Rush introduces "Conflict Resolution and Mediation Act of 2009" to combat youth violence in America

CHICAGO – Today, Congressman Bobby L. Rush (D-IL), surrounded by students, educators, community leaders and child welfare advocates at the Gary Comer Academy announced plans to introduce federal legislation to combat violence among America’s youth. The "Conflict Resolution and Mediation Act of 2009" authorizes the U.S. Department of Education to make grants available to local education agencies (LEAs) directly impacted by discord and violent behavior.

The bill also directs the U.S. education secretary to develop a written model for on campus conflict resolution and mediation and to make the model available within 90 days to any LEA requesting such. Rep. Rush’s legislation comes in the wake of a national spotlight placed on Chicago following the September 24 fatal beating of Christian Fenger Academy honor student Derrion Albert whose death was the result of ongoing conflict among students from different neighborhoods.

"We are losing too many young people to violence and prison and it the responsibility of adults to break the cradle-to-jail-to-cemetery pipeline," said Rep. Rush. "Children cannot be expected to resolve their issues by themselves.  Youth violence cannot solely be blamed on wayward teenagers. The blame must also be shared with adults and institutions that fail instill key values or provide basic services or an on-campus conflict resolution curriculum and equal protection under the law.

"Without these vital on-campus meditation programs all students are at risk," Rush said. "These programs help young people develop priorities and coping skills—including the victim and the victimizer. These programs save lives. The Conflict Resolution and Mediation Act of 2009 will make sure model programs are funded and available to communities that need them."

In 2008, 34 students were killed and another 290 shot on the streets of Chicago. The previous school year, 23 students were killed and 211 shot, according to public records. A recent Department of Justice report on national violence found that more than 60 percent of children surveyed said they were exposed to violence and nearly half said they personally have been assaulted.

The Conflict Resolution and Mediation Act of 2009 is not Rep. Rush’s first effort to save young lives. Earlier this year, he introduced the Communities in Action Neighborhood Defense and Opportunity Act, or CAN DO, which employs a community-based remedial approach to addressing the issue of youth violence; as well as the Blair Holt's Firearm Licensing and Record of Sale Act that would establish a nationwide system for prohibiting unlicensed gun-ownership. If approved, the law would require gun owners to apply for five-year licenses to own firearms, and would give the U.S. Attorney General broad authority over the program. He is also a co-sponsor of the Youth Promise Act which calls for national standards and evidence-based practices to prevent juvenile delinquency and criminal street gang activity; a co-sponsor of the Second Chance Act which aims to provide new opportunities for previously incarcerated at-risk youth, and adults.

In 2006 in response to the shooting deaths of Harper honor student Starkeisha Reed and 11-year-old Sieretha White, Rep. Rush created the Working Group for Hope and Healing in Englewood to provide alternatives to youth violence through summer jobs, internships, sports and cultural activities. The public-private partnership put more than 1,000 Englewood youth to work and was instrumental in reducing youth-related violence and conflict in the community that year.

"This is a national epidemic and a national tragedy," Rep. Rush added, "and we must do all we can to protect our greatest resource---our children, our teenagers, our future generations."

Rep. Rush plans to introduce the legislation in Congress this week. A summary of the legislation follows, however, for full text of the legislation please visit http://house.gov/rush:

CONFLICT RESOLUTION AND MEDIATION ACT OF 2009

The purpose of this Act is to provide assistance to local educational agencies for the prevention and reduction of conflict and violence in schools throughout the country.

The Secretary of Education is authorized to make grants to local education agencies (LEAs) to provide assistance to schools most directly affected by conflict and violence.

MODEL PROJECT - The Secretary shall develop a written model for conflict resolution and mediation written within 90 days and make such model available to any LEA that requests such information.

AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS - There are authorized to be appropriated $25,000,000 for fiscal year 2010 and such sums as may be necessary for each of the fiscal years 2011 through 2015 to carry out the projects under this Act.

(a) IN GENERAL - In order to be eligible to receive a grant under this Act for any fiscal year, a LEAs shall submit an application to the Secretary in such form and containing such information as the Secretary may reasonably require.

(b) REQUIREMENTS - Each application under subsection (a) shall include--

1. a request for funds for the purposes described in section 2(b);
2. information of the school and communities to be served by the grant, including the nature of the conflict and violence problems within and around the school;
3. statistical information in such form and containing such information that the Secretary may require regarding conflict and violence within the elementary school and surrounding communities; and
4. assurances that Federal funds received under this Act shall be used to supplement, not supplant, non-Federal funds that would otherwise be available for activities funded under this Act.

(c) COMPREHENSIVE PLAN - Each application shall include a comprehensive plan that shall contain--

1. a description of the conflict and violence problems within the elementary school and surrounding community targeted for assistance;
2. a description of the resources available in the community to help implement the plan together with a description of the areas in the plan that cannot be filled with existing resources; and
3. a description of the system the applicant will establish to prevent and reduce ongoing conflict and violence problems.

(a) ADMINISTRATIVE COST LIMITATION - The Secretary shall use not more than 5 percent of the funds available under this Act for the purposes of administration and technical assistance.

(b) RENEWAL OF GRANTS - A grant under this Act may be renewed for not more than 2 additional years after the first fiscal year during which the recipient receives an initial grant under this Act, subject to the availability of funds, if—

1. the Secretary determines that the funds made available to the recipient during the previous year were used in a manner required under the approved application; and
   
2. the Secretary determines that an additional grant is necessary to implement the violence prevention program described in the comprehensive plan as required by section 5(c).

SEC. 7. AWARD OF GRANTS.

(a) SELECTION OF RECIPIENTS - The Secretary shall consider the following factors in awarding grants to LEAs:

1. CONFLICT AND VIOLENCE PROBLEM - The nature and scope of the violence problem in the targeted schools.
   
2. NEED AND ABILITY - Demonstrated need and evidence of the ability to provide the services described in the plan required under section 5(c).
   
3. POPULATION - The number of students to be served by the plan required under section 5(c).

(b) GEOGRAPHIC DISTRIBUTION - The Secretary shall attempt, to the extent practicable, to achieve an equitable geographic distribution of grant awards.

SEC. 8. REPORTS.

(a) REPORTS - LEAs that receive funds under this Act shall submit to the Secretary a detailed report not later than March 1 of each year that describes progress achieved in carrying out the plan required under section 5(c).

(b) REPORT TO CONGRESS - The Secretary shall submit to the Congress a report by October 1 of each year in which grants are made available under this Act which shall contain a detailed statement regarding grant awards, activities of grant recipients, a compilation of statistical information submitted by applicants under section 5(b)(3), and an evaluation of programs established under this Act.

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