IV

106TH CONGRESS

1ST SESSION H. CON. RES. 93

Expressing the sense of the Congress regarding the social problem of child

abuse and neglect and supporting efforts to enhance public awareness

of this problem.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

APRIL 27, 1999

Ms. PRYCE of Ohio (for herself, Mr. DELAY, Mr. HYDE, Mr. MCCOLLUM, Mr.

EWING, Mr. GREENWOOD, Mrs. JONES of Ohio, Mr. SCOTT, Mrs. JOHNSON of Connecticut, and Mr. GOODLING) submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Education and

the Workforce, and in addition to the Committee on the Judiciary, for

a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for

consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned

APRIL 27, 1999

Committee on Education and the Workforce discharged; considered under

suspension of the rules and agreed to

CONCURRENT RESOLUTION

Expressing the sense of the Congress regarding the social

problem of child abuse and neglect and supporting efforts

to enhance public awareness of this problem.

Whereas each year more than 3,000,000 children in the

United States are reported as suspected victims of child

abuse and neglect;
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Whereas more than 500,000 American children are currently

unable to live safely with their families and have been

placed in foster homes and institutions;

Whereas it is estimated that more than 1,000 children in the

United States, 78 percent of whom are less than 5 years

of age and 38 percent of whom are less than 1 year of

age, lose their lives each year as a direct result of abuse

and neglect;

Whereas the tragic social problem of child abuse and neglect

results in human and economic costs due to its relationship to crime and delinquency, drug and alcohol abuse,

domestic violence, and welfare dependency; and

Whereas April has been designated by the President as Child

Abuse Prevention Month to focus public awareness on

this social ill: Now, therefore, be it

1 Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate

2 concurring), That—

3 (1) it is the sense of the Congress that—

4 (A) the faith community, nonprofit organi5 zations, State and local officials involved in pre6 vention of child abuse and neglect, and volun7 teers throughout the United States should re8 commit themselves and mobilize their resources

9 to assist children in danger of abuse or neglect;

10 (B) Federal resources should be mar11 shalled in a manner that maximizes their im12 pact on the prevention of child abuse and ne13 glect;
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1 (C) because abuse and neglect of children

2 increases the likelihood that they will later en3 gage in criminal activity, State and local offi4 cials should be provided with increased flexi5 bility that allows them to use Federal law en6 forcement resources in the fight to prevent child

7 abuse and neglect if they consider that use ap8 propriate; and

9 (D) child protective services agencies, law

10 enforcement agencies, and the judicial system

11 should coordinate their efforts to the maximum

12 extent possible to prevent child abuse and ne13 glect; and

14 (2) the Congress—

15 (A) supports efforts in the United States

16 to—

17 (i) focus the attention of the Nation

18 on the disturbing problem of child abuse;

19 (ii) demonstrate gratitude to the peo20 ple in the United States who work to keep

21 children safe; and

22 (iii) encourage individuals to take ac23 tion in their own communities to make

24 them healthier places in which children can

25 grow and thrive; and
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1 (B) commends the faith community, non2 profit organizations, State and local officials in3 volved in prevention of child abuse and neglect,

4 and volunteers throughout America for their ef5 forts on behalf of abused and neglected children

6 everywhere.

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