Max Baucus: “Nelson Mandela, the former president of South Africa, once said ``Safety and security don't just happen; they are the…”

“Nelson Mandela, the former president of South Africa, once said ``Safety and security don't just happen; they are the result of collective consensus and public investment. We owe our children, the most vulnerable citizens in our society, a life free of violence and fear.'' Today, I echo that call to protect our most vulnerable citizens as I join Senators Kerry, Collins, Cardin, Shaheen, Snowe, and Conrad to introduce the Protect Our Kids Act. This important legislation establishes a special task force dedicated to reducing child abuse and neglect in America. Comprised of our Nation's top child welfare administrators and researchers, law enforcement officers, and other dedicated experts, this task force would study and evaluate federal, state, and private child welfare systems and develop a comprehensive national strategy to prevent and reduce these tragic acts of violence. Since 2002, more than 15,000 children have died due to abuse and neglect. This number is based on state-reported Child Protection Services data. But advocates predict the true number is far greater. We don't have clear facts because currently, there is no national standard for collecting data on these young victims. Many state child protection agencies do not share vital data and statistics with other agencies, officials, or law enforcement. Clearly, more must be done to better protect our Nation's children.…”