[Congressional Record Volume 162, Number 145 (Monday, September 26, 2016)]
[Senate]
[Page S6084]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  SENATE RESOLUTION 578--SUPPORTING LIGHTS ON AFTERSCHOOL, A NATIONAL 
      CELEBRATION OF AFTERSCHOOL PROGRAMS HELD ON OCTOBER 20, 2016

  Mrs. BOXER (for herself, Ms. Collins, Mr. Durbin, Ms. Murkowski, Mr. 
Franken, Ms. Mikulski, and Mr. Whitehouse) submitted the following 
resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Health, Education, 
Labor, and Pensions:

                              S. Res. 578

       Whereas more than 28,000,000 children in the United States 
     have parents who work outside the home;
       Whereas high-quality programs that expand learning 
     opportunities for children, such as afterschool, before-
     school, summer, and expanded learning opportunities, provide 
     safe, challenging, engaging, and fun learning experiences, 
     including experiences that encourage 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 opportunities 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 
     opportunities programs, held on October 20, 2016, highlights 
     the critical importance of those high-quality programs to 
     children, their families, and their communities; and
       Whereas nearly 2 in 5 afterschool programs report that 
     their budgets are in worse condition in 2016 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 in 2013, 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 
     20, 2016.

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