Runaway and Homeless Youth and Trafficking Prevention Act of 2025
Sponsored By: Representative Bonamici
Introduced
Summary
Centers trauma-informed, trafficking-informed care for runaway and homeless youth while expanding prevention, outreach, housing, and coordinated services. This bill renames and reauthorizes the Runaway and Homeless Youth Act to fund longer grants and stronger data, privacy, and interagency coordination.
Show full summary
- Families and youth: Prioritizes homeless youth under 22 while allowing service to ages 22–26, funds short-term shelter up to 30 days, counseling, suicide and trafficking prevention, STI testing on request, and helps youth complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).
- Service providers: Moves Basic Center, Transitional Living, and new street-outreach grants to 5-year awards, requires a 90-day pre-start window and appeal process, and sets grant amounts in a range roughly from $200,000 to $275,000 depending on annual funding.
- Federal programs and data: Broadens coordination to HUD, Education, Labor, and Justice, aligns supports with the Higher Education Act and Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act, expands trafficking and mental health reporting, and strengthens privacy and non-identifiable data sharing while authorizing social media outreach.
*Authorizes $200 million for FY2026 and additional set-asides with annual appropriations through FY2030, creating new federal spending authorizations.*
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
5 provisions identified: 5 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.
Five-year grants and bigger program funding
If enacted, the bill would authorize $200 million for FY2026 for most programs and needed funds for FY2027–FY2030. At least 90% would go to Parts A and B, with 45% for Part B (up to 55% when justified). It would also set $50 million for Part E, $67.5 million for Part F in FY2026, and $2 million for section 345 in FY2025, FY2028, and FY2030. Grants would run five years, be awarded at least 90 days before they start, include an appeal, and favor experienced providers, including street teams working with youth facing sexual abuse or trafficking. Typical awards would be $225,000–$275,000 per year when total funding is $200 million or more (else $200,000–$250,000), a separate grant cap would rise to $200,000, and prevention grants would prioritize requests up to $75,000 per year.
More help and safer shelters up to 25
If enacted, youth up to age 25 could get services under these programs. Part B would cover ages 15 through 25. Basic Centers would offer short-term shelter up to 30 days or the state limit, plus counseling that fits age and culture. Programs would provide suicide prevention and trauma‑informed help, including for trafficking victims, and may offer street outreach, family services, prevention, substance use education, and STI testing on request. Projects would generally house at least 4 and no more than 20 youth per site (unless state licensure allows more), with enough staff for safe care.
FAFSA help for homeless and trafficked youth
If enacted, grantees would tell eligible youth they count as independent students for federal aid. They would verify that status for FAFSA and help fill it out if the youth asks. Grantees would also use best practices to find and serve youth, including trafficking victims, in culturally and linguistically appropriate ways.
Stronger civil rights and data privacy
If enacted, programs could not deny services because of race, religion, national origin, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, or disability. Sex‑specific groups would be allowed when needed, if comparable options are offered to others. Grantees would protect youth identities and share only non‑identifying data, except with consent or for statistical or criminal‑case needs. They would track trafficking status, sexual exploitation, foster care, pregnancy/parenting, and key demographics. HHS would publish outcomes within 2 years and every 3 years without naming individuals.
Modern outreach, training, and flexible program rules
If enacted, staff training would follow a five‑year plan and could use on‑site, online, and on‑demand courses, all trauma‑informed. Programs could use phone, online, and social media to reach youth. The Secretary could waive some program rules for up to 3 years (plus 1 year if asked at least 30 days before it ends) to improve services, without changing who is eligible. Waivers would require a written request, a health‑and‑safety assurance, and a decision within 30 days.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Bonamici
OR • D
Cosponsors
Bacon
NE • R
Sponsored 6/10/2025
McGarvey
KY • D
Sponsored 6/10/2025
Houlahan
PA • D
Sponsored 6/10/2025
Del. Norton, Eleanor Holmes [D-DC-At Large]
DC • D
Sponsored 6/10/2025
Costa
CA • D
Sponsored 6/10/2025
Khanna
CA • D
Sponsored 6/10/2025
Barragan
CA • D
Sponsored 6/10/2025
Dingell
MI • D
Sponsored 6/10/2025
Lieu
CA • D
Sponsored 6/10/2025
Nunn (IA)
IA • R
Sponsored 6/10/2025
Moore (WI)
WI • D
Sponsored 6/11/2025
Fitzpatrick
PA • R
Sponsored 6/17/2025
Lawler
NY • R
Sponsored 6/20/2025
Peters
CA • D
Sponsored 6/23/2025
Schakowsky
IL • D
Sponsored 6/23/2025
Quigley
IL • D
Sponsored 6/23/2025
Vindman
VA • D
Sponsored 1/30/2026
Pingree
ME • D
Sponsored 3/24/2026
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
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