[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 54 (Thursday, April 26, 2001)]
[House]
[Pages H1651-H1652]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




EXPRESSING SENSE OF CONGRESS IN SUPPORT OF NATIONAL CHILDREN'S MEMORIAL 
                                FLAG DAY

  Mr. FLETCHER. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee 
on Education and the Workforce be discharged from further consideration 
of the concurrent resolution (H. Con. Res. 110) expressing the sense of 
Congress in support of National Children's Memorial Flag Day, and ask 
for its immediate consideration in the House.
  The Clerk read the title of the concurrent resolution.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Kentucky?
  Mr. GEORGE MILLER of California. Mr. Speaker, reserving the right to 
object, although I do not intend to object, I yield to the gentleman 
from Kentucky (Mr. Fletcher).
  Mr. FLETCHER. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of National Children's Memorial Flag 
Day and encourage national, State, and local agencies and private 
organizations to recognize the Children's Memorial Flag. This year all 
50 States, plus the District of Columbia, will either fly the flag or 
recognize it in an appropriate manner.
  Mr. Speaker, every year in the United States, thousands of children 
die unnecessary deaths. Of these children, three a day die from 
physical abuse or neglect, and unintentional accidents are the leading 
cause of death in those children ages 1 to 14. Of children who died of 
abuse and neglect in 1996, 86 percent were under the age of 5, nearly 
40 percent were less than a year old. Our children are our future.
  Mr. Speaker, this is the reason that I support the National 
Children's Flag Day and would encourage my colleagues to do the same 
and hope that this raises the recognition that we should take as a 
Nation to ensure the safety of our children.
  Mr. GEORGE MILLER of California. Mr. Speaker, continuing under my 
reservation, I rise in strong support of this resolution.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentlewoman from Nevada (Ms. Berkley).
  (Ms. BERKLEY asked and was given permission to revise and extend her 
remarks.)
  Ms. BERKLEY. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Kentucky and the 
gentleman from California for joining me to show our support for 
National Children's Memorial Flag Day. The fourth Friday of every April 
has come to be known as National Children's Memorial Day. This is a day 
to remember the children we have lost to violence and to raise 
awareness about the continuing problem of violence against children. It 
is a day to fly the Children's Memorial Flag in remembrance. This flag 
depicts six figures of children holding hands, and in the middle is a 
chalk outline of one child. This chalk outline symbolizes the 
devastating loss of lives.

[[Page H1652]]

  Almost daily we are reminded of the violence that plagues our 
children and the Nation. The statistics are startling. Among the 26 
richest nations, the United States accounted for 73 percent of the 
homicides in which a child was the victim. Three children a day die as 
a result of child abuse or neglect. Too many children are lost to 
violence. So many of these deaths are preventable.

                              {time}  1500

  I want this day to remind us that we must do a better job of keeping 
our children safe. Children are the most vulnerable members of our 
society. We as a nation have an obligation to guide and protect them. 
We all must work together to end the violence against our children.
  Tomorrow, all 50 State governments and the District of Columbia will 
participate in National Children's Memorial Flag Day. Many States are 
flying or displaying the children's memorial flag on or near their 
State capital. Other States are participating by issuing proclamations.
  In Nevada, because of the diligence of Donna Husted of the Children's 
Advocacy Alliance, the children's memorial flag is being flown over the 
Nevada State capital, the Nevada Department of Child Protective 
Services, City Hall in Las Vegas, the Clark County government building, 
and the Clark County Child Protective Services building. I commend 
Donna Husted for her efforts and thank her on behalf of all the loved 
ones of the children we have lost.
  This day is a community effort, a community effort that involves 
everyone. It crosses racial and ethnic lines. It crosses religious 
lines. It crosses party lines. I encourage all of my colleagues to 
support the goals of National Children's Memorial Flag Day. It is a day 
to remember, to remember the innocent lives we have lost.
  Mr. GEORGE MILLER of California. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman 
for her statement.
  Mr. STARK. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to join with my colleague 
Shelley Berkley to support this concurrent resolution that honors 
National Children's Memorial Flag Day.
  This concurrent resolution supports the commemoration of the 4th 
Friday of each April as National Children's Memorial Flag Day. In 
addition this resolution encourages national, State, and local agencies 
and private organizations to fly the Children's Memorial Flag to 
remember the children lost to violence and to raise public awareness 
about the continuing problem of violence against children.
  I support this resolution nationally because of its successful 
observance in my Congressional district. In 1996, the Alameda County 
Board of Supervisors adopted the Children's Memorial Flag Project, and 
established a National Children's Memorial Day on the fourth Friday in 
the month of April to remember children who have died by violence. I 
want to commend Supervisor Gail Steele of Alameda County for her 
tireless work and dedication to get this resolution adopted. In 
addition, the California Assembly formally declared the fourth Friday 
in April as a statewide annual observance day. The Child Welfare League 
of America has adopted Alameda County's Children's Memorial Flag and 
promotes it nationally.
  This Congressional resolution is particularly timely in the wake of 
the two school shootings in California at Granite Hills High School in 
El Cajon, California and Santana High School in Santee, California. 
Unfortunately, acts of violence against children happen far too often. 
According to the Child Welfare League of America, three infants and 
children die from abuse and neglect in the U.S. each day, and ten 
children die a day as a result of gun violence. In fact, more children 
lose their lives to criminal violence in the U.S. than in any of the 26 
industrialized nations of the world.
  We have lost far too many children in violent, preventable deaths. I 
encourage my colleagues in Congress to work with renewed resolve to 
ensure that our children have a full opportunity to become healthy and 
productive adults. Even one child lost is one child too many.
  I urge my fellow members to support the National Children's Memorial 
Flag Day concurrent resolution through unanimous consent.
  Mr. GEORGE MILLER of California. Mr. Speaker, I withdraw my 
reservation of objection.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Simpson). Is there objection to the 
request of the gentleman from Kentucky?
  There was no objection.
  The Clerk read the concurrent resolution, as follows:

                            H. Con. Res. 110

       Whereas among the world's 26 richest nations, the United 
     States accounted for 73 percent of child homicide victims;
       Whereas at least 3 children a day die from physical abuse 
     or chronic neglect in the United States;
       Whereas April has been designated as National Child Abuse 
     Prevention Month, an annual tradition started by President 
     Jimmy Carter in 1979; and
       Whereas the fourth Friday of each April is National 
     Children's Memorial Flag Day, when many State and local 
     governmental agencies and private organizations fly the 
     Children's Memorial Flag to remember children lost to 
     violence and to heighten public awareness of the need for 
     communities to help vulnerable children and families: Now, 
     therefore, be it
       Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate 
     concurring), That the Congress--
       (1) supports National Children's Memorial Flag Day; and
       (2) encourages national, State, and local agencies and 
     private organizations to fly the Children's Memorial Flag--
       (A) to remember children lost to violence; and
       (B) to raise public awareness about the continuing problem 
     of violence against children.

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

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