[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 147 (2001), Part 8]
[House]
[Pages 10732-10733]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



                         FATHERHOOD RESOLUTION

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentlewoman from Indiana (Ms. Carson) is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Ms. CARSON of Indiana. Mr. Speaker, I have introduced today a 
resolution to promote responsible fatherhood for Father's Day.
  Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, will the gentlewoman yield?
  Ms. CARSON of Indiana. I yield to the gentlewoman from Texas.
  Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, in addition to supporting the 
great efforts of the gentlewoman from Indiana, I would like to be able 
to acknowledge that we are filing today H. Res. 166 that will 
commemorate and thank all of the valiant heroes and volunteers in the 
city of Houston and surrounding areas through Tropical Storm Allison.
  Might I say, Mr. Speaker, that these volunteers deserve this 
recognition. They are still out on the battlefield fighting, and there 
are those who are still suffering as well as those who have lost their 
lives. We will honor these volunteers with H. Res. 166, signed by a 
large number of the members of the Texas delegation, and thank them for 
the valiant effort they performed during Tropical Storm Allison.
  And I thank the gentlewoman from Indiana for yielding to me, Mr. 
Speaker.
  Ms. CARSON of Indiana. Mr. Speaker, I wish to let the gentlewoman 
from Texas know that my heart goes out to her and all the people who 
were affected by that devastating flood situation in her district.
  Mr. Speaker, I have introduced a resolution to promote responsible 
fatherhood on behalf of Father's Day. Twenty-nine members of the 
Congressional Black Caucus, including the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. 
Rush), have joined me as cosponsors of the resolution.
  In introducing the resolution, Mr. Speaker, we aim to raise the 
awareness of the importance of fathers being involved in the lives of 
their children. I understand that all men are not deadbeat dads, some 
men are simply dead broke. I am probably one of the very few Members of 
Congress who knows personally what it is like to grow up in a home 
without a father. My experience growing up fatherless is what has 
stirred my passion to become a leader in this movement.

[[Page 10733]]

  Fatherlessness affects our children in more ways than we can count, 
preventing our children from fully reaching the potential we know they 
have within. While there are millions of fathers who actively support 
their children, there are many others who do not due to financial or 
social circumstances. Many absent fathers are part of the working poor 
and may wish to aid their children but simply cannot financially.
  The goal of the fatherhood resolution is to promote responsible 
fatherhood, the emotional and financial support of one's children. In 
wishing all of God's children, all of our Father's children, a happy 
Father's Day, which is coming up on Sunday, I wanted to call my 
colleagues' attention to the promotion of this effort, of the bill that 
we have in, H.R. 1300, which would authorize block grants to fund 
programs at the local and State level, nonprofit organizations, et 
cetera.
  The Responsible Fatherhood Act of 2001 has already garnered broad 
bipartisan support in both the House and the Senate, and I would 
encourage my colleagues to cosponsor this bill to provide men with the 
tools and the resources necessary to become responsible fathers.
  Mr. Speaker, I offer my Happy Father's Day to you too.

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