[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 3 (Wednesday, January 13, 2010)]
[House]
[Pages H60-H61]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
SUPPORTING THE INITIATIVES OF CHICAGO WILDERNESS
Mr. KILDEE. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to
the resolution (H. Res. 860) supporting the initiatives of Chicago
Wilderness and the Children's Outdoor Bill of Rights, as amended.
The Clerk read the title of the resolution.
The text of the resolution is as follows:
H. Res. 860
Whereas in 2007, the Chicago Wilderness, an alliance of
over 240 organizations contributing to the quality of life in
Chicago, launched the ``Leave No Child Inside'' initiative
with the goal to get more children outside and to increase
the amount and quality of time they spend there;
Whereas unstructured, outdoor play is important for the
wholesome, balanced development of the cognitive, emotional,
social, and physical skills of children;
Whereas research has demonstrated that outdoor play helps
children manage stress;
Whereas it is shown that natural spaces stimulate
children's limitless imagination and foster creativity;
Whereas children who connect with nature become more
inventive and better problem-solvers due to the hands-on
learning that outdoor environments provide;
Whereas participation in summer camp has been shown to
increase the self-esteem scores of children from low-income
areas;
Whereas hiking and walking activities have been shown to
lower high blood pressure, decrease anxiety, and combat
obesity;
Whereas being active in outdoor activities, such as
fishing, is correlated with reduced Attention-Deficit
Disorder symptoms;
Whereas the presence of natural amenities near the homes of
low-income urban children is associated with higher levels of
cognitive functioning;
Whereas children who grow up spending time in nature are
also more likely to be strong advocates for the environment
when they reach adulthood;
Whereas the Children's Outdoor Bill of Rights joint
resolution passed the State of Illinois; and
Whereas the Illinois General Assembly proclaimed June as
``No Child Left Inside Month'': Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
(1) recognizes and encourages the Children's Outdoor Bill
of Rights commitment to ``Leave No Child Inside'' and fight
obesity, physical disorders, and unawareness of natural
amenities by promoting quality outdoor activities for
children and adults; and
(2) encourages the President to issue a proclamation in
support of the goals and ideals of the Children's Outdoor
Bill of Rights
The SPEAKER pro tempore (Ms. McCollum). Pursuant to the rule, the
gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Kildee) and the gentleman from
Pennsylvania (Mr. Platts) each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Michigan.
General Leave
Mr. KILDEE. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members
may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and to
insert extraneous material on H. Res. 860 into the Record.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Michigan?
There was no objection.
Mr. KILDEE. I yield myself as much time as I may consume.
Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of House Resolution 860,
supporting the initiatives of Chicago Wilderness and the Children's
Outdoor Bill of Rights.
With more and more children growing up in a world where the Internet,
cell phones and video games are at their fingertips, the need for
children to play and to explore outside has become even more important.
Research has shown that unstructured outdoor play is a key element in
the wholesome, balanced development of the cognitive, emotional,
social, and physical skills of children.
The Chicago Wilderness, a coalition of over 240 organizations, is
committed to adding biodiversity to the Chicago metropolitan area and
to creating a better quality of life in the community. Based on the
idea that people's lives are improved by a strong connection with
nature, the coalition sets out to increase and to diversify public
participation in environmental stewardship.
The Chicago Wilderness especially recognizes the value of connecting
children to nature. In fact, in 2007, they launched the Leave No Child
Inside initiative and the Children's Outdoor Bill of Rights with the
goal of increasing awareness and of encouraging more children to
explore their outdoor environments.
Getting more children outside enjoying nature, encouraging their
curiosity and developing their creativity is essential. Playing
outdoors not only helps children learn in new ways to improve
academically; it also helps them thrive both socially and emotionally.
Studies have shown that outdoor play helps children manage obstacles
such as stress, as well as helping them become more inventive and
better problem-solvers. Many health risks are also lowered when outdoor
activities become a part of a child's daily life, and children who
connect with nature have even shown to improve their inner-personal
relationships and behavior. In some cases, outdoor activity, something
as simple as fishing, has been correlated with reducing the symptoms of
attention deficit disorder.
This resolution encourages us all to recognize and to support the
Children's Outdoor Bill of Rights--a commitment to fight obesity,
physical disorders--and an awareness of natural amenities by promoting
quality outdoor activities for both children and adults. This
[[Page H61]]
is a truly worthy commitment. Simple and fun outdoor activities can
have a great impact on our Nation's children and families.
Madam Speaker, once again, I express my support of H. Res. 860. I
thank Representative Quigley for bringing this bill forward, and I urge
my colleagues to support this measure.
I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. PLATTS. I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of House Resolution 860,
supporting the initiatives of Chicago Wilderness and the Children's
Outdoor Bill of Rights.
I want to commend the sponsor of this resolution, the gentleman from
Chicago (Mr. Quigley), for his leadership on this issue.
Most of us here today can remember ample time during our childhoods
which was spent outdoors. In fact, to this very day, the child in me
still enjoys hikes in the woods and tent-camping. In fact, for my wife,
Leslie, and our two boys, T.J. and Tom, some of our most wonderful
vacations have been tent-camping in our national parks throughout our
great Nation.
Unfortunately, however, many children today do not have these same
opportunities. Due to a lack of safe outdoor play areas, an abundance
of video games and television time and, unfortunately, little
encouragement to play outdoors, many children today do not experience
the benefits of outdoor activities.
Research indicates that being active outdoors benefits children in
countless ways. Active outdoor play has been shown to help children
manage stress, to lower their blood pressure, and to help children
develop cognitive skills.
The Children's Outdoor Bill of Rights encourages children to
participate in outdoor activities and to explore opportunities--to
discover the wilderness, to learn to swim, to follow a trail, and to
explore other outdoor resources. The Children's Outdoor Bill of Rights
highlights the importance of outdoor activities to the development and
nourishment of children.
Our Nation boasts some of the world's most beautiful parks and
natural monuments, an array of wildlife not found elsewhere, and
abundant natural resources. Certainly, children should be encouraged to
take advantage of these unique opportunities and resources.
For most of us, outdoor play was a regular part of growing up.
Unfortunately, again, this is not true today. By supporting the
Children's Outdoor Bill of Rights, we highlight the importance of
children participating in outdoor activities. In doing so, we will
bless not just our Nation's children but our Nation as a whole. Again,
I am honored to support this resolution, and I urge a ``yes'' vote.
I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. KILDEE. Madam Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the
sponsor of this legislation, the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Quigley).
Mr. QUIGLEY. I appreciate the remarks from the gentleman from
Pennsylvania, and it bears truth that Philly fans and Cub fans can
unite on common goals.
Madam Speaker, earlier this year, the House passed the No Child Left
Inside Act, a bill and an initiative I support wholeheartedly. This
past summer, following our congressional footsteps, the Illinois
General Assembly proclaimed June ``No Child Left Inside Month.''
The Chicago Wilderness, a network of over 240 organizations
statewide, makes giant strides to promote this initiative. The
organization works to get more children outside, and it increases the
amount and quality of the time they spend there. Children who grow up
with an understanding of the land, air and water surrounding them grow
into environmentally conscious adults, and it makes them more
physically fit.
These individuals are people who are actively involved in efforts to
clean, restore, and preserve our precious resources. The Chicago
Wilderness knows this, and it works hard to better the lives and
communities of everyone in the Chicago-land area. The Chicago
Wilderness should be commended and recognized for their efforts to
promote environmental literacy and healthy living.
I urge you to join me in support of this resolution on the House
floor today. As it is my first resolution, I wish to thank my staff for
their efforts.
Mr. PLATTS. Madam Speaker, before I conclude, I would just reference
that on a family visit to Chicago this past summer, we think of Chicago
as an urban center and city, and what a wonderful city it is, but my
boys also had the chance to fish in the Chicago River as part of a City
of Chicago fishing program, encouraging just what we're talking about
in this resolution, getting kids outdoors and enjoying the activities
of the outdoors. The fish they caught in the Chicago River may not have
been big, but they still caught some; and they remember that visit very
well.
Again, I urge a ``yes'' vote, and I thank the gentleman from Illinois
(Mr. Quigley) for sponsoring this resolution.
Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Madam Speaker, I wish to take a moment to
voice my strong support for a bill offered by the gentleman from
Illinois and my delegation colleague, Mr. Quigley. H. Res. 860,
supports two key environmental initiatives within Illinois: the Chicago
Wilderness and the Children's Outdoor Bill of Rights.
Chicago Wilderness is alliance of public and private organizations
dedicated to promoting conservation and strengthening the natural
ecosystems of the Chicago region. With over 240 members, the alliance
includes government agencies, conservation organizations, scientific
organizations, cultural institutions, schools, universities, and
business partners. A few such members with whom I have worked closely
over the years include: Blacks in Chicago; the Chicago Park District;
the Chicago Botanic Gardens; the Chicago Metropolitan Planning Agency;
the Chicago Zoological Society; the Metropolitan Water Reclamation
District; and the Village of Oak Park.
Chicago Wilderness has four long-term efforts: The Green
Infrastructure Vision initiative promotes the creation and maintenance
of green, open spaces; the Leave No Child Inside initiative promotes
environmental education and experiences for children and youth; the
Restoring the Health of Local Nature initiative engages in active
restoration and land management to improve the health of natural areas
as well as their plants and animals; and the Climate Change initiative
involves examining, making recommendations, and taking action to limit
the Chicago area's impact on global climate change.
The Children's Outdoor Bill of Rights is a joint resolution passed by
the Illinois General Assembly to establish goals for children to
experience nature. The Children's Outdoor Bill of Rights states that
every child should have opportunities to ``. . . discover wilderness--
prairies, dunes, forests, savannas, and wetlands; camp under the stars;
follow a trail; catch and release fish, frogs, and insects; climb a
tree; explore nature in neighborhoods and cities; celebrate heritage;
plant a flower; play in the mud or a stream; and learn to swim.''
Understanding and interacting with nature are positive ways for
children and youth to develop their minds and bodies. Outdoor play
encourages independent learning and creativity and develops public
awareness about the critical, interdependent relationship humans have
with nature. As a child, I remember fondly the time I spent outside
with my siblings, exploring my rural community, studying animals, and
learning about nature. These experiences contributed to my appreciation
of and commitment to improving the environment.
I join Mr. Quigley in recognizing the importance of and supporting
these two Illinois environmental initiatives--the Chicago Wilderness
and the Children's Outdoor Bill of Rights.
Mr. PLATTS. I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. KILDEE. Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Kildee) that the House suspend the rules
and agree to the resolution, H. Res. 860, as amended.
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. KILDEE. 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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