Stronger Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act

Floor Speech

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Mrs. McBATH. Madam Speaker, I thank Chairman Scott for yielding. I appreciate it.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 485, the Stronger Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act.

Children are our future teachers, doctors, police officers, and Members of Congress. It is our responsibility to ensure that they can live, learn, and grow up in a safe environment.

In fiscal year 2020, in my home State of Georgia, it actually ranked second in the country for the number of calls to child abuse hotlines.

That is why I was so proud to introduce an amendment in the Committee on Education and Labor last Congress with my colleague, the gentlewoman from New York (Ms. Stefanik), that would establish a national child abuse hotline. I am excited that same language was once again included in this year's Stronger CAPTA legislation.

Madam Speaker, our bill will create a grant program for a national child abuse hotline, for the establishment and operation of a 24-hour hotline for victims of child abuse. Their families and caregivers, parents, youth, mandated reporters, and any other concerned community member can call or text the national child abuse hotline when looking for immediate help and support during moments of crisis and moments of doubt.

The COVID-19 pandemic has increased the risk factors that lead to child abuse, as millions are experiencing elevated levels of stress due in part to job and income loss, or even the loss of a loved one. Before the pandemic, teachers, social workers, and members of the community who regularly interacted with children and youth were able to identify the instances of child abuse and record them and report them accordingly. However, as we maintain social distancing to keep ourselves and our loved ones safe, it is much harder for those individuals, who once interacted with our youth, to identify such abuse.

That is why we must continue to invest in child abuse and prevention services, such as the national child abuse hotline that Congressman Stefanik and I have included in Stronger CAPTA.

We do not yet know the full extent to which the COVID-19 pandemic will impact our children, but we need to make sure that we are fully prepared to take care of them no matter what.

As my esteemed colleague, Representative Foxx, has just made mention of, we know that additional stressors with COVID-19 pose more conflicts in our homes, and thereby adding additional opportunities for child abuse. Now is not the time to reduce funding or support for these well- needed services. Our Nation's children need us now more than ever.

And I am so grateful, even though I no longer have my child with me, I am so grateful to be able to encourage my colleagues to stand and support this well-meaning legislation so that I can take part in saving the lives and protecting children that may not even be my own.

Stronger CAPTA is bipartisan legislation that provides critical protections and resources to families and children across our Nation to prevent and end child abuse. With the passage of this bipartisan legislation, we are just one step closer to saving our children's lives. Stronger CAPTA is important, not only for my home State of Georgia, but for the Nation.

Together we must ensure the safety of our Nation's children, they are our future. If we, as a Nation, do not protect the most vulnerable in the least of these, then who are we? Who are we in the eyes of the Nation? And who are we in the eyes of the world? Together we must ensure the safety of our Nation's children.

Madam Speaker, I encourage all of my colleagues, both Republicans and Democrats, to support this very vital, well-meaning and important legislation.

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