[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 98 (Tuesday, July 25, 2000)]
[House]
[Pages H6961-H6962]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 EXPRESSING SENSE OF CONGRESS REGARDING IMPORTANCE OF FAMILIES EATING 
                                TOGETHER

  Mr. GOODLING. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that we take from 
the Speaker's table the concurrent resolution (H. Con. Res. 343), 
expressing the sense of the Congress regarding the importance of 
families eating together, and ask for its immediate consideration.
  The Clerk read the title of the concurrent resolution.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Pennsylvania?
  Mr. RANGEL. Mr. Speaker, reserving the right to object, and I will 
not object, I just want to support this legislation. It is the National 
Eat Dinner with your Children Day, June 19. It was requested by former 
Secretary of HEW Joe Califano, who now works with the National Center 
on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University where extensive 
research is proven that families that eat with their children, the 
children are less likely to engage in illegal activities, illegal 
drugs, cigarettes and alcohol.
  Mr. McCOLLUM. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H. Con. Res. 
343, the National Eat Dinner With Your Children Day Resolution. This 
legislation recognizes the importance of families eating together in 
order to

[[Page H6962]]

help reduce substance abuse among teenagers.
  As many of you know, I am a proud father of three wonderful sons. My 
wife, Ingrid, and I have always made it a priority for our family to 
sit down together for dinner. During our dinner conversations, Ingrid 
and I would inquire as to what each of our children accomplished or 
struggled with that day. We offered words of wisdom and support to our 
children throughout their formidable years and fostered the notion we 
would always be there for them in times of need. It is my belief that 
these consistent family times also served to make our children 
confident and responsible decision-makers.
  The idea for this resolution grew out of research done by the 
National Center on Addiction and Substance abuse at Columbia University 
(CASA). In its latest survey, CASA found the more often a child eats 
dinner with his or her parents, the less likely that child is to smoke, 
drink, or use illegal drugs. The result was consistent throughout the 
five years of the CASA survey, but never in as striking a manner as in 
the most recent survey.
  The survey showed that teens from families who almost never eat 
dinner together are 72 percent more likely than the average teen to use 
illegal drugs, cigarettes, and alcohol, while those from families who 
almost always eat dinner together are 31 percent less likely than the 
average teen to engage in these activities. In an effort to raise 
awareness about the powerful impact parents can have on their 
children's decisions about the drug use, Congressman Rangel and I felt 
compelled to introduce this resolution to show the nation cares about 
our youth. We want America's children to know we will stand behind them 
as they deal with the growing pressures prevalent as an adolescent.
  I thank Congressman Rangel for his efforts in bringing this measure 
to the floor. I enthusiastically support H. Con. Res. 343, the National 
Eat Dinner With Your Children Day, and encourage my colleagues to vote 
in support of this important resolution.
  Mr. LARSON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H. Con. 
Resolution 343, regarding the importance of families eating together. I 
would like to commend my colleague Mr. Rangel for bringing this 
important piece of legislation to my attention and the attention of the 
American people. Families eating together have long been a pillar of 
American Family Life and should be part future generations as well. 
Family Dinners are a dying commodity or infrequent at best. Having 
dinner as a family opens up communication lines between parents and 
their children. One will know more and have more influence on their 
child if they spend time talking to them. What better time to talk and 
communicate, then sitting around the dinner table sharing a meal. We 
need to spend more time with our children to influence them to do their 
best in school, to avoid tobacco, alcohol, illegal drugs and to make 
them productive, healthy citizens.
  One of my constituents, Chris Lenihan, who is now an intern in my 
office, a nice young gentleman, told me that he had dinner as a family 
every night when he lived at home. He has benefited greatly from the 
discussion at the dinner table and feels that his parents David and 
Midge had a great impact on him as result of eating dinner every night 
as a family.
  We need to make sure that the Youth of America grow up to become 
healthy productive citizens. We can start by having more dinners with 
our families. I realize that parents can not immediately have dinner 
every night with their children, but establishing a National ``Eat 
Dinner with Your Children Day'' is a step in the right direction. I 
fully support this resolution and urge the rest of my colleagues to do 
the same.
  Mr. RANGEL. Mr. Speaker, I withdraw my reservation of objection.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Pennsylvania?
  There was no objection.
  The Clerk read the concurrent resolution, as follows:

                            H. Con. Res. 343

       Whereas the use and abuse of illegal drugs, nicotine, and 
     alcohol are the greatest threat to the health and well-being 
     of American children;
       Whereas parental influence is one of the most crucial 
     factors in determining the likelihood of teenage substance 
     abuse;
       Whereas family dinners have long been a pillar of American 
     family life;
       Whereas the correlation between the frequency of family 
     dinners and the risk of substance abuse is well documented;
       Whereas surveys conducted by the National Center on 
     Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University have 
     found, for each of the past 4 years, that children and 
     teenagers who routinely eat dinner with their families are 
     far less likely to use illegal drugs, cigarettes, and 
     alcohol;
       Whereas, according to these surveys, teenagers from 
     families that seldom eat dinner together are 72 percent more 
     likely than the average teenager to use illegal drugs, 
     cigarettes, and alcohol, and teenagers from families that eat 
     dinner together are 31 percent less likely than the average 
     teenager to use illegal drugs, cigarettes, and alcohol;
       Whereas one method for families to eat dinner together more 
     often would be for them to select a recurring occasion for 
     doing so, such as the third Monday of each month; and
       Whereas a National Eat-Dinner-With-Your-Children Day on 
     Monday, June 19, 2000, would encourage families to eat 
     together: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate 
     concurring), That it is the sense of the Congress that--
       (1) eating dinner together is a critical step for a family 
     in raising healthy, drug-free children; and
       (2) a National Eat-Dinner-With-Your-Children Day should be 
     established in order to encourage families to eat together as 
     often as possible.

  The concurrent resolution was agreed to.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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