[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 152 (2006), Part 2]
[Senate]
[Pages 2716-2717]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                        NATIONAL SAFE PLACE WEEK

  Mr. FRIST. I ask unanimous consent that the Senate now proceed to 
consideration of S. Res. 390, which was submitted earlier today.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report the resolution by title.
  The assistant legislative clerk read as follows:

       A resolution (S. Res. 390) designating the week beginning 
     March 13, 2006, as ``National Safe Place Week.''

  There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the 
resolution.
  Mr. CRAIG. Mr. President, I look forward to the U.S. Senate passing 
this resolution and designating the week of March 13-17, 2006, as 
National Safe Place Week. I thank my colleague Senator Feinstein for 
her work on this issue. I would also like to the other cosponsors of 
this resolution: Senator Durbin, Senator Cochran, Senator Lautenberg, 
Senator Inhofe, Senator Mikulski, Senator Crapo, Senator Landrieu, 
Senator Salazar, Senator Clinton, Senator Bunning, Senator Lincoln, 
Senator DeWine, Senator Inouye, Senator Lieberman, Senator Feingold, 
Senator Dodd, Senator Snowe, Senator Boxer, Senator Murkowski, Senator 
Johnson, and Senator Kohl. This action will recognize the importance of 
Project Safe Place and send a message that we will keep working to 
protect our children. In countless hours of selfless work, volunteers 
truly do make a difference every day, and in passing this resolution, 
the Senate will be applauding the tireless efforts of the thousands of 
dedicated volunteers across the nation for their many contributions to 
the youth of our nation through Project Safe Place.
  Events of the day may turn our attention overseas, but it is 
essential to remember those who are fighting an ongoing battle right 
here at home. This battle has been raging for generations and consists 
of fighting to protect this Nation's most valuable resource: our 
children. Young people are the future of this Nation; they need to be 
both valued and protected. Sadly, however, as my colleagues know, this 
precious resource is threatened daily.
  I come to the Senate today to talk about a tremendous initiative 
between the public and private sector that has been reaching out to 
youth for over 20 years. Project Safe Place is a program that was 
developed to assist our Nation's youth and families in crisis. This 
partnership creates a network of private businesses trained to refer 
youth in need to the local service providers who can help them. Those 
businesses display a Safe Place sign so that young people can easily 
recognize a ``safe place'' for them to go to receive help.
  The goal of National Safe Place Week is to recognize the thousands of 
individuals who work to make Project Safe Place a reality. From trained 
volunteers to seasoned professionals, these dedicated individuals are 
working together with the resources in their local communities and 
through their ties across the Nation to serve young people. Because of 
Project Safe Place, this all happens under a well-known symbol of 
safety for in-crisis youth.
  Project Safe Place is a simple program to implement in any local 
community, and it works. Young people are more likely to seek help in 
locations that are familiar and non-threatening to them. By creating a 
network of Safe Places across the Nation, all youth will have access to 
needed help, counseling, or a safe place to stay. However, though the 
program has already been established in 42 States, there are still too 
many communities that don't know about this valuable youth resource.
  If your State does not already have a Safe Place organization, please 
consider facilitating this worthwhile resource so that young people who 
are abused, neglected, or whose futures are jeopardized by physical or 
emotional trauma will have access to immediate help and safety in your 
community. To create more Project Safe Place sites in Idaho, the staff 
in several of my State offices have completed the training to make them 
Safe Place sites, and now have the skills and ability to assist 
troubled youth. In the coming years, Project Safe Place hopes that 
every child in America will have the opportunity to connect with 
someone who can provide immediate help by easily recognizing the Safe 
Place sign.
  Mr. FRIST. I ask unanimous consent the resolution be agreed to, the 
preamble be agreed to, and the motion to reconsider be laid upon the 
table.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The resolution (S. 390) was agreed to.
  The preamble was agreed to.
  The resolution, with its preamble, reads as follows:

                              S. Res. 390

       Whereas the youths of today are vital to the preservation 
     of the United States and will be the future bearers of the 
     bright torch of democracy;
       Whereas youths need a safe haven from various negative 
     influences such as child abuse, substance abuse, and crime, 
     and they need to have resources readily available to assist 
     them when faced with circumstances that compromise their 
     safety;
       Whereas the United States needs increased numbers of 
     community volunteers acting as positive influences on the 
     youths of the Nation;
       Whereas the Safe Place program is committed to protecting 
     the youths of the United States, the country's most valuable 
     asset, by offering short term safe places at neighborhood 
     locations where trained volunteers are available to counsel 
     and advise young people seeking assistance and guidance;
       Whereas the Safe Place program combines the efforts of the 
     private sector and nonprofit organizations to reach young 
     people in the early stages of crisis;
       Whereas the Safe Place program provides a direct way to 
     assist programs in meeting performance standards relative to 
     outreach and community relations, as set forth in the Runaway 
     and Homeless Youth Act (42 U.S.C. 5701 et seq.);
       Whereas the Safe Place placard displayed at businesses 
     within communities stands as a beacon of safety and refuge to 
     at-risk youths;

[[Page 2717]]

       Whereas more than 700 communities in 40 States make Safe 
     Place available at nearly 15,000 locations;
       Whereas more than 87,000 youths have gone to Safe Place 
     locations to get help when faced with crisis situations and 
     88,000 youths received counseling by phone as a result of 
     Safe Place information they received at school;
       Whereas, through the efforts of Safe Place coordinators 
     across the United States, each year more than 500,000 
     students learn in a classroom presentation that Safe Place is 
     a resource they can turn to if they encounter an abusive or 
     neglectful situation, and 1,000,000 Safe Place information 
     cards are distributed; and
       Whereas increased awareness of the Safe Place program will 
     encourage communities to establish Safe Places for the youths 
     of the United States: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) designates the week of March 13 through March 19, 2006, 
     as ``National Safe Place Week''; and
       (2) calls upon the people of the United States and 
     interested groups to promote awareness of and volunteer 
     involvement in, the Safe Place programs, and to observe the 
     week with appropriate ceremonies and activities.

     

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