Washington, DC – U.S. Representative Judy Biggert (R-IL-13), a senior member of the House Education and Labor Committee and Co-Chair of the Congressional Caucus on Homelessness, today delivered the following opening remarks at the premier screening of HBO’s new documentary, Homeless: The Motel Kids of Orange County, which chronicles a summer in the lives of homeless children who live in low-rent motels and attend a school for homeless youth in California:

           “Thank you, Alexandra, for that generous introduction, for your outstanding film and for organizing this event.  I’m delighted to join you, our moderator Judy Woodruff, Mark Shriver, and our distinguished panel of Susan Blumenthal, Barbara Duffield, Barbara Poppe, and Nan Roman to screen this important film.“I don’t want to be the last person standing between you and this excellent film, so I’ll be brief.  But I want you to know, Alexandra, and all of you to know that you do have allies in Congress that are passionate about helping homeless children. 

           “This film’s heartbreaking images show the challenges facing thousands of displaced families who move from motel to motel in a daily struggle to keep a roof over the heads of their children.  During my service in the Illinois legislature and for over a decade in Congress, I have worked with Republicans, Democrats and many people in this room to address the insecurity and instability in the lives of homeless children like those featured in this film.

           “So before you watch, I want to share with you what we in Congress have been doing to break the cycle of poverty for these families.  Our efforts have focused on two priorities—rewriting federal definitions of “homeless” to include these children, and unlocking new sources of funding so that newly homeless children can stay in their school, regardless of where they are forced to move.

           “Last year, we gained a partial victory with the passage of the HEARTH Act, which expanded the Department of Housing and Urban Development’s definition of who is “homeless.”  Believe it or not, children who were considered by most federal agencies to be homeless were not considered homeless by HUD.  As a result, they were denied assistance in securing the one thing they needed most – a place to call home.  Our goal was to help homeless families and children who are living in motels or “couch surfing” from place to place to qualify for housing assistance. 

           “So our new definition is much closer to that used by the Departments of Education, Labor, Justice, and Health and Human Services.  We still have work to do, which is why I introduced H.R. 29, the Homeless Children and Youth Act, to better align the definitions.  The bill has bipartisan support -- six Democrat cosponsors and one of my Republican colleagues.  For those of you here today involved in advocacy, I ask that you take a look at this bill, and consider lending it your support.

           “Still, the partial expansion included in the HEARTH Act was a major step towards ensuring that homeless “motel kids” like those in today’s film are eligible to receive the assistance that they need.

           “Aside from housing, our other key focus has been on education.  I have long believed that being without a home should not mean being without an education.  And for many homeless children, as you will see, school is the only true source of stability in their lives. 

           “That is why, way back in 2001, I introduced H.R. 623, the McKinney-Vento Homeless Education Act, which we succeeded in inserting into the No Child Left Behind Act.  For the first time, it provided grants to schools to keep newly homeless children in their current school, even if they move across district lines.  The bill also created local liaisons charged with identifying and enrolling homeless kids in the community, and extended education benefits to all children living in motels because their families could not afford a home.

           “This legislation has worked well, but like all such efforts, it’s a work in progress.  This year, along with a great bipartisan group of cosponsors, I introduced H.R. 5285, the Educational Success for Children and Youth Without Homes Act of 2010, to reauthorize and improve the current program. 

           “One change will address the challenges faced by children who become homeless and move too far away from their current school to stay enrolled.  Too often their new school does not accept academic credit from their old school, especially if enrollment changed mid-semester.  You can imagine how discouraging it is for these children to repeat courses simply because they couldn’t wait until the end of the semester to become homeless.  This bill would close that loophole and require schools to accept partial credit for these children.

           “H.R. 5285 also would address the issue of separate schools for homeless kids.  The Hope School portrayed in the film is primarily attended by homeless children, although it is no longer a separate school.  Separating school children based on whether or not they have a home is inherently unequal, and my bill would finally integrate all schools, so that homeless children receive the same education, benefits and treatment as every other American student.

           Finally, one of the biggest issues facing districts that receive McKinney-Vento grants is transportation.  Many districts, especially in rural areas, struggle to pay for the cost of transporting out-of-district homeless kids.  In addition to a $230 million increase in the bill’s authorization level, H.R. 5285 would allow districts to access other federal funds for this purpose.

           “In order to push ahead with these and other priorities, in May, my colleagues Geoff Davis of Kentucky, Alcee Hastings of Florida, Eddie Bernice Johnson of Texas, and I launched the Congressional Caucus on Homelessness.  We will work to raise awareness of this important issue and ensure that federal programs and legislation address the needs of the homeless, including homeless families, children and youth.    

            “Our work on this challenge is never done, but I would like to again thank Alexandra for hosting this event, and for the opportunity to see this special documentary.  And thank you for joining us today and for caring so deeply about the day-to-day struggles that homeless children and their families face.  

           “And make no mistake – caring about these children means a world of difference.  This problem is not isolated to California, or anywhere else.  It occurs in every state, from the city to the countryside, in affluent areas as well as poor.  Homeless children, especially those without a mother or father to watch over them, go to great lengths to stay out of sight and out of mind of the public and the authorities.  They endure terrible circumstances to stay below the radar, but it is our job to take notice -- to care -- and to give these kids hope for a brighter future.

           “I hope you’ll all join me in sharing our passion with others, and pushing Congress to redouble its efforts to ensure that homeless kids have access to secure, stable housing and the same educational opportunities that millions of Americans take for granted.  I hope all of you enjoy the film, and thank you for coming to this premiere.”

 

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