[Congressional Bills 103th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S.J. Res. 224 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

103d CONGRESS
  2d Session
S. J. RES. 224

   Designating November 1, 1994 as ``National Family Literacy Day''.


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                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

           September 27 (legislative day, September 12), 1994

Mr. Simon (for himself, Mr. Sarbanes, Mr. Pell, Mr. Reid, Mr. Wofford, 
 Mr. Mathews, Mr. Bingaman, and Mr. Kennedy) introduced the following 
joint resolution; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on 
                             the Judiciary

_______________________________________________________________________

                            JOINT RESOLUTION


 
   Designating November 1, 1994 as ``National Family Literacy Day''.

Whereas millions of American families are trapped in a cycle of poverty, 
        dependency, and undereducation;
Whereas research shows that the most important factor in determining the life 
        chances of a child is the level of educational attainment of the parents 
        of the child;
Whereas a child whose parents lack a high school diploma are more than twice as 
        likely to live in poverty than a child whose parents are high school 
        graduates;
Whereas the level of education of a parent affects the level of literacy of the 
        children of the parent, even when the children become adults;
Whereas family literacy programs can increase parent involvement in the 
        education of children of the parent;
Whereas a child in a family literacy program demonstrates greater gains than a 
        child in a child-focused program;
Whereas an adult participating in a family literacy program is more likely to 
        remain in the program than an adult participating in an adult-focused 
        program;
Whereas family literacy programs, such as Even Start and Head Start, provide a 
        promising approach to improving the literacy skills of families; and
Whereas if literacy is to be increased among the next generation of families, it 
        is necessary to use family literacy programs to increase the educational 
        skills of parents and children of the parents: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United 
States of America in Congress assembled, That November 1, 1994 is 
designated as ``National Family Literacy Day''. The President is 
authorized and requested to issue a proclamation calling on the people 
of the United States to observe this day with appropriate ceremonies 
and activities.
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