[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 115 (Thursday, July 28, 2011)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1430]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




     INTRODUCTION OF THE RUNAWAY REPORTING IMPROVEMENT ACT OF 2011

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. CAROLYN B. MALONEY

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, July 28, 2011

  Mrs. MALONEY. Mr. Speaker, today I am proud to introduce bipartisan 
legislation, the Runaway Reporting and Improvement Act of 2011, along 
with my friend and colleague Mr. Smith of New Jersey. I am also pleased 
to be joined by Representatives Karen Bass, Gwen Moore, and Pete Stark.
  The estimated number of youth that runaway or are `thrown away' in 
the U.S. each year is between 1 and 1.7 million. While the reasons 
youth run away from home vary, the heightened risk for exploitation and 
victimization are the same for all of them.
  One of the risks for runaway girls and young women is an increased 
risk for sex trafficking. Young girls who runaway or have been `thrown 
away' from home are usually propositioned for sex within 24 hours of 
leaving home. Many runaway youth engage in `survival sex' in exchange 
for food and shelter. Other risks include exposure to drugs and alcohol 
and violence.
  One of the few things more terrible than learning a child is missing 
would be to learn that everything possible isn't being done to find him 
or her. The National Crime Information Center (NCIC) database is 
designed to help make information sharing easier so that missing 
children can be found and provided with any needed services.
  According to a New York Times' series, `Running in the Shadows', as 
many as 16 percent of reported runaways are never entered in to the 
National Crime Information Center (NCIC) database.
  The Runaway Reporting Improvement Act of 2011 would help solve this 
problem and protect missing children by making two small but useful 
changes to the Crime Control Act of 1990. First, the bill would require 
law enforcement agencies to certify that they comply with Federal law 
by entering all missing children into the NCIC database. Second, it 
would require that law enforcement officers provide the reporter of a 
missing child with information about the services of the National 
Center for Missing and Exploited Children and the National Runaway 
Switchboard, as well as 24-hour, toll-free contact information for 
those resources. NCMEC and NRS have a long and successful history of 
helping parents and law enforcement agencies work together to find and 
protect missing kids. Parents and guardians with missing children need 
to be given information so they are not isolated during this time of 
crisis.
  Mr. Speaker, we simply must do better by our children. The necessary 
resources are in place but they are not being used to their full 
potential. The Runaway Improvement Act of 2011 will help ensure that 
these existing resources are used to find and protect the families that 
need them the most.

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