MENTOR Advocacy Efforts - Be Heard!
BACKGROUND CHECKS BILL MOVING FORWARD -- ASK YOUR MEMBERS TO
CO-SPONSOR
Senator Patrick Leahy (D-VT), Chair of the Senate Judiciary
Committee, has placed the Senate Background Checks bill (S.
2756) on the General Calendar to be called up before the full
Senate. This is significant because once a bill has been placed
on the calendar it can be "hotlined." This procedure can
expedite consideration of the bill, which is necessary
considering the pilot's expiration in January. This will also
give the FBI and stakeholders time to implement and adjust to a
new system. This is a critical step in the progression of the
bill, and we are hopeful that it will result in successful
Senate passage.
This bill would create a permanent successor to the SafetyNET
pilot program which is set to expire in January 2009. It would
allow youth-serving organizations access to FBI background
checks on potential volunteers and employees. Currently, very
few states allow access to this information, and over the past
five years, data has proven just how important this information
is to ensuring the suitability of volunteers and employees who
will be in direct contact with children.
We need your help in continuing to build Congressional support
for this bill! With all the bills awaiting action on the floor,
the more co-sponsors we gain, the greater the chances that even
further action will be taken. Contact your Senators today and
ask them to support the bill!
Furthermore, in the House of Representatives, your help is
crucial to moving this bill forward as well. As you know,
without action in both bodies of Congress, the bill cannot
become law. Take action! Please contact your House Members and
ask for their support of H.R. 5606 today.
To contact your House Members and Senators, please click on the
following link to send an email today:
http://capwiz.com/mentor/issues/alert/?alertid=11146581
This is an ongoing pledge that should be fulfilled as often as possible.
