[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 146 (Monday, October 25, 1999)]
[House]
[Pages H10737-H10740]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




               RECOGNIZING THE CONTRIBUTIONS OF 4-H CLUBS

  Mr. DEAL of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and 
agree to the concurrent resolution (H. Con. Res. 194) recognizing the 
contributions of 4-H Clubs and their members to voluntary community 
service.
  The Clerk read as follows:

                            H. Con. Res. 194

       Whereas the American people have a tradition of 
     philanthropy and volunteerism;
       Whereas 4-H Clubs, an organization originally established 
     by the Extension Service of the Department of Agriculture and 
     land-grant colleges, provide young people in the United 
     States with the opportunity to actively participate in 
     volunteer services in their communities that can bridge the 
     differences that separate people and help solve social 
     problems;
       Whereas there are more than 6,500,000 youth members of 4-H 
     Clubs in the United States;
       Whereas 4-H members touch and enhance the lives of others 
     during the annual National 4-H Week and throughout the year 
     by doing good, by giving where there is a need, by rebuilding 
     what has been torn down, by teaching where there is a desire 
     to learn, and by inspiring those who have lost hope;
       Whereas 4-H Clubs and their members, as well as other 
     volunteers and Cooperative Extension staff, have joined to 
     promote the week of October 3 through 9, 1999, as a 
     opportunity for national, collaborated voluntary community 
     service; and
       Whereas voluntary community service is an investment in the 
     future all Americans must share: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate 
     concurring), That the Congress commends and recognizes 4-H 
     Clubs and their members in the United States for their 
     contributions to voluntary community service.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from

[[Page H10738]]

Georgia (Mr. Deal) and the gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Kind) each 
will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Deal).
  Mr. DEAL of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, every day we hear more about the challenges currently 
facing our young people in society. However, today I am proud to bring 
good news about America's youth by specifically recognizing the 7 
million young citizens who are involved in 4-H programs through this 
resolution.
  The roots of 4-H began at the turn of the 20th century when 
progressive educators started to emphasize the need of young people and 
to introduce nature study as a basis for a better agricultural 
education. The 4-H program was founded sometime between 1900 and 1910 
to provide local educational clubs for rural youth from ages 9 through 
19 years. The program was designed to teach better home economics and 
agricultural techniques and to foster character development and good 
citizenship. Boys and girls clubs and leagues were established in 
schools and churches to meet these needs. Farmers saw the practical 
benefits, and public support and enthusiasm for 4-H, therefore, grew 
throughout the Nation.
  The program is administered by the Cooperative Extension Service of 
the United States Department of Agriculture, state land grant 
universities, and county governments. For nearly a hundred years over 
45 million Americans, myself and many other Members of this body 
included, in some 3,150 counties have subscribed to the 4-H philosophy 
of learning by doing. In all projects, 4-H members strive to develop 
and improve the four H's: head, heart, hands, and health that not only 
make themselves better citizens but, through volunteer service, 4-H 
members make America's cities, towns, and farms better places to live.
  To keep up with the wide range of interests of today's young people, 
the 4-H program has diversified tremendously. Its agricultural heritage 
is still alive and well, but today's 4-H members also design Web pages, 
participate in mock legislatures, organize community clean-ups, and 
deliver speeches. The 4-H Youth Development Program continues to make 
great contributions toward the development of well-rounded youth. By 
this resolution we congratulate them and recognize this ongoing 
contribution.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. KIND. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I have just one question for you and the gentleman from 
Georgia and all of my colleagues here this afternoon, and that question 
is: Are they into it?
  ``Are they into it'' is the current slogan for the 4-H; ``Are they 
into it'' is the rallying cry for the 4-H clubs of America as they 
approach 100 years of service to communities and neighborhoods from 
coast to coast. ``Are they into it'' is the call that over 6 million 
young people answered last year in 4-H clubs and organizations across 
the Nation. ``Are they into it'' is the mantra repeated by over a half 
a million volunteers who donate an average of $200 per year to keep the 
4-H clubs strong and vital in their communities. ``Are they into it'' 
is the question answered by private sector partners of 4-H, Mr. 
Speaker, who invest almost $100 million into 4-H youth development 
programs.
  I am glad to say that today this body is into it, and I thank the 
gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Deal) for bringing this resolution forward 
today.
  Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased and proud to be on the floor 
supporting this important measure introduced by the gentleman from 
Georgia (Mr. Deal). Many people believe we live in an era of 
unprecedented cynicism and skepticism. That is why it is important for 
this Congress to take a little time to recognize the outstanding 
organization like 4-H which brings young people together to do good for 
their communities and to grow as principled individuals.
  In fact, research indicates that volunteerism among young Americans 
has actually been on the increase. America's youth want to participate 
in the betterment of their communities and their country. The 4-H is 
uniquely established to provide opportunity to young people nationwide 
to learn valuable life skills, work with others toward common goals, 
and developing into community leaders.
  The 4-H is a dynamic organization whose mission is to foster 
innovation and shared learning for America's youth, ages 6 to 19. Its 
vision is to draw upon combined power of youth and adults so that we 
can learn together in order to address the challenges and opportunities 
critical to youth in our communities.
  4-H stresses three fundamental values: first, Mr. Speaker, we must 
treat others with mutual trust and respect and open and honest 
communication; second, we must assume personal leadership and 
responsibility for our actions; and third, we must celebrate our 
differences as well as our similarities and always realize that working 
with youth as partners is the key to our success.
  Mr. Speaker, last week I met with several young people from my 
district, from western Wisconsin, who are in Washington on different 
trips, two of whom were here for the conference Voices Against 
Violence, and one was here with the National Young Leadership 
Conference which uses the 4-H facilities here in Washington for mock 
government sessions throughout the year.
  What I found striking about these young people is their commitment to 
their communities and, whether consciously or unconsciously, to the 
values and ideals fostered by the 4-H. Andy Slind of Boyceville, 
Wisconsin, told me he plans to continue working in his community during 
the last 2 years of his high school and would work to participate in 
some form of public service after college.
  Mr. Speaker, our young people know they have a stake in their 
communities and want to help shape their futures. 4-H provides 
opportunities for such involvement, and it hones the values and skills 
we all cherish as Americans.
  I am grateful for the opportunity to commemorate the 4-H today for 
personal reasons as well. I am a former 4-H club member myself. When I 
was a boy growing up in western Wisconsin, I loved and appreciated the 
time that I spent within my 4-H club.
  4-H continues to play a central role in communities like mine. In 
fact, just on Saturday my local paper carried an article describing a 
man who was being honored for his dedication to 4-H. Bob Fredrick of 
Viroqua, Wisconsin, has been a 4-H youth development agent for 40 
years. He started in 1957 at the age of 25 and decided to make the 
youth program his sole career. In honor of Bob's lifelong dedication to 
Vernon County youth, the community is establishing a special fund for 
youth programs in his name.
  Mr. Speaker, as I mentioned earlier, over 6 million young people were 
involved in 4-H programs last year. In fact, nationwide 1 in 7 
Americans have been involved in 4-H at some point during their lives. 
In fact, in addition to myself, three of my staffers here in Washington 
were 4-H members in their youth; and I would venture to guess that many 
others around Capitol Hill have experience with a 4-H club.
  4-H was founded in 1902 and established in my home State of Wisconsin 
in 1914. There are currently over 2,000 4-H clubs in my State alone and 
almost 190,000 young people from Wisconsin that belong to 4-H clubs. 
Wisconsin was proud to host the National 4-H Dairy Conference this last 
September, which drew over 250 young people from around the United 
States and Canada to learn about new technologies and techniques in 
dairy farming. While many people associate 4-H with rural communities 
and agricultural issues, kids from cities and suburbs from all 
backgrounds belong to 4-H clubs. Through 4-H they study citizenship and 
civics, communications and arts, consumer and family issues, Earth and 
environmental science, technology and personal leadership.
  In closing, Mr. Speaker, I am very happy to be here today to 
commemorate 4-H and its contributions to American communities for the 
past 98 years. By pledging their heads to clearer thinking, their 
hearts to greater loyalty, their hands to larger service, and their 
health to better living, our young people, along with the adult 
volunteers who teach and help them, do work to strengthen their clubs, 
their communities, their countries and their world.

[[Page H10739]]

  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. DEAL of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume 
to the gentleman from Nebraska (Mr. Barrett).
  Mr. BARRETT of Nebraska. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from 
Georgia for yielding this time to me.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise also in strong support of the resolution being 
offered today in honor of the millions of young people who participate 
in the 4-H program. As my colleagues know, at a time when we are so 
concerned about youth who act in negative ways, I think it is fitting 
that we take a moment to honor young people who work to give back to 
their communities in positive ways through service, education, and 
leadership. Four-H is a major program in my State, tracing its roots 
back to the 1890s. In Nebraska more than 325,000 kids participate in 
the 4-H programs. That is almost 40 percent of the young people in my 
State.
  But 4-H is not only about kids. In Nebraska, nearly 13,000 dedicated 
parents and group leaders take their time and their energy to work with 
young people and help kids have fun while they learn. With eight 
different curriculum areas ranging from the traditional areas such as 
livestock, livestock, and food preparation to innovative projects in 
communications arts and environmental stewardship, the 4-H program 
challenges kids to work together and with adults to learn new skills 
and develop lifelong interests and contribute to their communities.
  The 4-H program offers youth the positive experiences, support, the 
challenges that they need to be successful and to develop into strong, 
competent, caring, and responsible citizens. I want to take this moment 
to especially commend the chapters in Nebraska and all chapters for 
that matter for their dedication to our communities. These young people 
and their parents and sponsors deserve our thanks, and they certainly 
deserve our applause.
  Mr. DEAL of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. KIND. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I do not believe I have any more requests for time on 
this side, so let me just conclude with a couple of personal notes. I 
do want to sincerely thank the gentleman from Georgia for giving us 
this opportunity today to honor the 4-H clubs. It brings back a lot of 
fond memories for myself.
  I, as I indicated, participated in 4-H when I was 8, 9, and 10 years 
old growing up on the north side of La Crosse. It was not a rural area. 
It was an urban area. We had a wonderful program, though, that brings 
back memories of those who participated in it, not only the other kids 
in the neighborhoods that I was a member with, but the adults and the 
volunteers who participated in it, adults such as Mary Lou and John 
Rochester who are no longer with us today; Mrs. Olsen and Mrs. Severson 
who took over the program to keep it going when the Rochesters could no 
longer do so; and the countless number of friends, lifelong friends, 
that I have today because of an organization like 4-H.
  Now for those who are familiar with western Wisconsin and La Crosse 
would know that growing up on the north side of La Crosse was 
considered growing up on the other side of the railroad tracks. We had 
some pretty tough neighborhoods back then, and like many youth do 
today, we were confronted with a lot of choices and a lot of options, 
some good, some not so good.
  At that time in my life I was just starting to get involved in 
another group called the Kane Street Killers, and we were arch rivals 
with the North Side Jack Rabbits. I guess according to today's terms 
they would be considered gang or gang affiliates, and we had rumbles. 
We would elude police officers with our youthful pranks and childish 
antics.
  But looking back now at my own childhood, I really was at the 
crossroads of having to decide which way to go, and but for an 
organization such as 4-H or the Boys and Girls Club of the greater La 
Crosse area, I think many of us kids who hung out with the Kane Street 
Killers could have taken decidedly different routes in our lives. It 
was because of an organization that offered a structured learning 
environment like 4-H and many of the community activities that we were 
involved with, annual food drives during the holiday season to collect 
some food for the food shelters in the area, a community garden where 
we would grow food and share with senior centers, a softball team that 
we participated in that gave a lot of us a good outlet for our pent-up 
energies, those positive activities in our lives kept many of us out of 
trouble.

                              {time}  1515

  I remember participating in the musical ``Oklahoma'' when I was 10 
years old. For me that was probably the most frightening moment of my 
young life, having to stand in front of people and try to carry a tune. 
It was not a very pretty sight, but, nevertheless, looking back on it 
now, it was a learning and growing experience for me. Because of that, 
I can honestly say here today that many of us were channeled into more 
constructive, more educational-oriented arenas, rather than pursuing 
different options on the street on the north side of La Crosse.
  Again, let me conclude by thanking the gentleman from Georgia, and 
also thanking the thousands of individuals, the adults, the parents and 
uncles and aunts, grandparents, the neighbors from across the country, 
the volunteers, who are giving part of their busy lives to 4-H and to 
the kids participating in 4-H in order to provide this type of 
alternative option in young people's lives. I think it does perform a 
very important and vital role in our society as we try to raise our 
kids in this Nation with the best opportunities possible.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. DEAL of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as she may 
consume to the gentlewoman from Maryland (Mrs. Morella).
  Mrs. MORELLA. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding me 
time.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H. Con. Res. 194, which deals with 
the 4-H Clubs and their service to the community. I happen to have the 
honor of representing the National Headquarters of the 4-H Clubs, and I 
have seen the kind of work that they have done.
  We all know the roots of 4-H began at the turn of the century. 
Educators began introducing nature study as a way of getting young 
people interested in agriculture. The four-leaf clover that we know so 
well, that design with the H's, appeared around 1908. They stand for 
Head, Heart, Hands, and Hustle: Head trained to think, plan and reason; 
heart trained to be true, kind and sympathetic; hands trained to be 
useful, helpful and skillful; and the hustle to render ready service to 
develop health and vitality.
  Today, more than 6.5 million youth are involved in 4-H Clubs 
nationwide. Twenty-seven percent of the young people involved in 4-H 
are from a minority racial or ethnic group.
  These 4-H programs vary from state to state. Some involve after-
school activities and tutoring in inner city public housing 
communities. Others involve teaching youth about the environment, how 
to develop and implement a project in their community that will help to 
solve an environmental issue. We see many examples of these projects at 
an annual agricultural fair that we have in Montgomery County, 
Maryland, which is typical of what is happening all over the country 
under the auspices of 4-H direction.
  Whether they are fighting poverty in the inner cities, or combating 
HIV epidemics, 4-H volunteers are making a difference. They want to 
help others.
  Volunteerism is an American tradition. Concern for others, working 
together to meet the social challenges of American society, embodies 
the very best of American values.
  Every American has the capacity to reach out to others, to enrich his 
or her community, and to make a difference. In the act of serving, 
these 4-H volunteers often find that they make a difference in their 
own lives. Through volunteering, they develop their own knowledge, 
skills and character, and they build relationships with people they 
might not have known otherwise.
  Again, I reiterate, I am proud of 4-H, I am proud of the 4-H 
headquarters in Chevy Chase, Maryland, I am proud of the staff at the 
headquarters. I have been very much involved with many of their 
activities focused on Citizenship

[[Page H10740]]

Washington and other activities where they have brought young people in 
from all over the country.
  There are some people I want to mention. Trina Batte, Janet Hand, 
Jenna Carter, Loretta Espey, Sylvia Gould, and I could go on and on. 
These are but a few of the names of the staff members that work at the 
headquarters. So I am pleased to praise all of the wonderful people who 
work not only at the headquarters in Chevy Chase, but the volunteers 
and those people that work for 4-H throughout the country. They do make 
a difference.
  Mr. DEAL of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I would first of all like to thank my staff person, 
Peter Dale, for his work in bringing this resolution to the floor. He 
has been involved in 4-H, as has his family.
  As has been reiterated by others, I have been involved in 4-H. My 
oldest daughter was a National 4-H Citizenship Winner, and in my local 
community we have people who are volunteering their time through an 
adult organization sponsoring scholarships through the 4-H program so 
young people can get a college education. My State is indeed fortunate 
to have one of the premier State 4-H educational and recreational 
facilities, known as Rock Eagle, in the State of Georgia. Many young 
people pass through that facility each year and are enriched by the 
experiences that they receive.
  In conclusion, Mr. Speaker, I would simply urge the favorable 
adoption of this resolution as a recognition of the outstanding 
contributions that the 4-H Clubs have made to our communities and to 
our country. I would urge favorable adoption of the resolution.
  Mr. SOUDER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H. Con. Res. 194. 
For nearly a century, 4-H has been helping the children of this Nation 
``learn by doing.'' As the largest youth organization in the United 
States, 4-H educates children through practical, hands-on methods that 
emphasize life skills. It is difficult to point to another organization 
that has had a comparable positive impact on America's youth. Since its 
inception in the early 1900s, more than 45 million Americans have 
participated in 4-H. In my home state alone, 4-H is currently helping 
over 252,000 young people improve their self-confidence and learn 
important skills such as leadership, citizenship, and decision-making 
that can be applied over a lifetime. Originally founded as an 
agricultural youth organization, the 4-H program is no longer limited 
to rural communities. 4-H clubs are thriving in urban centers across 
the country, teaching inner city kids the same values and self 
confidence that have helped so many rural youth. Today, kids from all 
walks of life can learn to design web pages, participate in mock 
legislatures, and organize community clean-ups. 4-H continues to work 
toward the development of youth as individuals and as responsible and 
productive citizens. I urge you to join me in supporting this 
resolution.
  Mr. DEAL of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my 
time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Goodlatte). The question is on the 
motion offered by the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Deal) that the House 
suspend the rules and agree to the concurrent resolution, H. Con. Res. 
194.
  The question was taken.
  Mr. DEAL of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
  The yeas and nays were ordered.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX and the 
Chair's prior announcement, further proceedings on this motion will be 
postponed.

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