Rush urges Education Secretary Arne Duncan to allocate $50 million in ARRA funds for youth violence intervention

WASHINGTON --  In the wake of mounting youth violence in Chicago and throughout the United States, today, U. S. Rep. Bobby L. Rush made public his direct appeal to Education Secretary Arne Duncan to immediately provide $50 million from available American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) funds for some of the most violence-plagued, public school communities in the United States.  Rush's overture to the Obama Administration continues his push to effectively address the issue of youth violence in our nation.
 
In his letter, Rush urged Secretary Duncan to provide $50 million in discretionary ARRA funds for the Grants to Address Youth Violence and Related Issues for Persistently Dangerous Schools Program under the Office of Safe and Drug Free Schools, a program administered by the U. S. Department of Education. Rush pointed out that, currently, in FY 09, the youth violence program has zero funding, which is the same amount it was funded in FY06 ($0) and FY08 ($0).  In FY07, this critical program was funded at a paltry $8.5 million, and it is currently scheduled to receive zero funding in FY10.

"At a time when youth violence, in Chicago and cities nationwide, is escalating and the country is focused on addressing this deadly issue, it is imperative that we provide the resources to help schools effectively deal with this urgent problem," said Rush as part of his communication to Secretary Duncan today.  "There are a range of structural issues that run the gamut from adequate health care—especially mental health and post-traumatic stress interventions—that research proves can make a difference in the lives of young people whose lives are plagued with the scourge of gun-related and other forms of violence. While I applaud the concerted efforts of the Obama Administration whose work, in only 10 months, in many respects eclipses the track record of previous Administrations, my job as a legislator is to point out those programs that Congress has already authorized that can and should be put to use to help jump start important interventions for our youth.  That's the spirit of what I've shared with Secretary Duncan, today, and I look forward to the Administration's response."

Rush summarized his appeal to Secretary Duncan this way, "We cannot afford to, effectively, cut this program from the DOE at a time when it is most needed.  Providing $50 million immediately to the program would allow eligible local education agencies (LEAs) to propose and implement activities that address violence, and related issues, in schools that are most at risk."

In the coming days and weeks, Rush is marshalling his considerable resources in a series of activities—both advocacy and legislative—designed to call attention to research-based solutions and interventions that will help address the sad and tragic wave of youth-on-youth violence that plagues far too many schools and communities in our nation.  This senior member of Congress promises to take concerted action until he's satisfied that federal, state and local resources, educators, community leaders, as well as parents and guardians of schoolchildren, are fully engaged in stopping youth violence.

A copy of Rush's letter to Secretary Duncan is attached.

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