[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 37 (Monday, March 18, 1996)]
[Senate]
[Pages S2217-S2218]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
THE BOYS AND GIRLS CLUBS OF AMERICA 1995 CONGRESSIONAL BREAKFAST
Mr. THURMOND. Mr. President, this week in March is a traditionally
busy one here in Washington as tens of thousands of children of all
ages arrive in the Nation's Capital. They come to the District of
Columbia from all over the United States during their spring break
vacation to learn about our Government and our history, both of which
are unparalleled.
Over the past 4 or 5 days, I doubt that there one Member of this
Chamber who has not met several groups of his or her young
constituents, boys and girls who have stopped by for Gallery passes, a
photo, or just to say ``hello.'' I also doubt that there is one Senator
who was not pleased to meet with these children as each of us
recognizes that the youth of today represent the future of our country.
That recognition clearly guides us as we work to ensure that the United
States remains a nation of opportunity and freedom.
While what we do here in the Senate helps our children, there are
other organizations out there who dedicate all of their efforts to
making the lives of our youngest citizens better. One such group is the
Boys and Girls Clubs of America. From coast to coast and from north to
south, there are boys and girls clubs in thousands of communities of
every imaginable size. The service this organization provides range
from recreational activities to counseling, but most importantly, they
provide a place for our young people to go and be involved in
constructive activities.
Each year, the Boys and Girls Clubs of America hosts a congressional
breakfast, and as the Capitol is filled with children this week, I
thought this would be an ideal time to share the thoughts and comments
of those who spoke at this year's event. Their comments will give those
who read them an insight into this organization and the significant
work they do.
I ask unanimous consent that the remarks be printed in the Record.
There being no objection, the remarks were ordered to be printed in
the Record, as follows:
1995 Congressional Breakfast
senator thurmond
Representative Steny Hoyer, Mr. George Grune, the Chairman
of the Board, Mr. Robbie Callaway, the Senior Vice President,
Melvin Laird, Arnold Burns, one of the outstanding lawyers of
this nation, Judge Freeh, all of the distinguished guests,
and ladies and gentlemen, I'm very honored to be here on this
occasion. Now, as a Senator, there are a lot of events you
are asked to attend. I'm always pleased to attend this
breakfast. It's the twelfth year.
I'm a strong believer in the Boys & Girls Clubs of America.
There's no more important resource than our children. Boys &
Girls Clubs of America work to help protect and promote that
resource. This is an organization that is making a difference
in the lives of tens of thousands of at risk teens. It
provides parks and recreational activities, a safe haven from
the mean streets, teaches kids the importance of work and
responsibility, works to get kids into school, into jobs, off
welfare roles, out of public housing and away from the
temptations of a life of crime.
The Boys & Girls Clubs of America is an organization on the
move, serving more children each year. Thirteen years ago,
they served approximately one million kids. This year, they
are serving more than 2.2 million boys and girls. More than
1,700 clubs are in the United States. Last year, they
averaged an opening of one new club every three days. This is
a group that seeks continued growth. By the year 2001, the
Boys & Girls Clubs of America aims to have 1,000 new clubs, 1
million new members, over 3 million kids involved in
productive activities.
The Boys & Girls Clubs of America is one of the most
effective organizations in the nation for supporting our
children. It is an organization worthy of the support of
everyone in this room. As members of Congress, we are in the
position to help the Boys & Girls Clubs and our children. We
can support legislation that is beneficial to the Boys &
Girls Clubs. One example is the current crime bill. The Boys
& Girls Clubs of America is seeking 100 million dollars out
of the crime bill over the next five years. The Board of
Directors of the Boys & Girls Clubs will match that 100
million from the crime bill. That is 200 million dollars
pumped directly into the future of our nation's children.
By attending this breakfast, each of you is demonstrating
your support for a worthwhile cause. I urge you to continue
to help the Boys & Girls Clubs of America. You can do nothing
more worthy. We are proud of the Boys & Girls Clubs of
America and we're going to keep on working to make it bigger
and stronger every year. Good luck, God bless you and God
bless the Boys & Girls Clubs of America and God bless our
country.
congressman steny hoyer
One problem with the Strom and Steny show is that I have to
follow Strom Thurmond. Thurmond and Hoyer, that sounds like a
good name for a firm at some point in time. Strom's show has
been running a lot longer than mine, as you know, but I'm
always amazed at the energy, his commitment and the verve
that he brings to life and the endeavors which he
undertakes. And Senator, I want you to know what an honor
and privilege it is to co-chair this breakfast on a
continuing basis with you. George Grune, your leadership
is critically important. General Burns, you've seen
General Burns up here, he looks a lot like Colin Powell. I
asked him if he was running for President. He's got those
four stars on his lapel, here. I'm sure it's got to have
something to do with that. He is outranked, of course, at
his table by Secretary Laird and the Secretary is keeping
him in line, luckily, so they'll be peaceful. Pete Silas,
thank you for all you've done and your leadership. We look
forward to working with you on a continuing basis. My
friend, Robbie Callaway. I think we ought to give Robbie
Callaway a big round of applause for the outstanding
leadership he brings to this effort on a regular basis.
Ken Gordon is here today, too.
Six or seven of the top law enforcement officials in our
nation are here. We have Louis Freeh and a group of his
distinguished colleagues. They're the ones who lock up and
help convict those who break the laws in our country, to keep
our communities and streets and schools safe. That's their
job. We ask them to do that. They're people that sometimes
themselves risk their life and limb to do so. They're here
this morning and I reflect on why and what message that
brings us. They're here because unless parents and Boys &
Girls Clubs leaders and other youth leaders all over this
country do
[[Page S2218]]
their job, they know they can't lock up enough people. God
bless them and you ladies and gentlemen of the Boys & Girls
Club, God bless you. Senator Thurmond is correct because you
do God's work.
This is the first line of defense. This is the first line
in a battle we all must wage if we are to stop the crime and
the violence and the drugs from taking over our streets, our
children. And that, ladies and gentlemen is what it's all
about.
I am very, very proud to be here with two people who
symbolize what is the first line and the best line and
ultimately the line that will get us to where we need to be--
two parents who all America, and indeed all the world applaud
just a few days ago.
Lou Gehrig had the kind of character that all the world
would admire. Let us thank God that his record was equaled
and surpassed by another individual who had the character of
which we can all be proud and say, ``He was worthy of Lou
Gehrig''. But, why was it so? It was so because Vi and Cal
Ripken Sr. Gave him the leadership and the charcter and the
understanding that gave him the will and the strength of
character to persevere in the face of pain, the face of
frustration, the face of being tired. We all get tired. Cal
Ripken Jr. rose and he said, effective, ``My Dad and Mom said
go to work every day and do the best you can.'' Is there a
more powerful, potent message to be given to young people
than that message? God bless Vi and Cal Ripken, Sr. We're
proud of you and proud of what you've done. By the way,
they're from Maryland.
I know if you'll allow me four more minutes, I will close
with this. I hope all of you have read the books left for
you. There is a young woman sitting at my table who is
typical of all of the young people we come here today to
honor. She's a success story. Not just the kind of success
story we read about every day, but also a success story of
the Boys & Girls Clubs of America. She's from Dallas.
She's a young woman. She's an African American woman and a
true success story. Read here quote. She says, ``I am
proud to tell my story. One of struggle and hardship, but
also one of triumph and achievement.'' LaWanda Jones,
that's what it's all about because, there are a lot of
people who don't have a Vi and Cal to lift them up, to
nurture them, to protect them, to give them the kind of
internal mechanism and compass that they need to succeed.
And so, as Todd Green said, one word came to mind when he
thinks of Boys & Girls Clubs, and that's ``family . . .
family''. All of us are extended family for an awful lot of
young people who need the kind of nurturing and caring and
courage given by Cal and Vi to Cal, Jr. Each of you in this
room is a part of that caring family of America that
ultimately will be the difference. Not the government, it
won't happen in government. Government can help. I am one who
believes that government needs to a partner. I'm one who
believes that we need to marshall our resources in the form
of, yes, paying taxes and applying those to good efforts.
But, in the final analysis, we will not solve the problems of
making sure America's future is secure and the security of
our young people is assured if it's not through our families
and through us, individually, caring for our young people.
That's what Boys & Girls Clubs of America do. Brooke Kersey
said, ``In good times and bad times, the Boys & Girls Clubs
have been my life line.'' You do God's work. I am proud to be
a part of all of you. Thank you.
``captain'' arnold I. burns
Good morning. Thank you very much for our kind invitation.
I'm delighted to be here with the distinguished members of
the law enforcement community mentioned by Congressman Hoyer.
I've come today to make some important arrests. I've come
to arrest crime and I've come to arrest violence, to arrest
the drug epidemic, to arrest teenage pregnancies, to arrest
alcoholism, to arrest youth gangs. One thing responsible
people in the law enforcement business have come to know, and
know very well, and Steny made this point, and that is that
law enforcement alone cannot solve our societal problems. We
have come to believe it and to espouse the old adage that an
ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. We know that in
order to make our streets safer and more secure, we must work
with organizations such as Boys & Girls Clubs of America.
We need more programs for the young people of this nation
of ours--programs like the tried and proven initiatives that
have earned Boys & Girls Clubs the reputation as the positive
place for kids. These programs help young people to resist
the peer and other pressures that lead to substance abuse, to
say ``no'' to drugs, ``no'' to alcohol, to say ``no'' to
teenage premature sex and to say ``no'' to gangs.
We need more Boys & Girls Clubs which keep kids coming back
day after day and year after year under professional, adult
supervision to learn how to get up in the morning, to show up
on time for an interview, to find employment, to develop good
work habits and to become a reliable and important part of
the work force. Boys & Girls Clubs of America programs
literally save hundreds of thousands of kids from harm and
destruction each year. It is these programs that keep kids
from harm and destruction each year. It is these programs
that keep kids out of our courtrooms and out of jail. It is
these programs that prepare kids to become productive and
participating citizens in the mainstream of our society. It
is these programs which make our kids producers of tax
dollars and not consumers of tax dollars as wards of the
State or as welfare participants. Boys & Girls Clubs of
America saves billions of dollars, multi-billions of dollars
of our tax dollars, because the cost of prevention pales
beside the cost of cure, particularly as the cure
rehabilitation so rarely works.
So, my department, today, is issuing an APB--an all points
bulletin--to the 1680 boys & girls clubs facilities across
our nation--reach out--reach out for more kids. Ten years
ago, boys & girls clubs served 1,000,000 kids. Today, over
2,220,000 kids. Tomorrow--within the next few years--
3,000,000 kids. No alibis.
We in law enforcement will continue to investigate,
apprehend, prosecute, convict and incarcerate those who slip
through the prevention net. We would like--no, we need, no,
we must have your help--your continued top flight work, to
cut potential miscreants off at the pass and bypass the
criminal justice process entirely by opting for good and
productive citizenship early. I close by congratulating our
``Youth of the Year'' finalists: Jason Reese, Russell
Roberson, Fernando Pantoja, Michael Smith and Michael
Lampkins. Each of them personifies the success boys and girls
clubs can achieve in providing youngsters with a real
alternative to life on the streets.
We will continue our work, you continue yours--ours must be
a partnership, a collaboration. Together, we can make America
a better place for all.
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