[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 135 (Saturday, November 20, 2004)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2122]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       RECOGNIZING THE BOY SCOUTS

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                            HON. BARBARA LEE

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                      Saturday, November 20, 2004

  Ms. LEE. Mr. Speaker, today voted with my colleagues in support of H. 
Res. 853, recognizing the Boy Scouts of America for the public service 
the organization performs for neighborhoods and communities across the 
United States.
  Althouh I voted in support of this resolution, I remain concerned by 
the Boy Scouts continuing discrimination against gays and lesbians.
  An organization that purports to teach children ``principles which 
are conducive to good character, citizenship, and health'', as 
indicated by this resolution, and which ``teaches the core values of 
duty to God and country, personal honor, respect for the beliefs of 
others, volunteerism, and the value of service and doing a `good turn' 
daily'' does a disservice to children when it teaches them that it is 
okay to discriminate against someone based on their sexual orientation.
  While we as a Congress can and should support the good deeds done by 
individual Boy Scouts and troops throughout the country, we should not 
overlook or tacitly condone the discriminatory policies and attitudes 
of the larger organization or its administrators.

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