[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 86 (Wednesday, June 20, 2001)]
[House]
[Pages H3267-H3271]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


                              {time}  1030
    RECOGNIZING AND SUPPORTING GOALS AND IDEAS OF AMERICAN YOUTH DAY

  Mr. CASTLE. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the 
concurrent resolution (H.R. 124) recognizing the importance of children 
in the United States and supporting the goals and ideas of American 
Youth Day.
  The Clerk read as follows:

                              H. Res. 124

       Whereas national evidence indicates that America's youth 
     are faced with oppressive issues, such as violence, drugs, 
     abuse, and even family stress, causing the future of the 
     youth of the United States, and therefore the future of the 
     Nation, to be at risk;
       Whereas youth in America, regardless of their economic 
     status, ethnic or cultural heritage, or geographic location, 
     are experiencing the pressures caused by contemporary 
     society;
       Whereas although Americans realize the challenges of 
     today's busy lifestyles and balancing work schedules and 
     youth activities, they remain committed to education, 
     physical fitness, and civic-mindedness;
       Whereas it is imperative that the people of the United 
     States act willfully and purposely to secure a positive 
     future for the Nation by devoting time to youth, sharing 
     traditions, and communicating values to children in an effort 
     to sustain ongoing relationships with caring adults;
       Whereas America's Promise--The Alliance for Youth, founded 
     by Secretary of State Colin L. Powell, is one of the Nation's 
     most comprehensive nonprofit organizations dedicated to 
     building and strengthening the character and competence of 
     youth by mobilizing the Nation to fulfill the organization's 
     ``Five Promises'' for young people:
       (1) ongoing relationships with caring adults;
       (2) safe places with structured activities during nonschool 
     hours;
       (3) a healthy start and future;
       (4) marketable skills through effective education; and
       (5) opportunities to give back through community service;
       Whereas the citizens of the United States will celebrate 
     American Youth Day and encourage all youth organizations to 
     participate annually on a Saturday near the beginning of the 
     school year; and
       Whereas American Youth Day will provide opportunities for 
     America's youth to reclaim the values which foster trust and 
     build better communication and which will encourage parents, 
     grandparents, and extended families to recognize the 
     importance of being involved in the physical and emotional 
     lives of their children: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
       (1) recognizes the importance of youth to the future of the 
     United States;
       (2) supports the goals and ideas of American Youth Day; and
       (3) encourages the people of the United States to 
     participate in local and national activities that seek to 
     fulfill the Five Promises to America's youth, as established 
     by America's Promise--The Alliance for Youth.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Shays). Pursuant to the rule, the 
gentleman from Delaware (Mr. Castle) and the gentleman from California 
(Mr. George Miller) each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Delaware (Mr. Castle).


                             General Leave

  Mr. CASTLE. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may 
have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks 
on H. Res. 124.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Delaware?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. CASTLE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H. Res. 124, a 
resolution which recognizes the importance of children and supports the 
goals and ideals of American Youth Day, offered by the gentleman from 
Florida (Mr. Crenshaw), my colleague.
  In the next 24 hours, 1,439 teens will attempt suicide; 2,795 teenage 
girls will become pregnant; 15,006 teens will use drugs for the first 
time; and 3,056 teens will run away. That is within a 1-day period.
  Without a doubt, teens cope, as we all did, with major physical 
changes, emotional ups and down, peer pressures and a changing 
identity; but they are also confronted by a more complex and impersonal 
society where drugs and alcohol are easily available and tragedies, 
such as violence and disease, often strike close to home.
  In this time of growth and uncertainty, I strongly believe that our 
children need a caring adult to help them resist negative influences 
and make positive life choices.
  America's Promise, the Alliance for Youth, is one organization which 
recognizes the importance of strong, positive relationships between 
young people and adults. Chaired by Secretary of State Colin Powell, 
America's Promise is based on five promises designed to help strengthen 
the character of our children and give them the opportunity to mature 
into successful and responsible adults.
  The promises are simple enough. They seek to ensure that every young 
person has an ongoing relationship with caring adults, but they also 
attempt to provide every child a safe place to go before and after 
school, a healthy start into the future, a quality education, and an 
opportunity to build their neighborhoods and schools through community 
services.
  Of course, a warm and caring family atmosphere is the most important 
factor in helping our young people resist negative influences, but 
researchers have found that many relationships are needed in a child's 
life. In fact, recent studies have demonstrated that youth who have 
relationships with older role models outside the family, such as 
teachers, coaches and neighbors, can help develop the broad spectrum of 
personal resources they need to become healthier and more caring 
adults.
  Like many States across the Nation, the number of single-parent and 
two working-parent families in my State of Delaware is increasing. As a 
result, there is a growing need for mentors and our mentoring programs, 
in cooperation with organizations like Big Brothers/Big Sisters and 
local businesses are organizing a campaign to ensure that every child 
in Delaware who wants a mentor gets a mentor.
  According to the Delaware youth who participated in these programs, 
having a mentor means having a trusted friend who cares about them, 
listens to them. Not surprisingly, children that have mentors or adults 
involved in their lives are 46 percent less likely to start using 
drugs, 27 percent less likely to start using alcohol, and 53 percent 
less likely to skip school.
  If we are to continue to enjoy unprecedented freedom and prosperity 
as a Nation, we need to look at our collective future through the eyes 
of our children, for they will be responsible for navigating the 
challenges and opportunities of the new century. Only through the 
encouragement, structure, and caring provided by parents, adults and 
organizations such as America's Promise can we help our children 
realize their potential and make the world a better place for us all.
  Mr. Speaker, this resolution rightly recognizes the importance of our 
children and the need for all Americans to mark American Youth Day 
through the formation of new relationships with the young people in 
their lives.
  Mr. Speaker, I commend the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Crenshaw) for 
his resolution, and I urge an aye vote.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. GEORGE MILLER of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such 
time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I would like to commend the gentleman from Florida (Mr. 
Crenshaw), my colleague, for bringing H. Res. 124 forward today.
  The ideals embodied in this resolution promoting American Youth Day 
that children and youth are to be valued and that we have a 
responsibility to provide them with the resources they need to secure a 
healthy and promise future are not to be taken lightly.
  Too often, Congress overlooks the needs of our Nation's young people. 
We somehow fail to make the issues of young people a priority, and we 
somehow fail to make an adequate investment in their development and 
well being.
  Too often, we also find public programs for young people focus on the 
problems of youth. In turn, we wind up with a lot of programs and 
policies that react to the negative behaviors, like juvenile 
delinquency or teenage pregnancy.
  That is not to say that we should ignore these problems, nor can we. 
In the communities across the country, children are faced with numerous 
obstacles which prevent them from reaching their full potential.
  If you just look at the children in this Nation who are impoverished, 
in

[[Page H3268]]

1999 there were over 12 million youth under the age of 18 who were 
poor. In spite of low unemployment, my own State of California has one 
of the highest rates of child poverty among the States, ranking 45th 
out of the 50 States and the District of Columbia. The gap between 
high- and low-wage earners in California is the fifth largest among the 
States.
  With much of the job growth that we have in the next 5 years 
concentrated in low-paying positions, six out of 10 of those jobs are 
expected to pay under $8 an hour, many working families will continue 
to have a difficult time making ends meet and to provide for their 
children.
  Affordable housing, nutritious food, quality childcare, quality 
health care, in fact, are out of reach of many of these families.
  In the area of health care, California youth have less access to 
health care than their counterparts in other States; 21 percent of the 
children and teens are uninsured as compared to 15 percent nationally. 
Less access to health care means that children are less likely to be 
immunized and less likely to receive well-child care. One study found 
that uninsured children are 3\1/2\ times as likely as insured children 
to go without needed health care, including medical, surgical, dental 
care, prescription drugs, eyeglasses and mental health care, all of the 
things that we know are important to children performing well in our 
schools, to take an advantage of the opportunities for success that 
were presented to them.
  Without this kind of health care coverage, without access to this 
kind of diagnosis, these children's chances to succeed are greatly 
diminished.
  Two out of three California youth in need of mental services do not 
receive those services. The teen unemployment rate for youth is 13.1 
percent; particularly troubling is the unemployment rate for black 
teens of 24.7 percent.
  In 1999, one out of six of the 16-year-olds to 19-year-olds in 
California who were looking for work could not find a job. That is why 
this resolution is important to call attention to these matters.
  In the area of youth crime, nationally we see the juvenile crime rate 
is declining; but yet again, my home State of California ranks 48 out 
of 50 States and the District of Columbia for the percentage of youth 
detained in the California Youth Authority, county camps, juvenile 
halls, and private institutions. For too many of these youth, this 
incarceration will greatly diminish their chances in later life.
  Twenty-two percent of the violent crimes in the U.S. are juveniles, 
and children under the age of 12 make up approximately a quarter of the 
juvenile victims known to police.
  Tomorrow, the Subcommittee on Select Education will begin work on 
reauthorizing the Juvenile Justice and the Delinquency Prevention Act 
to address several of these issues. Yet the need for these programs 
take a more positive approach to youth still exists.
  We must accentuate the positive possibilities that we can bring to 
these children's lives. An overwhelming body of research has 
demonstrated that we need to do more to foster positive youth 
development, to build social and emotional competence and to link young 
people with adult mentors.
  H. Res. 124 is a step in the right direction, and Congress has the 
opportunity to do even more to ensure that all of these children and 
the purposes of this resolution are carried out and have access to the 
core five principles stated in this resolution.
  H.R. 17, the Younger Americans Act, which I have introduced with the 
gentlewoman from New Jersey (Mrs. Roukema), represents the next step. 
The Younger Americans Act was built around the same five pillars of 
youth development as found in H. Res. 124, helping youth to access 
ongoing relations with caring adults, to have safe places, to have a 
healthy start and future, and education and community service 
activities.

  H.R. 17 provides communities the resources they need to achieve the 
very goals we are setting out for them in today's resolution. H.R. 17 
has 49 cosponsors, Democrats and Republicans; and there is a companion 
measure in the Senate.
  The Younger Americans Act establishes a national policy on youth 
development and assists communities in developing an infrastructure and 
network for local initiatives that promote the positive goals and 
outcomes for youth.
  The Younger Americans Act promotes youth development programs that 
work, such as mentoring, teen employment programs, after-school 
learning activities, and recreational activities.
  It encourages youth-led activities that encourage self-esteem and 
character development. It does not create new programs; instead, it 
reinforces, reinforces youth development initiatives that already exist 
at the local levels in the communities all across this country.
  The bill has a vast national coalition of supporters, including 
Secretary of State and former Joint Chiefs of Staff Colin Powell, the 
Boys and Girl's Club of America, Big Brothers/Big Sisters, the National 
Urban League, America's Promise, the Child Welfare League of America, 
the United Way, the National Mental Health Association and many, many 
other organizations.
  The Younger Americans Act ensures that all children and youth can 
benefit from youth development programs and have access to education, 
health and economic resources they need to realize their potential.
  Mr. Speaker, if we are to call upon the communities to celebrate 
American Youth Day, then Congress must do its part.
  This resolution should be just the beginning, and I commend the 
gentleman from Florida (Mr. Crenshaw) for his efforts; and I hope that 
this resolution will receive unanimous support in the House of 
Representatives today. Mr. Speaker, I also invite the gentleman and 
many of our other colleagues to join me and the gentlewoman from New 
Jersey (Mrs. Roukema) in supporting the next step, passage of the 
Younger Americans Act.
  The Younger Americans Act will ensure that every day is American 
Youth Day. This is a commitment that this Nation must make. It is a 
commitment that this Nation cannot afford not to make. Mr. Speaker, I 
want to again say how much I appreciate this resolution being brought 
to the floor, because it is time for this Congress to stop, think and 
to reflect, and for this Nation to stop, think and reflect about the 
opportunities, the potential that exist in each of our children as they 
are born; and then the question will be whether or not that child will 
be in a position to take advantage of the opportunities for success. 
Because almost each and every one of these children is capable of doing 
that.
  Mr. Speaker, if they do not have the access to a caring adult, if 
they do not have access to health, to education, to civic involvement 
in our communities, then their chances for those opportunities and 
taking advantage of those opportunities are greatly diminished. That is 
why we should pass this resolution today, and that is why the Congress 
should then take the next step, which is the passage of the Younger 
Americans Act.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. CASTLE. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman from 
Florida (Mr. Crenshaw), the sponsor of the resolution.
  Mr. CRENSHAW. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to offer for House 
consideration H. Res. 124. This simple proposal encourages communities 
all across the Nation to set aside 1 day each year to honor 
organizations and individuals that take the time to help young people, 
especially those who are vulnerable to negative influences and at risk 
of falling through the cracks, help these young people fulfill their 
dreams.
  For all its wealth and prosperity, in recent years America has been 
suffering from what I call problems of the soul, where courts and 
Congress do not have any jurisdiction. So many of our neighbors have 
lost their moral compass and need help finding their way again when it 
comes to moral values. This is most true when it comes to our young 
people.
  Nowadays, children are exposed to serious drug and alcohol use, 
violence, gang influences, and sexual activity at younger and younger 
ages. Popular culture through music, videos, television and the movies 
often exposes young people to images and ideas that would have been 
unthinkable for their age group only a few years ago.
  There no longer seems to be a period in young people's lives when 
kids can

[[Page H3269]]

just be kids. Mr. Speaker, it make no difference what their race, their 
gender, their ethnicity. These negative images and influences make no 
distinction and no prejudices; all young people are fair game.
  So it is incumbent on each and every one of us to offer our time and 
energy and love to children to provide positive role models and 
influences to young people to give them guidance and hope.
  American Youth Day would honor those who have already made this 
commitment and encourages others to do the same. In particular, the 
resolution focuses on an organization that has captured the imagination 
and sparked the enthusiasm of millions of Americans with its little red 
wagon symbol that I am wearing on my lapel. It is called America's 
Promise, the Alliance for Youth.
  America's Promise was founded by Secretary of State Colin Powell as 
an outgrowth of the President's Summit for America's Future in 1997.
  Then General Colin Powell answered the call of his Nation, as he has 
done before in uniform, and founded an organization that would partner 
with businesses, government, and nonprofit organizations to make and 
fulfill five promises for all of America's youth.
  And since then, more than 550 communities and State partners have 
joined with America's Promise to act on this commitment. In addition, 
nearly 500 national organizations representing diverse interests, 
purposes, and locations have partnered with America's Promise.

                              {time}  1045

  America's Promise, the Alliance for Youth, is building and 
strengthening the character and competence of youth by mobilizing the 
Nation to fulfill five simple promises. Each of us has organizations 
and individuals in our communities that exemplify the commitment to 
these promises. In my district in northeast Florida, there are hundreds 
of groups that expend their time and energy for this good cause, 
fulfilling these promises to America's young people. I would like to 
name just a few outstanding examples of how they live up to each of 
these promises.
  The first promise is providing young people ongoing relationships 
with caring adults. Since opening its center in Flagler and Volusia 
Counties, the Pace Center for Girls has served over 300 girls, helping 
them to recognize their own self-worth.
  The second promise is providing safe places with structured 
activities for young people during non-school hours. This year the 
Jacksonville Children's Commission will provide over 3,000 children 
with scholarships to attend the summer camps of their choice.
  The third promise, giving young people a healthy start and future. At 
the I.M. Sulzbacher Center for the Homeless, young people can see 
pediatricians and pediatric nurses, many from the University of Florida 
Pediatric Residency Program, and get the special care they need.
  The fourth promise, helping young people gain marketable skills 
through effective education. A group called PowerUP tries to connect 
people to the Internet and give them access to technology and 
technology-related education and opportunity to explore computers that 
ordinarily would not have a chance to do that.
  And the fifth promise, providing opportunities to give back through 
community service. There is an Optimist Club in northeast Florida that 
sponsors youth antidrug campaigns and public speaking contests with 
special emphasis on fostering responsible citizenship and activity 
within the community.


                ongoing relationship with caring adults

  It is no longer purely anecdotal that just having a caring and 
involved adult in his or her life can make a real difference for the 
future of a young person. Youth with mentors are 46% less likely to 
start using drugs; 27% less likely to start using alcohol; 33% less 
likely to hit others; and 52% less likely to skip school.
  Flagler and Volusia Counties: Pace Center for Girls, Inc.--Young 
girls sometimes face added negative pressures from society which 
severely impact their self-esteem. Unfortunately, just as with young 
boys, the lack of a feeling of value to those they look up to is often 
just the beginning of their troubles. In particular, it can lead to 
promiscuous sexual activity, which in turn can end in pregnancy or 
disease, changing the path of that girl's future forever. Since opening 
its center in Flagler and Volusia Counties in July 1996, the Pace 
Center has served over 300 girls, helping them to recognize their own 
self-worth. The Pace Center's volunteers and trained staff show them 
through example and friendship how to ``celebrate a life defined by 
responsibility, serenity, and grace.'' In fact, one of my staff in 
addition to raising her own two sons, gives her time and love to the 
girls at the Pace Center.


     safe places with structured activities during non-school hours

  The most influential time in a young person's life occurs every day 
between the hours of 3 and 8 PM. It is then, when parents are often at 
work, that children are most vulnerable to the influences of popular 
culture and peer pressure. If we can just give them a safe place to be 
during those hours with positive influences and productive activities, 
such as tutoring, arts and crafts, or sports, we can teach them 
behaviors and attitudes that they will carry with them for years to 
come.
  Duval and Nassau Counties: Boys and Girls Clubs of Northeast 
Florida.--There are more than 2,850 Boys and Girls Clubs nationwide. 
They provide young people of all ages with an environment flooded with 
positive influences, strong adult role models, and constructive 
activities. In Northeast Florida, these clubs work with their local 
school boards to put a particular emphasis on learning. In fact, many 
of the tutors and mentors who participate in their programs as 
volunteers are teachers by profession. Their success has been 
phenomenal. Most of the 8th Grade students who participate in the 
programs in Nassau County have seen such vast improvements in their 
testing scores, that their school's state-conferred grade rose from a C 
to an A. And, since learning does not always mean sitting down and 
reading from a book or solving a math problem, at the Boys and Girls 
Club in Nassau County, which was only established a year ago, the 
volunteers and supporters are working with the County to establish a 
10-acre park for the young people they serve.
  Duval County: Jacksonville Children's Commission.--The Commission 
primarily serves as an umbrella organization helping groups all around 
the Jacksonville area provide services to young people. But one program 
that they have undertaken themselves has proven enormously popular and 
successful is their Summer Camperships Program. This year, the 
Commission will provide over 3,000 children with scholarships to attend 
the summer camps of their choice. The children must earn this 
scholarship by getting good grades, but the lure of summer camp can be 
a powerful incentive to work hard. The Summertime offers just that many 
more hours for getting into mischief. The Summer Camperships gives 
children who would otherwise have no other options than hanging around 
on the street corner the chance to participate in structured and fun 
activities.


                       a healthy start and future

  Young people who lead healthy and active lives are better prepared to 
learn in school and better prepared to begin down the road to a 
productive adult life.
  Duval County: I.M. Sulzbacher Center for the Homeless.--There is 
perhaps no group of young people facing an uphill battle than those who 
are homeless, and homelessness has been noted to be a direct predictor 
of specific childhood illnesses. In fact, homeless children are found 
to be in fair or poor health twice as often as other children, suffer 
50% more ear infections, and are hospitalized twice as much. At the 
I.M. Sulzbacher Center for the Homeless, young people can see 
pediatricians and pediatric nurses--many from the University of Florida 
Pediatric Residency Program--and get the special care that they need. 
The staff there help the parents to gain access to Medicaid and SCHIP 
and other government programs for which their children qualify but they 
don't even know about. They also provide back to school physicals so 
homeless children can meet school requirements for entry. Furthermore, 
the Center teaches young people about the importance of proper 
nutrition and exercise, which can lead to long-term behavioral changes 
and healthier, longer lives.
  Flagler and Volusia Counties: Pace Center for Girls.--In addition to 
teaching girls to love themselves and have hope for their futures, the 
Pace Center shows girls the value in living a healthy and drug-free 
life with its outdoor adventure program. This program helps young girls 
to incorporate exercise into their daily lives. The Pace Center also 
has a pregnancy prevention program, as well as an intervention program 
to help young girls who are already pregnant or parenting. The Pace 
Center takes an holistic approach to their intervention program, 
involving the fathers of the girls' babies as well to ensure the best 
possible outcome for the young parents and their child.


             marketable skills through effective education

  Education--whether it is to purely academic or also vocational 
training--really is the key to a brighter future. But, that's not 
always the message that young people are getting. This is particularly 
true for young people who come

[[Page H3270]]

form disadvantaged backgrounds or families that are trapped in a cycle 
of illiteracy and stunted education or schools that fail to provide 
them with a safe and effective learning environment. These young people 
even more than their peers need to be reminded that it's not where you 
come from, but where you want to go; that they can achieve most any 
goal they set so long as they put their minds and souls into it; and 
that there are people in their neighborhoods who want to help them 
succeed.
  Duval County: Communities in Schools.--The Communities in Schools 
program serves young people in nearly 300 communities in 28 states 
across the country. In Jacksonville, Florida, the effort includes 
mentoring children in several public middle schools and vocational 
programs. The volunteers who make this program so successful operate 
under the motto: ``Help young people learn, stay in school, and prepare 
for life.''
  Duval County: PowerUP.--It cannot be denied that skills and 
experience in information technology and other high-tech resources are 
needed to compete in the job market. But, those resources are 
expensive, and parents who lack financial wherewithal to provide their 
children with access to them need help. Those children lack access to a 
bright new world of possibilities. PowerUP is dedicated to bridging the 
digital divide by giving children who would otherwise lack access to 
technology and technology-related education the opportunity to explore 
computers, the Internet, and new technologies. The State of Florida--
which was recently named fifth in the nation in the number of high-tech 
jobs created in 2000 by the American Electronics Association, was 
PowerUP's first public partnership. Earlier this year, Governor Jeb 
Bush announced 24 sites where PowerUP programs will be available to 
young people between the ages of 6 and 18 in our inner cities. One of 
those sites which will soon be up and running is in Jacksonville, which 
is in the midst of a severe shortage of just this kind of skilled 
labor.


          opportunities to give back through community service

  It can be as simple as providing a positive role model. By showing 
young people how good it makes us feel to lend them a guiding hand, 
those young people may turn around and seek that same feeling by 
helping others around them. But sometimes, it is an orchestrated effort 
to instill in young people a positive vision for their communities and 
a desire to really make a difference.
  Nassau County: Fernandina Beach Optimist Club.--The Optimist Club 
considers itself a ``friend to youth.'' Its members raise money to 
provide children with a wide variety of important programs to improve 
young attitudes and minds, such as scholarships and team sports. But, 
they also sponsor youth anti-drug campaigns and public speaking 
contests with a special emphasis on fostering responsible citizenship 
and activity within the community.
  Mr. Speaker, many of us recognize the little red wagon that Colin 
Powell chose as the symbol for America's Promise as a reminder of a 
more innocent time when children were given a chance to be children. 
Giving every child a little red wagon might make them happy for a day 
or two, but giving them the moral equivalent of that little red wagon, 
a caring adult, a nurturing environment, and hope for a brighter future 
can make them happy for a lifetime.
  In closing, I would like to read from a letter I recently received 
from Governor Marc Racicot, the new Chairman of the Board for America's 
Promise. He said, ``I was grateful to learn of your support of 
America's Promise and the work we are doing. As you know, our goal is 
to make youth the number one national priority, and House Resolution 
124 will help accomplish that. I also appreciate you shaping the bill 
around the framework of the five promises in America's Promise. We 
truly believe this will work.''
  Finally, Mr. Speaker, just let me thank my colleagues for their 
strong support. I encourage each of us to make a commitment to honor 
the groups and individuals in their communities that have made a 
commitment to young people by celebrating American Youth Day in their 
districts.
  Mr. Speaker, I submit for the Record the letter from Governor Racicot 
I just referred to.

                                            America's Promise,

                                     Alexandria, VA, June 8, 2001.
     Hon. Ander Crenshaw,
     House of Representatives,
     Washington, DC.
       Dear Congressman Crenshaw: Thank you for your kind letter 
     welcoming me to America's Promise. I am delighted and honored 
     to lead an organization doing such important work for young 
     people.
       I was grateful to learn of your support of America's 
     Promise and the work we are doing. As you know, our goal here 
     is to make youth the number one national priority, and H. 
     Res. 124 will help accomplish that.
       I also appreciate you shaping the bill around the framework 
     of the Five Promises and America's Promise. We truly believe, 
     and research proves, that this is the right solution. Your 
     bill will help us share our message with millions and we are 
     thankful for the opportunity.
       Thank you for your dedication to youth and for your 
     leadership in Congress on this important national priority. I 
     very much look forward to working with you on legislation to 
     build the character and competence of our nation's young 
     people.
       With best wishes,
           Sincerely,
                                                      Marc Raciot,
                                                         Chairman.
  Mr. GEORGE MILLER of California. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance 
of my time.
  Mr. CASTLE. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from 
Florida (Mr. Keller), and wish to thank our earlier speaker, the 
sponsor of the bill, another gentleman from Florida (Mr. Crenshaw).
  Mr. KELLER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the resolution 
introduced by the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Crenshaw), a fellow 
Floridian.
  Today we are recognizing the importance of children in the United 
States and supporting the goals and ideas of American Youth Day. 
America's Promise, the nonprofit organization created by Secretary of 
State Colin Powell, is dedicated to building and strengthening the 
character of children by fulfilling five promises.
  The first of those promises is to provide mentoring programs 
throughout this country, and it is that promise that I would like to 
direct my remarks to today. Specifically, I would like to talk about 
the educational and crime prevention benefits of mentoring.
  First, the educational benefits, and I will tell my colleagues why it 
is so important to me. I had the happy privilege of serving as the 
volunteer chairman of the board of the Orlando/Orange County Compact 
Program, which is the largest mentoring program in the State of 
Florida. I also had the privilege of serving as a mentor myself to two 
students at Boone High School. From these experiences, I learned 
firsthand how important mentoring is.
  In the State of Florida, we had a big problem. We had the worst 
graduation rate in the country, with only 53 percent of our students 
graduating from high school. We decided to do something about it by 
starting this Compact Mentoring Program, which matches up students at 
risk of dropping out of high school with business people, sort of like 
a Big Brother, Big Sister program. The results were dramatic. Over the 
last 10 years, 95 percent of the children in the Compact Mentoring 
Program have graduated from high school, The number one graduation rate 
in the country.
  Let me give an example, so we are not just dealing with statistics. A 
young man, 16 years old, African American, named Lenard, went to an 
inner-city school called Jones High School. He had been arrested for 
selling drugs, was making D's and F's, was skipping school, and said he 
was going to drop out. He said he would be in the Compact Mentoring 
Program on one condition; ``Just don't give me a white mentor.''
  Well, to help Lenard reach out a little bit, we assigned him a white 
mentor, an AT&T executive named Paul Hurley. He worked with Lenard 
every week, developed a friendship and, to make a long story short, by 
his senior year, Lenard's grades went up, his attendance went up, and 
he went on to become Orange County Student of the Year for the Compact 
Program.
  In his senior year, Lenard won two tickets to the Orlando Magic 
basketball game. He called his mentor and said, ``Hey, I just won two 
front row tickets to the big game tonight.'' His mentor said, ``That's 
great. Why don't you invite your best friend.'' Lenard said, ``That's 
why I called you.''
  Mentoring truly does make a difference one person at a time. That is 
why I joined with the gentleman from Nebraska (Mr. Osborne), or Coach 
Osborne, earlier this year in sponsoring the Mentoring for Success Act, 
which now will become law, as it passed in H.R. 1 over in the Senate as 
part of the President's education reform will.
  In summary, recognizing America's Youth Day and fulfilling the five 
promises will make a meaningful difference

[[Page H3271]]

in the lives of young people, will prevent crime, will save us money, 
and I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on this important resolution.
  Mr. CASTLE. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the distinguished 
gentlewoman from New Jersey (Mrs. Roukema).
  (Mrs. ROUKEMA asked and was given permission to revise and extend her 
remarks.)
  Mrs. ROUKEMA. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Delaware (Mr. 
Castle) for yielding me this time, and I do want to identify myself 
with the compelling statements made by both the gentleman from Delaware 
(Mr. Castle) and the gentleman from California (Mr. George Miller). 
They made compelling statements for the need for this resolution, and 
not only this resolution but going on to other legislation that can 
help implement our goals here. Certainly they have been outlined very 
well here, the critical resources that we need, and identified in 
America's Promise, founded by Secretary of State Colin Powell.
  As people can observe, we have been referencing the little red wagon, 
but it is important to understand that this is more than just a symbol. 
It is a way of translating into action. And to quote Secretary Powell, 
he said, ``The little red wagon could be filled with a child's hopes 
and dreams or weighed down with their burdens. Millions of American 
children need our help to pull that wagon along. Let us all pull 
together.'' That is a good way of stating it. And of course I want to 
congratulate the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Crenshaw) for spotlighting 
this need.
  I want to stress, as I believe the gentleman from California (Mr. 
George Miller) stressed, and I want to identify myself with the next 
step. This is only a first step. The next step, the really promising 
step, is to implement the legislation H.R. 17, the Younger Americans 
Act, and put into law the rhetoric of this particular resolution.
  I want to advise the gentleman from California (Mr. George Miller) 
that I will do everything I can to work with my House leadership on 
this side of the aisle to expedite consideration of the Younger 
Americans Act and hopefully get it enacted this year or in this 
Congress.
  Again, I thank the gentleman from Delaware (Mr. Castle), I thank the 
gentleman from Florida (Mr. Crenshaw), and all those working here, but 
it has to be more than rhetoric. We have to translate this into action 
and promise for America's youth.
  Mrs. CLAYTON. Mr. Speaker, today's youth are the future of this 
country. However, the children of this country today are faced with 
many more difficult and dangerous situations than any previous 
generation. They are in need of strong guidance and leadership from 
adults in their community. America's Promise helps the children of 
America develop the skills they need in order to be the leaders of 
tomorrow.
  American Youth Day will provide an opportunity for citizens to 
recognize one specific day as a day to devote to the youth of this 
country. It will allow the communities to become aware of the ``Five 
Promises'' that America's Promise has made to our children.
  Each one of the ``Five Promises'' represents an essential way to 
assist the youth of this country. Children need to build strong 
relationships with caring adults in order to learn how to become caring 
adults themselves. They need places to go and things to do during 
nonschool hours so that they are not left alone without supervision. 
They deserve a healthy start and an equal opportunity for a prosperous 
future. They need the chance to learn the types of skills that they 
will need in the job market. And they need to learn the joy of giving 
back to the community through service.
  We must do all that we can to support the youth of this country. They 
need more than just the guidance of their parents. They need the 
support of their communities. And they need an education system that 
will recognize each child as an individual, one that will adapt to the 
specific needs of each child.
  One way to allow the education system to meet the needs of a greater 
number of people is the reform of the GED program. The GED does not 
give individuals the increased earning power that a high school diploma 
gives. We need to improve the GED program to allow those individuals 
who decide to pursue a GED the types of skills that employers look for 
today.
  The youth of today need our assistance. I rise today in strong 
support of H. Res. 124 and American Youth Day and I urge my colleagues 
to do the same.
  Mr. OSBORNE. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of the resolution 
introduced by Representative Crenshaw to establish American Youth Day. 
As a long-time teacher, mentor, and coach of young people, I have seen 
the difference that caring adults can make in the lives of our young 
people. I believe that the principles set forth by H. Res. 124 will 
help our country to provide a better environment for the development of 
young people.
  This resolution would encourage communities to set aside a Saturday 
prior to the beginning of the next school year in order to participate 
in activities that highlight our children and share their successes in 
our communities where there is a commitment to youth. One of the 
commitments our communities can make to youth is to provide support 
through mentoring. A mentor can make an enormous difference in the life 
of a child by providing a strong positive role model for that child.
  I have known many young people who testify that they have become the 
successful people they are today because caring, involved, qualified 
mentors took the time to get involved in their lives. I was recently 
able to help include a mentoring program that I introduced in H.R. 1, 
the reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act. This 
program would provide $50 million in competitive grants to mentoring 
programs across the nation that work to link children with mentors who 
have undergone background checks and are interested in working with 
youth. Although ESEA and the appropriations process is far from over, I 
hope that several hundred thousand young people will benefit from this 
grant program.
  This resolution would also serve to highlight the accomplishments of 
hundreds of youth organizations around the country--including 4-H and 
others--that work full-time, year round to provide healthy 
opportunities for young people. Additional investment in programs that 
serve young people and provide them with healthy, constructive 
activities--the type of investment encouraged by the Younger Americans 
Act, of which I am a cosponsor--would help extend opportunities to even 
more of our country's youth.
  Investment in our children is probably the best investment we can 
make. While a child's potential and self-esteem cannot be measured by a 
bottom-line, the cost of incarceration and absenteeism far outweighs 
the cost of investing in youth programs. In my state of Nebraska, it 
costs $21,219 per year to incarcerate an offender in the Nebraska State 
Penitentiary and $29,200 per year to house an arrested juvenile.
  Supporting our young people as they navigate the challenging terrain 
of becoming adults is such a worthwhile and rewarding effort. H. Res. 
124 is a great first step. I strongly support H. Res. 124 to create an 
American Youth Day and I encourage my colleagues to do the same.
  Mr. GEORGE MILLER of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the 
balance of my time.
  Mr. CASTLE. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I 
yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Shays). The question is on the motion 
offered by the gentleman from Delaware (Mr. Castle) that the House 
suspend the rules and agree to the resolution, House Resolution 124.
  The question was taken.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds of 
those present have voted in the affirmative.
  Mr. CASTLE. 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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