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Child Welfare All children and youth deserve a safe, stable, and loving home to call their own, especially the thousands already in Nevada’s child welfare system. I am proud that Congress achieved real progress last year with the Fostering Connections to Success and Increasing Adoptions Act (Public Law 110-351), the most significant child welfare reform legislation in the past decade that will help move more orphans and foster care kids into adoptive and kinship families. But more needs to be done to prevent child abuse and neglect, to support families and children at-risk of needlessly entering the child welfare system, and to help affected kids thrive and become successful adults. I look forward to continuing to work in Congress on these important priorities. Juvenile Justice Inevitably, some of our young people make bad choices and violate the law. When these violations occur, we must be sensitive to the special needs children have. Although some young adults are involved in violent crimes and need to be dealt with firmly, most children are placed in the juvenile justice system due to relatively minor infractions. Lots of kids are locked up because of status offenses such as truancy, alcohol use, or running away from home. These children have different needs than adults, and they can usually be rehabilitated. We cannot sustain a system in which children enter juvenile facilities with manageable problems and emerge as hardened criminals. Studies have shown that investing money in services and helping kids with their problems early on saves tax payers money in the long run. I strongly support the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act (JJDPA), which would help implement some of the best juvenile justice practices from around the country. The policies and programs in JJDPA will help us turn kids who have faltered into productive and successful members of society. Youth Homelessness I am deeply concerned about the growing problem of youth homelessness. A stable environment is an extremely important component of a child’s growth and development. It is especially important in today’s highly competitive economy to give young people a secure foundation so they can acquire the skills necessary to become productive adults. Because of the housing crisis, many children end up on the street because of foreclosures. Other young people runaway, often to escape abuse or neglect at home. Regardless of the cause, it is important for us to address the problem. I supported the passage of the Reconnecting Homeless Youth Act that was signed into law on October 8, 2008. This bill provides grants for youth shelters, education assistance, and programs that help youth find and maintain safe and stable housing. I also was pleased that the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, which President Obama signed on February 17th, 2009, included $1.5 billion to prevent individuals and families from becoming homeless and help those who are experiencing homelessness to be quickly re-housed and stabilized. Most of these funds are already assisting Nevadans most in need. Additionally, the bill contained $70 million for the McKinney Vento program to ensure that homeless youth are able to enroll, attend, and succeed in school. Nevada Non-Profits Children's Summit It was my pleasure to host the Nevada Non-Profits Children’s Summit on Child Welfare, Juvenile Justice, and Youth Homelessness earlier this year. I was pleased to sponsor this event with the Children’s Advocacy Alliance and the Nevada Institute for Children’s Research & Policy. The well-being of our children and youth should always be a priority, as they represent our most important investment in the future of our state and the nation. Their status also reflects broader issues in the community and in public policy, pointing to successes to build upon and shortcomings to address. This summit served as an opportunity to constructively explore these issues, with a focus on three populations that are among the most vulnerable but also among the least visible in America. The summit was also an opportunity for local and national stakeholders to come together in a forum that fosters discussion and collaboration on a range of policy and practical matters. For more information on the Summit including links to presentations and handouts please click here. Tax Relief for Families with Children It is important that our tax laws acknowledge the importance of families, which is why I believe tax relief should be focused on helping working families. The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act which Congress passed and the President signed into law earlier this year made several changes to lower the tax burden on families with children. The law included the following tax relief:
Health Care Access to high quality and affordable health care is important for all Nevadans, but especially for our growing children. I was proud to have helped the U.S. Senate to pass the Children’s Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act of 2009. This important piece of legislation will ensure children get the doctor visits and medicines they need when they’re sick and the checkups the need to stay well. Additionally, I am pleased to have supported a number of important initiatives, which recently became law, that will improve health care for children. For example, the Newborn Screening Saves Lives Act of 2007 (P.L. 110-204) which will educate parents and health care providers about newborn health screening; improve follow-up care for infants with an illness detected through newborn screening; and help states expand and improve their newborn screening programs. The Caroline Pryce Walker Conquer Childhood Cancer Act of 2008 (PL 110-285) will deliver much needed hope and support to children and their families who are battling cancer, and more provide resources for crucial pediatric cancer research programs. And the Healthy Start Reauthorization Act of 2007(P.L. 110-339) is essential to helping our nation’s most disadvantaged children survive infancy and start life healthy. For more information on my work on behalf of Nevada’s children and all Nevadans in regards to health care click here. Education Education has always been at the heart of achievement in America. As someone whose life was transformed by education, I know firsthand the importance of giving every child in Nevada and the nation a quality education. I am fighting for an agenda that will help Nevada schools address their unique needs as they work to provide a quality education and improve student achievement. There is no better investment for our nation's future than creating world-class schools. For more information on my work in the United States Senate on education click here. White House Office on Children and Families Our children are our future. I strongly believe that one of our nation's most important goals is to ensure that all children benefit from the opportunities our country has to offer. That is why I urged President Barack Obama to create a White House Office on Children and Families. Establishing an office in the White House dedicated to meeting the needs and improving the lives of America's children is crucial to our ability to comprehensively addressing the needs of our children. The issues affecting children are varied and numerous. From health care to education to juvenile justice, we need to ensure that policy and agencies work together to better serve our future leaders. |