[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 127 (Wednesday, October 2, 2002)]
[Senate]
[Pages S9783-S9785]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[[Page S9783]]
NATIONAL 4-H YOUTH DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM WEEK
Mr. INHOFE. Mr. President, my wife and I have four kids and 11
grandkids. My youngest daughter Katie is the chairman of the Jesse
Helms Fan Club. Katie, who looks like she is about 14 or 15 years old,
is in her thirties. She just had her second baby. She has, I say to my
good friend, Senator Helms, prominently framed as you walk in to her
home a picture of Senator Helms holding her first baby, Baby Kate. You
see, I have a wife named Kate, a daughter named Kate, and a
granddaughter named Kate. The picture is prominently displayed in her
living room.
She talks about this wonderful, gentle man in Washington who is
different than anybody else we have known in Washington. She says he
has to be the most lovable man in the history of Washington, DC.
Jesse, I say to you, that is not just one little girl talking. She
speaks for so many people.
Since one of the programs that Senator Helms has always held up and
said is the greatest program because it does not involve Government
dollars, it involves putting into the hands of young people in America
the ideals that made this country great, I thought it would be
appropriate if we adopt S. Con. Res. 143, which is the 4-H resolution.
The Senator from North Carolina has been such a prominent part and one
of the first cosponsors of this resolution. So let's adopt this
resolution on Jesse Helms Appreciation Day.
My resolution, S. Con. Res. 143, designates next week, October 6
through 12, as the ``National 4-H Youth Development Program Week.''
The 4-H Youth Development Program sponsors clubs in rural and urban
areas in every county throughout the Nation. As neighbors and
colleagues, 4-H members and volunteers are making a difference by
pledging the four Hs: their ``heads'' to a clearer thinking, ``hearts''
to greater loyalty, ``hands'' to larger service, and ``health'' to
better living for the club, the community, the country, and the world.
In an era when education is recognized as more important than ever,
4-H offers a variety of training through its diverse programs. Young
people gain experience and citizenship and civic education,
communications and expressive arts, consumer and family sciences,
environmental education and earth sciences, healthy lifestyle
education, personal development and leadership, plants and animals, and
science and technology; and it goes on.
4-H has grown to over 5 \1/2\ million annual participants from all
ethnic backgrounds, ranging from ages 5 to 19. 4-H clubs strengthen
families and communities and foster leadership and voluntarism for
youth and adults.
I will say something about my State of Oklahoma. Turning to a survey
of 22 counties in Oklahoma, 4-H members and volunteer leaders
participated in 4 million hours of community service. No Government
program told them to do that. They just did it out of their hearts
because they had leadership they could look up to, the ultimate leader
being Senator Helms in this case.
Whitney Ferris, a 4-H club member and student at the Oklahoma State
University, is one example of someone who has given back to her
community. She has used skills she has developed through 4-H to conduct
leadership development classes for Native Americans in the Chickasaw
Nation. As a result of her efforts, Whitney is now working with other
Native American tribes in Oklahoma to help them establish development
workshops in order to learn skills that will make them tomorrow's
leaders.
That is what we are really talking about: tomorrow's leaders. We
would like to produce more Jesse Helmses for this world.
Other OSU students, who are also 4-H members, have won the
prestigious Truman Scholarship for their outstanding academic and
leadership skills.
Recently, I supported 4-H by requesting funding for a national civic
education program to be conducted by the National 4-H Council. This
program is aimed at involving young people from all socioeconomic
backgrounds in public policy and community involvement, with a special
focus on community governance and leadership skills.
I have also requested funding for an innovative Rural Health Outreach
Program, which will be administered through the 4-H Youth Development
Program.
This program will develop, implement and evaluate an overall youth
health promotion and awareness strategy designed to target youth and
their families, particularly in rural America. It will also devise
strategies to reach minority and disadvantaged youth and their
families.
4-H is changing the lives of America's youth for a brighter, better
tomorrow and I am proud to recognize this important program.
Congratulations, 4-H, on your good work and your centennial.
I conclude by saying we have hundreds of thousands of kids around
this country who are participating today and have participated in this
program. I think that each one of them would look up to the top and see
one person who really sets an example for what truly makes America
great, and that would be our good friend Jesse Helms.
I ask unanimous consent that the Judiciary Committee be discharged
from further consideration of S. Con. Res. 143 and the Senate then
proceed to its immediate consideration.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
The clerk will report the concurrent resolution by title.
The legislative clerk read as follows:
A concurrent resolution (S. Con. Res. 143) designating
October 6, 2002, through October 12, 2002, as ``National 4-H
Youth Development Program Week''.
There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the
concurrent resolution.
Mrs. CLINTON. Mr. President, I rise today in support of this
resolution to designate next week as National 4-H Youth Development
Program Week. 4-H is a wonderful organization that promotes
volunteerism and leadership among this country's youth. With the
participation of over 415,000 youth in New York State, 4-H is a
wonderful organization devoted to enhancing the citizenship,
leadership, and entrepreneurial abilities of youth.
4-H educates the young people in our country by giving them the
opportunity to learn by doing. 4-H empowers our youth in their local
communities, and encourages them to be active and to give back to their
community.
In New York State, there are many 4-H clubs that are doing incredible
things to help educate and shape our youth.
In New York City young people learn more about science through the
education programs of 4-H. In the middle of an urban area, they can
learn about agriculture and the source of their food through
horticulture and hydroponics projects.
In Syracuse 4-Hers are participating in an Urban Delight program
where young people participate in a farmers' market. They learn about
where their food comes from and develop their entrepreneurial skills as
vendors at the market.
The Genesse County 4-H offers a Government internship program. Young
people are paired with county legislators to learn more about local
government. 4-Hers see first-hand the process of decisionmaking that
occurs in their local government.
On Long Island, afterschool 4-H programs are enriching the minds of
young people through science and technology education. 4-Hers spend
time in computer labs, learning about technology. 4-Hers are also
participating in a science program thats taken a hands-on approach to
learning chemistry by doing projects on topics such as water quality,
oil slicks, and clothing fibers.
In New York's North Country, 4-H is alive and well. Youth have
developed their entrepreneurial skills through operating a fish
hatchery. They also enrich their communication skills by choosing a
topic of interest and making presentations at local, regional, and
State events.
4-H has made a commitment to be present on every military base. In
particular, Jefferson County 4-H has partnered with the Army at Fort
Drumm to provide educational opportunities to young people there.
Members have access to national curriculum to provide them with the
materials and information to pursue their interests.
4-H is a strong link between a State academic research institution,
Cornell
[[Page S9784]]
University, and the youth of New York. When West Nile Virus was
detected in New York State, 4-Hers working with horses and other equine
projects were concerned for the health of their animals. Because of 4-
H, information from the researchers at Cornell University was
disseminated to these young people to better educate them on the
disease and how to care for their animals.
4-H does incredible things for the 415,000 youth involved in New York
State. But it also provides incredible opportunities for adults to
interact with young people. Over 22,000 adults have volunteered to help
guide the young people and make 4-H programs so successful.
I congratulate 4-H on 100 years of helping to shape this country's
youth in a positive manner. With my colleagues, I am pleased to request
that October 6-12 be designated as National 4-H Youth Development
Program Week.
Mr. JOHNSON. Mr. President, I rise today to congratulate the youth
organization 4-H for its achievement in developing leadership among our
youth for 100 years. I have always been impressed by the leadership and
enthusiasm shown by members of the 4-H Program. More importantly, I
have always been a firm believer in the goals and directives of the 4-H
Program. Through participation in fairs and shows, camps, gatherings,
conferences, Character Counts, and the international youth exchange,
the 4-H Program helps young people develop important life skills, self-
confidence, and a better sense of the world around them.
I was proud to cosponsor the National 4-H Program Centennial
Initiative, which President Bush signed into law. This bill authorizes
a grant to the National 4-H Council to conduct a program of discussions
through meetings, seminars, and listening on a national, State, and
local level on strategies for youth development. I can't think of a
better way to commemorate the 4-H Centennial than enacting this
legislation and looking ahead to the youth of our future.
The 4-H Centennial Initiative is a wonderful example of a public-
private partnership to develop new strategies for youth development. As
our economy becomes increasingly global and technology-oriented, we
must ensure that our Nation's youth are well-prepared for the ever-
changing demands and challenges they will most certainly face. The 4-H
Program has long been a developmental foundation for South Dakota
youth, and I am pleased that this initiative will honor the celebration
of the 4-H Centennial and enhance this program for the 21st century.
Each time a young person recites the 4-H pledge, ``I pledge my head
to clearer thinking, my heart to greater loyalty, my hands to larger
service, and my health to better living for my club, my community, my
country, and my world,'' it reflects the important values and
characteristics that guide 4-H members through their daily activities.
These principles have helped 4-H become strong over the last 100 years,
and they will set the course for 4-H in the future. It is with great
honor that I have this opportunity to recognize such an outstanding
youth organization. On behalf of all past and present members of 4-H, I
congratulate the organization for its dedication, achievements, and
continued success.
Mr. THOMAS. Mr. President, I would like to take this opportunity to
acknowledge the 100th anniversary of the 4-H Youth Development Program
and express my support for the ``National 4-H Youth Development Program
Week.''
Since its inception, 4-H has played an integral role in extending
agricultural education to young people all over the country,
particularly in rural areas like Wyoming. Being a former 4-H member has
given me an even greater appreciation of one of America's longest
serving youth development organizations. The four H's--head, heart,
hands, and health--are precepts I have never forgotten. I still
remember as a high school student traveling away from home for the
first time to the National 4-H Congress and the positive impact this
organization has had on my life.
Today, there are over 60 million 4-H alumni world-wide, and the
organization has expanded to meet new challenges of the 21st century.
For example, 4-H provides a number of educational projects and
activities in the areas of animal science, home economics, natural
resources, handcrafts, as well as leadership and citizenship. Through
these programs, young men and women have the opportunity to meet new
friends, build self-confidence, learn to set and achieve goals, and
develop a sense of pride as they ``learn by doing.'' These types of
activities underscore the importance of personal development, as well
as encouraging our youth to become involved in their community. I am
pleased to note that more than 8,000 young people from the State of
Wyoming have chosen to make 4-H a part of their lives.
The motto of 4-H is ``To Make the Best Better.'' I know that the
organization will continue to do just that and I commend their efforts
to provide an even greater service to our country's most valuable
natural resource, our young people. I am pleased to join Senator Inhofe
and many of my other Senate colleagues in support of 4-H and this
Concurrent Resolution.
Mr. ROBERTS. Mr. President, I rise today to speak on behalf of the
resolution that Senator Inhofe of Oklahoma, myself, and others today
offer to designate next week, October 6-12, 2002, ``National 4-H Youth
Development Program Week''.
I thank my colleague from Oklahoma for initiating this well-deserved
tribute to 4-H for being such a positive influence on tomorrow's
leaders--as it has done so well for the past century.
Throughout the years I have met with many of Kansas's finest young
people. Many of whom I have recommended for scholarships and awards,
had the honor to nominate to one of the service academies, or had the
chance to meet and visit with in person. I am impressed with the
caliber and character that the young leaders in my state possess. Mr.
President, I am equally impressed with the high percentage of these
leaders who happen to also be members of 4-H.
4-H is an organization that strives to ``Make the Best Better.'' I
commend them for their efforts in providing tomorrow's leaders with the
opportunity to apply the valuable leadership skills that they develop
as 4-H members.
Although 4-H began in rural America over a century ago and has grown
to nearly 7 million members nation-wide, it has remained consistent in
its focus of being a positive and motivating influence in the lives of
America's youth.
There is a reason that so many of the young leaders from my state
happen to also be 4-H members. 4-H has given them the guidance, the
resources, the support, and most importantly the courage to face all
the challenges and responsibilities that being a leader involves.
The events of September 2001 have taught us that tomorrow's leaders
will continue to face new and difficult challenges. Therefore, Mr.
President, I will also, in addition to offering well-deserved praise to
4-H on a 100 years of success, issue 4-H the serious challenge to
continue to work hard to keep the youth of today involved in their
clubs and their communities, so that they may be prepared to assume the
responsibility of leadership when they are called to do so.
Mr. President, I'd like to again congratulate 4-H on a century of
service to our nation's youth and I wish them another 100 years of
success. I thank my colleagues. Mr. President, I yield the floor.
Ms. STABENOW. Mr. President, today I rise to celebrate the 100th
anniversary of the 4-H Youth Development Program and to thank my
colleagues for their support a resolution introduced by Senator Inhofe
and myself last month. The resolution designates the week of October 6,
2002 as ``National 4-H Youth Development Program Week'' and it was
adopted by unanimous consent today.
Those who participate in 4-H pledge their heads for clearer thinking,
their hearts to greater loyalty, their hands to larger service, and
their health to better living for the club, the community, the country
and the world.
I have been a member, a leader and an employee of 4-H. The skills and
talents I learned with 4-H are ones I still use today. When I was a
girl I learned to raise small animals, like rabbits. I also learned
photography, sewing, cooking and public speaking. Most importantly, 4-H
gave me self confidence.
This important program also taught me that adults need to share their
[[Page S9785]]
skills and knowledge with children, and I was happy to share what I had
learned later as a 4-H leader. Eventually, I went to work for 4-H and
set up an urban 4-H program in the south side of Lansing, MI where I
learned organizational skills. We went door to door recruiting children
to join as members and identified adults who were willing to volunteer
and share their knowledge and skills with the children. Soon we had a
number of groups on topics like auto mechanics, carpentry, sewing and
gardening, as well as a sports program.
I am proud that 4-H is celebrating its 100th anniversary. It is a
pleasure to be one of the lead cosponsors of the bill designating a
week in honor of 4-H. I wish this organization many more years of
success, and I know that future generations of children and families
will have a better quality of life because of 4-H.
Mr. INHOFE. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the
resolution and preamble be agreed to; the motion to reconsider be laid
upon the table; and that any statements regarding this matter be
printed in the Record.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
The concurrent resolution (S. Con. Res. 143) was agreed to.
The preamble was agreed to.
The concurrent resolution, with its preamble, reads as follows:
S. Con. Res. 143
Whereas the 4-H Youth Development Program celebrates its
100th anniversary in 2002;
Whereas members of the 4-H Youth Development Program pledge
their Heads to clearer thinking, their Hearts to greater
loyalty, their Hands to larger service, and their Health to
better living for the club, the community, the country, and
the world;
Whereas the 4-H Youth Development Program sponsors clubs in
rural and urban areas throughout the world;
Whereas 4-H Clubs have grown to over 5,600,000 annual
participants ranging from 5 to 19 years of age;
Whereas 4-H Clubs strengthen families and communities;
Whereas 4-H Clubs foster leadership and volunteerism for
youth and adults;
Whereas 4-H Clubs build internal and external partnerships
for programming and resource development;
Whereas today's 4-H Clubs are very diverse, offering
projects relating to citizenship and civic education,
communications and expressive arts, consumer and family
sciences, environmental education and earth sciences, healthy
lifestyle education, personal development and leadership,
plants, animals, and science and technology; and
Whereas the 4-H Youth Development Program continues to make
great contributions toward the development of well-rounded
youth: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved by the Senate (the House of Representatives
concurring), That Congress--
(1) recognizes the 100th anniversary of the 4-H Youth
Development Program;
(2) commends such program for service to the youth of the
world;
(3) designates October 6, 2002, through October 12, 2002,
as ``National 4-H Youth Development Program Week''; and
(4) requests that the President issue a proclamation
calling on the people of the United States to observe
``National 4-H Youth Development Program Week'' with
appropriate ceremonies and activities.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Republican leader.
Mr. LOTT. Mr. President, parliamentary inquiry: Are we now in a
period of time that has been set aside for the appropriate recognition
of the great service of Senator Helms?
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Republican leader is correct.
____________________