[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 120 (Tuesday, July 22, 2008)]
[House]
[Pages H6783-H6784]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




SUPPORTING THE GOALS AND IDEALS OF A NATIONAL GUARD YOUTH CHALLENGE DAY

  Mr. HIGGINS. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to 
the resolution (H. Res. 1202) supporting the goals and ideals of a 
National Guard Youth Challenge Day.
  The Clerk read the title of the resolution.
  The text of the resolution is as follows:

                              H. Res. 1202

       Whereas many of America's youth who drop out of high school 
     need avenues, guidance, and encouragement toward self-
     sufficiency and success;
       Whereas 1,200,000 students drop out of high school each 
     year, costing the Nation more than $309,000,000,000 in lost 
     wages, revenues, and productivity over students' lifetimes;
       Whereas 33,000,000 Americans ages 16 to 24 do not have a 
     high school degree;
       Whereas high school dropouts can expect to earn about 
     $19,000 per year compared to $28,000 for high school 
     graduates;
       Whereas nearly 30 percent are unemployed and 24 percent are 
     on welfare;
       Whereas approximately 67 percent of Americans in prison are 
     high school dropouts;
       Whereas the goal of the National Guard Youth Challenge 
     Foundation, a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization, is to improve 
     the education, life skills, and employment potential of 
     America's high school dropouts though public awareness, 
     scholarships, higher education assistance, mentoring, and job 
     development programs;
       Whereas the National Guard Youth Challenge Program provides 
     military-based training, supervised work experience, 
     assistance in obtaining a high school diploma or equivalent, 
     development of leadership qualities, promotion of 
     citizenship, fellowship, service to community, life skills 
     training, health and physical education, positive 
     relationships with adults and peers, and career planning;
       Whereas the National Guard Youth Challenge Program 
     represents a successful joint effort between Federal and 
     State governments;
       Whereas since 1993, the National Guard Youth Challenge 
     Program has grown to 35 sites in 28 States, Puerto Rico, and 
     the District of Columbia;
       Whereas since 1993, over 77,100 students have successfully 
     graduated from the program, of whom 80 percent earned their 
     high school diploma or GED, 26 percent entered college, 18 
     percent entered the military, and 56 percent joined the 
     workforce in career jobs;
       Whereas the National Guard Youth Challenge Program has 
     successfully helped our Nation's dropouts; and
       Whereas the National Guard Youth Challenge Program can play 
     a larger role in serving and helping America's youth: Now, 
     therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the United States House of Representatives--
       (1) supports the goals and ideals of a National Guard Youth 
     Challenge Day; and
       (2) calls upon the people of the United States to observe 
     such a day with appropriate ceremonies and respect.

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


                             General Leave

  Mr. HIGGINS. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members 
may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their 
remarks.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from New York?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. HIGGINS. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Madam Speaker, as a member of the House Committee on Oversight and 
Government Reform, I rise to join my colleagues in consideration of H. 
Res. 1202 which supports the goals and ideals of National Guard Youth 
Challenge Day.
  H. Res. 1202 was introduced by our colleague and ranking member, the 
gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Davis) on May 15, 2008. This resolution 
was considered by and reported from the Committee on Oversight and 
Government Reform on July 16, 2008, by voice vote and has the support 
and cosponsorship of 62 Members of Congress.
  In America today, we are facing an epidemic of young men and women 
dropping out of high school. Even with programs like GEAR UP, each year 
we continue to see that nearly a million and a quarter students fail to 
graduate from high school, and that there are approximately 33 million 
Americans between the ages of 16 and 24 who have not earned their high 
school degree.
  These facts help to highlight the importance of recognizing the 
efforts and achievements of the National Guard Youth Challenge Program. 
The National Guard Youth Challenge Program strives to improve the 
education, life skills, and employment potential of America's high 
school dropouts through public awareness, scholarships, higher 
education assistance, mentoring, and job development programs. The 
program can be found in 28 States as well as Puerto Rico and the 
District of Columbia and at each site you can find a difference being 
made in the lives of so many deserving young people.
  Since it began in 1993, the National Guard Youth Challenge Program 
has assisted over 75,000 students. The success rate is astounding: 80 
percent earn their high school diplomas or GED, 26 percent enter 
college, 18 percent enter the military, and 56 percent join the 
workforce in career jobs.
  Madam Speaker, I would like to thank the gentleman from Virginia for 
sponsoring the measure at hand and given the significant contribution 
that the National Guard Youth Challenge Program makes to our nation, I 
urge my colleagues to join me in supporting H. Res. 1202.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. DAVIS of Virginia. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I 
may consume.
  Madam Speaker, today I ask my colleagues to join Congressman Dicks 
and me in honoring the students and graduates of the National Guard 
Youth Challenge Program and the people who support them by passing H. 
Res. 1202.
  Nearly 7,000 students drop out of high school every day, putting each 
of them at risk for drug use, gang violence, and abusive relationships. 
The National Guard Youth Challenge Program is a 17-month voluntary 
intervention program that gives at-risk youth a chance to develop and 
grow in positive ways.
  What few people realize is that the National Guard Youth Challenge 
Program is the second largest mentoring program in the United States. 
The program emphasizes service to community, leadership development, 
team building, life skills training, health education, physical 
activity, educational and vocational instruction, citizenship, positive 
relationships with adults and peers, and career planning.
  Since its inception in 1993, over 77,000 former high school dropouts 
have graduated from 35 youth challenge programs in 29 States, Puerto 
Rico, and the District of Columbia. Seventy-four percent of these 
graduates have earned their high school diploma or GED, and each year 
25 percent go on to college, 20 percent enter the military, and 55 
percent join the workforce in career jobs.
  A joint State and Federal effort, the National Guard Youth Challenge 
Program is growing and continuing to make a difference in the lives of 
our youth.
  We hope you will join us in supporting the past, current, and future 
students of this program, and the goals and ideals of a National Guard 
Youth Challenge Day.
  Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Ms. HIRONO. Madam Speaker, I rise in support of H. Res. 1202, a 
resolution that supports the goals and ideals of a National Guard Youth 
Challenge Day.
  This measure celebrates the success of the National Guard Youth 
Challenge Program. Implemented by the National Guard in participating 
states, the program aims to address the growing national epidemic of 
high school dropouts by improving the education, life skills, and 
employment potential for ``at risk'' youth through military-based 
training and supervised work experience. The program is fundamental in 
giving young people a second chance to obtain their high school 
diplomas and to become productive citizens within their communities.
  The National Guard Youth Challenge Program is results-driven and 
cost-effective. Since its inception in 1993, nearly 80,000 students 
have graduated from the program, and more than 90 percent of its 
graduates earn their high school diploma or GED, go to college, enter 
the military, or join the workforce.
  When I served as Lieutenant Governor of Hawaii, I met with program 
participants and staff on numerous occasions and was impressed by the 
achievements of its graduates. The National Guard Youth Challenge 
Program has made a lasting impact on young people

[[Page H6784]]

and communities not only in Hawaii but across the Nation.
  I urge my colleagues to support this measure.
  Mr. DICKS. Madam Speaker, as a co-sponsor of this resolution, I 
appreciate the opportunity to offer a statement in support of House 
Resolution 1202, supporting the goals and ideals of National Guard 
Youth Challenge Day. I thank my colleague, Mr. Davis from Virginia, for 
having introduced this resolution so that today we are able to vote on 
it.
  Throughout my career I have had a deep interest in programs that help 
our youth to develop into good citizens; citizens who will carry our 
Nation into the future, and citizens who are able to enjoy the 
satisfaction that comes from realizing their individual potential 
throughout their lives. It was a little over two years ago that I had 
my first direct contact with the National Guard Youth Challenge 
Program. I learned much about the program from meetings here in 
Washington, DC, where I heard about its 80 percent success rate in 
participating youth getting a high school diploma or GED. I heard about 
the success in graduating over 77,000 youth from programs in 30 states 
and territories. And I learned about the impressive numbers of 
graduates going on to jobs in the economy, joining the military, or 
continuing their education.
  The statistics are impressive, but the experience that had the 
greatest impact on me was my visit to the Oregon National Guard Youth 
Challenge Program in Bend, Oregon. I was truly astounded by the stories 
that I heard from the young men and women there who found in themselves 
a desire to change, and made the commitment to the Youth Challenge 
experience to fundamentally change the direction of their lives. Many 
of these were youth who might otherwise have resigned themselves to a 
future of low expectations that could include drug and alcohol abuse, 
gang membership, and dead-end job prospects. But they took a chance on 
the Youth Challenge program, and through their own commitment and hard 
work found value, discipline and direction for themselves.
  Today, I am pleased to be able to tell my colleagues that the State 
of Washington is well on its way to establishing a Youth Challenge 
program of its own. The support from the State government and the 
community have been absolutely fantastic. Governor Chris Gregoire, our 
State Superintendent of Public Instruction Terry Bergeson, the Adjutant 
General Tim Lowenberg, and the legislature in Olympia, Washington have 
been enthusiastically behind this program all the way.
  In my home town of Bremerton, Washington, the Superintendent of 
Schools and the school board have embraced the program and look forward 
to our program at the Washington Youth Academy making a difference for 
youth from across the entire state. At the Federal level, the National 
Guard Bureau has been unwavering in its support of all of the programs 
across the country, and for starting this new program in the State of 
Washington.
  The great thing about this program is that it sells itself. It just 
takes coming in contact with the positive energy young men and women in 
the program and their families to become a believer. By this time next 
year, I look forward to being able to report to my colleagues that the 
Washington Youth Academy will have graduated its first class of 150 
youth who will be on a fundamentally different and more positive path 
for the rest of their lives.
  Madam Speaker, I take great pleasure in supporting this resolution, 
and commend the National Guard Youth Challenge Program to the attention 
of all of my colleagues.
  Mr. HIGGINS. Madam Speaker, I urge adoption of the resolution, and I 
yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from New York (Mr. Higgins) that the House suspend the rules 
and agree to the resolution, H. Res. 1202.
  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. HIGGINS. Madam 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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