2.5 million disconnected
There are 2.5 million disconnected, unaccompanied and/or homeless youth in our country.
Public Policy Update - September 07, 2008
On Monday, July 28th, the Senate voted on a motion to consider the "Advancing America's Priorities Act (S. 3297), the Majority Leader's omnibus package that included legislation to reauthorize the Runaway and Homeless Youth Act (S. 2982/H.R. 5524), The motion required 60 votes to pass and it failed by 8 votes, 52-40 (see end of article for voting record). If the package had been approved, the reauthorization of the Runaway and Homeless Youth Act would have been completed and the legislation would have been forwarded to the President for his signature. The House and Senate committees of jurisdiction, in consultation with NN4Y, completed negotiations to resolve small, technical differences in the bill to avoid conference.
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) introduced the package in response to Senator Coburn's (R-OK) use of holds to block legislation with increased authorization levels, such as the Runaway and Homeless Youth Act. For the first time in RHYA's legislative history, the Senate Majority Leader spoke of the importance of passing the Runaway and Homeless Youth Act, which he mentioned in his floor statement during introduction of the package on Tuesday, July 22.
Senator Reid included over 30 other bi-partisan, non-controversial measures in the package that were expected to be difficult to oppose: Vision Care for Kids Act, stroke prevention legislation, lateral sclerosis legislation, the Christopher Reeve Paralysis Act, the Drug Endangered Kids Act, and legislation dealing with the COPS program, ocean exploration, and development in Appalachia. On average, action on these bills has been delayed by 6 months due to Senator Colburn's holds.
Senator Reid will not be introducing the package in September when Congress reconvenes, as it is clear that Minority Leader, Mitch McConnell (R-KY), convinced his caucus to support Senator Coburn's position. It is expected that there will only be three working weeks in September before the Hill turns their focus to the Presidential and Congressional elections. If Senator Colburn doesn't lift the hold on RHYA in September, it is expected that RHYA reauthorization will be carried over into the next Congress with a temporary extension to authorize the programs.
WHAT YOU CAN DO TO SUPPORT RHYA REAUTHORIZATION:
- Ask you Senators/Representative to co-sponsor S. 2982 and H.R. 5524, bi-partisan legislation that would strengthen programs for Runaway and Homeless Youth.
- Contact your Senator about their voting record on the "Advancing America's Priorities Act" and urge them to reauthorize RHYA before it expires at the end of September. Make sure you thank them if they voted in favor of the package, especially Senators Smith (R-OR), Coleman (R-NE), and Warner (R-VA).