IV 
114TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. RES. 476 
Supporting the establishment of a national Children’s Bill of Rights. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
OCTOBER 9, 2015 
Mr. GUTIE´RREZ (for himself, Ms. BASS, and Ms. JUDY CHU of California) 
submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee 
on Education and the Workforce 
RESOLUTION 
Supporting the establishment of a national Children’s Bill 
of Rights. 
Whereas all children and youth have the inalienable right to 
live in a just, safe, and supportive society; and 
Whereas this right belongs to all children, regardless of gen-
der, class, race, ethnicity, national origin, culture, reli-
gion, immigration status, sexual orientation, or ability: 
Now, therefore, be it 
Resolved, it is the sense of the House of Representa-
tives that every child is entitled to— 
(1) physical well-being, including— 
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•HRES 476 IH 
(A) the right to be free from all forms of 
physical, psychological, or sexual abuse, neglect, 
and exploitation; 
(B) the right to have the child’s essential 
needs met, including nutritious food, safe and 
accessible shelter, clothing, health care, and ac-
cessible transportation; 
(C) the right to a safe and healthy environ-
ment, including homes, schools, neighborhoods, 
and communities; 
(D) the right to the care and protection of 
the State in which the child resides if there is 
no parent, legal guardian, or other caregiver 
willing and able to assume responsibility for the 
care and well-being of the child; and 
(E) the right to receive appropriate med-
ical treatment, and the right to access afford-
able health insurance coverage, including effec-
tive therapeutic interventions for behavioral 
health; 
(2) social and emotional well-being, including— 
(A) the right to develop a healthy attach-
ment to a parent, legal guardian, or caregiver, 
and the right to an ongoing relationship with a 
caring and supportive adult; 
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•HRES 476 IH 
(B) the right to remain with a parent, 
legal guardian, or caregiver, except when au-
thorities determine separation is in the best in-
terest of the child; 
(C) the right to be reunited with a parent, 
legal guardian, or caregiver should separation 
occur, with priority given to keeping children 
with their family or with kin in a home setting, 
whenever it remains in the child’s best interest 
to do so; 
(D) the right to maintain direct contact 
with parents on a regular basis when a child is 
separated from a parent, including cases in 
which a parent is incarcerated or detained, 
whenever it remains in the child’s best interest 
to do so; 
(E) the right to access sports and other ex-
tracurricular activities that support the child’s 
healthy social, emotional, and physical develop-
ment; 
(F) the right to a voice in matters that af-
fect the child, and the right to participation in 
age-appropriate forums, including representa-
tion on youth councils and other decisionmaking 
bodies; 
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•HRES 476 IH 
tools and technology necessary for a successful 
learning experience; 
(E) the right to be heard in age-appro-
priate ways on issues regarding the education 
of the child and to be represented on school 
boards and other decisionmaking bodies; 
(F) the right of access to training in life 
skills that will prepare the child to live inde-
pendently and contribute to the child’s commu-
nity; and 
(G) the right to protections from unfair 
and unsafe labor practices in the workforce. 
Æ 
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