[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 7 (Tuesday, January 13, 2009)]
[House]
[Pages H171-H173]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




    SUPPORTING THE GOALS AND IDEALS OF NATIONAL MENTORING MONTH 2009

  Mr. HINOJOSA. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to 
the resolution (H. Res. 41) supporting the goals and ideals of National 
Mentoring Month 2009.
  The Clerk read the title of the resolution.
  The text of the resolution is as follows:

                               H. Res. 41

       Whereas mentoring is a longstanding concept in which a 
     dependable, caring adult provides guidance, support, and 
     encouragement to facilitate a young person's social, 
     emotional, and cognitive development;
       Whereas research on mentoring shows that formal, high 
     quality mentoring focused on developing the competence and 
     character of the mentee, promotes positive outcomes such as 
     improved academic achievement, self-esteem, social skills, 
     and career development;
       Whereas research on mentoring also indicates strong 
     evidence of the success in reducing substance use and abuse, 
     academic failure, and delinquency;
       Whereas mentoring, in addition to preparing young people 
     for school, work, and life, is also extremely rewarding for 
     those serving as mentors;
       Whereas more than 4,200 mentoring programs in communities 
     of all sizes across the United States focus on building 
     strong, effective relationships between mentors and mentees;
       Whereas 3,000,000 young Americans are currently in solid 
     mentoring relationships due to the remarkable vigor, 
     creativity, and resourcefulness of the thousands of mentoring 
     programs in communities throughout the Nation;
       Whereas in spite of the progress made to increase 
     mentoring, our Nation has a serious ``mentoring gap'' with 
     nearly 15,000,000 young people currently in need of mentors;
       Whereas public-private mentoring partnerships bring State 
     and local leaders together to support mentoring programs by 
     preventing duplication of efforts, offering training in 
     industry best practices, and helping them make the most of 
     limited resources to benefit the Nation's youth;
       Whereas the designation of January 2009 as National 
     Mentoring Month will help call attention to the critical role 
     mentors play in helping young people realize their potential;
       Whereas the month-long celebration of mentoring will 
     encourage more individuals and organizations, including 
     schools, businesses, nonprofit organizations, faith 
     institutions, and foundations, to become engaged in mentoring 
     across our Nation;
       Whereas National Mentoring Month will, most significantly, 
     build awareness of mentoring and encourage more people to 
     become mentors and help close the Nation's mentoring gap; and
       Whereas the President issued a proclamation declaring 
     January 2009 to be National Mentoring Month and calling on 
     the people of the United States to recognize the importance 
     of mentoring: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
       (1) supports the goals and ideals of a National Mentoring 
     Month;
       (2) recognizes with gratitude the contributions of millions 
     of caring adults and students who are already volunteering as 
     mentors and encourages more individuals to volunteer as 
     mentors; and
       (3) encourages the people of our Nation to promote the 
     awareness of, and to volunteer involvement with, youth 
     mentoring.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Texas (Mr. Hinojosa) and the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Platts) 
each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Texas.


                             General Leave

  Mr. HINOJOSA. Mr. Speaker, I request 5 legislative days during which 
Members may revise and extend and insert extraneous material on House 
Resolution 41 into the Record.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Texas?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. HINOJOSA. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of House Resolution 41, which 
recognizes January as National Mentoring Month.
  Today, we acknowledge and thank the millions of caring adults and 
students who are volunteering as mentors. I commend their generous 
efforts. National Mentoring Month also serves as a great opportunity to 
recruit additional mentor volunteers.
  I would also like to recognize the tremendous leadership of the 
resolution's author, Congresswoman Susan Davis from California, on the 
issue of mentoring. She is a true champion and advocate for mentoring 
on the Education and Labor Committee. She reminds us that everyone can 
benefit from a mentoring relationship: young, old, students, teachers, 
and, yes, even Members of Congress and other public servants. Mentors 
can help us realize our full potential.
  Mentors directly improve the lives of those who need a little extra 
guidance. Research consistently proves that mentors bolster academic 
achievement, self-esteem, social skills, and career development. In 
addition to these positive outcomes, mentoring reduces delinquency, 
substance abuse, and academic failure. Mentoring transcends the lives 
of our children. The importance of mentoring teaches young people that 
a better life is attainable through education.
  Today, there are about 4,200 mentoring programs in communities all 
across this country. Some of these programs run out of national boys 
and girls clubs, YMCAs, Big Brother and Big Sister organizations, and 
hundreds of other nonprofit organizations. In my own congressional 
district, the VAMOS program and our local boys and girls clubs are 
exemplary programs which have provided thousands of youths with 
mentors. I am proud to celebrate their work during National Mentoring 
Month.
  The mentoring programs throughout this Nation make a great difference 
in improving the lives of our youth. Through their efforts, 3 million 
young people report having quality mentor

[[Page H172]]

relationships. This country, however, still needs nearly 15 million 
more positive mentors.
  As a Nation, we must continue to encourage volunteers to invest their 
human capital in our youth. Through nonprofit, government, and private 
sector partnerships, we can expand mentorship. National Mentoring Month 
is a reminder to reinvest our energy towards mentoring relationships. 
By building awareness on this issue, I encourage more people to serve 
as mentors in our Nation.
  Mr. Speaker, once again, I express my support for House Resolution 
41, and I urge my colleagues to support me with this resolution.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. PLATTS. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of House Resolution 41, 
and I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, this resolution celebrates National Mentoring Month, 
commends mentors who are positively impacting the lives of young 
people, and highlights the need for additional mentors to make 
themselves available to America's youth.
  Mentoring is a structured and trusting relationship that brings young 
people together with caring individuals who offer guidance, support, 
and encouragement aimed at developing the competence and character of 
the mentee. A mentor is an adult who, along with parents, provides a 
young person with support, counsel, friendship, and positive 
reinforcement.
  By all estimates an astounding 17.6 million young people, nearly half 
the population of young people between the ages of 10 and 18, live in 
situations that put them at risk of not living up to their full 
potential. Without immediate intervention by caring adults, they could 
make choices that not only undermine their futures but ultimately the 
economic and social well-being of our great Nation.
  With the help and guidance of an adult mentor, every child can 
discover how to unlock and achieve his or her full potential. Youth 
development experts agree that mentoring is a critical element in any 
child's social, emotional, and cognitive development. It builds a sense 
of industry and competency, boosts academic performance, and broadens 
the horizons of prospective students.
  By honoring mentors and mentoring programs, we recognize the 
importance of mentoring programs implemented in our local schools and 
communities. We also draw attention to the components of a quality 
program, including appropriate screening of potential mentors and 
careful matching of youth with adults who have a genuine interest in 
providing guidance and being exemplary role models.
  Today, thanks to the commitment and dedication of mentoring 
advocates, 3 million young Americans are now enjoying mentoring's many 
benefits through school-based, faith-based, and community 
organizations. That's a six-fold increase in formal mentoring 
relationships since the national mentoring movement galvanized the 
Nation in the early 1990s. It's an impressive accomplishment. However, 
15 million more young people who need mentors are waiting their turn. 
They make up our Nation's mentoring gap.
  To be a mentor, you don't need any special skills, just an ability to 
listen and to offer friendship, guidance, and encouragement to a young 
person growing up today. Today, I'm asking all Americans to give a 
child hope by sharing their time and knowledge along with their 
experiences.
  I urge all Members to support this resolution.
  Mr. HONDA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H. Res. 41, 
supporting the goals and ideals of National Mentoring Month, observed 
each January. It is a time to celebrate and highlight the positive 
impact adult and student mentors have on the youth of the Nation. Young 
people from all walks of life have the potential and ability to succeed 
and contribute to society. Unfortunately, not all students receive the 
support necessary to realize their full potential. As many as 15 
million young students in our country lack the vital guidance they need 
to support the emotional, social, cognitive, and academic development 
that will enable them to reach their maximum potential and become 
prospering adults.
   With limited resources and the considerably high teacher to student 
ratios in our schools, teachers in the classroom face the daunting task 
of providing students with emotional and personal support in addition 
to academic instruction. The work accomplished by our teachers is 
admirable, but teachers alone cannot prepare young students to become 
fruitful, mature adults. Mentors are critical to helping foster the 
personal growth of each individual child.
   Together with parents, mentors provide youth with a wide array of 
guidance and support to enhance their social and character development. 
A good mentor is willing to sacrifice for his or her mentee and gives 
attention in all areas of life. Mentors provide encouragement in 
student endeavors, private counsel in delicate matters, leadership 
through difficult times, and advice. Such mentoring produces students 
who perform better in school academically, become more actively 
involved in their schools, have more self-confidence, and take 
responsibility for their own actions. As a mentor, I have seen and 
experienced the mutual benefits of mentorship both for the student and 
the mentor. Mentors are doing incredible work and I praise their 
commitment to our children and their future. However, more mentors than 
ever are needed, and our Nation faces a shortage of mentors.
   As a Member of the House Appropriations Committee, I will continue 
to support funding for student-mentor programs and to greatly expand 
awareness of the benefits of mentoring. Together with my colleagues, I 
will encourage more adults to mentor young students as well as help 
train adults and students to support, guide, and lead young students. 
Students need more caring mentors and our children desperately need 
access to them. We cannot depend solely on our teachers to guide our 
children. It is my hope that each child in America will some day have 
access to his or her own mentor. Although we face a faltering economy 
and tight budgets, the choice to cut corners on our children's future 
is not an option. Our children deserve the opportunity to realize their 
full potential and the opportunity to succeed in every endeavor they 
pursue.
   I would like to thank Representative Susan Davis for introducing 
this legislation and providing this opportunity to renew the commitment 
of Congress to expanding and enhancing mentoring relationships for our 
Nation's youth. In addition, I want to thank all the mentors across 
America for their dedication and generosity.
  Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support 
of H. Res. 41, ``Supporting the goals and ideals of National Mentoring 
Month 2009.'' I would like to thank my colleague, Congresswoman Susan 
Davis, for introducing this important resolution, as well as the 
chairman of the Committee on Education and Labor, Congressman George 
Miller, for his leadership in bringing the bill to the floor today.
  Mr. Speaker, great numbers of Americans donate their time and their 
unique skills and gifts to our cities and communities, without any 
expectation of compensation or material reward.
  As chair of the Congressional Children's Caucus, I understand how 
important mentors are for our youth. Mr. Speaker, today many youth face 
temptations that often lead them down destructive paths, and it is 
vitally important that we provide guidance that helps them make good 
decisions.
  Mentors have been an integral part of society for many years, dating 
back to Ancient Greece. The Greek poet Homer wrote in the Odyssey that 
when Odysseus left to fight in the Trojan War, he charged Mentor, his 
wise old friend, with the task of caring for his son, Telemachus, and 
teaching him wisdom. Since then, the word mentor has come to mean a 
wise and responsible tutor or an experienced person who advises, 
guides, teaches, challenges, corrects, and serves as a model.
  In our society today, mentors exist in many different environments. 
There are mentors in professional settings who guide apprentices by 
teaching them how to effectively perform in the workplace. There are 
mentors in academic settings who guide students, teaching them how to 
reach and maintain high scholastic achievement. There are mentors in 
community groups who guide their proteges through life issues, teaching 
them how to be productive citizens. There are even mentors in spiritual 
and church groups who advise others through their spiritual growth. In 
all cases, they are very important and essential to the success of the 
youth that they mentor.
  Who needs mentors?
  There are 35.2 million young people ages 10-18 in the U.S. today; of 
those young people: 1 out of 4 lives with only one parent; 1 out of 10 
was born to teen parents; 1 out of 5 lives in poverty; 1 out of 10 will 
not finish high school.
  About half of young Americans--17.6 million young people--want or 
need caring adult mentors to help them succeed in life. Of those 17.6 
million young people, only 2.5 million are currently in formal 
mentoring relationships.

[[Page H173]]

  That leaves 15.1 million youth still in need of formal mentoring 
relationships. We call this our Nation's ``mentoring gap.'' Mr. 
Speaker, imagine if every child had a mentor--just one person whom they 
could look up to and go to for advice and guidance. Imagine how many 
young lives could be positively impacted. We could create the avenues 
and encouragement to ensure that all of our children receive the proper 
education. Too many of our youth are not being properly advised and 
guided on the importance of getting an education.
  Mentors can help give those youth living in poverty to strive towards 
a brighter future for themselves. Every child could benefit from having 
someone in his or her life to turn to for advice and help in the time 
of need.
  The positive relationships and reinforcement that mentors provide are 
clearly effective. Young people today are confronted with many 
challenges in life. They can find the confidence to overcome many of 
these challenges through a mentor. The benefits of a mentor are 
immeasurable.
  I am proud to cosponsor legislation that will add service before self 
to our leaders of tomorrow. I urge my colleagues to join me in 
supporting this legislation.
  Ms. BORDALLO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H. Res. 41, and 
to recognize all those who mentor youth on Guam. Often we talk about 
children in this chamber and we sometimes lose sight of a fundamental 
truth: It is beyond the Government alone to truly improve the quality 
of life for a child. Our ability to appropriate funds or authorize 
Government programs does not equal the impact a single dedicated mentor 
can have for a child. We cannot buy patience nor can we legislate 
understanding. The hard work of mentoring, of explaining right from 
wrong, of serving as a role model, and helping establish personal goals 
to work toward, falls to the mentor. A mentor's work may be confined to 
a single child and known but to a few, but we cannot deny their 
collective accomplishments throughout our Nation.
  There is no question that we need more mentors. Today, more than 
15,000,000 children are in need of a mentor. These children are growing 
up in challenging times. We must encourage mentoring and express our 
gratitude to those who perform this invaluable service. It is 
unfortunately, beyond our capability to find every mentor and thank 
them individually. We can, however, pass H. Res. 41 to recognize all of 
our Nation's mentors this month and to support the goals and ideals of 
National Mentoring Month. I urge support for H. Res. 41.
  Mrs. DAVIS of California. Mr. Speaker, mentoring impacts the lives of 
so many in our country. Three million people currently participate in a 
healthy, caring mentoring relationship. A quality mentoring program 
offers a young person the strength, confidence, and stability they need 
to mature and grow. Witnessing this growth is the unique reward for a 
mentor's invested time and energy.
  I believe the best part about mentoring, what makes it so successful, 
is its simplicity. There is a basic human need to have another's care, 
support, and trust. A mentor can provide that to a young person, and 
that gift often inspires a cycle of helping others.
  Unfortunately, there still exists a gaping deficit of mentors. 
Approximately 15 million new mentors are needed, which stems from the 
demand for our Nation's youth to have positive role models in their 
lives.
  I recently learned of a particularly touching mentoring relationship 
in my district in San Diego.
  As an infant, Anthony was in a car accident, sadly leaving him 
without a mother. Since his father was in jail, Anthony was left to his 
grandmother's care. During his childhood, Anthony was diagnosed with 
Aspberger's syndrome. His grandmother found him a mentor through Big 
Brothers Big Sisters of San Diego County and now, 11 years later, 
Anthony is one-half of a successful mentoring relationship. Before 
meeting his mentor, Anthony would never go outside and was frightened 
of loud noises. Spending time with his mentor every week has given 
Anthony the strength and self-confidence to experience things he might 
never have tried.
  At the basis of a mentoring relationship like Anthony's is a firm and 
unwavering commitment. Successful mentoring relies on a commitment to 
show up, to open up, to be vulnerable, to learn, to laugh, to grow . . 
. So, this month and always, let us recognize these millions of 
important commitments made by young and old across our country and 
offer our own commitment to continue to promote the goals and ideals of 
National Mentoring Month.
  Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker, and I urge my colleagues to join us 
in celebrating National Mentoring Month, 2009.
  Mr. PLATTS. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I 
yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. HINOJOSA. Mr. Speaker, I also do not have any further requests 
for time, and I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from Texas (Mr. Hinojosa) that the House suspend the rules 
and agree to the resolution, H. Res. 41.
  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. HINOJOSA. 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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