[Congressional Record Volume 162, Number 43 (Thursday, March 17, 2016)]
[Senate]
[Pages S1601-S1602]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
SENATE RESOLUTION 406--RECOGNIZING THE GIRL SCOUTS OF THE UNITED STATES
OF AMERICA ON THE 100TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE GIRL SCOUT GOLD AWARD, THE
HIGHEST AWARD IN THE GIRL SCOUTS, WHICH HAS STOOD FOR EXCELLENCE AND
LEADERSHIP FOR GIRLS EVERYWHERE SINCE 1916
Ms. MIKULSKI (for herself, Ms. Collins, Mrs. Murray, Mrs. Capito, Ms.
Baldwin, Ms. Ayotte, and Mr. Schumer) submitted the following
resolution; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary:
S. Res. 406
Whereas each girl who pursues the Girl Scout Gold Award
aspires to transform an original idea and vision for change
into an actionable plan with far reaching and sustainable
results;
Whereas for more than a century preceding the date of
adoption of this resolution, the Girl Scouts of the United
States of America (referred to in this preamble as the ``Girl
Scouts'') has inspired girls to lead with courage,
confidence, and character;
Whereas the Girl Scout Gold Award represents the highest
form of the ideals of courage, confidence, and character;
Whereas the Girl Scout Gold Award calls on a Girl Scout in
grades 9 through 12 to take on a project that has a
measurable and sustainable impact on the community of the
Girl Scout by--
(1) assessing a need;
(2) designing a solution to the need;
(3) completing the project; and
(4) inspiring others to sustain the project;
Whereas the highest award in Girl Scouting honors
leadership in the tradition of the Girl Scouts;
Whereas the Girl Scout movement began on March 12, 1912,
when Juliette ``Daisy'' Gordon Low, a native of Savannah,
Georgia, organized a group of 18 girls and provided the group
of girls with an opportunity to develop physically,
intellectually, socially, and spiritually;
Whereas the goals of Juliette ``Daisy'' Gordon Low were to
bring girls of all backgrounds together to develop self-
reliance and resourcefulness, and to prepare each girl for a
future role as a professional woman and active citizen
outside the home;
Whereas shortly after the inception of the Girl Scout
movement, it was decided that there should be a special
recognition for each girl who--
(1) represents the very best of the Girl Scouts; and
(2) through courage, tenacity, dedication, and skill, takes
action in her community with an immediate and sustainable
impact;
Whereas, in 1916, the Golden Eaglet was introduced as the
highest award in Girl Scouting;
Whereas the highest award in Girl Scouting has been known
as the Golden Eaglet, the Curved Bar Award, First Class, and,
for the period of 35 years preceding the date of adoption of
this resolution, the Girl Scout Gold Award;
Whereas although the name of the highest award in Girl
Scouting has changed over the years, the conviction,
dynamism, and idealism it takes to earn the award have not;
Whereas the Girl Scout Gold Award, like each girl who earns
the award and the project the girl undertakes--
(1) stands as an enduring symbol of the fortitude and
personal strength of a Girl Scout; and
(2) clearly demonstrates the tangible, real-world impact
that participation in the Girl Scouts can have on the life of
a girl, and by extension, the community of the girl and the
world;
Whereas earning the Girl Scout Gold Award is comparable to
achieving the rank of Eagle Scout in the Boy Scouts of
America;
Whereas a girl who earns the Girl Scout Gold Award--
(1) joins an elite group of less than 6 percent of Girl
Scouts each year; and
(2) may be eligible for a higher grade when enlisting in
the Armed Forces of the United States or for scholarships at
certain institutions of higher education;
Whereas according to a study of the Girl Scout Research
Institute entitled ``The Power of the Girl Scout Gold Award:
Excellence in Leadership and Life'', recipients of the Girl
Scout Gold Award, compared to nonrecipient peers--
(1) report a more positive sense of self;
(2) are more engaged civically and in community service;
(3) have more confidence in their leadership abilities; and
(4) experience greater life satisfaction and success;
Whereas the Girl Scout Gold Award acknowledges the power
and dedication of each young woman to better herself and to
make the world a better place for other individuals;
Whereas during the century preceding the date of adoption
of this resolution, millions of Girl Scout alumnae have
positively impacted their communities and the world with
creative, effective, and sustainable Take Action projects;
and
Whereas in the centennial of the Girl Scout Gold Award, the
Girl Scouts invites alumnae and supporters of the Girl Scouts
everywhere to ``Celebrate 100 Years of Changing the World'':
Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the Senate--
(1) recognizes the remarkable impact that recipients of the
Girl Scout Gold Award during the century preceding the date
of adoption of this resolution have had on--
(A) the lives of individuals in the United States; and
(B) the world;
(2) recognizes the lasting impact of the projects of
recipients of the Girl Scout Gold Award on the communities of
the recipients;
(3) congratulates the Girl Scouts of the United States of
America and Girl Scout Gold Award recipients everywhere on
the centennial of the Girl Scout Gold Award; and
(4) joins the Girl Scouts of the United States of America
in celebrating 100 years of the Girl Scout Gold Award.
Ms. MIKULSKI. Mr. President, I rise today not only to recognize the
104th anniversary of the Girl Scouts, but also the 100th anniversary of
the Girl Scout Gold Award. The Gold Award is the most prestigious award
in Girl Scouting, only comparable to the Boy Scouts of America's Eagle
Scout recognition.
Approximately one million Girl Scouts have earned this prestigious
award. Girls who pursue their Gold Award aspire to transform an idea
and vision for change into an actionable plan with measurable,
sustainable, and far-reaching results. Since 1916, Gil Scouts have been
planning and executing significant projects in response to pressing
community needs. The Gold Award has inspired girls in Maryland and
across the country to find greatness inside themselves and share their
ideas and passions with their communities.
I love the Girl Scouts. I loved being a Girl Scout, especially when
working on my badges. Those badges I earned served as symbols for
success, leadership, and service to my community. It was during my time
as a Girl Scout that I learned about the values and attitudes that
serve as good guides throughout life, like courage, confidence, and
strong character to help make the world a better place.
I also loved the camaraderie of working with other girls on various
challenges. It really is about friendship. I am so proud to be among
the more than 59 million women in the United States who are alumnae of
the Girl Scouts of America. I could not have done it without the
support of Ms. Helen Nimick, my Girl Scout leader. In fact, I wanted to
grow up and be just like Ms. Nimick. She seemed to know how to do 43
different things with oatmeal boxes.
The Girl Scouts is an organization that has meant so much to me, and
to this country. What started out as a group of eighteen girls in
Georgia organized by Juliette Gordon Low has grown into an organization
of more than 2 million girls and women, with over 800,000 adult
volunteers. When the Girl Scouts started, women were not allowed to
vote or have property in their name, and only few ever made it to
college.
The founding of the Girl Scouts started a revolutionary movement to
train and educate girls. Now, it is working to bring gender balance to
leadership roles, whether it is in business or politics. I believe in
that mission, and I know we can do it. While we have a long ways to go,
we certainly have made progress. When I came to the Senate almost 30
years ago, there were only two women--Senator Nancy Kassebaum of Kansas
and myself. Today, there are 20 women in the Senate! Nearly 45 years
ago, there was only one woman CEO of a Fortune 500 company; now there
are 23.
I bring the lessons I learned from Girl Scouts with me to the United
States Senate, every day and in every way. I love the Girl Scout
promise: ``To serve God and my country, to help people at all times,
and to live by the Girl Scout law.'' To this day, I still carry the
Girl Scout law in my wallet. I believe that if you follow the Girl
Scout law, you're in pretty good shape--it has certainly worked for me.
``I will do my best to be honest and fair, friendly and helpful,
considerate and caring, courageous and strong, and responsible for what
I say and what I do, and to respect myself and others, to respect
authority, use resources wisely, make the world a better place, and be
a sister to every Girl Scout, and a sister to every Boy Scout.''
While I am in the Senate now, in many ways I am still working on my
badges. But instead of working on my cookie badge, the badges I am
working on now are called ``ending gender discrimination in health
care,'' ``guaranteeing equal pay for equal work,'' and ``promoting
access to quality and affordable child care.''
[[Page S1602]]
In today's hectic and increasingly uncertain world, Girl Scouts are
more important than ever before. The Girl Scouts are an important
contribution to American society--they prepare the leaders of tomorrow,
and every day they inspire millions across this country to make the
world a better place. Ladies, let us put on our badges, square our
shoulders, suit up, and work together to make a change.
____________________