Jenna Quinn Law

Floor Speech

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Ms. HASSAN. Mr. President, I want to thank Senator Cornyn for his partnership and support his call. I urge my colleagues to support our legislation, the Jenna Quinn Law, and I, too, look forward to its being passed as part of wrapup this evening.

Every child has the fundamental right to be safe, to be treated with dignity, to be cared for, and to have the opportunity to seize their vast potential. Sexual abuse robs children of those rights. Too often, these horrific crimes go unrecognized or unreported, and children are left in dangerous situations without access to safety and justice.

During my time as Governor of New Hampshire, I worked with Republicans and Democrats to sign into law a bill that mandated that child abuse prevention be taught as a part of the health education curriculum, and I am proud to work with Senator Cornyn to strengthen these efforts on a national level.

The Jenna Quinn Law would better protect children from sexual assault by helping ensure that teachers, caregivers, and other adults working with children are equipped with the tools and knowledge to prevent, recognize, and report sexual abuse and exploitation. It would also ensure that children receive age-appropriate education on how to recognize and report these heinous acts.

By encouraging States to provide training and education on child sexual abuse recognition and prevention, we can help keep our young people safe. But we know that there is much more work ahead of us.

The COVID-19 pandemic is exacerbating challenges that many vulnerable people face, including children who are abused, and as reporting of abuse has gone down during this pandemic, experts have made clear that it is because many children have been out of view of the people who often provide support and make reports, including teachers and school officials.

So as we work to pass the Jenna Quinn Law today, we also have to focus on passing a broader bipartisan reauthorization of the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act to provide even more tools to support children and families who are struggling. It is our duty to nurture and protect all of our country's children, and the Jenna Quinn Law is a strong step to help move us forward in meeting that responsibility.

I urge all of my colleagues to support this legislation and to work together on additional bipartisan measures to protect the safety and well-being of children across the country. Again, I thank my friend from Texas for his leadership in moving this important bill forward, and I look forward continuing to work with him on these issues.

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