (Monday, April 27, 2009)]
[House]
[Pages H4745-H4747]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   SUPPORTING THE OBSERVANCE OF NATIONAL CHILD ABUSE PREVENTION MONTH

  Mr. SABLAN. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to 
the resolution (H. Res. 337) supporting the observance of National 
Child Abuse Prevention Month, and for other purposes.
  The Clerk read the title of the resolution.
  The text of the resolution is as follows:

                              H. Res. 337

       Whereas, according the most recent annual estimates, State 
     and local child protective services investigated nearly 
     5,800,000 children in the United States who were reported to 
     be abused or neglected in 2007;
       Whereas, according the most recent annual estimates, 1,760 
     children died in the United States in 2007 from abuse and 
     neglect;
       Whereas, according the most recent annual estimates, 
     794,000 children in the United States were confirmed by 
     protective services as being victims of child maltreatment in 
     2007;
       Whereas 59 percent of the children were classified as 
     victims of child neglect;
       Whereas 4.2 percent of the children were classified as 
     victims of psychological maltreatment;
       Whereas 7.6 percent of the children were classified as 
     victims of sexual abuse;
       Whereas 10.8 percent of the children were classified as 
     victims of physical abuse;
       Whereas 1 percent of the children were classified as 
     victims of medical maltreatment;
       Whereas 13.1 percent of the children were classified as 
     victims of multiple maltreatments;
       Whereas more than three-quarters of the children who died 
     due to child abuse and neglect were younger than four years 
     old;
       Whereas these figures represent only reported cases of 
     abuse, many cases are not reported to police or social 
     services;
       Whereas child abuse and neglect have great long-term costs 
     for children, families, and society which timely and 
     effective community-based prevention services can reduce, 
     improving the lives and prospects of thousands of children 
     and families; and
       Whereas observing National Child Abuse Prevention Month 
     during the month of April provides a special opportunity to 
     raise awareness about the serious threat that child abuse and 
     neglect poses to our Nation's children: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
       (1) supports the observance of National Child Abuse 
     Prevention Month in order to increase awareness of child 
     maltreatment and encourage individuals and communities to 
     support children and families;
       (2) recognizes and applauds the national and community 
     organizations for their work in promoting awareness about 
     child maltreatment including identifying risk factors and 
     developing prevention strategies; and
       (3) urges families and individuals to report abuse or get 
     help by calling the National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-4-
     A-Child (1-800-422-4453).

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from the 
Northern Mariana Islands (Mr. Sablan) and the gentleman from Wisconsin 
(Mr. Petri) each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from the Northern Mariana Islands.


                             General Leave

  Mr. SABLAN. Madam Speaker, I request 5 legislative days during which 
Members may revise and extend and insert extraneous material on House 
Resolution 337 into the Record.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from the Northern Mariana Islands?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. SABLAN. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of House Resolution 337, which 
increases awareness of child maltreatment and urges communities to 
support children and families. Every April, the President issues a 
proclamation for National Child Abuse Prevention Month, and at the same 
time, he releases the previous year's data on child abuse and neglect. 
Last year's data was very unsettling.
  In 2007, State and local child protective services investigated 
nearly 5.8 million cases of child abuse or neglect. Out of these cases, 
protective services confirmed that 794,000 children were victims of 
maltreatment in 2007. Of the nearly 800,000 cases in 2007, 59 percent 
of them were classified as child neglect, 4.2 percent of cases involved 
psychological mistreatment, 7.6 percent involved sexual abuse, 10.8 
percent of the victims suffered physical abuse, and 13.1 percent of the 
children suffered from multiple mistreatments.
  The reports of child deaths from abuse and neglect are even more 
startling. An estimated 1,760 children died in 2007 as a result of 
abuse and neglect. Of these children who died, a disturbing 75 percent 
were under the age of four. Over half of the child fatalities were a 
year or younger. These statistics, of course, are only cases of child 
maltreatment which have been reported to police or social services.
  This month is a time not only to spread awareness of maltreatment, 
but also to recognize those organizations dedicated to preventing child 
abuse and neglect.
  I would like to thank Representative Granger for bringing this bill 
to the floor. I urge my colleagues to take this serious issue into 
consideration and to support this measure and set aside time to create 
awareness of child maltreatment.
  I reserve the remainder of my time.
  Mr. PETRI. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume 
and rise today in support of H. Res. 337, recognizing the month of 
April as National Child Abuse Prevention Month.
  Recognizing Child Abuse Prevention Month allows us to help to raise 
awareness of the tragic circumstances of abuse and neglect that many of 
our Nation's children face every day. Recognizing this month also 
highlights the importance of the prevention and awareness of child 
abuse, so that children can live safely and securely, free from abuse.
  It is important that each of us knows how we can help prevent and 
stop ongoing child abuse. Understanding the causes of child abuse, 
learning to identify the warning signs that a child is being abused, 
reporting any known or suspected case of child abuse, being a friend to 
a child or parent in need and alerting others to the problem are all 
ways adults and other children can help prevent, and stop, child abuse.
  Child abuse may include physical abuse, neglect, sexual abuse and 
emotional abuse. In many cases, children are the victims of multiple 
forms of abuse. In 2007, approximately 794,000 children were found to 
be victims of some form of child maltreatment.
  Child abuse prevention not only protects the Nation's children from 
years of physical, mental and emotional scars, it also lessens the 
costs associated with child abuse and enables funding to be used to 
assist children in other ways.
  In 2007, child abuse had an estimated total annual cost of almost 
$104 billion in direct and indirect costs.
  In 1974, the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act was enacted to 
address the issue of child abuse and neglect in this country and to 
underscore the importance of assisting children in abusive situations. 
Through this act, States receive grants to help with their child 
protective service functions, improve investigation and prosecution of 
child maltreatment, and to assist community-based family resource and 
support services.
  April was first declared Child Abuse Prevention Month by presidential 
proclamation in 1985 by President Reagan. Since then, in the month of 
April, child abuse and neglect awareness and prevention efforts are 
promoted throughout the country.
  As members of school systems, neighborhoods, families and 
communities, all of us can help to prevent child abuse and neglect. 
Child Abuse Prevention Month provides us with an opportunity to work 
together to keep children safe and to lend families the support that 
they need to raise happy children in a safe and secure home.
  This is why I stand in support of this resolution and ask for my 
colleagues' support.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. SABLAN. Madam Speaker, I am pleased to yield 5 minutes to the 
gentleman from Connecticut (Mr. Courtney).

[[Page H4746]]

  Mr. COURTNEY. Madam Speaker, first of all I want to thank the 
gentleman from the Northern Mariana Islands for yielding and also 
salute him for his leadership on this important resolution, which is 
something as a Nation we just cannot stop in terms of all efforts to 
make sure that we eradicate child abuse.
  But my purpose for standing up, Madam Speaker, is to speak in support 
of a resolution which was earlier discussed, H. Res. 344, recognizing 
the great accomplishment of the UConn Women Huskies.
  My excuse for speaking out of order is actually I just left the White 
House, where our country's number one basketball fan, President Barack 
Obama, welcomed the Women Huskies, and again in a wonderful ceremony 
recognized the incredible achievement of an undefeated season and a 
national championship.
  Madam Speaker, Vince Lombardi, the great football coach for the Green 
Bay Packers, said, ``Perfection is not attainable, but if we chase 
perfection, we may catch excellence.''

                              {time}  1500

  Those incredibly wise words maybe didn't even anticipate what was 
accomplished this year by the UConn women who, as I said earlier, went 
39-0, won a national championship, did not win a game by less than 
double digits from the entire season, from start to finish, and led by 
a coach, Geno Auriemma, who, again, is somebody who is right in the 
Lombardi tradition, and secured his sixth national championship, 
something that, as a Hall of Fame coach, we're almost getting to expect 
too easily and take too much for granted in the State of Connecticut.
  But aside from the great athletic accomplishment of these young 
women, I want to also acknowledge the fact that Maya Moore, who is the 
Naismith All-American Player of the country, is also someone who is an 
outstanding student, has received academic awards for her great work as 
an undergraduate. And she, along with Renee Montgomery, who's also 
graduating this year, again, is someone who excelled, not only on the 
basketball court, but also in the classroom.
  Speaking of perfection, in the 24 years of the UConn women's 
basketball program, they have had a 100 percent graduation rate for the 
women who have been part of that team. And in many respects, at a time 
when, unfortunately, college athletics has been somewhat dominated by 
the power and might of money and big money, the fact that we have a 
program which truly embodies the ideal of student athletes, like the 
UConn women's basketball team, is something that not only the State of 
Connecticut but really our whole country can be proud of.
  As a parent of a young, 14-year-old daughter, to be able to turn on 
the TV for sports or ESPN News Center and say, this is not just a guy 
show, it's also about women who can go out and excel at sports, they 
have provided a role model that, I think, has transformed athletics, 
again, for our whole country, for boys and girls, for young men and 
young women. And we are so proud of this team in the State of 
Connecticut. And it's a special day with them being recognized at the 
White House. And I certainly hope that, as a body today, we will 
recognize their accomplishment by adopting H. Res. 344.
  And, again, I thank the Speaker and the gentleman for allowing me to 
speak out of turn and share these remarks which are so important to the 
people back home.
  Ms. GRANGER. Madam Speaker, I rise today to speak in support of my 
resolution recognizing the observance of April as National Child Abuse 
Prevention Month.
  I'd like to thank my colleagues Janice Schakowsky of Illinois, Gwen 
Moore of Wisconsin, Joe Courtney of Rhode Island, and Jim McDermott of 
Washington for their support and for their work on child welfare 
issues.
  Child abuse and neglect is a serious issue that affects thousands of 
American families. Every 11 seconds a child in the United States is 
reported as abused or neglected.
  Last year 5,800 children were confirmed victims of child abuse in my 
home county of Tarrant County, Texas. Tragically, nine of those cases 
ended in death as a result of abuse or neglect.
  I think of children like Darlene Diles who spent the first seventeen 
days of her life in her mother's care before an injury on January 30 
left her with severe brain damage.
  Darlene's nineteen-year-old mother told doctors that she accidently 
dropped her daughter on the kitchen floor. But doctors found no skull 
fracture or swelling consistent with a fall. Instead, they said 
Darlene's internal head injuries were consistent with being shaken.
  The thirty-five-day-old infant died after her father decided to allow 
doctors to take her off life support.
  Seven-month-old David Coronado Jr. was admitted to Children's Medical 
Center in Dallas with forty-two separate skeletal injuries, damage, to 
his brain and spinal cord, and numerous skin injuries that included 
human bite marks. David was recently removed from life support, but his 
prognosis remains uncertain.
  Children like David and Darlene deserve so much better.
  Observing National Child Abuse Prevention Month Provides us with the 
opportunity to highlight their stories, which demonstrate the 
importance of doing more to prevent child abuse and maltreatment.
  Increasing public awareness of how important it is to ensure the 
safety and welfare of children led to the passage of the first federal 
child protection legislation--the child abuse prevention and treatment 
act in 1974.
  In the thirty-five years since, advocacy groups across the country 
have been hard at work to raise awareness regarding child maltreatment.
  And social workers and child protective service workers across the 
country have dedicated countless hours to children who have been abused 
and neglected.
  One such dedicated child protective services employee in Texas is 
Debbie Pendergrass.
  Debbie admits to ``fretting virtually nonstop about her charges.'' 
She provides the one constant for the children she works with who often 
get moved around from one foster home to another.
  When Debbie visited a toddler born to a thirteen-year-old girl in 
foster care, Tarrant County foster parents James and Glenda Pell 
praised her professionalism. The Pells said there have been times 
during six years and a dozen foster children when they couldn't reach 
their CPS worker. But with Debbie, they have someone who responds 
quickly and moves the bureaucratic machinery forward.
  In Texas, and in states across this country, child protective service 
caseworkers face an increasing workload.
  In 2007, state and local protective services investigated nearly 5.8 
million children who were reported as abused or neglected. The Texas 
Department of Child Protective Services where Debbie works as a 
caseworker has improved its caseload, but still needs to hire more 
caseworkers.
  In a recent eighteen-month period, Texas workers who are responsible 
for visiting abused children saw only seventy-four percent of their 
children monthly. Federal law requires that at least ninety-five 
percent be seen monthly. But there are only so many hours in a day.
  As the stresses on American families increase in the current economy, 
we need to work together to ensure that resources are available to 
provide families with support so that more children do not become 
victims of maltreatment.
  And child protective services across the country need funding so that 
they can continue the work that they do to protect our most vulnerable 
children.
  Observing National Child Abuse Prevention Month provides us with the 
opportunity to shine a light on an issue that continues to affect too 
many children and families.
  It also provides us with the opportunity to thank the social workers, 
teachers, physicians, nurses, and community organizations for their 
work providing safe places for children. Groups like Prevent Child 
Abuse Texas, the Alliance for Children in Fort Worth, which is working 
to ``break the cycle of abuse one child at a time.'' And groups like 
CASA of Tarrant County, which matches guardian ad liteums with children 
to provide a voice for children in court.
  These groups are working to prevent child abuse and neglect 
throughout Texas and I commend them for their efforts and important 
work.
  The statistics on child abuse and maltreatment are alarming. Child 
Abuse and maltreatment is a topic few want to discuss, but most of us 
want to see the cycle of abuse end. By talking about this issue, I hope 
we can encourage parents to reach out and get the help they need in 
order to provide a safe and healthy place for their children.
  I strongly encourage families and individuals to report abuse or get 
help by calling the national child abuse hotline at 1-800-4-A-CHILD.
  Thank you, and I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. SABLAN. Does the gentleman from Wisconsin have any other 
speakers?
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman has yielded back the remainder 
of his time.

[[Page H4747]]

  Mr. SABLAN. Madam Speaker, I also yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from the Northern Mariana Islands (Mr. Sablan) that the House 
suspend the rules and agree to the resolution, H. Res. 337.
  The question was taken.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds 
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
  Mr. SABLAN. Madam Speaker, I object to the vote on the ground that a 
quorum is not present and make the point of order that a quorum is not 
present.
  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.
  The point of no quorum is considered withdrawn.

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