Skip to main content

Congressman Cohen Supports Funding For Federal Youth Coordination Act

April 26, 2007
Washington, DC -- Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09) was joined today by Reps. Donald M. Payne, Bart Gordon, John Lewis, Stephanie Herseth Sandlin, Jan Schakowsky, Betty Sutton, and Mark Udall in issuing a joint letter to the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies urging full funding for the Tom Osborne Federal Youth Coordination Act, enacted into law Oct. 2006.
Congressman Cohen remarked, “The National Center for Children in Poverty reports that 28 million children in this country grow up in low-income families. Our childhood experiences are pivotal in laying the foundation for our success as productive members of society. All our nation’s children of all socioeconomic backgrounds deserve real opportunities for growth, development and achievement.

“Currently, there are a multitude of federal programs designed to meet varying needs of youth-after school programs, job training, mental health and other youth initiatives. Unfortunately, they are disharmoniously administered. The Federal Youth Coordination Act establishes a Federal Youth Development Council that will enable the federal government to implement succinct multifaceted approaches to reaching youth by leveraging and coordinating existing resources within different federal agencies.”

The Federal Youth Coordination Act was originally introduced in the 108th Congress to implement recommendations from the 2003 White House Task Force for Disadvantaged Youth to improve coordination across related departments and agencies. The new law establishes the Federal Youth Development Council to help ensure effective, coordinated, and meaningful services for the nation’s youth.

- 30 -


Contact:

Marilyn Dillihay, Press Secretary, Congressman Cohen (202) 225-3265