Press Releases

Rep. Virginia Foxx (R-NC), chairwoman of the House Committee on Education and the Workforce, and Rep. Bobby Scott (D-VA), ranking member of the House Committee on Education and the Workforce released the following joint statement praising the passage of juvenile justice reforms by the United States Senate.

“More than one million at-risk and vulnerable children are counting on Congress to make commonsense reforms to federal juvenile justice policy that will have a real impact on communities nationwide. The Senate’s action last night is another step closer to making those reforms a reality. The House has already shown its commitment to supporting at-risk and delinquent youth by passing bipartisan legislation earlier this year. The House bill provides opportunities to vulnerable youth, while also adding accountability and oversight to our juvenile justice system. We look forward to working with our Senate colleagues to craft a bipartisan, bicameral final bill focusing on evidence-based prevention efforts, alternatives to youth incarceration, public safety, and the just treatment of juvenile offenders as major priorities. Millions of young people are in need of an opportunity to have a successful life.”

Background: Introduced by Rep. Jason Lewis (R-MN) and Ranking Member Bobby Scott (D-VA), the bipartisan Juvenile Justice Reform Act of 2017 passed the House by voice vote in May of this year. The House legislation reauthorizes and reforms the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act (JJDPA) to help state and local leaders better serve juvenile offenders and at-risk youth.

# # #