WASHINGTON — A bipartisan group of lawmakers from both chambers in Congress on Wednesday introduced a bill aimed at expanding aid and outreach to runaway and homeless youth in the U.S.
What You Need To Know
- Kentucky Congressman John Yarmuth helped introduce a bipartisan bill aimed at helping runaway and homeless youth in the U.S.
- The Runaway and Homeless Youth and Trafficking Prevention Act, if signed into law, would reauthorize key federal programs to give states funding needed to help thousands of homeless young people nationwide
- The bill would authorize funding for state and local programs to help provide transitional housing, street outreach, and crisis intervention programs
- It also expands protections to youths who are particularly vulnerable to human trafficking
Kentucky Rep. John Yarmuth (D) helped craft the bill alongside Nebraska Rep. Don Bacon (R) and Senators Patrick Leahy (D-VT) and Susan Collins (R-ME). The Runaway and Homeless Youth and Trafficking Prevention Act, if signed into law, would reauthorize key federal programs to give states funding needed to help thousands of homeless young people nationwide, lawmakers said in a press release.
“We must uphold our nation’s responsibility to combat youth homelessness in every way possible and ensure that our young people always have access to a safe and secure place to call home,” Yarmuth said in a press release. “I was proud to lead the effort to reauthorize this critical program back in 2008 and it is my hope that we can reauthorize it once again this Congress."
The landmark Runaway and Homeless Youth Act was first passed by Congress in 1974, providing nationwide support to address youth and young adult homelessness.
Reauthorization sought through the new, bipartisan measure would expand protections to youths who are particularly vulnerable to human trafficking and would authorize funding for state and local programs to help provide transitional housing, street outreach, and crisis intervention programs to address the needs of homeless and runaway youth.
The Runaway and Homeless Youth and Trafficking Prevention Act would:
- Reauthorize and increase authorization levels for programs under the Runaway and Homeless Youth Act;
- Increase annual competitive grants for rural youth demographics from $100,000 to $200,000;
- Require the Department of Health and Human Services to develop a national estimate of the prevalence of homeless youth every three years, and;
- Allow extensions in length of stay in Basic Center Programs from 21 days, to up to 30 days.
Yarmuth is serving his final term in Congress. The Louisville congressman elected not to run for re-election in Kentucky's third district this year, and has endorsed Kentucky State Senator Morgan McGarvey (D) to succeed him.