[Congressional Record Volume 159, Number 24 (Thursday, February 14, 2013)]
[Senate]
[Pages S774-S775]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mrs. BOXER (for herself, Ms. Murkowski, Mrs. Murray, Mr. 
        Begich, and Mr. Manchin):
  S. 326. A bill to reauthorize 21st century community learning 
centers, and for other purposes; to the Committee on Health, Education, 
Labor, and Pensions.
  Mrs. BOXER. Mr. President, I rise today to urge my colleagues to 
cosponsor, S. 326 the Afterschool for America's Children Act, which I 
am introducing today with Senators Murkowski, Murray, Begich, and 
Manchin.
  Across the country, afterschool programs help keep children safe and 
help them learn through hands-on academic enrichment activities that 
are disappearing from the regular school day.
  Numerous studies have shown that quality afterschool programs give 
students the academic, social, and professional skills they need to 
succeed. Students who regularly attend have better grades and behavior 
in school, and lower incidences of drug use, violence, and unintended 
pregnancy.
  Over the past 10 years, the 21st Century Community Learning Centers, 
CCLC, program has helped support afterschool programs for millions of 
children from low-income backgrounds, including over 1.6 million 
children last year.
  Unfortunately, the demand for affordable, quality afterschool 
experiences far exceeds the number of programs available. The 2009 
report, America After 3PM, found that while afterschool programs are 
serving more kids than ever, the number of unsupervised children in the 
United States has increased. More than 18 million children have parents 
who would like to enroll their child in an afterschool program but 
can't find one available.
  For over 10 years, federally funded afterschool programs have played 
an important role in the lives of so many children and families. The 
Afterschool for America's Children Act, AACA, would strengthen the 21st 
CCLC program, leaving in place what works and

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using what we have learned about what makes afterschool successful to 
improve the program.
  The AACA would modernize the 21st CCLC program to improve states' 
ability to effectively support quality afterschool programs, run more 
effective grant competitions and improve struggling programs. In 
addition, this legislation helps improve local programs by fostering 
better communication between local schools and programs, encouraging 
parental engagement in student learning, and improving the tracking of 
student progress.
  Afterschool programs have such a diverse group of supporters--from 
law enforcement to the business community--because these vital programs 
help keep the children of working parents safe while enriching their 
learning experience and preparing them for the real world.
  I urge my colleagues to join me and Senators Murkowski and Murray in 
supporting the Afterschool for America's Children Act to ensure that 
21st CCLC dollars are invested most efficiently in successful 
afterschool programs that keep children safe and help them learn.
                                 ______