[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 152 (Wednesday, September 21, 2022)]
[Senate]
[Pages S4914-S4915]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




          STATEMENTS ON INTRODUCED BILLS AND JOINT RESOLUTIONS

      By Mr. LEAHY:
  S. 4916. A bill to reauthorize the Runaway and Homeless Youth Act, 
and for other purposes; to the Committee on the Judiciary.
  Ms. COLLINS. Mr. President, I rise to join my colleague, the senior 
Senator from Vermont, in introducing the Runaway and Homeless Youth and 
Trafficking Prevention Act of 2022. This bill would update and 
reauthorize the Runaway and Homeless Youth Act programs, which have 
provided lifesaving services and housing for America's homeless youth 
for nearly half a century.
  Homelessness is affecting youth in truly staggering numbers. 
According to the National Network for Youth, an estimated 4.2 million 
young people experience homelessness at some point each year. Some of 
these youth may be away from home for a few nights, while others have 
been living on the streets for years. No area of this country is immune 
from the scourge of homelessness, as it impacts rural and urban 
communities alike.
  Tragically, runaway and homeless youth are at high risk of 
victimization, abuse, criminal activity, and even death. This 
population is at greater risk of suicide, unintended pregnancy, and 
substance abuse. Many are unable to continue with school and are more 
likely to enter our juvenile criminal justice system. The reality is 
that available data likely underestimate the scale and consequences of 
this problem.
  I have met with teachers, social workers, and others from Maine who 
work directly with young people experiencing homelessness. We talked 
about the pressure that student homelessness places on teachers, school 
administrators, and their already strapped resources, and--most 
important--the homeless students themselves. I have also visited New 
Beginnings in Lewiston, where I saw firsthand how Runaway and Homeless 
Youth Act resources are providing essential safety nets for young 
people in need. The staff at New Beginnings helps young people with 
case management, provides referrals to State and local agencies, 
assists with housing needs and access to shelter, and connects 
individuals to local educational and employment programs.
  Several years ago, as the chair of the Senate Transportation and 
Housing Appropriations Subcommittee, I held a hearing that featured 
testimony from Brittany Dixon, a former homeless youth from Auburn, ME, 
who gave powerful testimony on her personal experience with 
homelessness. After becoming homeless, Brittany was connected with New 
Beginnings. In her testimony, she said, ``New Beginnings provided many 
resources I could use to succeed, including assistance with college 
applications and financial aid. . . . New Beginnings has helped me to 
develop critical life skills and to become self-sufficient.'' 
``Programs that support homeless youth are important to

[[Page S4915]]

so many young people like me,'' she added. ``It gives young people the 
chance to have a safe place to stay while they get their footing and 
figure out what they want to do in their lives.''
  Runaway and Homeless Youth Act programs helped make Brittany's 
success story possible. Sadly, however, there are still many homeless 
youth who do not have the support they need. We must build on our past 
efforts because homeless youth should have the same opportunities to 
succeed as their peers.
  The three existing Runaway and Homeless Youth Act programs--the Basic 
Center Program, the Street Outreach Program, and the Transitional 
Living Program--help community-based organizations reach young people 
when they need support the most. These programs help runaway and 
homeless youth avoid the juvenile justice system, and early 
intervention can help them escape victimization and trafficking.
  The Runaway and Homeless Youth and Trafficking Prevention Act would 
reauthorize and strengthen these programs that help homeless youth meet 
their immediate needs, and it would help secure long-term residential 
services for those who cannot be safely reunited with their families. 
Our legislation would also create a new program--the Prevention 
Services Program--designed to help prevent youth from running away and 
becoming homeless in the first place. Moreover, our bill supports 
wraparound services for victims of trafficking and sexual exploitation.
  Mr. President, the Runaway and Homeless Youth and Trafficking 
Prevention Act will support those young people who run away, are forced 
out of their homes, or are disconnected from their families. A caring 
and safe place to sleep, eat, grow, study, and develop is critical for 
all young people. The programs reauthorized and modernized through this 
legislation help extend those basic services to the most vulnerable 
youth in our communities.
  I thank Senator Leahy for his leadership on this bill and urge my 
colleagues to support it.

                          ____________________