[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 140 (Thursday, October 8, 1998)]
[House]
[Pages H10193-H10196]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




          RECOGNIZING THE IMPORTANCE OF CHILDREN AND FAMILIES

  Mrs. MORELLA. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to 
the concurrent resolution (H. Con. Res. 302) recognizing the importance 
of children and families in the United States and expressing support 
for the goals of National KidsDay and National Family Month.
  The Clerk read as follows:

                            H. Con. Res. 302

       Whereas there is an epidemic of children in crisis in the 
     United States caused by the increased stresses on children 
     from contemporary society, which can even include instances 
     of child abuse and neglect;
       Whereas newspaper headlines, news reports, and various 
     studies provide evidence that children are more frequently 
     committing acts of violence, taking illegal drugs, and 
     committing suicide, indicating that the future of the 
     children of the United States, and therefore the future of 
     the Nation, is at risk;
       Whereas all families in the United States, regardless of 
     their economic status, ethnic or cultural heritage, or 
     geographic location, are experiencing the pressures caused by 
     contemporary society while trying to raise and nurture their 
     children;
       Whereas it is imperative that the people of the United 
     States act boldly to secure the future of the Nation by 
     halting and healing the pain of children in crisis;
       Whereas KidsPeace is the oldest, most successful, and most 
     comprehensive not-for-profit organization dedicated solely to 
     helping children attain the confidence and develop the 
     courage necessary to confront and overcome crises;
       Whereas KidsPeace has more than 1,500 caregivers helping 
     more than 2,000 children each day in 25 locations across the 
     United States;
       Whereas KidsPeace established National KidsDay and National 
     Family Month to recognize and focus attention on 
     relationships between parents and children;
       Whereas National KidsDay is celebrated on the third 
     Saturday of September, during the period when children are 
     returning to school, when children are subject to a very high 
     level of stress, and when there is a critical need for 
     children to feel honored, valued, supported, and loved;
       Whereas National Family Month is celebrated during the 
     five-week period between Mother's Day in May and Father's Day 
     in June, which is a critical adjustment period for families 
     to prepare for children to return to the home at the end of 
     the school year and can provide a wonderful opportunity for 
     families to prepare to use their time together during the 
     summer to grow and strengthen as a family unit; and
       Whereas these celebrations can provide opportunities for 
     parents, grandparents, and caregivers to recognize the 
     importance of being involved in the physical and emotional 
     lives of their children: Now, therefore be it
       Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate 
     concurring), That the Congress--
       (1) recognizes the importance of children and families to 
     the future of the United States;
       (2) expresses support for the goals of National KidsDay and 
     National Family Month, as established by KidsPeace; and
       (3) encourages the people of the United States to 
     participate in local and national activities and celebrations 
     recognizing National KidsDay and National Family Month.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentlewoman from 
Maryland (Mrs. Morella) and the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Cummings) 
each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from Maryland Mrs. Morella).


                             General Leave

  Mrs. MORELLA. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members 
may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their 
remarks on H. Con. Res. 302.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentlewoman from Maryland?
  There was no objection.
  Mrs. MORELLA. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H. Con. Res. 302, which recognizes 
the importance of children and families in the United States, and I 
express my support for Kidsday and National Family Month. I 
particularly want to commend the sponsor of the bill, the gentleman 
from Pennsylvania (Mr. McHale) and the chairman and ranking member for 
bringing this bill to the floor.
  Kidsday and National Family Month were established by KidsPeace, a 
special organization dedicated to helping children in crisis. KidsPeace 
believes that every child is unique, and that children are helped the 
most by their mothers and fathers, the people who are closest to them.
  We all have a responsibility to protect and support America's 
children. Mr. Speaker, 1 out of every 4 Americans is a child. Children 
are our hope for the future, our chance for renewal. They carry on our 
values and our ideals.
  Childhood should be a time of learning and of play, and a time to be 
sheltered from the wickedness of the outside world. However, children 
and youth today are coping with increasingly serious problems that are 
robbing them of their innocence, security and physical safety. Violence 
in the schools

[[Page H10194]]

as well as on the streets, the availability of drugs, greater numbers 
of working parents, and soaring divorce rates are taking a toll on kids 
far sooner than in past generations.
  Today, many children spend long hours after school and on weekends 
unsupervised. They need and often admit wanting some guidance in facing 
the many challenges of their lives.
  One in 5 children entering school this year is living in poverty. 
Half a million of those children were born to teenage mothers. Analysis 
of U.S. census data indicates that if the single parent family trend 
continues, half of all children born in the United States last year 
will live with a single parent by the time they are 18 years old.
  As Americans, we enjoy the highest standard of living in the world. 
Our economy is one of the most dynamic and diverse in history. We have 
achieved a level of technological advancement and individual 
opportunity that is unequaled around the globe. Without a doubt, 
America is on top of the world.
  But the future of America's greatness depends upon how we care for 
and support our children in the present. Setting aside a time to focus 
on children and families is important to America's future. National 
Kidsday is celebrated on the third Saturday of September, and National 
Family Month is celebrated during the 5-week period between Mother's 
and Father's day. I encourage all Americans to participate in local 
activities during the celebration of these 2 commemoratives, and I 
encourage my colleagues to support wholeheartedly this important 
resolution.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. CUMMINGS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, as ranking member of the Subcommittee on Civil Service I 
would like to commend the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. McHale) for 
the development of this bipartisan resolution.
  House concurrent resolution 302 will help to address challenges 
children a generation ago did not have to face: Drugs, violence, 
separation from parents, failing schools, peer group demands, and much, 
much more.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman 
from Pennsylvania (Mr. McHale) for a further explanation of this 
bipartisan resolution.
  Mr. McHALE. Mr. Speaker, I rise this evening in strong support of H. 
Con. Res. 302, and I begin by thanking the gentlewoman from Maryland 
(Mrs. Morella), my former chair of the Committee on Science on which I 
had the privilege to serve, and most especially the gentleman from 
Maryland (Mr. Cummings) for both the opportunity to speak this evening 
and their willingness to bring this legislation to the floor.
  I will be leaving in just a few days to return to what matters most 
to me: my wife and my children. It is with great pride that I have 
served in this body and with some sadness that I near my final days as 
a Member of Congress. About a year ago, Mr. Speaker, my 7-year-old 
approached me as I was leaving for Washington on a Monday morning, and 
with recognition, not really complaint, he said, ``Dad, you have been 
gone my whole life,'' and at that point I realized that at least for 
this Member of Congress, it was time to go home.
  Today's society, as noted by the gentlewoman from Maryland (Mrs. 
Morella) places increasing demands on children and families and has 
unfortunately left many children in crisis and feeling that they have 
nowhere to turn for help. News of children becoming involved in 
violence, crime, drugs and so on indicates that we as a Nation must pay 
greater attention to the needs of children and families.
  For this reason, I urge my colleagues to support this resolution 
which recognizes the importance of children and families in the United 
States. I introduced this resolution with the gentleman from Virginia 
(Mr. Wolf), the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Roemer), the gentlewoman 
from Ohio (Ms. Pryce), the gentleman from Tennessee (Mr. Ford), and 
numerous other Members who have been such strong advocates for 
children. I would also like to extend my special thanks to the 
gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. Jones) who is on the floor as I 
speak, as well as the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Burton), chairman of 
the Committee on Government Reform and Oversight, and the ranking 
member, the gentleman from California (Mr. Waxman) who helped to bring 
this resolution to the floor.
  Mr. Speaker, H. Con. Res. 302 which has 44 bipartisan cosponsors, 
also expresses support for the goals of National Kids Day and National 
Family Month. These events were launched by KidsPeace, the National 
Center for Kids Overcoming Crisis, the largest, most comprehensive 
private nonprofit organization in the Nation dedicated to serving the 
critical needs of children and teens.
  Headquartered in my district, KidsPeace has become a model of 
community involvement and improvement. KidsPeace programs include 
residential treatment centers, the National Hospital for kids in 
Crisis, foster care in 6 States, community and diagnostic programs, a 
24-hour help line, and an accredited school system for grades 1 through 
12, and a referral network of thousands of health care providers across 
the country.
  For more than 115 years, KidsPeace has been helping kids develop the 
confidence and skills to overcome developmental and situational crises 
in their lives. KidsPeace serves more than 2,000 children every day 
with 32 programs in 25 locations across the United States.
  Mr. Speaker, let me deviate from my prepared text for just a moment. 
KidsPeace's ability to serve our Nation and my community in particular 
has not always been a resource available to us. I had the privilege of 
serving in our State legislature before I came to the Congress, and I 
remember very clearly about a decade ago when I received a phone call 
from a family absolutely desperate because they had a teenager in 
crisis. That child had nowhere to turn. There was no medical facility 
in our region of the State able to provide the care that that child and 
that that family needed at that very desperate time. KidsPeace 
addresses that need today with professional medical care under 
circumstances where it did not previously exist.
  KidsPeace has demonstrated an extraordinary commitment to assisting 
children and families across the country. National Kids Day and 
National Family Month were developed by KidsPeace as events to focus on 
parent-child and family relationships and provide positive 
encouragement for children to face successfully life's challenges. As a 
parent who has participated in National Kids Day activities in my 
district, I strongly support the establishment of these events as 
recognition of the importance of children and families.
  Margaret Mead once said, ``We must have a place where children can 
have a whole group of adults they can trust.''

                              {time}  2350

  These words very poignantly describe the work of KidsPeace in helping 
children overcome the challenges and crises in their lives. Helping 
children feel safe, trusted, loved, and empowered is the heart of the 
KidsPeace mission.
  It is my hope that this resolution will call attention to the needs 
of children and families in the United States and throughout National 
KidsDay and National Family Month and thereby help families affirm 
their love and support for their children. I urge my colleagues to vote 
for this bipartisan resolution.
  Mr. Speaker, I am going to conclude simply by saying that this Member 
of Congress realized that I could continue serving in this body or I 
could be a decent husband and father. And under the unique 
circumstances of my family, I realized that I could not do both. I made 
the decision to return home with enormous feelings of gratitude and 
respect for this institution.
  This is probably the last time I will speak at a microphone in the 
House of Representatives, and I could not find a better topic than to 
address the needs, the love, the support that we as a Nation and we as 
an individual need to bring to the families of our country. I am 
pleased to close my career in this House on that note.
  Mrs. MORELLA. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I wish the 7-year-old child of the gentleman from 
Pennsylvania (Mr. McHale) could have heard him this evening. And, 
indeed, I hope

[[Page H10195]]

the gentleman will save the Congressional Record that will have 
ensconced the speech that he just gave, because it was from the bottom 
of his heart.
  Mr. Speaker, I would use this opportunity to express my warm feelings 
and respect for the gentleman from Pennsylvania and for the dedication 
that he has given to this body, knowing him from his service on the 
Committee on Science with me and as an individual and as a colleague, 
and knowing the courage that he has shown and the commitment that he 
made to our country.
  So, we wish the gentleman well and thank him very much for what he 
has done. I think this is a nice commemoration to Paul McHale.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the distinguished gentleman from 
North Carolina (Mr. Jones).
  Mr. JONES. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman from Maryland (Mrs. 
Morella) for yielding me the time.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise tonight to commend the gentleman from 
Pennsylvania (Mr. McHale), my good friend and colleague, for 
introducing this resolution. Our cshildren are our future. They are 
tomorrow's leaders. My colleagues who are parents like myself know that 
when a child is upset or frustrated or feeling low, it is painful.
  There are outside pressures that can affect our children's everyday 
life: academic stresses, struggles to feel accepted, and teen violence 
just to name a few. These are the issues that put our children at a 
crossroads and these are the issues that KidsPeace helps our children 
and Nation's families solve.
  KidsPeace is a nonprofit organization that offers educational 
awareness programs and tools dedicated to help our families anticipate, 
intervene in, and overcome the crises that affect America's children. 
For our Nation's most rural communities, like those in eastern North 
Carolina which I have the privilege to serve, these are valuable 
programs that can provide our children with relief from the problems 
they face growing up.
  Too many of our rural schools have limited resources which make it 
difficult to maintain the number of school counselors that are needed 
to help our children build the confidence to overcome their problems. 
Because of this, as KidsPeace continues to grow, it is vital that it 
continues to reach out to America's rural communities and communities 
throughout the Nation.
  Even with a strong faith in God and the support of family and 
friends, our children sometimes need extra encouragement. This is what 
KidsPeace is working to do, to build confidence in our Nation's 
children through sharing and learning.
  The organization has established a KidsDay in September for 
communities and families to honor our children during the stressful 
time of returning to school. KidsPeace also dedicates time each summer 
to National Family Month, a time for parents and children to build and 
strengthen the family bond.
  Mr. Speaker, our children are our future, and that reminds me 
somewhere along the way I have heard that if one wants to touch the 
past, they touch a rock. If they want to touch the present, they touch 
a flower. If they want to touch the future, they touch a child.
  So, in closing, Mr. Speaker, I would like to say to my colleague who 
is leaving us, Paul, you have made a tremendous impact on America 
because of the type of man that you are. A man of character, a man of 
integrity. You will long be remembered and appreciated for your 
contribution to this Nation.
  Mr. CUMMINGS. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mrs. MORELLA. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the gentleman from North 
Carolina (Mr. Jones) for his splendid commentary on the importance of 
recognizing families and children and programs in the system.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the distinguished gentleman 
from Pennsylvania (Mr. Fox).
  Mr. FOX of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I rise tonight to express my 
support for H. Con. Res. 302, which is a piece of legislation which 
deals with the importance of children and families in the United States 
and expresses our support for the goals of the National KidsDay and 
National Family Month.
  This legislation was sponsored by, of course, the gentleman from 
Pennsylvania (Mr. McHale) our good friend. The gentleman is a great 
U.S. Congressman who is retiring from this body, and I join with the 
others tonight in saluting him as a great patriot.
  Mr. Speaker, I knew the gentleman when I served together with him in 
the Pennsylvania State House of Representatives. He left that service 
to go on active duty for the Desert Storm conflict, where he served as 
an outstanding Marine officer. He has been serving with that particular 
military organization for at least two decades.
  Paul McHale has always been a principled leader, an advocate for 
children and families in Pennsylvania as well as in this U.S. Congress, 
and a member and strong leader of the Children's Legislative Caucus, 
and a pioneer in public-private partnerships such as KidsDay and other 
legislation dealing with children, for which this legislation is 
enunciated.
  But the gentleman has always been a bipartisan statesman, a role 
model who has shown that courage and honesty count. I hope that we will 
soon see, years after his children grow up, and as they do I hope they 
will allow us to have the gentleman return to public service where he 
could become Secretary of Defense or to another elected official 
position.
  Certainly, we need him in this country. His family may need him, but 
the country needs him as well. We certainly acknowledge his service 
today as being exemplary. We are proud to know him as our colleague and 
proud to have him as our friend. We know that his family is proud of 
what he has done as well.
  God bless him. Godspeed.
  Mr. CUMMINGS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I wish to commend KidsPeace for its work over the past 
century helping children overcome all sorts of crises. National KidsDay 
and National Family Month, both established by KidsPeace, compel all 
Americans to focus on parent, child, and family relationships. These 
celebrations encourage parents and grandparents and caregivers to be 
involved in the lives of their children.
  I believe we should all spend time every day nurturing and 
encouraging the children that we encounter in our lives. This Member of 
Congress can certainly appreciate the work of KidsPeace. Every child, 
which is not always the case, has four fundamental needs that must be 
fulfilled to lead a peaceful and healthy life: Safety to feel safe and 
protected; trust to be confident, hopeful and assured; love to be 
valued and unconditionally accepted; and power to be a child and pursue 
a purpose, skill, or challenge.
  This resolution recognizes KidsPeace, an organization that works hard 
to meet those needs. Through its good work, KidsPeace helps restore the 
health and happiness of children who are suffering through crises and 
traumas.
  The demand for organizations such as KidsPeace is apparent. From 1991 
to 1992, the organization saw a 150 percent increase in the number of 
kids coming to it for help. That is when KidsPeace stepped forward on a 
national level with public initiatives to help prevent and overcome 
crises that can strike any child.
  This extra push to alert Americans to the needs of our children could 
not come at a better time. Between 1990 and 1996, the number of 
children rose by more than 5 million to 69.4 million. The United States 
Census Bureau projects that the number of children will continue to 
rise over the next several decades reaching 77.6 million by the year 
2000.
  This resolution is worthy of our support and I urge the Members of 
this body to do so.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

                              {time}  0000

  Mrs. MORELLA. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  I think it is appropriate for Congress to recognize the importance of 
children and families. My husband and I have been very fortunate to 
have been able to raise nine children, six who were the children of my 
late sister, and we now have 15 grandchildren. And so I can value and 
appreciate children and the need for families. KidsPeace really 
performs that kind of function.
  It is an honor to be managing this particular resolution, which I 
think is

[[Page H10196]]

so very important. The institution of the family is, indeed, the 
bedrock of our society and of civilization, and without strong 
families, the outlook for children is bleak.
  Mr. CUMMINGS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time for 
just one brief statement.
  On the stationery for KidsPeace there is a quote by George McDonald, 
and I think that it pretty much summarizes the life of our colleague, 
the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. McHale), and the things that he 
talked about just a moment ago, and certainly I salute him. But the 
quote is very simple. It says: ``A man must learn to love his children 
not because they are his but because they are simply children.''
  Mr. ROEMER. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H. Con. Res. 
302, recognizing the importance of children and families in the United 
States and expressing support for the goals of National KidsDay and 
National Family Month. I want to thank Reps. Paul McHale, Frank Wolf, 
Harold Ford, Nancy Johnson and Deborah Pryce, who joined me in 
introducing this resolution last July, as well as Rep. Walter Jones and 
the many other Members who helped bring it to the floor today.
  We live in an increasingly stressful society these days. Perhaps no 
one feels this stress more acutely than our nation's children. The 
pressures of crime, drugs, violence and broken homes are robbing many 
children of the joys of childhood. There is a growing concern that too 
many kids are in crisis, and that no one is speaking out for them or 
trying to help.
  That is what this resolution is all about. It is a simple, 
straightforward, bipartisan appeal on behalf of the children in our 
nation to pay more attention to their needs, to provide them with a 
healthy and safe environment, and to give them hope for a secure and 
prosperous future. The resolution also expresses support for two 
particular initiatives which are being undertaken on behalf of kids: 
National KidsDay and National Family Month. Both of these initiatives 
have been created by KidsPeace, our nation's oldest and largest not-
for-profit organization dedicated solely to serving the needs of kids 
in crisis.
  National KidsDay, observed on the third Saturday in September, 
encourages parents, grandparents and caregivers to spend a day with 
their children just having fun, and giving them a break from the 
strains of everyday life. National Family Month is celebrated during 
the five-week period between Mother's Day and Father's Day. Each week 
focuses on a specific value that families should provide to their 
children, including; a safe and secure home; people they can trust; 
love and value; the power and freedom to grow; and hope for the future.
  Mr. Speaker, children are our most precious gift. We cannot afford to 
let even one child slip through the cracks. KidsPeace and other 
organizations are doing a wonderful job of reaching out to those 
children who are most at risk in society, and helping them develop the 
courage and skills necessary to overcome crisis. But no matter how hard 
they try, these organizations cannot take the place of loving parents, 
stable homes, and a healthy environment in which kids can feel safe, 
loved and positive about their lives and their futures.
  This resolution is small in scope but it is large in symbolism. It 
sends a message to children that we care about them, we understand 
their problems, we share their dreams, and we want them to enjoy life 
to the fullest. As Robert Kennedy said: ``When one of us prospers, all 
of us prosper. When one of us fails, so do we all.'' I urge my 
colleagues to support this resolution and five all our children a 
chance to prosper.
  Mr. PAPPAS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to support our veterans by 
calling for the passage of the S.1021, the Veterans Employment 
Opportunity Act of 1998. Last year, the House did the right thing by 
passing H.R. 240 introduced by Representative Mica. This legislation is 
the Senate's long awaited companion bill and, while I wish it had gone 
further in its protection of veterans from Reductions In Force, 
nonetheless it also deserves our passage today.
  For too long many of our nation's veterans have been neglected by our 
own government when it comes to obtaining federal employment. Our 
nation's veterans, who served so selflessly and risked their lives, 
face unnecessary restrictions that preclude them from federal 
employment. All they simply desire is the opportunity to continue 
serving their nation.
  As the result of this legislation, veterans can apply for federal 
jobs on a more competitive basis at a time when their employment within 
the federal workforce is declining and approaching an historically low 
level.
  This is a bipartisan bill and one that reflects the interests of the 
people who have served our country so courageously. I am proud that 
this legislation has the support of the American Legion. I commend Mr. 
Mica for his work and urge my colleagues to support it.
  Mr. CUMMINGS. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I 
yield back the balance of my time, and urge my colleagues to support 
this resolution.
  Mrs. MORELLA. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I 
yield back the balance of my time and urge all Members to support this 
resolution.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Blunt). The question is on the motion 
offered by the gentlewoman from Maryland (Mrs. Morella) that the House 
suspend the rules and agree to the concurrent resolution, House 
Concurrent Resolution 302.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds having voted in favor 
thereof) the rules were suspended and the concurrent resolution was 
agreed to.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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