[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 153 (Wednesday, October 21, 2009)]
[Senate]
[Page S10651]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         LIGHTS ON AFTERSCHOOL

  Mr. DURBIN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate 
proceed to the immediate consideration of S. Res. 318 submitted earlier 
today.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report the resolution by title.
  The legislative clerk read as follows:

       A resolution (S. Res. 318) supporting ``Lights On 
     Afterschool,'' a national celebration of afterschool 
     programs.

  There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the 
resolution.
  Mr. DODD. Mr. President, today Senator Ensign and I are submitting a 
resolution designating October 22, 2009, Lights On Afterschool Day. 
Lights on Afterschool brings students, parents, educators, lawmakers, 
and community and business leaders together to celebrate afterschool 
programs. This year, more than 1 million Americans are expected to 
attend about 7,500 events designed to raise awareness and support for 
these much needed programs.
  In America today, 1 in 4 youth, more than 15 million children, go 
home alone after the school day ends. This includes more than 40,000 
kindergartners and almost 4 million middle school students in grades 
six to eight. On the other hand, only 8.4 million children, or 
approximately 15 percent of school-aged children, participate in 
afterschool programs. An additional 18.5 million would participate if a 
quality program were available in their community.
  Lights On Afterschool, a national celebration of afterschool 
programs, is celebrated every October in communities nationwide to call 
attention to the importance of afterschool programs for America's 
children, families and communities. Lights On Afterschool was launched 
in October 2000 with celebrations in more than 1,200 communities 
nationwide. The event has grown from 1,200 celebrations in 2001 to more 
than 7,500 today. This October, 1 million Americans will celebrate 
Lights On Afterschool.
  Quality afterschool programs should be available to children in all 
communities. These programs support working families and prevent kids 
from being both victims and perpetrators of violent crime. They also 
help parents in balancing the work and home-life. Quality afterschool 
programs help to engage students in their communities, and when 
students are engaged, they are more successful in their educational 
endeavors.
  In our work on the Senate Afterschool Caucus, Senator Ensign and I 
have been working for more than 5 years to impress upon our colleagues 
the importance of afterschool programming. It is our hope that they 
will join us on October 22 to celebrate the importance of afterschool 
programs in their communities back home.
  Mr. DURBIN. I ask unanimous consent that the resolution be agreed to, 
the preamble be agreed to, the motions to reconsider be laid upon the 
table, with no intervening action or debate, and any statements related 
to the resolution be printed in the Record.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The resolution (S. Res. 318) was agreed to.
  The preamble was agreed to.
  The resolution, with its preamble, reads as follows:

                              S. Res. 318

       Whereas high-quality afterschool programs provide safe, 
     challenging, engaging, and fun learning experiences that help 
     children and youth develop their social, emotional, physical, 
     cultural, and academic skills;
       Whereas high-quality afterschool programs support working 
     families by ensuring that the children in such families are 
     safe and productive after the regular school day ends;
       Whereas high-quality afterschool programs build stronger 
     communities by involving the Nation's students, parents, 
     business leaders, and adult volunteers in the lives of the 
     Nation's youth, thereby promoting positive relationships 
     among children, youth, families, and adults;
       Whereas high-quality afterschool programs engage families, 
     schools, and diverse community partners in advancing the 
     well-being of the Nation's children;
       Whereas ``Lights On Afterschool'', a national celebration 
     of afterschool programs held on October 22, 2009, highlights 
     the critical importance of high-quality afterschool programs 
     in the lives of children, their families, and their 
     communities;
       Whereas more than 28,000,000 children in the United States 
     have parents who work outside the home and 15,100,000 
     children in the United States have no place to go after 
     school; and
       Whereas many afterschool programs across the United States 
     are struggling to keep their doors open and their lights on: 
     Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate supports the goals and ideals of 
     ``Lights On Afterschool'', a national celebration of 
     afterschool programs.

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