Ranking Member Scott Speaks in Support of Jenna Quinn Law
WASHINGTON – Ranking Member Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (VA-03) delivered the following remarks during the House debate of S. 1147, the Jenna Quinn Law, which will allow the Department of Health and Human Services to provide grants for evidence-informed child sexual abuse awareness and prevention programs.
“Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I yield myself such time as I may consume.
“I rise in support of S. 1147, the Jenna Quinn Law.
“The Jenna Quinn Law only considers one small part of the much broader Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act, or CAPTA. Through reauthorization of CAPTA, Congress could take meaningful steps in preventing and addressing child abuse and neglect through providing states with necessary resources to strengthen community-based child abuse prevention services. Despite CAPTA reauthorization passing in the House on a bipartisan basis in two previous Congresses, the bill did not become law.
“And so, we find ourselves here today, considering the very narrowly drafted Jenna Quinn Law, which specifies that the HHS Secretary can award projects aimed at preventing child sexual abuse. It must be said that the Jenna Quinn Law regrettably does not authorize any new funding for such purposes.
“Reauthorizing CAPTA would have been a much better route and is a top priority. Another priority has been to address the communication holes in state child welfare systems. Specifically, the inability to communicate the threat of child endangerment across state lines can have devastating consequences.
“In particular, one of my constituents, Heaven Watkins, fell victim to the lack of communication between state welfare agencies. In her case, the system allowed her to remain with an abusive parent who moved her from Minnesota to Virginia– her past abuse was not communicated with the Virginia officials and the move resulted in her tragic death.
“I am frustrated that this bill did not come to us in regular order. As a result, I am not able to offer the amendment that I offered at markup and language that had been included in previous versions of CAPTA reauthorization bills. My amendment would have required the creation of a nationwide data system to provide caseworkers with appropriate background and information on a family’s interaction with the child welfare system in another state.
“If we had that state database in place, then it could help to prevent further abuse – or even death, as in the case of Heaven Watkins –and countless children at the hands of abusive caregivers whose actions are not monitored across state lines.
“Ultimately, I will support the Jenna Quinn Law as far as it goes, the issue of child abuse prevention and treatment requires a more comprehensive approach. We can and should do more to reduce child abuse and neglect. But despite the lack of a more comprehensive approach and no additional funding, this bill is still a step in the right direction.
“The bill before us, the Jenna Quinn Law, essentially specifies that the HHS Secretary can award projects aimed at preventing child sexual abuse. Moreover, I must also point out that the Jenna Quinn Law regrettably does not authorize any new funding for such projects.
“As a result, I will vote yes on this bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.”
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