[Congressional Bills 109th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 318 Introduced in House (IH)]






109th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. RES. 318

Supporting responsible fatherhood, promoting marriage, and encouraging 
    greater involvement of fathers in the lives of their children, 
                      especially on Father's Day.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             June 14, 2005

 Mr. Sullivan (for himself, Mr. Pitts, Mr. Pence, Mr. McCaul of Texas, 
Mr. Osborne, Mr. Ryun of Kansas, Mrs. Musgrave, Mrs. Myrick, Mr. Weldon 
    of Florida, Mrs. Cubin, Mr. McHenry, Mr. Istook, Mr. Goode, Mr. 
Marchant, Mr. Burgess, Mr. Franks of Arizona, Mr. Bartlett of Maryland, 
 Mr. Barrett of South Carolina, Mr. Hostettler, Mr. King of Iowa, Mr. 
 Brady of Texas, Mr. Ryan of Wisconsin, Mr. Wilson of South Carolina, 
 Mr. Garrett of New Jersey, Mr. Akin, Mr. Gingrey, Mr. Sam Johnson of 
   Texas, Mr. Wolf, Mr. Wamp, Mr. Souder, Mr. Miller of Florida, Mr. 
Aderholt, Mr. Westmoreland, Mr. Edwards, Mr. McIntyre, Mr. Turner, and 
Ms. Jackson-Lee of Texas) submitted the following resolution; which was 
        referred to the Committee on Education and the Workforce

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
Supporting responsible fatherhood, promoting marriage, and encouraging 
    greater involvement of fathers in the lives of their children, 
                      especially on Father's Day.

Whereas married fathers are more likely to have a close, enduring relationship 
        with their children than unmarried fathers;
Whereas according to a 1996 Gallup poll, 90.3 percent of Americans agree that 
        fathers make a unique contribution to their children's lives;
Whereas in a study of fathers' interaction with their children in intact two-
        parent families, nearly 90 percent of the fathers surveyed said that 
        being a father is the most fulfilling role a man can have;
Whereas a broad array of the Nation's leading family and child development 
        experts agree that it is in the best interests of children and the 
        Nation as a whole to encourage more two-parent families where the father 
        is actively involved with his children;
Whereas promoting responsible fatherhood can help increase the chances that 
        children will grow up with two caring parents;
Whereas children with fathers at home tend to do better in school, to be less 
        prone to emotional and behavioral problems and to have more successful 
        relationships;
Whereas boys and girls alike demonstrate greater self-control and ability to 
        take initiative when fathers are actively involved in their upbringing;
Whereas who apart from their biological fathers are, in comparison to other 
        children, 5 times more likely to live in poverty, and more likely to 
        bring weapons and drugs into the classroom, commit other crimes, drop 
        out of school, commit suicide, abuse alcohol or drugs, or become 
        pregnant as teenagers;
Whereas the promotion of responsible fatherhood should not denigrate the 
        standing or parenting efforts of single mothers, whose efforts are 
        heroic, lessen the protection of children from abusive parents, cause 
        women to remain in, or enter into, abusive relationships, or compromise 
        the health or safety of a custodial parent; and
Whereas Father's Day is the third Sunday in June: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
            (1) commends the millions of fathers who serve as 
        wonderful, caring parents for their children;
            (2) calls on fathers across the Nation to use Father's Day 
        to reconnect and rededicate themselves to their children's 
        lives, to spend Father's Day with their children, and to 
        express their love and support for their children;
            (3) urges men to understand the level of responsibility 
        fathering a child requires, especially in the encouragement of 
        the moral, academic, and spiritual development of children; and
            (4) encourages active involvement of fathers in the rearing 
        and development of their children, including the devotion of 
        time, energy, and resources.
                                 <all>