Washington, D.C. – This week, Rep. Lucy McBath (D-Marietta) led an amendment to H.R. 2480 – the Stronger Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act (Stronger CAPTA) – with Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-NY) that would establish a national hotline to help prevent child abuse and neglect.

“The Stronger Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act is a necessary and positive step towards protecting our nation’s children. This legislation would strengthen the original law and provide evidence-based support for victims of child abuse and neglect, establish national reporting requirements, expand research, and improve the process to apply for federal grants,” said Rep. McBath. “Thank you to my colleague, Congresswoman Stefanik, for joining me to introduce this important amendment to provide children and parents with resources to help identify and end child abuse. Our children are our future, and it’s our responsibility to ensure that they are able to live, learn, and grow up in a safe environment.”

During yesterday’s markup in the House Education and Labor Committee, Rep. McBath offered an amendment alongside Rep. Elise Stefanik – the amendment would establish a National Child Abuse Hotline and passed with unanimous bipartisan support. The full Stronger CAPTA passed unanimously and should soon come to the House Floor for a vote.

Watch Rep. McBath introduce her amendment here or read below:

Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Children are truly the future of this country – our next teachers, they’re our next doctors, they’re our next police officers, and they’re our next Members of Congress. It’s our responsibility to do everything that we can to protect them and make sure that children are able to live, learn, and grow up in safe environments. That’s why I’m happy that we are coming to a bipartisan consensus on this legislation, H.R. 2480, the Stronger Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act.

I am especially pleased to be introducing this amendment with my colleague across the aisle, Congresswoman Elise Stefanik. Our amendment would establish a National Children’s Abuse Hotline to provide a necessary resource for victims of child abuse. My home state of Georgia ranked fifth in the nation for the highest number of child abuse related deaths in 2017, and third for calls to hotlines to report abuse. Parents, youth, mandated reporters, and any other concerned community member can call the National Child Abuse Hotline when looking for immediate help and support during moments of crisis and doubt. In establishing this National Child Abuse Hotline, we will be one step closer to saving our children’s lives. This amendment is important not only for Georgia, but for the nation.

I do encourage my colleagues to votes YES on this amendment. Thank you and I yield back the balance of my time.

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