III

106TH CONGRESS

1ST SESSION H. CON. RES. 93

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

MAY 4, 1999

Received and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary

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;

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;
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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;

14 (C) because abuse and neglect of children

15 increases the likelihood that they will later en16 gage in criminal activity, State and local offi-
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1 cials should be provided with increased flexi2 bility that allows them to use Federal law en3 forcement resources in the fight to prevent child

4 abuse and neglect if they consider that use ap5 propriate; and

6 (D) child protective services agencies, law

7 enforcement agencies, and the judicial system

8 should coordinate their efforts to the maximum

9 extent possible to prevent child abuse and ne10 glect; and

11 (2) the Congress—

12 (A) supports efforts in the United States

13 to—

14 (i) focus the attention of the Nation

15 on the disturbing problem of child abuse;

16 (ii) demonstrate gratitude to the peo17 ple in the United States who work to keep

18 children safe; and

19 (iii) encourage individuals to take ac20 tion in their own communities to make

21 them healthier places in which children can

22 grow and thrive; and

23 (B) commends the faith community, non24 profit organizations, State and local officials in25 volved in prevention of child abuse and neglect,
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1 and volunteers throughout America for their ef2 forts on behalf of abused and neglected children

3 everywhere.

Passed the House of Representatives April 29, 1999.

Attest: JEFF TRANDAHL,

Clerk.