Washington, DC – U.S. Representative Judy Biggert (R-IL-13) today secured House passage of legislation to expand outreach efforts for homeless and runaway kids.  Introduced by John Yarmuth (D-KY-03) with Biggert as the lead GOP sponsor, H.R. 5524, the Reconnecting Homeless Youth Act, will reauthorize and strengthen federal runaway and homeless youth programs that are set to expire this year.  Passing the House by voice vote, H.R. 5524 will now be sent to the Senate for consideration.
 
              “At some point each year, one to three million kids find themselves on their own,” said Biggert, Co-Chair of the Congressional Caucus on Missing and Exploited Children.  “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.”
 
             The bill will 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.
 
              “For more than a million children each year, this legislation could mean the difference between continuing to live on the streets without hope and finding a path to independent adulthood that begins with a place to call home,” said Yarmuth.  “I want to thank Representative Biggert for her hard work and dedication to this issue.”
 
             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.  It 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 was the lead Republican cosponsor of H.R. 2517, the Protecting Our Children Comes First Act, which reauthorized the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.  H.R. 2517 was signed into law six days ago.

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