Rubén Hinojosa: “I commend the committee leadership in both Chambers for bringing forth this agreement, which represents a bipartisan…”

“I commend the committee leadership in both Chambers for bringing forth this agreement, which represents a bipartisan, bicameral effort to protect children. As with the Amber Alert legislation, and the Runaway, Homeless and Missing Children Protection Act that passed the House earlier this year, this legislation shows that we are unified in our desire to protect young people who are in danger. I am proud to be a part of this effort. I won't repeat all the technical aspects of the bill, but this effort will focus on the prevention and treatment of child abuse by authorizing grants to States to help with the functions of the child protection system. It also provides authority for research and demonstration projects, enhances investigations and prosecutions of maltreatment, and provides grants for local community-based programs. I am pleased that we were able to include in the final agreement demonstration programs to assist children who witness domestic violence as well as an Internet enhancement of the domestic violence hotline. There is no more important task before this Congress than to protect the most vulnerable of our Nation's children. I only hope that our commitment to children will extend beyond rhetoric to the resources needed to fully fund these and other programs for children. Unfortunately, help for poor, disadvantaged children has taken a backseat to tax breaks for the wealthy.”