[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 206 (Tuesday, November 30, 2021)]
[Senate]
[Page S8832]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         SUBMITTED RESOLUTIONS

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SENATE RESOLUTION 460--DESIGNATING NOVEMBER 2021 AS ``NATIONAL RUNAWAY 
                           PREVENTION MONTH''

  Ms. DUCKWORTH (for herself, Mr. Sullivan, Mrs. Murray, Ms. Murkowski, 
Mr. Padilla, Mr. Durbin, and Mr. King) submitted the following 
resolution; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary:

                              S. Res. 460

       Whereas results from the Voices of Youth Count national 
     survey, which was published by Chapin Hall at the University 
     of Chicago in ``Missed Opportunities: Youth Homelessness in 
     America'', indicate that, between 2015 and 2017, an estimated 
     4,200,000 youth and young adults between 13 and 24 years of 
     age experienced homelessness during a 12-month period, 
     including--
       (1) an estimated 700,000 youth 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 non-rural areas;
       Whereas, often, runaway youth--
       (1) have been expelled from their homes by their families;
       (2) have experienced abuse and trauma;
       (3) are involved in the foster care system;
       (4) lack resources to secure their own basic needs; and
       (5) are ineligible or unable to access medical or mental 
     health resources;
       Whereas individuals without a high school degree or general 
     educational development certificate are nearly four times 
     more likely to report homelessness than their peers;
       Whereas youth of color and lesbian, gay, bisexual, 
     transgender, queer, or questioning (commonly referred to as 
     ``LGBTQ'') youth experience higher rates of homelessness than 
     their heterosexual 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 American Indian and Alaska Native youth are the 
     group most at risk for experiencing homelessness, as 9 
     percent of 13 to 17 year olds in such group reported 
     experiencing homelessness during a 12-month period, a rate 
     more than double any other group;
       Whereas runaway and homeless youth are at an increased risk 
     of exploitation and becoming victims of sex and labor 
     trafficking, and between 19 percent and 49 percent of young 
     individuals who experience homelessness will become victims 
     of trafficking;
       Whereas youth who run away from home or from foster care 
     are at increased risk of encountering the police and the 
     court system due to laws that prohibit certain actions 
     necessary for the survival of homeless youth;
       Whereas preventing youth from running away from home and 
     from foster care and supporting youth in high risk situations 
     should be community priorities;
       Whereas the future of the United States depends on children 
     and the value placed on their ability to acquire the 
     knowledge, skills, and opportunities necessary to 
     successfully develop into safe, healthy, and productive 
     adults;
       Whereas the COVID-19 pandemic, which was declared a 
     national emergency under the National Emergencies Act (50 
     U.S.C. 1601 et seq.), has negatively impacted homeless youth;
       Whereas effective programs that support runaway youth and 
     assist youth and their families by providing safe and stable 
     homes succeed because of partnerships created among families, 
     youth-based advocacy organizations, community-based human 
     service agencies, law enforcement agencies, 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 2021--
       (1) to raise awareness of the runaway and homeless youth 
     crisis and the issues faced by runaway and homeless youth;
       (2) to educate the public about solutions and the role the 
     public can play in ending youth homelessness; and
       (3) to bring together a broad range of stakeholders to 
     tackle the crisis of youth homelessness: Now, therefore, be 
     it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) designates November 2021 as ``National Runaway 
     Prevention Month''; and
       (2) recognizes and supports the goals and ideals of 
     National Runaway Prevention Month.

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