Washington, DC – U.S. Representatives Judy Biggert (R-IL-13) and John Yarmuth (D-KY-03) today are introducing the Reconnecting Homeless Youth Act, which will reauthorize and strengthen federal runaway and homeless youth programs that are set to expire this year. 
 
             “At some point each year, one to three million kids find themselves on their own,” said Biggert, the lead Republican cosponsor of the bill.  “Local shelters like Naperville Community Outreach and Aunt Martha’s rely on federal support to keep these kids safe and off the streets.  By building on our efforts, we can reunite families and put more kids back on the path to a happy, productive future.”
 
             Biggert, who co-chairs the Congressional Caucus on Missing and Exploited Children, explained that the bill would renew and expand the federal Runaway and Homeless Youth Act (RHYA) of 1974.  It includes additional resources for a variety of programs, including long- and short-term shelters, prevention, education, counseling, crisis intervention, youth development, data collection, outreach, and the National Runaway Switchboard in Chicago.  Last year, Illinois received over $4.2 million in RHYA grants.
 
             “This legislation does more than just reauthorize RHYA; it will provide significant improvements and much needed expansions,” said Yarmuth.  “I am pleased to join with Congresswoman Biggert in introducing this bill that will fund the programs that provide the best resources and also create a process for developing a national runaway and homeless youth research and evaluation agenda.”
 
             The bill increases – from $100,000 to $150,000 – the minimum grant that states may receive from the Basic Center Program (BCP), which provides children with emergency short-term shelter and family reunification services.  The bill also will allow homeless youth in short-term and longer-term transitional housing to extend their stays.  Transitional housing shelters, like the Naperville Community Outreach (NCO) Youth & Family Services Center, provide older youth with life-skills, education, and employment services to help them become independent. 
 
             “I am thrilled that Congresswoman Judy Biggert is leading a bi-partisan effort to reauthorize the Runaway and Homeless Youth Act,” said Maureen Blaha, Executive Director of the National Runaway Switchboard.  “Passage of the bill ensures that services are in place for our most vulnerable youth and draws attention to the silent crisis of runaways in this country.”
 
             A long-time advocate for homeless, runaway, and other vulnerable youth, Biggert last year secured passage and enactment of legislation which gives unaccompanied homeless youth greater access to federal student aid.  She also is the lead Republican cosponsor of H.R. 2517, the Protecting Our Children Comes First Act, which will reauthorize the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.  H.R. 2517 passed the House in December and now awaits Senate consideration.

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