Statements On Introduced Bills and Joint Resolutions
Floor Speech
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Mr. President, the Department of Homeland Security, DHS, is tasked with keeping the American public safe in the homeland. Its mission ranges from thwarting terrorist attacks to responding to natural and manmade disasters, from interdicting the movement of illicit drugs at the border to combating human trafficking and protecting its victims. Nearly one-quarter of the population within our borders are children They have unique needs, and we must ensure those needs are met in the face of threat and in recovery.
For example, when children are stranded at school because of a terrorist attack or a natural disaster, they need a planned route and means to get home safely. A child is caught up in a drug cartel and used as a trafficking mule--the child is a victim, not a criminal. He needs help breaking the addiction. An adolescent, promised a better life, has her passport stolen and forced to sell herself. She needs help escaping her captors and healing.
The recent tragedies of wildfires in Montana and across the Northwest and Hurricanes Harvey and Irma are all too recent reminders that we need to plan for the needs of children in both building resiliency and responding to disasters. That is why I am introducing the-Homeland Security for Children Act. This legislation would simply ensure DHS's Under Secretary for Strategy, Policy, and Plans includes input from organizations representing the needs of children when soliciting stakeholder feedback and developing policies. Further, a technical expert at the Federal Emergency Management Agency would be authorized to lead its external collaboration and policy developments to integrate the needs of children into its activities to prepare for and respond to, disasters.
I thank Senator Hassan for being an original cosponsor of this bill, as well as Representative Donald Payne of New Jersey for leading in the House of Representatives. I ask my Senate colleagues to join us in support of this important legislation.
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