[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 96 (Thursday, June 24, 2010)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1206]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




              SUPPORTING DESIGNATION OF YEAR OF THE FATHER

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                               speech of

                          HON. DANNY K. DAVIS

                              of illinois

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, June 23, 2010

  Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I wish to take this opportunity 
to support the designating of 2010 as the Year of the Father. One-
hundred years ago, Father's Day was founded by a mother who recognized 
the vitally important role of fatherhood. As a father myself, I am 
honored and humbled by this annual day of recognition and celebration, 
and happily recall all the positive memories and influences my own 
father had with me.
  I'm sure that most people in this room already know of the importance 
of fathers. Fathers bring love, care, and emotional support that work 
in tandem with the support of mothers to bring about positive 
development for their children. For some, however, fatherhood is a 
foreign concept. Twenty-three percent of families with children in 2008 
were maintained by single mothers. Approximately sixty percent of 
children born during the 1990s lived or would live significant portions 
of their lives without fathers. For minorities, the numbers are even 
more daunting, with only thirty-five percent of African American 
children living with two married parents, and only fifty percent of 
children having regular contact with their fathers.
  For these same minority families, being a father is simply not the 
same. Barriers like education and access to jobs continue to restrict 
the involvement of men who would otherwise be involved fathers. While 
it is important to promote and celebrate the significance of fathers, 
it is equally important to recognize that fatherhood comes with varying 
obstacles and responsibilities for every background. To fully promote a 
healthy nation and support the ideals behind designating 2010 as the 
Year of the Father, it is crucial that we pursue more opportunities for 
non-custodial and would-be fathers to live up to their potential, and 
the potential of our present and future generations.
  It is my hope that by declaring 2010 as the Year of the Father, we 
would not only be honoring and recognizing the importance of fathers to 
the family, but also encouraging reform to make fatherhood a reality 
for countless Americans.

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