Va. Rep. Scott wants stimulus to include billions for youth programs
Published: December 18, 2008
Thirty-six national children's advocacy groups united today in calling for a 2009 economic stimulus bill to include multibillion-dollar investments in youth programs -- a key agenda item of Rep. Robert C. Scott, D-3rd.
On a conference call with reporters announcing the "Invest in Children, Strengthen America" campaign, Scott said congressional debate over rebuilding roads and bridges to spur the economy must address the challenges facing the nation's troubled teens as well.
"Problems like teen pregnancy, school drop outs, drugs and gangs are all inter-related," Scott said. "The best solution is primary prevention. When you solve one, you actually solve them all."
The Obama administration has floated the idea of an economic recovery bill costing as much as $1.2 trillion, to be aimed at schools, alternative energy and physical infrastructure.
Rep. James P. Moran, D-8th, called for "a parallel investment in our human infrastructure."
Leaders of the newly created Children's Leadership Council seek money for a range of children's programs that they argue are directly linked to getting the nation's unemployed workers back on the job. High on their wish list is $70 billion over five years for child care and early education.
"You can't take a 2-year-old to a job interview and you can't keep a job without child care," said Linda Smith of the National Association of Child Care Resource and Referral Agencies.
Bill Bentley of Voices for America's Children said, "Our current economic problems are compounding the crisis our children are facing." He said youth investments would have an immediate economic payoff through reduced crime, less remedial education costs and less welfare dependency.
Scott, who has carried legislation focused on juvenile crime prevention, said spending on youth programs now can greatly reduce prison costs later.
He cited the example of a $2.5 million federal grant for gang prevention in Richmond, which was recently credited with reducing crime in a targeted area of the city.
Most youth programs, he said, fit the incoming administration's vision for economic stimulus investments.
"The mantra has been three Ts -- timely, temporary and targeted," Scott said. "Many of the programs we are talking about can be implemented fairly quickly."
Contact Neil H. Simon at (202) 662-7669 or .
Reader Reactions
2,500,000.00 grant to reduce gang crime in a targeted area in Richmond! Where the parking lot of the police stations?? Did we just not bury several teenagers from gang related shooting or were they just statistics in another STUDY! Bobby Scott the only reason you are in office is because of voting district lines drawn to give you the BLACK ADVANTAGE and that does not bother me as much as YOU SIR wasting your position by not helping those people who put you in that office! SHAME ON YOU! Where is that 2.5 million dollars? How was it spent? What part of Richmond is safer because of it? Have any answers or is it just that you got that 2.5 million pretty easy with all the killings and so you decided to ask for more???? NOW THAT IS DUCKY!!!!
It is hard to take a two year old on a job interview. It is hard to graduate high school with two toddlers. It is hard to feed babies without jobs. Based on this, it is harder to put on a condom or swallow a birth control pill then it is to have a baby??? Wake up Virginia, we are already paying for their stupidity in welfare checks, WIC checks, preschool, free daycare, subsidized housing, free medical and now they want 7,000,000,000 more—-AIN’T THAT JUST DUCKY???
It is always smart to invest in our youth, but someone has to start holding parents and the youth responsible for our youth’s irresponsible behavior. As long as adults continue to think that our youth, the dependent youth that is, have the same rights without responsibility as working adults, all the money in the world is not going to solve the problem. Just food for thought.
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