{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://www.heitkamp.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ContentRecord_id=6A2B67A2-0478-4BEF-9FFD-DB765B75FB99", "Heitkamp: New Report a Call to Action to Combat Youth Homelessness", "2017-11-15", "2017", "2017-11", "Democrat", "House", "ND", "Heidi Heitkamp", "H001069", "www.heitkamp.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senator Heidi Heitkamp today called on Congress to pass the Runaway and Homeless Youth Act following the release of a new report from Voices of Youth Count, an initiative of Chapin Hall at the University of Chicago, that sheds light on the extent of youth homelessness in America.\u00a0\r\nThe report found that 4.2 million young people experienced homelessness in America over a 12-month period, including young people who have slept on the streets or in shelters, as well as those who were kicked out of their homes, couch surfed, or had temporary accommodations with friends or family.\r\nHomelessness is just as much of a challenge in rural communities as it is in urban communities, the study found. In predominantly rural counties, 9.2 percent of young adults reported any homelessness while, in predominantly urban counties, the prevalence rate was 9.6 percent.\r\n\u201cEvery young person deserves the chance to reach their full potential, but it\u2019s heartbreaking that so many children and young adults lack a stable home to keep them safe and support their growth and development,\u201d Heitkamp said. \u201cWe must do more to combat the problem of youth homelessness, and we must pass the bipartisan Runaway and Homeless Youth Act as quickly as possible. We know all too well the consequences of youth homelessness \u2013 those children are more easily exploited and at greater risk to be trafficked, and they lack the support networks they need to succeed. Everyone should be on board to combat this problem, and I\u2019ll continue to work in a bipartisan way to combat youth homelessness and ensure every community is strong and safe for our children.\u201d\r\nThe Runaway and Homeless Youth Act provides critical community-based care, housing and counseling to homeless youth and young adults. Heitkamp supported the bipartisan legislation when it was introduced in 2015. It is set to be introduced for reauthorization soon.\r\nHeitkamp has also supported the Homeless Children and Youth Act \u2013 which would expand the Department of Housing and Urban Development\u2019s definition of youth homelessness to include youth who are couch surfing, doubled up, or living in a motel \u2013 the past two times it has been introduced.\r\nHeitkamp has been a vocal advocate to combat human trafficking, especially of minors. Earlier this year, Heitkamp and U.S. Senator Susan Collins (R-ME) reintroduced their Stop, Observe, Ask and Respond (SOAR) to Health and Wellness Act to help make sure health care providers \u2013 including doctors, nurses, and social workers \u2013 have the training they need to help identify and protect victims of human trafficking. Homeless youth are at heightened risk for trafficking and exploitation.\r\nHeitkamp and Collins have both long worked to combat human trafficking. In 2015, they worked to\u00a0pave a bipartisan, compromise path forward\u00a0for the\u00a0successful passage\u00a0of the Justice for Victims of Human Trafficking Act.\u00a0Now law, the bill will help provide stronger assistance to victims of human trafficking, increase resources to law enforcement and victims services organizations, and implement stricter punishments for perpetrators of these crimes.\u00a0\r\nHeitkamp is\u00a0continuing to push\u00a0the Senate protect runaway and homeless youth, some of the most susceptible targets of human traffickers, and successfully secured\u00a0landmark anti-human trafficking protections\u00a0for children in schools in the No Child Left Behind reform legislation.\u00a0\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://www.heitkamp.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ContentRecord_id=6A2B67A2-0478-4BEF-9FFD-DB765B75FB99"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.5830621123313904, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}