[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 67 (Friday, May 22, 1998)]
[Senate]
[Page S5464]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       NATIONAL FOSTER CARE MONTH

 Mr. CRAIG. Mr. President, I rise in observance of the tenth 
annual National Foster Care Month, May, 1998--a month when the nation 
commemorates the outstanding contributions that foster parents make 
every day to the lives of some of our most vulnerable young people.
  Children are our nation's greatest hope and responsibility. Every 
child deserves a loving, permanent family. Unfortunately, nearly half a 
million American children find themselves without a family to count on, 
victims of violence, drugs, or neglect. With the help of foster 
parents, these children can live in an environment that is safe, 
stable, and full of love. Yet all too often, the compassion and caring 
of foster parents go unrecognized.
  Let me tell you about an Idaho family who have been foster parents 
for ten years. Arthur and Janet Mayer have fostered more than 140 boys 
throughout those years. It is impossible for most of us to imagine--
much less imitate--the tremendous commitment of time and energy these 
fine people have made to their foster children. Later this month, they 
will be recognized in my state with the Lifetime Achievement to Foster 
Care Award. I am pleased to express my admiration of Arthur and Janet, 
and my appreciation for their dedicated service to children and 
families.
  National Foster Care Month gives us an opportunity to commend not 
only the Mayers, but also the more than 100,000 foster parents across 
the nation who have opened their homes and hearts to young people in 
need of temporary refuge. Whether they help 140 children or one, these 
individuals are making a critical contribution that will resonate long 
into the future. I hope all of my colleagues will join with me in 
encouraging families in their own states to participate in the foster 
care program and applauding the important work of our nation's foster 
parents.

                          ____________________