[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 45 (Wednesday, March 13, 2019)]
[House]
[Page H2684]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




          SCOUTING ORGANIZATIONS PROVIDE VALUABLE EXPERIENCES

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from 
Pennsylvania (Mr. Thompson) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, Scouting organizations are 
pivotal in the lives of so many American youth, and this week there has 
been much to celebrate. Yesterday, the Girl Scouts of the USA marked 
its 107th birthday, and tonight the Boy Scouts of America will conclude 
its annual report to the Nation.
  Girl Scouts help girls develop into the future leaders of our 
economy, our communities, our country, and the world by encouraging 
them to dream big and work hard to achieve their goals. In fact, many 
Congresswomen have been Girl Scouts, and we saw some Congresswomen 
deliver speeches on this floor yesterday in honor of the Girl Scouts 
building girls of courage, confidence, and character for 107 years.
  Mr. Speaker, I know firsthand the positive impact that Scouting can 
have on the life of a young person. I have been actively involved with 
the Boy Scouts of America since I was 11 years old.
  On May 17, 1977, I became an Eagle Scout myself, as a member of Boy 
Scout Troop 52 in Walker Township, Pennsylvania. Over the years, I have 
proudly held various leadership roles with Boy Scout troops in 
Pennsylvania, including two separate stints as Scoutmaster for Troop 
353 and president of the Juniata Valley Boy Scout Council. One of my 
greatest honors was to witness 29 young men achieve the rank of Eagle 
Scout during my tenure as Scoutmaster.
  Many Eagle Scouts will gather tonight in the Capitol to conclude the 
annual Report to the Nation delegation trip. I am proud to be a part of 
the Eagles on the Hill reception, and I look forward to hearing from 
the Scouts.
  Members of Congress and I will speak about how Scouting positively 
impacted our lives. And after the speeches, the Scouts will have a 
chance to discuss their experience in Scouting as a whole, as well as 
their time in the Report to the Nation delegation.
  Report to the Nation is an annual event meant to connect some of 
Scouting's best and brightest with government officials and elected 
representatives. Each year, 6 to 10 representatives of the Boy Scouts 
meet with senior government officials, including the President and key 
congressional leaders, with the goal of providing an update of what 
Scouts have achieved over the past year. This also allows members of 
the Federal Government an opportunity to meet some of the Nation's 
brightest young Scouts. The delegation spends between a week and 10 
days in Washington, D.C., conducting meetings and touring the city.
  The Report to the Nation delegation stems from the congressional 
charter of the Boy Scouts of America, dating back to June 15, 1916, and 
represents millions of Boy Scouts.
  Mr. Speaker, I know that the Boy Scouts of America and the Girl 
Scouts of the USA both contribute to the spirit of this Nation and play 
an essential role in educating our youth. These organizations build 
character; they help young people become actively engaged in their 
communities; and they promote serving others in ways big and small. And 
that is something we can all respect and admire.

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