[Congressional Record Volume 160, Number 133 (Wednesday, September 17, 2014)]
[Senate]
[Page S5703]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  SENATE RESOLUTION 552--SUPPORTING LIGHTS ON AFTERSCHOOL, A NATIONAL 
      CELEBRATION OF AFTERSCHOOL PROGRAMS HELD ON OCTOBER 23, 2014

  Mrs. BOXER (for herself, Mrs. Feinstein, Ms. Collins, Ms. Landrieu, 
Mr. Cochran, Mr. Whitehouse, and Mr. Johnson of South Dakota) submitted 
the following resolution; which was considered and agreed to:

                              S. Res. 552

       Whereas more than 28,000,000 children in the United States 
     have parents who work outside the home and approximately 
     15,100,000 children in the United States have no place to go 
     after school;
       Whereas high-quality programs that expand learning 
     opportunities for children, such as afterschool, before-
     school, summer, and expanded learning programs, provide safe, 
     challenging, engaging, and fun learning experiences, 
     including many that emphasize science, technology, 
     engineering, and math, that help children and youth develop 
     social, emotional, physical, cultural, and academic skills;
       Whereas high-quality afterschool programs and high-quality 
     expanded learning programs provide students with hands-on, 
     engaging lessons that are aligned with the school day;
       Whereas high-quality afterschool programs complement 
     regular and expanded school days, and support working 
     families by ensuring that the children of those families are 
     safe and productive during the hours parents are working;
       Whereas high-quality afterschool programs engage families, 
     schools, and diverse community partners in advancing the 
     well-being of children and youth in the United States;
       Whereas high-quality afterschool programs that partner with 
     high-quality community-based organizations build stronger 
     communities by integrating the school with the larger 
     community;
       Whereas Lights On Afterschool, a national celebration of 
     afterschool, before-school, summer, and expanded learning 
     programs held on October 23, 2014, highlights the critical 
     importance of these high-quality programs in the lives of 
     children, their families, and their communities; and
       Whereas nearly 2 in 5 afterschool programs report that 
     their budgets are in worse condition today than at the height 
     of the recession in 2008, and more than 3 in 5 afterschool 
     programs report that their level of funding is lower than it 
     was 3 years ago, making it difficult for afterschool programs 
     across the United States to keep their doors open and their 
     lights on: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate supports Lights On Afterschool, a 
     national celebration of afterschool programs held on October 
     23, 2014.

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