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Floor Statements

Curbelo Statement: Debate on H.R. 5963, the Supporting Youth Opportunity and Preventing Delinquency Act

WASHINGTON, D.C., September 20, 2016
Helping kids succeed in life is a priority we all share. That’s why we work to make sure all children have access to the education and the opportunities necessary to achieve their goals and build fulfilling futures for themselves.

Unfortunately, too many children don’t realize that success is even an option for them. Too many others believe their chance has passed or don’t know how to seize it. As a result, they make decisions that put them on the wrong path and—in some cases—in the juvenile justice system. These are the children this legislation will help.

H.R. 5963 includes a number of positive reforms, all aimed at improving services to keep at-risk youth out of the juvenile justice system and help juvenile offenders turn their lives around.

First, the bill’s reforms will set these children up for long-term success. They will help them gain the skills they need to become productive members of society or a second chance to reach their full potential. These reforms will also give state and local leaders the flexibility to meet specific and unique needs of vulnerable kids in their communities.

The legislation also prioritizes what works, focusing on evidence-based strategies that will help reduce juvenile delinquency. It will also give policymakers, state and local leaders, and service providers a better understanding of the best ways to serve kids across the country.

Finally, the bill improves oversight and accountability to ensure juvenile justice programs are delivering positive results for children and to protect the taxpayers’ investment in these important programs.

These are all commonsense measures that will reform the juvenile justice system and improve public safety. But more than that, they will provide opportunities for kids to build successful, fulfilling lives—especially for young men and women who never thought that kind of life was possible.

I was happy to partner with our ranking member, Bobby Scott, on this important piece of legislation, and I am proud of the work we have done together. Mr. Scott has long been a champion of this effort, and with this bipartisan effort, we have put forward a good bill that will help more children in this country achieve success in life.

I would also like to thank our colleagues in the Senate—especially Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley and Senator Sheldon Whitehouse—for their leadership and hard work, as well as Chairman John Kline, Amy Jones, Leslie Tatum, and the rest of the Education and the Workforce Committee staff. They have all helped pave the way for the reforms in the bill before us today, and I look forward to working with them to complete this important effort.

 

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