[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 94 (Monday, June 9, 2008)]
[House]
[Pages H5075-H5077]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        FATHER'S DAY RESOLUTION

  Mr. YARMUTH. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to 
the resolution (H. Res. 1243) recognizing the immeasurable 
contributions of fathers in the healthy development of children, 
supporting responsible fatherhood, and encouraging greater involvement 
of fathers in the lives of their children, especially on Father's Day.
  The Clerk read the title of the resolution.
  The text of the resolution is as follows:

                              H. Res. 1243

       Whereas fathers factor significantly in the lives of 
     children;
       Whereas fathers play an important role in teaching their 
     children life lessons and preparing them to succeed in school 
     and in life;
       Whereas children with involved fathers are more likely to 
     do well in school, have a better sense of well-being, and 
     have fewer behavioral problems;
       Whereas supportive fathers promote the positive physical, 
     social, emotional, and mental development of children;
       Whereas promoting responsible fatherhood can help increase 
     the chances that children will grow up with two caring 
     parents;
       Whereas when fathers are actively involved in the 
     upbringing of children, the children demonstrate greater 
     self-control and a greater ability to take initiative;
       Whereas responsible fatherhood can help reduce child 
     poverty;
       Whereas responsible fatherhood strengthens families and 
     communities; and
       Whereas Father's Day is the third Sunday in June: Now, 
     therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
       (1) commends the millions of fathers who serve as 
     wonderful, caring parents for their children;
       (2) calls on fathers across the United States to use 
     Father's Day to reconnect and rededicate themselves to their 
     children's lives, to spend Father's Day with their children, 
     and to express their love and support for their children;
       (3) urges men to understand the level of responsibility 
     fathering a child requires, especially in the encouragement 
     of the moral, academic, and spiritual development of 
     children; and
       (4) encourages active involvement of fathers in the rearing 
     and development of their children, including the devotion of 
     time, energy, and resources.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Kentucky (Mr. Yarmuth) and the gentleman from New York (Mr. Kuhl) each 
will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Kentucky.


                             General Leave

  Mr. YARMUTH. Mr. Speaker, I request 5 legislative days during which 
Members may revise and extend and insert extraneous material on H. Res. 
1243 into the Record.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Kentucky?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. YARMUTH. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  I rise today in support of H. Res. 1243 which recognizes the 
contributions of millions of fathers in the lives of their children. 
This coming Sunday, June 15, is Father's Day, so this is an appropriate 
time to stop and commend the millions of fathers who serve as 
wonderful, caring parents for their children.
  Fathers can play a special role in the rearing and development of 
their children, and I commend the millions of fathers across our 
country for devoting their time, energy, and resources to improving the 
well-being of their children.
  But, Mr. Speaker, I would also like to mention that this is not just 
a day for children to honor their fathers, or for adults to honor their 
fathers, it is also a day, I believe, for fathers to recognize the 
blessing that they have been given to mean so much in the lives of 
their children.
  When I was a columnist years ago, I began writing columns about my 
son and being my son's father. What was interesting about them is each 
year that I did that, they were always the most popular columns that I 
wrote because they were human subjects that many people could relate 
to.
  The first one I wrote, which was June of 1994, I wrote this: ``When I 
was growing up, I figured Father's Day was the day when I was supposed 
to acknowledge my gratitude for everything my dad did for me. Now that 
I'm a dad, I know it is really something much different. It's a 
reminder of how wonderful it is to be an important part of someone 
else's life, to shoulder responsibility, to love without conditions or 
expectations.''

[[Page H5076]]

  So I want to make a personal comment that Father's Day is about being 
a father as much as paying honor to your father.
  With that, Mr. Speaker, once again I want to express my support for 
H. Res. 1243 that acknowledges the importance of fathers in the United 
States.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. KUHL of New York. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H. Res. 1243, recognizing the 
immeasurable contributions of fathers in the healthy development of 
children, supporting responsible fatherhood, and encouraging greater 
involvement of fathers in the lives of their children, especially on 
Father's Day.
  Pope John Paul XXIII once stated: ``It is easier for a father to have 
children than for children to have a real father.'' The truism of those 
words is exceedingly relevant today.
  The presence of two committed, involved parents contributes directly 
to better academic importance, reduced substance abuse, less crime and 
delinquency, fewer emotional and other behavioral problems, less risk 
of abuse or neglect, and lower risk of teen suicide.
  The research is clear, fathers factor significantly in the lives of 
their children. There is simply no substitute for the love, 
involvement, and for the commitment of a responsible father.
  Fathers today have a responsibility to set aside quality time with 
their children, such as attending their children's school events, games 
and activities. They also involve their children in their lives and the 
adult world by taking them to work, or taking them along when the car 
needs to be repaired, or involving them in decisions that affect the 
family.
  As advisors and role models, fathers help their children to 
understand the difference between right and wrong and to recognize how 
the decisions they make today can affect the rest of their lives.

                              {time}  1700

  Fathers instill important values and prepare their children for 
challenges and opportunities ahead by demonstrating true leadership. 
Their love and their devotion inspire the future generation of 
Americans to achieve their dreams, and demonstrate their true spirit of 
our country.
  A father is one of the most important influences in a child's life. 
And on Father's Day, and every day, we honor our fathers who celebrate 
this special bond between a father and a child.
  And so as fathers and children all across the country prepare this 
Sunday to mark that special day in which fathers are honored for all 
they do, I urge my colleagues to join me in support of this resolution.
  Father's Day celebrations are a time of great happiness and family 
bonding. Many families will try to escape for a day, perhaps taking a 
trip to a favorite landmark or to the ball park, building precious 
memories for dad and children alike.
  Unfortunately, for many families, these joyous celebrations will not 
be an option this year. With the price of gasoline reaching $4.02 per 
gallon just recently, for the first time in history, Americans are 
struggling to put fuel in their cars. They're struggling to make 
everyday purchases. And they're sacrificing the types of celebrations 
that would normally mark the occasion of Father's Day.
  Although the majority has thus far refused to unveil its long-
promised plan to bring down the price of gasoline, Republicans are not 
willing to stand by while our families suffer. That's why we've offered 
a plan of our own to increase production here at home, thereby creating 
American jobs, while also encouraging the development of energy 
alternatives and promoting conservation.
  We owe it to the American families, including the fathers, who just 
want to be able to spend quality time with their children, to finally 
deliver solutions to the current energy crisis. We need to bring down 
the price of energy sources that fuel our lives.
  I would like to reserve the balance of my time at this point, Mr. 
Speaker.
  Mr. YARMUTH. Mr. Speaker, I have the great honor of introducing and 
yielding as much time as he may consume to the sponsor of the bill, the 
distinguished gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Davis).
  (Mr. DAVIS of Illinois asked and was given permission to revise and 
extend his remarks.)
  Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, first of all I want to thank the 
gentleman from Kentucky (Mr. Yarmuth) for yielding, and also for the 
tremendous addition that he has been to the United States House of 
Representatives, and how much I enjoy serving with him on the Education 
Committee.
  I also want to commend the sponsors of this resolution because I 
don't think that there is any other day that perhaps should be more 
important than the concept of Father's Day.
  We all recount and remember our own childhood, growing up. I remember 
my father always trying to encourage us to do things like go to bed 
early, get up early, study hard, work hard, go to church. My father had 
all these little pithy sayings that he used to say to us, and he'd say 
things like, ``Early to bed and early to rise makes a man healthy, 
wealthy and wise.''
  Then I remember when my brothers and I got to be teenagers, and he 
would tell us that; and we'd say, Dad, we really thank you for your 
wisdom. Of course the fellows have a different saying now. They say, 
``Early to bed, early to rise and the girls go out with the other 
guys.''
  Nevertheless, the things that he taught continued to be the things 
that I value. Self-sufficiency, always being able to look out not only 
for yourself, but for others.
  Unfortunately, we have seen a tremendous rise in single-parent 
families, where we experience much too often the absence of fathers. 
And there are things that we know about the absence of fathers. We know 
that children who grow up without the presence of a father are more 
likely to drop out of school, more likely to experience teen pregnancy, 
more likely to experience juvenile delinquency, more likely to be 
incarcerated.
  And so I simply want to take this moment to thank the Illinois 
Council on Responsible Fatherhood, and a group that I work with called 
Fathers Who Care. On Saturday of this past week, as we do every year 
before Father's Day, we had a full day of activity at the Malcolm X 
Community College for 400 men who came and talked about fatherhood. And 
we encouraged those who had been away from their children to know that 
they can have father relationships even if they aren't employed, that 
even if they've been incarcerated and away from their families, they 
can still come back; that nothing takes the place of the positive 
interaction between father and child. And not only just your individual 
child.
  I had so many fathers growing up until I just can't name them all. I 
had father uncles, I had father cousins, I had father neighbors, I had 
friends of the family, all of whom practiced the art of fatherhood. And 
I don't believe that I would be standing here today as a Member of 
Congress had I not had the influence of those men in my life.
  Again I commend the sponsors of this resolution, urge its passage.
  Mr. KUHL of New York. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from 
Oklahoma (Mr. Sullivan) as much time as he may consume.
  Mr. SULLIVAN. Mr. Speaker, as I look forward to celebrating Father's 
Day this weekend, I was proud to introduce House Resolution 1243, which 
honors fathers across the country by recognizing the important role 
that fathers play in shaping the lives of our Nation's young people, 
supporting responsible fatherhood, and encouraging greater involvement 
of fathers in the lives of their children.
  Being a father is one of the greatest blessings of my life. I love my 
job, but I look forward to the end of the week when I can head back 
home to Tulsa to be with my family.
  My children, Tommy, Meredith, Sydney and Daniel are my number one 
priority, and I strive every day to show them they are important. I 
would like to take this opportunity to remind all fathers to spend 
extra quality time with their children on Father's Day, and to continue 
to do so throughout the year.
  I introduced this legislation not only to honor fathers but to call 
attention to the importance of the job. The role that fathers play in 
the development of our youth cannot be overstated.

[[Page H5077]]

  The absence of fathers contributes to many social problems that we, 
as legislators, fight to prevent daily. According to findings by the 
National Fatherhood Initiative, the closer adolescents feel to their 
fathers, regardless of the type of family structure in which they live, 
the less likely it is that they will engage in the use of drugs or 
delinquent behavior. Involved and proactive fathers help to shape 
confident and productive future citizens.
  So as we honor fathers on Father's Day, we should also encourage men 
to evaluate their own participation in their children's lives, because 
you never can be too involved.
  As a co-chair of the Congressional Task Force on Responsible 
Fatherhood, as a father and a concerned citizen, I ask my colleagues to 
join me in spreading the message of responsible fatherhood to all 
levels of society, and encouraging more fathers to reconnect with their 
children by supporting House Resolution 1243.
  Mr. KUHL of New York. In closing, Mr. Speaker, I would just thank and 
compliment the gentleman from Oklahoma for bringing this resolution to 
the floor, and for bringing awareness to the people who are fathers, 
and reminding them of the tremendous role that they have in America and 
the youth development of our children, and to thank them for their 
participation in that role.
  Mr. McINTYRE. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H. Res. 1243, 
a resolution that recognizes the immeasurable contributions of fathers 
in the healthy development of children, supports responsible 
fatherhood, and encourages greater involvement of fathers in the lives 
of their children, especially on Father's Day. As cochairman of the 
Congressional Task Force on Responsible Fatherhood, I thank my 
colleague, Mr. Sullivan, for his work on this important matter.
  Six days from now, our Nation will celebrate the special place that 
fathers have in our country.
  From helping with homework to playing ball to reading a book to 
offering advice, prayers and support, and to just listening, each and 
every day fathers of all ages contribute to the mental, moral, and 
spiritual development of children, teenagers, and adults.
  According to the National Fatherhood Initiative, children with 
involved, loving fathers are significantly more likely to do well in 
school, have a healthy self-esteem, exhibit empathy and good behavior, 
and avoid high-risk activity such as drug use and criminal activity.
  H. Res. 1243 recognizes the commitment of fathers, and the wonderful 
work that both parents do on behalf of their kids, and I encourage my 
colleagues to join with us as we all recommit ourselves to being the 
best father we can to children everywhere.
  And in conclusion, I would like to publicly thank my father, Dr. 
Douglas McIntyre, for the great example he has been to me and for the 
dedication and support he has shown in my every endeavor. And I am most 
grateful to God both for my dad and for the absolutely wonderful 
opportunity I have to be the father of two amazing, accomplished sons, 
Joshua and Stephen.
  Happy Father's Day to fathers everywhere.
  Mr. KUHL of New York. I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. YARMUTH. Mr. Speaker, I think that all of us agree that this is 
something that transcends party, transcends geography and transcends 
economics. We all treasure our fathers, and I urge that this resolution 
be adopted by the House.
  I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from Kentucky (Mr. Yarmuth) that the House suspend the rules 
and agree to the resolution, H. Res. 1243.
  The question was taken.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds 
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
  Mr. YARMUTH. 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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