[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 156 (2010), Part 5]
[Senate]
[Pages 6372-6373]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                 NATIONAL CHILD ABUSE PREVENTION MONTH

  Mr. WHITEHOUSE. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent the Judiciary 
Committee be discharged from further consideration and the Senate now 
proceed to S. Res. 498.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The clerk will report the resolution by title.
  The legislative clerk read as follows:

       A resolution (S. Res. 498) designating April 2010 as 
     ``National Child Abuse Prevention Month.''

  There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the 
resolution.
  Mr. WHITEHOUSE. I ask unanimous consent the resolution be agreed to, 
the preamble be agreed to, and the motions to reconsider be laid upon 
the table.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The resolution (S. Res. 498) was agreed to.
  The preamble was agreed to.
  The resolution, with its preamble, reads as follows:

                              S. Res. 498

       Whereas, in 2008, approximately 772,000 children were 
     determined to be victims of abuse or neglect;
       Whereas, in 2008, an estimated 1,740 children died as a 
     result of abuse or neglect;
       Whereas, in 2008, an estimated 80 percent of the children 
     who died due to abuse or neglect were under the age of 4;
       Whereas, in 2008, of the children under the age of 4 who 
     died due to abuse or neglect, the majority were under the age 
     of 1;
       Whereas abused or neglected children have a higher risk in 
     adulthood for developing health problems, including 
     alcoholism, depression, drug abuse, eating disorders, 
     obesity, suicide, and certain chronic diseases;
       Whereas a National Institute of Justice study indicated 
     that abused or neglected children--
       (1) are 11 times more likely to be arrested for criminal 
     behavior as juveniles; and

[[Page 6373]]

       (2) are 2.7 times more likely to be arrested for violent 
     and criminal behavior as adults;
       Whereas an estimated \1/3\ of abused or neglected children 
     grow up to abuse or neglect their own children;
       Whereas providing community-based services to families 
     impacted by child abuse or neglect may be far less costly 
     than--
       (1) the emotional and physical damage inflicted on children 
     who have been abused or neglected;
       (2) providing to abused or neglected children services, 
     including child protective, law enforcement, court, foster 
     care, or health care services; or
       (3) providing treatment to adults recovering from child 
     abuse; and
       Whereas child abuse or neglect has long-term economic and 
     societal costs: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) designates April 2010 as ``National Child Abuse 
     Prevention Month'';
       (2) recognizes and applauds the national and community 
     organizations that work to promote awareness about child 
     abuse or neglect, including by identifying risk factors and 
     developing prevention strategies;
       (3) supports the proclamation issued by President Obama 
     declaring April 2010 as ``National Child Abuse Prevention 
     Month''; and
       (4) should--
       (A) increase public awareness of prevention programs 
     relating to child abuse or neglect; and
       (B) continue to work with the States to reduce the 
     incidence of child abuse or neglect in the United States.

                          ____________________