108TH CONGRESS

1ST SESSION H. R. 1925

AN ACT

To reauthorize programs under the Runaway and

Homeless Youth Act and the Missing Children’sAssistance Act, and for other purposes.

108TH CONGRESS

1ST SESSION H. R. 1925

AN ACT

To reauthorize programs under the Runaway and Homeless

Youth Act and the Missing Children’s Assistance Act,

and for other purposes.

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
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1 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

2 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Runaway, Homeless,

3 and Missing Children Protection Act’’.

4 TITLE I—AMENDMENTS TO RUN5 AWAY AND HOMELESS YOUTH

6 ACT

7 SEC. 101. AMENDMENT TO FINDINGS.

8 Section 302 of the Runaway and Homeless Youth Act

9 (42 U.S.C. 5701) is amended to read as follows:

10 ‘‘SEC. 302. FINDINGS.

11 ‘‘The Congress finds that—

12 ‘‘(1) youth who have become homeless or who

13 leave and remain away from home without parental

14 permission, are at risk of developing, and have a dis15 proportionate share of, serious health, behavioral,

16 and emotional problems because they lack sufficient

17 resources to obtain care and may live on the street

18 for extended periods thereby endangering themselves

19 and creating a substantial law enforcement problem

20 for communities in which they congregate;

21 ‘‘(2) many such young people, because of their

22 age and situation, are urgently in need of temporary

23 shelter and services, including services that are lin24 guistically appropriate and acknowledge the environ25 ment of youth seeking these services;
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1 ‘‘(3) in view of the interstate nature of the

2 problem, it is the responsibility of the Federal Gov3 ernment to develop an accurate national reporting

4 system to report the problem, and to assist in the

5 development of an effective system of care (including

6 preventive and aftercare services, emergency shelter

7 services, extended residential shelter, and street out8 reach services) outside the welfare system and the

9 law enforcement system;

10 ‘‘(4) to make a successful transition to adult11 hood, runaway youth, homeless youth, and other

12 street youth need opportunities to complete high

13 school or earn a general equivalency degree, learn

14 job skills, and obtain employment; and

15 ‘‘(5) improved coordination and collaboration

16 between the Federal programs that serve runaway

17 and homeless youth are necessary for the develop18 ment of a long-term strategy for responding to the

19 needs of this population.’’.

20 SEC. 102. GRANT PROGRAM CONFORMING AMENDMENT.

21 The heading for part A of the Runaway and Home22 less Youth Act (42 U.S.C. 5711 et seq.) is amended by

23 striking ‘‘RUNAWAY AND HOMELESS YOUTH’’ and insert24 ing ‘‘BASIC CENTER’’.
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1 SEC. 103. GRANTS FOR SERVICES PROVIDED.

2 Section 311(a)(2)(C) of the Runaway and Homeless

3 Youth Act (42 U.S.C. 5711(a)(2)(C)) is amended—

4 (1) in clause (ii) by striking ‘‘and’’;

5 (2) in clause (iii) by striking the period and in6 serting ‘‘; and’’; and

7 (3) after clause (iii) by inserting the following:

8 ‘‘(iv) at the request of runaway and

9 homeless youth, testing for sexually trans10 mitted diseases.’’.

11 SEC. 104. REPEAL OF OBSOLETE PROVISION RELATING TO

12 CERTAIN ALLOTMENTS.

13 Section 311(b) the Runaway and Homeless Youth

14 Act (42 U.S.C. 5711(b)) is amended—

15 (1) in paragraph (2), by striking ‘‘Subject to

16 paragraph (3), the’’ and inserting ‘‘The’’;

17 (2) by striking paragraph (3); and

18 (3) by redesignating paragraph (4) as para19 graph (3).

20 SEC. 105. ELIGIBILITY PROVISION.

21 Section 312(a) of the Runaway and Homeless Youth

22 Act (42 U.S.C. 5712(a)) is amended by striking ‘‘juve23 niles’’ each place it appears and inserting ‘‘youth’’.
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1 SEC. 106. RECOGNITION OF STATE LAW RELATING TO CA2 PACITY LIMITATION ON ELIGIBLE RUNAWAY

3 AND HOMELESS YOUTH CENTERS.

4 Section 312(b)(2)(A) of the Runaway and Homeless

5 Youth Act (42 U.S.C. 5712(b)(2)(A)) is amended by in6 serting after ‘‘youth’’ the following: ‘‘, except where the

7 applicant assures that the State where the center or locally

8 controlled facility is located has a State or local law or

9 regulation that requires a higher maximum to comply with

10 licensure requirements for child and youth serving facili11 ties’’.

12 SEC. 107. MATERNITY GROUP HOMES.

13 (a) ELIGIBILITY.—Section 322(a)(1) of the Runaway

14 and Homeless Youth Act (42 U.S.C. 5714–2(a)(1)) is

15 amended—

16 (1) by inserting after ‘‘group homes,’’ the fol17 lowing: ‘‘including maternity group homes,’’; and

18 (2) by inserting after ‘‘use of credit,’’ the fol19 lowing: ‘‘parenting skills (as appropriate),’’.

20 (b) DEFINITION.—Section 322 of the Runaway and

21 Homeless Youth Act (42 U.S.C. 5714–2) is amended by

22 adding at the end the following new subsection:

23 ‘‘(c) DEFINITION.—In this part, the term ‘maternity

24 group home’ means a community-based, adult-supervised

25 transitional living arrangement that provides pregnant or

26 parenting youth and their children with a supportive and
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1 supervised living arrangement in which such pregnant or

2 parenting youth are required to learn parenting skills, in3 cluding child development, family budgeting, health and

4 nutrition, and other skills to promote their long-term eco5 nomic independence in order to ensure the well-being of

6 their children.’’.

7 SEC. 108. LIMITED EXTENSION OF 540-DAY SHELTER ELIGI8 BILITY PERIOD.

9 Section 322(a)(2) of the Runaway and Homeless

10 Youth Act (42 U.S.C. 5714–2(a)(2)) is amended by in11 serting after ‘‘days’’ the following: ‘‘, except that a youth

12 in a program under this part who is under the age of 18

13 years on the last day of the 540-day period may, if other14 wise qualified for the program, remain in the program

15 until the earlier of the youth’s 18th birthday or the 180th

16 day after the end of the 540-day period’’.

17 SEC. 109. PART A PLAN COORDINATION ASSURANCES.

18 Section 312(b)(4)(B) of the Runaway and Homeless

19 Youth Act (42 U.S.C. 5712(b)(4)(B)) is amended by strik20 ing ‘‘personnel’’ and all that follows through the semicolon

21 and inserting ‘‘McKinney-Vento school district liaisons,

22 designated under section 722(g)(1)(J)(ii) of the McKin23 ney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 11432

24 (g)(1)(J)(ii)), to assure that runaway and homeless youth

25 are provided information about the educational services
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1 available to such youth under subtitle B of title VII of

2 that Act;’’.

3 SEC. 110. PART B PLAN COORDINATION AGREEMENT.

4 Section 322(a) of the Runaway and Homeless Youth

5 Act (42 U.S.C. 5714–2(a)) is amended—

6 (1) by striking ‘‘and’’ after the semicolon at the

7 end of paragraph (13);

8 (2) by striking the period at the end of para9 graph (14) and inserting ‘‘; and’’; and

10 (3) by adding at the end the following new

11 paragraph:

12 ‘‘(15) to coordinate services with McKinney13 Vento school district liaisons, designated under sec14 tion 722(g)(1)(J)(ii) of the McKinney-Vento Home15 less Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 11432(g)(1)(J)(ii)),

16 to assure that runaway and homeless youth are pro17 vided information about the educational services

18 available to such youth under subtitle B of title VII

19 of that Act.’’.

20 SEC. 111. PART B PLAN DEVELOPMENT.

21 Section 322(a)(7) of the Runaway and Homeless

22 Youth Act (42 U.S.C. 5714–2(a)(7)) is amended to read

23 as follows:

24 ‘‘(7) to develop an adequate plan to ensure

25 proper referral of homeless youth to social service,
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1 law enforcement, educational (including post-sec2 ondary education), vocational, training (including

3 services and programs for youth available under the

4 Workforce Investment Act of 1998), welfare (includ5 ing programs under the Personal Responsibility and

6 Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996), legal

7 service, and health care programs and to help inte8 grate and coordinate such services for youths;’’.

9 SEC. 112. COORDINATION OF PROGRAMS.

10 Section 341 of the Runaway and Homeless Youth Act

11 (42 U.S.C. 5714–21) is amended—

12 (1) in paragraph (1), by striking ‘‘and’’ after

13 the semicolon at the end;

14 (2) in paragraph (2), by striking the period at

15 the end and inserting ‘‘; and’’; and

16 (3) by adding at the end the following new

17 paragraph:

18 ‘‘(3) shall consult, as appropriate, the Secretary

19 of Housing and Urban Development to ensure co20 ordination of programs and services for homeless

21 youth.’’.

22 SEC. 113. CLARIFICATION OF GRANT AUTHORITY.

23 Section 343(a) of the Runaway and Homeless Youth

24 Act (42 U.S.C. 5714–23(a)) is amended by inserting after
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1 ‘‘service projects’’ the following: ‘‘regarding activities

2 under this title’’.

3 SEC. 114. TECHNICAL AMENDMENT RELATING TO DEM4 ONSTRATION PROJECTS.

5 The section heading of section 344 of the Runaway

6 and Homeless Youth Act (42 U.S.C. 5714–24) is amended

7 by striking ‘‘TEMPORARY’’.

8 SEC. 115. REPEAL OF OBSOLETE PROVISION RELATING TO

9 STUDY.

10 The Runaway and Homeless Youth Act (42 U.S.C.

11 5701 et seq.) is amended by striking section 345 (42

12 U.S.C. 5714–25).

13 SEC. 116. AGE LIMIT FOR HOMELESS YOUTH.

14 Section 387(3)(A)(i) of the Runaway and Homeless

15 Youth Act (42 U.S.C. 5732a(3)(A)(i)) is amended by in16 serting after ‘‘of age’’ the following: ‘‘, or, in the case of

17 a youth seeking shelter in a center under part A, not more

18 than 18 years of age’’.

19 SEC. 117. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

20 (a) OTHER THAN PART E.—Section 388(a)(1) of the

21 Runaway and Homeless Youth Act (42 U.S.C.

22 5751(a)(1)) is amended by striking ‘‘such sums as may

23 be necessary for fiscal years 2000, 2001, 2002, and 2003’’

24 and inserting ‘‘$105,000,000 for fiscal year 2004, and
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1 such sums as may be necessary for fiscal years 2005,

2 2006, 2007, and 2008’’.

3 (b) PART E.—Section 388(a)(4) of the Runaway and

4 Homeless Youth Act (42 U.S.C. 5751(a)(4)) is amended

5 by striking ‘‘2000, 2001, 2002, and 2003’’ and inserting

6 ‘‘2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, and 2008’’.

7 (c) PART B ALLOCATION.—Section 388(a)(2)(B) of

8 the Runaway and Homeless Youth Act (42 U.S.C.

9 5751(a)(2)(B)) is amended by striking ‘‘not less than 20

10 percent, and not more than 30 percent’’ and inserting ‘‘45

11 percent and, in those fiscal years in which continuation

12 grant obligations and the quality and number of appli13 cants for parts A and B warrant not more than 55 per14 cent’’.

15 SEC. 118. REPORT ON PROMISING STRATEGIES TO END

16 YOUTH HOMELESSNESS.

17 Not later than 2 years after the date of the enact18 ment of this Act, the Secretary of Health and Human

19 Services, in consultation with the United States Inter20 agency Council on Homelessness, shall submit to the Con21 gress a report on promising strategies to end youth home22 lessness.

23 SEC. 119. STUDY OF HOUSING SERVICES AND STRATEGIES.

24 The Secretary of Health and Human Services shall

25 conduct a study of programs funded under part B of the
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1 Runaway and Homeless Youth Act (42 U.S.C. 5714–1 et

2 seq.) to report on long-term housing outcomes for youth

3 after exiting the program. The study of any such program

4 should provide information on housing services available

5 to youth upon exiting the program, including assistance

6 in locating and retaining permanent housing and referrals

7 to other residential programs. In addition, the study

8 should identify housing models and placement strategies

9 that prevent future episodes of homelessness.

10 SEC. 120. RESTRICTION ON USE OF FUNDS.

11 The Runaway and Homeless Youth Act (42 U.S.C.

12 5701 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the fol13 lowing new section:

14 ‘‘SEC. 389. RESTRICTION ON USE OF FUNDS.

15 ‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—None of the funds contained in

16 this title may be used for any program of distributing ster17 ile needles or syringes for the hypodermic injection of any

18 illegal drug.

19 ‘‘(b) SEPARATE ACCOUNTING.—Any individual or en20 tity who receives any funds contained in this title and who

21 carries out any program described in subsection (a) shall

22 account for all funds used for such program separately

23 from any funds contained in this title.’’.
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1 TITLE II—AMENDMENTS TO

2 MISSING CHILDREN’S ASSIST3 ANCE ACT

4 SEC. 201. AMENDMENT TO FINDINGS.

5 Section 402 of the Missing Children’s Assistance Act

6 (42 U.S.C. 5771) is amended to read as follows:

7 ‘‘SEC. 402. FINDINGS.

8 ‘‘The Congress finds that—

9 ‘‘(1) each year thousands of children are ab10 ducted or removed from the control of a parent hav11 ing legal custody without such parent’s consent,

12 under circumstances which immediately place the

13 child in grave danger;

14 ‘‘(2) many missing children are at great risk of

15 both physical harm and sexual exploitation;

16 ‘‘(3) in many cases, parents and local law en17 forcement officials have neither the resources nor

18 the expertise to mount expanded search efforts;

19 ‘‘(4) abducted children are frequently moved

20 from one locality to another, requiring the coopera21 tion and coordination of local, State, and Federal

22 law enforcement efforts;

23 ‘‘(5) the National Center for Missing and Ex24 ploited Children—
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1 ‘‘(A) serves as the national resource center

2 and clearinghouse;

3 ‘‘(B) works in partnership with the De4 partment of Justice, the Federal Bureau of In5 vestigation, the Department of the Treasury,

6 the Department of State, and many other agen7 cies in the effort to find missing children and

8 prevent child victimization; and

9 ‘‘(C) operates a national and increasingly

10 worldwide network, linking the Center online

11 with each of the missing children clearinghouses

12 operated by the 50 States, the District of Co13 lumbia, and Puerto Rico, as well as with Scot14 land Yard in the United Kingdom, the Royal

15 Canadian Mounted Police, INTERPOL head16 quarters in Lyon, France, and others, which en17 able the Center to transmit images and infor18 mation regarding missing children to law en19 forcement across the United States and around

20 the world instantly.’’.

21 SEC. 202. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

22 (a) ANNUAL GRANT TO NATIONAL CENTER FOR

23 MISSING AND EXPLOITED CHILDREN.—Section 404(b)(2)

24 of the Missing Children’s Assistance Act (42 U.S.C.
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1 5773(b)(2)) is amended by striking ‘‘2005’’ and inserting

2 ‘‘2008’’.

3 (b) IN GENERAL.—Section 408(a) of the Missing

4 Children’s Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5777(a)) is amended

5 by striking ‘‘2005.’’ and inserting ‘‘2008’’.

Passed the House of Representatives May 20, 2003.

Attest:

Clerk.