The beginning of a speech for model congress

[My Fair Lady]

Posted: 3/8/06 at 9:23pm

My bill is about appropriating money to the Children's Bureau. Where should I go from here? Anything you suggest to amke what I've written already better?

PENN MODEL CONGRESS-SPEECH

New York City Commissioner Raymond W. Kelly said to the City Council on February 23, “In the weeks since the death of 7-year-old Nixzmary Brown in January, child welfare officials have significantly increased their requests for joint responses with police investigators to reports of child abuse.”
However, Mr. Kelly also told the City Council that many of the requests “do not fall squarely” within the criteria of the system, established during the Giuliani administration, governing police involvement in the most serious of cases.
New York City officials are still trying to learn something from Nixzmary Brown, who was beaten and killed by her stepfather. Warnings prior to her death had been given to the city’s Administration for Children’s Services that she was being abused, but no assistance had been given.
This case highlighted lapses in the way the agency responds to allegations of abuse. I believe that if money is allocated to the existing Children's Bureau, and federal standards are set, and the system is improved, cases of child abuse will drop significantly.
In 2003, an estimated 1,500 foster children died from abuse or neglect. This was an increase from 2002, when 1,400 foster children died, which was an increase from 2001, when 1,300 foster children died. The number of children dying is increasing every year, gradually, but surely. This needs to stop. The federal government needs to protect our kids.
Currently, the Children’s Bureau, the national organization that controls foster care guidelines, lets each state decide on its law. I believe that with federal guidelines for training, surveillance and record-keeping, the foster care system would be run much more efficiently, and the ever-rising number of dead foster children from abuse will drop.
An article from The New York Times published on February 12 said that veteran workers were complaining that cuts to agency employees who support caseworkers, increasingly long hours and unpredictable schedules, and a complicated new computer system were driving good staff members out. With new guidelines and federal funding, these problems should disappear.


Updated On: 3/8/06 at 09:23 PM

[Dollypop]

Posted: 3/8/06 at 9:58pm

Do you have to post EVERY homework assignment you tackle on-line?