[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 187 (Thursday, November 21, 2019)]
[Senate]
[Page S6761]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




SENATE RESOLUTION 442--DESIGNATING NOVEMBER 2019 AS ``NATIONAL RUNAWAY 
                           PREVENTION MONTH''

  Ms. DUCKWORTH (for herself, Mr. Durbin, Mr. Sullivan, Mrs. Feinstein, 
Mr. Scott of South Carolina, Ms. Cantwell, Ms. Murkowski, and Mrs. 
Murray) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the 
Committee on the Judiciary:

                              S. Res. 442

       Whereas results from the Voices of Youth Count national 
     survey, as published by Chapin Hall at the University of 
     Chicago in ``Missed Opportunities: Youth Homelessness in 
     America'', indicates that an estimated 4,200,000 youth and 
     young adults between 13 and 24 years of age experienced 
     homelessness during a 12-month period ending in 2017, 
     including--
       (1) an estimated 700,000 children between 13 and 17 years 
     of age who experienced unaccompanied homelessness; and
       (2) an estimated 3,500,000 young adults between 18 and 24 
     years of age;
       Whereas the rates of youth experiencing homelessness are 
     similar in rural and nonrural areas;
       Whereas runaway youth often have been expelled from their 
     homes by their families, have experienced abuse and trauma, 
     are involved in the foster care system, are too poor to 
     secure their own basic needs, and may be ineligible or unable 
     to access medical or mental health resources;
       Whereas individuals without a high school degree or general 
     educational development certificate are nearly 4 times more 
     likely to report homelessness than their peers, making lack 
     of education a leading risk factor for homelessness;
       Whereas youth of color and lesbian, gay, bisexual, 
     transgender, or queer (LGBTQ) youth experience higher rates 
     of homelessness than their straight and White peers;
       Whereas pregnant youth, parents who are 25 years of age or 
     younger, and their children experience higher rates of 
     homelessness than youth and young adults without children;
       Whereas runaway and homeless youth are at an increased risk 
     for exploitation and becoming victims of sex and labor 
     trafficking, and between 19 percent and 49 percent of young 
     people who experience homelessness will become victims of 
     trafficking;
       Whereas youth who run away from home or from foster care 
     are more likely to be coerced into participating in criminal 
     activity, joining a gang, or using illegal drugs, which lead 
     to a higher likelihood of involvement in the criminal justice 
     system;
       Whereas preventing youth from running away from home or 
     from foster care and supporting youth in high-risk situations 
     is a family, community, and national responsibility;
       Whereas the future well-being of the Nation is dependent on 
     the value placed on youth and the opportunities provided for 
     youth to acquire the knowledge, skills, and abilities 
     necessary to help youth successfully develop into safe, 
     healthy, and productive adults;
       Whereas effective programs supporting runaway youth and 
     assisting youth and their families in providing safe and 
     stable homes succeed because of partnerships created among 
     families, youth-based advocacy organizations, community-based 
     human service agencies, law enforcement, schools, faith-based 
     organizations, and businesses; and
       Whereas the National Runaway Safeline and the National 
     Network for Youth are leading the promotion of National 
     Runaway Prevention Month in November 2019--
       (1) to raise awareness of the runaway and homeless youth 
     crisis and the issues these young people face; and
       (2) to educate the public about solutions and the role they 
     can play in ending youth homelessness: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) designates November 2019 as ``National Runaway 
     Prevention Month''; and
       (2) recognizes and supports the goals and ideals of 
     National Runaway Prevention Month.

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