[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 7 (Friday, January 27, 2006)]
[Senate]
[Page S251]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




SENATE RESOLUTION 357--DESIGNATING JANUARY 2006 AS ``NATIONAL MENTORING 
                                MONTH''

  Mr. McCAIN (for himself, Mr. Kennedy, Mrs. Dole, Mr. Akaka, Mr. 
DeWine, Mr. Baucus, Mr. Cochran, Mrs. Clinton, Mr. Dayton, Mr. Durbin, 
Mr. Lautenberg, Mr. Levin, Mrs. Feinstein, Mr. Carper, Mr. Feingold, 
Ms. Murkowski, Ms. Landrieu, Mr. Grassley, Mr. Kerry, Mr. Nelson of 
Florida, Mr. Johnson, Mr. Allen, Mrs. Boxer, Ms. Cantwell, Mr. Lugar, 
Mr. Talent, and Mr. Dodd) submitted the following resolution; which was 
referred to the Committee on the Judiciary:

                              S. Res. 357

       Whereas youth mentoring is a centuries-old concept, through 
     which an adult provides guidance, support, and encouragement 
     to help a young person become a responsible and productive 
     adult;
       Whereas mentoring, when done well, helps young people stay 
     in school and improve academically, boosts self-esteem and 
     communication skills, and improves the chances of going on to 
     higher education;
       Whereas there are thousands of mentoring programs in 
     communities of all sizes across the United States, focused on 
     building strong and effective relationships between caring 
     adults and young people who need positive adult role models;
       Whereas in spite of the great benefits mentoring provides, 
     the United States has a serious mentoring gap, with more than 
     15,000,000 young people currently in need of caring adult 
     role models;
       Whereas the demand for mentoring far exceeds the current 
     capacity of local mentoring programs and the number of adults 
     who currently volunteer as mentors;
       Whereas recent research conducted as part of the National 
     Conversation on Mentoring--Take II points to the need to 
     generate significantly larger numbers of volunteer mentors as 
     one of the most critical issues facing mentoring;
       Whereas the designation of January 2006 as National 
     Mentoring Month will focus the Nation's attention on the 
     essential role mentoring plays in the lives of young people;
       Whereas the month-long celebration of mentoring will 
     encourage more organizations, including schools, businesses, 
     nonprofit organizations, faith institutions, foundations, and 
     individuals to become engaged in mentoring; and
       Whereas National Mentoring Month will, most importantly, 
     build awareness of mentoring and recruit more individuals to 
     become mentors, helping close the Nation's mentoring gap: 
     Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) proclaims the month of January 2006 as the fifth annual 
     ``National Mentoring Month'';
       (2) recognizes that the President has issued a proclamation 
     calling upon the people of the United States and interested 
     groups to observe the month with appropriate ceremonies and 
     activities that promote awareness of and volunteer 
     involvement with youth mentoring; and
       (3) recognizes with gratitude the contributions of the 
     millions of caring adults who are already serving as mentors 
     and encourages more adults to volunteer as mentors.

  Mr. KENNEDY. Mr. President, it is a privilege today to join Senator 
McCain and 25 of our colleagues in submitting a resolution recognizing 
January 2006 as National Mentoring Month. Business, community, and 
media leaders have formed a coalition to raise public awareness about 
the importance of taking time to make a real difference in the life of 
a child.
  Under the impressive leadership of the National Mentoring Partnership 
and the Harvard School of Public Health, the coalition is sponsoring an 
advertising campaign to explain the benefits of mentoring for children 
and mentors alike. Each of us has had adults who have made a positive 
difference for us, family, teachers, coaches, clergy, neighbors or 
caring friends who were there to listen and offer guidance. Each of us 
has the opportunity to offer that same gift to young persons today.
  Each week with many of my colleagues in the Senate, I read with an 
elementary school student in the District of Columbia in the Everybody 
Wins program. During our lunchtime sessions, my second grade partner 
and I share good books and stories. Whether mentors choose reading 
programs or some other activity, these times are dedicated to listening 
and responding to the child's needs. Mentors have busy lives, but every 
child needs to know that we can make time for them.
  In States across this country there are long lists of young persons 
waiting for mentors. This important project will connect new mentors to 
these waiting children and enhance the quality of their lives. I urge 
the Senate to approve this resolution.

                          ____________________