[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 149 (2003), Part 2]
[Senate]
[Page 2154]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                        NATIONAL MENTORING MONTH

  Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Judiciary 
Committee be discharged from further consideration of S. Res. 25, and 
that the Senate then proceed to its immediate consideration.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered. The clerk 
will report the resolution by title.
  The legislative clerk read as follows:

       A resolution (S. Res. 25) designating January 2003 as 
     ``National Mentoring Month''.

  There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the 
resolution.
  Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the resolution 
and preamble be agreed to; that the motion to reconsider be laid upon 
the table; and that any statements relating to the resolution be 
printed in the Record.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The resolution (S. Res. 25) was agreed to.
  The preamble was agreed to.
  The resolution, with its preamble, reads as follows:

                               S. Res. 25

       Whereas mentors serve as role models, advocates, friends, 
     and advisors to youth in need;
       Whereas numerous studies and research document that mentors 
     help youth augment social skills and emotional well-being, 
     improve cognitive skills, and plan for the future;
       Whereas, for some youth, having a caring adult mentor to 
     turn to for guidance and encouragement can make the crucial 
     difference between success and failure in life;
       Whereas 17,600,000 youth, nearly half the youth population, 
     want or need mentors to help them reach their full potential;
       Whereas there exists a large ``mentoring gap'' of unmet 
     needs, as evidenced by the fact that just 2,500,000 youth are 
     in formal mentoring relationships, leaving 15,000,000 youth 
     still in need of mentors;
       Whereas the celebration of National Mentoring Month will 
     institutionalize the Nation's commitment to mentoring and 
     raise awareness of mentoring in various forms;
       Whereas a month-long focus on mentoring will tap into the 
     vast pool of potential mentors and motivate adults to take 
     action to help a youth;
       Whereas National Mentoring Month will encourage 
     organizations of all kinds--businesses, faith communities, 
     government agencies, schools, and other organizations--to 
     engage their constituents in mentoring; and
       Whereas the celebration of that month would above all 
     encourage more people to volunteer as mentors, to the benefit 
     of the Nation's youth: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) designates the month of January 2003 as ``National 
     Mentoring Month''; and
       (2) requests that the President issue a proclamation 
     calling upon the people of the United States and interested 
     groups to observe the month with appropriate ceremonies and 
     activities that promote awareness of and volunteer 
     involvement with youth mentoring.

                          ____________________