[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 150 (2004), Part 1]
[House]
[Pages 123-127]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




       HONORING MENTORS AND SUPPORTING EFFORTS TO RECRUIT MENTORS

  Mr. OSBORNE. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to 
the resolution (H. Res. 491) honoring individuals who are mentors and 
supporting efforts to recruit more mentors.
  The Clerk read as follows:

                              H. Res. 491

       Whereas mentoring is a strategy for motivating and helping 
     young people succeed in life by bringing them together in 
     structured and trusting relationships with caring adults who 
     provide guidance, support, and encouragement;
       Whereas mentoring offers a supportive environment in which 
     young people can grow, expand their vision, learn necessary 
     skills, and achieve a future that they may never have thought 
     possible;
       Whereas a growing body of research shows that mentoring 
     benefits young people in numerous ways, including 
     improvements in school performance and attendance, self-
     confidence, attitudes toward and relationships with adults, 
     and motivation to reach their potential;
       Whereas mentoring is an adaptable, flexible approach that 
     can be tailored to help children with academics, social 
     support, career preparation, or leadership development;
       Whereas there is in this Nation a mentoring gap, consisting 
     of over 15,000,000 young people who need mentors but do not 
     have them;
       Whereas, in an effort to begin closing the mentoring gap, 
     the House of Representatives on December 8, 2003, approved a 
     measure to significantly increase Federal grant funding for 
     local mentoring organizations to $100,000,000 for fiscal year 
     2004;
       Whereas the recipients of those grants and other mentoring 
     programs all across the country rely principally on volunteer 
     mentors and will need an influx of volunteers to meet the 
     growing demand for mentoring;
       Whereas nonprofit groups and leading media companies have 
     joined together to designate January 2004 as National 
     Mentoring Month in an effort to recruit more mentors for 
     young people;
       Whereas the monthlong celebration of mentoring will 
     encourage more adults to volunteer their time as mentors for 
     young people and will enlist the involvement of nonprofit 
     organizations, schools, businesses, faith communities, and 
     government agencies in the mentoring movement; and
       Whereas on January 9, 2004, President George W. Bush signed 
     a proclamation designating January 2004 as National Mentoring 
     Month and called upon the people of the United States to 
     recognize the importance of being role models for youth, to 
     look for mentoring opportunities in their communities, and to 
     celebrate this month with appropriate ceremonies, activities, 
     and programs: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
       (1) praises those individuals who have already given their 
     time to mentor a child; and
       (2) supports efforts to recruit more mentors in the United 
     States.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Nebraska (Mr. Osborne) and the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Davis) each 
will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Nebraska (Mr. Osborne).


                             General Leave

  Mr. OSBORNE. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members 
may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their 
remarks on H. Res. 491.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Nebraska?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. OSBORNE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise to introduce the National Mentoring Month 
Resolution honoring those who give their time to mentor children.
  Last night in this Chamber the President emphasized the threat of 
terrorism to our Nation's security, and I think all of us are aware of 
that threat. I would like to make a point that the major threat to our 
Nation's survival, as I see it, is not terrorism, as much of a threat 
as this is; but, rather, it is the trauma and dysfunction that is faced 
by so many of our children, because they are the future of this 
country.
  Currently, roughly 50 percent of our young people are growing up 
without both biological parents. We have 20 million fatherless children 
in our Nation. I used to work with some of those young people. And when 
your father does not care enough about you to stay around to even see 
what you look like, it leaves a hole in your psyche that you are often 
times trying to fill for the rest of your life and usually filling it 
with all of the wrong things.
  Currently, the United States leads the world in violence for young 
people: homicide, suicide, so on. We also are certainly very much 
addicted to drugs, alcohol abuse with teenagers, pornography. These are 
every day threats that our young people face. So having said all that, 
mentoring is the best-known remedy that many of us have for the social 
pathology that is harming our children today which threatens the 
foundation of our culture and our society.
  Let me take a minute or two and mention what a mentor is. Some people 
hear the term and do not think about it very much. A mentor is someone 
who cares. Quite often children have some attention from fathers, 
mothers, grandparents, teachers and preachers and people who are paid 
to pay attention to them in some way or another. But a mentor is one 
who simply cares enough to show up and spend time with a young person 
and say unconditionally, I, someone who has no ax to grind at all, 
cares enough about you to show up every week or twice a week or 
whatever and spend some time and invest my life in your life.
  A mentor is also someone who affirms. And I saw in my previous 
profession of coaching how important affirmation was. So often if you 
gave the player the message that he was not very good, that he did not 
measure up, that he was not going to make it, often times his 
performance would begin to play down to that level of expectation. But 
on the other hand, if you told him, I really believe in you, I see some 
promise in you, we think you have a great future, we think down the 
line you will be a great player, that player often times would perform 
at a level that he himself was not aware that he could perform at.
  So that is essentially what a mentor does. A mentor affirms. He says, 
I believe in you. I see some potential here. I see some talent.
  So many of our young people today have no affirmation in their lives, 
no one who is affirming who they are, what they are or what they can 
do.
  Lastly, I would say a mentor is one who provides some directions and 
vision. So many young people are growing up in households today where 
they really do not have a role model who has shown what it is to get up 
and go to work every day, someone who takes responsibility, someone who 
finishes their education or someone who just finishes anything. A 
mentor is one who can say, I see a future for you beyond dropping out 
at the end of the tenth grade. I see a future for you beyond minimum-
wage jobs, and you have this talent and you can do this.
  So mentoring is very important, and I think it is important to 
realize also that mentoring works. We have currently a great deal of 
evidence that indicates that mentoring will reduce drug and alcohol 
abuse by roughly 50 percent, significantly reduces teenage pregnancy, 
teenage drop-out rates, teenage violence; and it improves self-esteem, 
grades, and relationships. And so it is the best thing that we have 
going, considering what our children are facing today.
  The other thing to remember is that mentoring is cost effective. It 
costs roughly $300 to $500 to provide a good mentoring experience for a 
child, and it costs $25,000 to $30,000 to lock them up for a year. The 
average meth addict will commit 64 crimes a year, which is a huge cost 
to any community. So we feel that mentoring at the front end reduces a 
great many of the costs at the back end of the social process.
  Two years ago, the first Mentoring for Success grants were awarded by 
the Department of Education. And to give an idea of how important these 
grants

[[Page 124]]

were, we had roughly 10 times as many applicants as we had grants to 
award. So that $17.5 million that was awarded went very quickly and was 
well spent.
  This fiscal year with the President's support, funding for mentoring 
has been increased in the omnibus bill, if we can get that passed, 
which includes mentoring for children of prisoners as well. It 
increases from $17.5 million to $100 million. So the President has put 
a significant emphasis on mentoring, which we think is very important.
  The National Mentoring Partnership estimates that 2.5 million 
children have mentors in our country today, and roughly 17.5 million 
badly need a mentor. So we are mentoring just about 1 out of 10 that 
need it. But actually, almost every child could use a mentor. Most 
every successful person can point to a mentor in their life that has 
made a huge difference.
  Congressional staff members are mentoring. One example is Horton's 
Kids. I would encourage Members of Congress to encourage their staff 
members to be active here on the Hill because this provides a great 
service and a great example. As we celebrate National Mentoring Month 
through January, I want to commend all who support mentoring by 
contributing their time and financial resources.
  Working together one child at a time, we can make a difference.
  Mr. Speaker, I include the following for the Record:

                             American Osteopathic Association,

                                 Washington, DC, January 20, 2004.
     Hon. Tom Osborne,
     House of Representatives, Cannon House Office Building, 
         Washington, DC.
       Dear Representative Osborne: As President of the American 
     Osteopathic Association (AOA), I am pleased to inform you of 
     our support for your resolution. The AOA, and the 52,000 
     osteopathic physicians it represents, extends its sincere 
     gratitude to you for your support and advocacy of mentoring 
     programs.
       Andrew Taylor Still, M.D., D.O., founder of osteopathic 
     medicine, dedicated his life to improving the health and 
     well-being of his fellow citizens. Through a lifetime of 
     sharing his knowledge and experiences, he shaped the lives of 
     thousands of physicians and provided direction to an entire 
     profession. He was a mentor in the truest sense. Recognizing 
     the significant role of mentors and the contributions they 
     make to enhance the studies and careers of osteopathic 
     physicians, I have made my presidency the Year of the Mentor. 
     Throughout the year, we work to recognize those who have 
     contributed their time and talents to mentoring. In addition, 
     we work to enroll new mentors who will shape the minds and 
     talents of future D.O.s.
       Your resolution, celebrating January 2004 as the Month of 
     the Mentor, supports efforts to honor mentors and increase 
     the number of individuals involved in mentoring programs. As 
     evidenced by the lives and careers of those who have been 
     mentored, mentoring positively impacts individuals and 
     communities. As a result of mentoring within the osteopathic 
     profession, beginning with our founder, patients benefit by 
     receiving quality care from physicians who have enhanced 
     their knowledge through the years of learning and experience 
     of their mentors.
       On behalf of my fellow osteopathic physicians, I pledge our 
     support for your effort to promote mentoring programs. Please 
     do not hesitate to call upon the AOA or our members for 
     assistance on health care issues. Please contact the AOA's 
     Department of Government Relations at (202) 414-0140 for 
     additional information.
           Sincerely,
                                               Darryl A. Beechler,
                                                        President.

  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my colleague from Nebraska for his 
leadership in bringing this resolution recognizing National Mentoring 
Month to the floor today. Since he arrived in Congress, the gentleman 
from Nebraska (Mr. Osborne) has worked to make youth issues a priority, 
and this resolution is another example of his dedication to this 
effort.
  Without a doubt, Mr. Speaker, mentoring is a proven strategy that can 
change the lives of children and youth, and, I might add, adds 
additional value to the lives of those who provide the mentoring 
service.
  When a young person is matched with a caring, responsible individual, 
this relationship makes a positive difference in the quality of life 
for that young person. For too long we have focused on providing 
remedies to problems that only address negative behavior rather than 
looking at ways that promote the positive and healthy development of 
our young people. This resolution directs us to focus on what children 
need to grow into healthy, safe, and well-educated adults, making sure 
that children have access to a caring and responsible adult 
relationship.
  A recent report from the Greater West Town Community Development 
Project showed that nearly 18 percent of Chicago public school students 
drop out. Another report from the Annie E. Casey Foundation showed that 
more than 200,000 Chicago-area children are living in severely 
distressed neighborhoods. These are among the tens of thousands of 
Chicago area youth who could dramatically benefit from having a mentor, 
since without one, some would never be exposed to healthy, productive 
lifestyles and the development of real-life skills.
  Research shows that young people who are mentored had a stronger 
attachment to school, have higher graduation rates and decreased 
involvement with drugs and violence. Mentoring opens young people's 
eyes to a brighter future, and every young person deserves that 
opportunity. But right now there are simply not enough mentors to go 
around.
  This resolution brings much needed attention to the value of 
mentoring and encourages communities to focus their efforts on 
recruiting more adult mentors so that we can fill the gap that 
currently exists. I am proud of many of the great mentoring programs 
that are already in place in Chicago, such as Mercy Home's Friends 
First program, Sinai Mentoring Program which links Sinai professionals 
with youth from North and South Lawndale high schools, as well as the 
involvement of the Chicago Cubs headed by Coach Dusty Baker kicking off 
the celebration of National Mentoring Month in Chicago last week.
  In Chicago and across the country, it is clear that the framework is 
in place. Now we just need more people to volunteer their time and help 
change the life of a child. I am very pleased to be associated with 
many groups and organizations, like the Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity, 
which has a great national mentoring program, and especially my local 
chapter Mu Mu Lambda. I am also pleased to be associated with the 100 
Black Men of America who have mentoring programs in chapters throughout 
the Nation.
  So I want to commend also the Chicago public school system, the board 
of education, for a program called Cradle to the Classroom where they 
have mentors who work individually with young parents, students who 
have become pregnant and who have children and yet have been able to 
finish their high school education and graduate with the help of a 
mentor.
  So once again I would commend the gentleman from Nebraska (Mr. 
Osborne) for his insight, dedication, and continuous work with the 
development of young people as expressed in this resolution. I urge 
strong support for it.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. OSBORNE. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. 
Davis) for his kind comments.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman 
from Ohio (Mr. Boehner), the chairman of the Committee on Education and 
the Workforce, who has been very supportive of mentoring; and we 
certainly appreciate all he does on the committee.
  Mr. BOEHNER. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Nebraska (Mr. 
Osborne) and the sponsor of this resolution for the time and 
congratulate him for his leadership on the very important issue of 
mentoring.

                              {time}  1045

  As he pointed out very rightly, many children in America need the 
help and support that many times they do not get at home, and the 
gentleman from Nebraska (Mr. Osborne) has led the efforts over the 3 
years that he has been here in Congress to bring our attention to the 
need for more mentors, and

[[Page 125]]

probably no one in the Congress is more qualified to talk about the 
need for mentors than someone who mentored a young man on the football 
field for many years.
  But beyond his prowess as a coach and mentor of a lot of young men, 
the gentleman from Nebraska (Mr. Osborne) spent much time around his 
State of Nebraska helping to establish mentoring programs there, and 
during the years he has been in Congress, has continued his efforts, 
and I want to congratulate him for all of his work.
  Mentors do provide affirmation and a guidepost for many children who 
do not get affirmation and do not get the kind of guidance that they 
need. I know in my home State of Ohio we have a program called Ohio 
Reads. Many schools in my district have grants where it is a mentoring-
based program to help children who need help in reading, and many 
people throughout my community and communities throughout my district 
and the State mentor in many schools to help young people achieve more 
proficiency in their reading.
  Here in Washington and other cities around America, there is a 
program called Everybody Wins, and here in Washington, that program 
involves many staffers here on Capitol Hill and Members who read to 
children in various schools throughout the city. I am proud that many 
of my staff, both of my committee staff and my personal staff, are 
mentors to young people, again trying to help them read and to provide 
guidance for them.
  One of those mentors is my assistant in my office, Amy Hobart, who 
for 5 years, has read to a young girl at Tyler Elementary School here 
on Capitol Hill, and the child has her share of problems, but every 
week, Amy goes over there and spends an hour helping that young lady 
master her reading skills. But those are just several mere examples of 
the millions of Americans who do, in fact, volunteer.
  The last point that I would make is that many of us as Members, as we 
go around our districts and around the country, people always ask, 
well, what can I do, what can I do to help, and everybody in America 
has something to offer to some young person in America. So I would 
suggest to my fellow Americans that they can volunteer, whether it is 
reading to someone, whether it is going to a Boys Club or Girls Club, 
whether it is going to a juvenile detention facility. There are many 
ways that the people can help, and I would urge them to do that.
  I congratulate my colleague for bringing this resolution to the floor 
today.
  Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume as I prepare to close.
  Listening to the discussion reminds me of the fact that I spent some 
time as a Big Brother, and I think I may have gotten more out of the 
relationship than the young fellow who was my little brother. I 
remember a few years ago I got a call from a fellow who said to me that 
Vice President Al Gore was coming to town and did I want to meet with 
him. I said, well, I would not mind. He says, do you know who this is? 
I said, well, no, I really do not. He said, this is Courtney Miller, 
your little brother, and of course, Courtney had grown up and at that 
particular time was working for the Vice President of the United 
States.
  I also served for about 12 years as the commissioner of Boy Scouts in 
my community, and just day before yesterday I was at a Martin Luther 
King celebration, and there was a young fellow there who had become a 
minister, Jonathan Carter. As Jonathan participated in the services, he 
says, well, you know, I used to be a Boy Scout when you were the 
scouting commissioner and I have now become what I am. He said, I 
remember you coming to our Eagle Scout celebration and talking about 
how great it was.
  So my point is that oftentimes those who serve as mentors will get as 
much from the relationship as the young people that they associate 
themselves with.
  I listened to the chairman talking about the fact that everybody can 
be a part of this. One does not really need to have a degree. One does 
not need to have a title. One does not need to be an elected official. 
One does not have to be anything special other than themselves.
  We have just finished celebrating the life of Dr. Martin Luther King, 
and one of the things that Dr. King often would say is that everybody 
can be great because everybody can serve. When it comes to mentoring 
young people, no matter who we are and where we are, we can serve. We 
can be a part of helping to grow and develop the life of someone else.
  So, again, I commend the gentleman from Nebraska (Mr. Osborne) for 
this resolution and urge its passage.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. OSBORNE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  I thank the gentleman for his comments and his commitment to 
mentoring. Ofttimes we hear the complaint ``too busy,'' and yet I have 
found the time over the last 4 years, sometimes it is Saturday, 
sometimes it is a Monday, sometimes it is Friday, to meet regularly 
with a mentoree. I mentor a young person and also several members from 
my office have been mentoring here on Capitol Hill.
  So, again, I would urge my colleagues to encourage their office staff 
to do the same.
  Mr. KELLER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to support the National 
Mentoring Month Resolution introduced by Congressman Tom Osborne. This 
resolution recognizes and supports the efforts of mentoring programs 
across our Nation. It embraces the notion that volunteer mentors can 
change the life of a troubled teen. This resolution celebrates the 
month of January as a month-long campaign focused on raising awareness 
of mentoring programs, their impact on our youth, and information on 
how to volunteer to become a mentor.
  I am proud to be an original cosponsor to Congressman Osborne's 
resolution. Both Coach Osborne and I worked as mentors before coming to 
Congress and both felt a need to raise awareness of the cause once we 
were elected. Last Congress, we successfully passed the Mentoring for 
Success program, which provided money to start up new mentoring 
programs across the country. We also fought for increased Federal 
funding for local mentoring programs bringing that total to $100 
million this year. In addition, we founded the Congressional Mentoring 
Caucus, a bipartisan organization designed to disseminate information 
about the positive impact mentoring programs have on our Nation's 
children.
  Mentoring programs offer many benefits to children, particularly as 
it relates to educating our children. These programs are proven to help 
prevent children from dropping out of high school. In the state of 
Florida, we had a big problem. Only 53 percent of our children were 
graduating from high school. So, in Central Florida, we decided to do 
something about it by creating the Orlando/Orange County Compact 
Program. The Compact Program is a mentoring program that matches up 
students at risk of dropping out of high school with mentors from the 
business community. The mentors meet with the students 1 hour a week to 
work on homework and projects.
  The results from this mentoring program have been dramatic. Over a 
period of 10 years, 98 percent of the children in the Compact Program 
have graduated from high school--the No. 1 graduation rate in the 
United States.
  I would also like to discuss the crime prevention benefits of 
mentoring programs. In Florida, 70 percent of the inmates in our jails 
and prisons are high school dropouts. It costs taxpayers $25,000 a year 
for each Federal prisoner, compared with only $5,000 a year to educate 
a student in our public schools. Clearly, making the investment in 
mentoring programs now will save us literally hundreds of millions of 
dollars down the road in terms of reduced jail costs and reduced 
welfare costs.
  In summary, mentoring programs make a meaningful difference in the 
lives of our young people; they improve education, prevent crimes, and 
will save us money. I urge all of my colleagues to support National 
Mentoring Month by participating in local programs in their home 
districts--together we can make a difference in the lives of our 
children.
  Mrs. DAVIS of California. Mr. Speaker, I am honored to join my 
colleague from Nebraska, Tom Osborne, in support of House Resolution 
491, which recognizes the critical role of mentors in our children's 
lives.
  Ralph Waldo Emerson once said, ``It is one of the most beautiful 
compensations of this life that no man can sincerely try to help 
another without helping himself.''

[[Page 126]]

  I can think of no better way to summarize the true reward of 
mentoring than by recognizing the inherent truth in this statement.
  The mentoring partnership is unique, because it is one of the few 
relationships where both sides stand to benefit immensely.
  Both individuals bring their own--and oftentimes, very different--set 
of life experiences to the table, and this has the pleasantly 
surprising effect of forcing us outside of our own comfort zones.
  It is easy for us to relate to those with whom we share obvious 
similarities, but venturing outside of that comfort zone gives us the 
opportunity to view the world from an entirely different perspective.
  While it may seem too difficult, or uncomfortable at first, you will 
find that you are a richer person for it in the end.
  My experiences as the executive director of the Aaron Price Fellows 
Program have also taught me a great deal about the rewards of 
mentoring.
  Being a mentor is not about rescuing someone--but it is about helping 
young people to discover their own hidden strengths and talents.
  In today's world, children need more than a sense of right and wrong. 
They need knowledge, and they need someone they can trust to provide it 
to them. The risk factors that face teenagers today are not only 
dangerous--they are prevalent.
  If we fail our responsibility to educate young people on the choices 
they face, then we fail to prepare them to make the right decisions. 
And the decisions they make will impact them for the rest of their 
lives--for better or for worse.
  In these situations, the most important information they can receive 
will come not from a textbook, but from the wisdom and experience of 
someone who cares; someone who has taken the time to invest in that 
young person's life and to share the lessons life has to offer. It is 
here that we have the greatest potential to make a difference.
  Believe it or not, the relationship built on trust and mutual respect 
can be the one that finally opens the door to knowledge. It leads the 
way to a stronger sense of self and an ability to confront life's 
challenges wisely. To put it in the simplest of terms--mentoring 
matters.
  No matter what side of the mentoring relationship you find yourself 
on, the rewards will last a lifetime.
  Mr. BEREUTER. Mr. Speaker, as an original cosponsor of the 
resolution, this Member wishes to add his strong support for H. Res. 
491, which supports efforts to encourage more individuals to become 
mentors. In addition to raising awareness, a key provision is to 
commend those who give their time and talents to support mentoring 
initiatives.
  This Member would like to commend the distinguished gentleman from 
Ohio [Mr. Boehner], the chairman of the House Committee on Education 
and the Workforce, and the distinguished gentleman from California [Mr. 
Miller], the ranking member of the House Committee on Education and the 
Workforce for bringing this important resolution to the House Floor 
today; this issue is very timely as January 2004 is National Mentoring 
Month. This Member would also like to commend the distinguished 
gentleman form Nebraska [Mr. Osborne] for sponsoring H. Res. 491 and 
for his personal interest in establishing mentoring opportunities 
nationwide.
  Many children throughout the Untied States face difficult 
situations--and when matched with a caring and responsible adult, 
positive results ensue. Research has shown that mentoring benefits 
young people in a positive manner by increasing school attendance, 
improving rates of secondary school graduation and college attendance, 
decreasing involvement with drugs and alcohol, and reducing violent 
behavior.
  Mr. Speaker, in closing, this Member urges his colleagues to support 
H. Res. 491.
  Mr. CRENSHAW. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of House 
Resolution 491, a bill that promotes mentoring as a very worthwhile and 
much needed cause.
  This measure recognizes that mentors serve as a guiding light, a 
benchmark, and a valuable asset for the many young people in America 
who might not otherwise have access to such a role model.
  For many young people, mentors set an example of civility and 
stability. Mentors promote education and community respect. Mentors 
teach young people that there are many benefits to contributing to 
selfless efforts such as charity drives, neighborhood cleanups, and 
serving in soup kitchens.
  In my congressional district of northeast Florida, there are a great 
many volunteers that selflessly give guidance, time, and resources to 
young people.
  This resolution thanks those people who currently serve as mentors, 
and places a special focus on tapping into the vast pool of potential 
mentors. My hope is that this resolution will motivate more adults to 
take action to help America's young people.
  This House resolution recognizes numerous studies documenting that 
mentors help young people to augment social skills, enhance emotional 
well being, improve cognitive skills, and to plan for the future. It 
also recognizes that for some children, having a caring adult mentor to 
turn to for guidance and encouragement can make the crucial difference 
between success and failure in life.
  As a mentor, I personally know the satisfaction it brings to offer 
advice and guidance to a young person. I have known my mentor, Derek 
Williams, for many years. Over that period we have become good friends. 
Today I am proud to say that he is in college, furthering his 
education, and building a strong foundation for his future.
  This measure does more than encourage mentoring; it gives thanks to 
those who already participate in mentoring programs. We should shower 
these people with praise because their actions do a lot to benefit 
society. That is why during the 107th session of Congress, I introduced 
a bill establishing American Youth Day, a measure encouraging 
communities all across the Nation to set aside one day each year to 
honor organizations and individuals that take the time to help young 
people.
  For all its wealth and prosperity, in recent years America has been 
suffering from what I call problems of the soul, where courts and 
Congress do not have any jurisdiction. So many of our neighbors have 
lost their moral compass and need help finding their way again when it 
comes to moral values. This is most true when it comes to our young 
people.
  There no longer seems to be a period in young people's lives when 
kids can just be kids. Mr. Speaker, it makes no difference what their 
race, their gender, their ethnicity. These negative images and 
influences make no distinction and no prejudices; all young people are 
fair game.
  So it is incumbent on each and every one of us to offer our time and 
energy and love to children to provide positive role models and 
influences to young people to give them guidance and hope.
  Currently, 17.6 million young people, nearly half the youth 
population, want or need mentors to help them reach their full 
potential. Only 2\1/2\ million youth are in formal mentoring 
relationships, leaving 15 million young people still in need of 
mentors.
  This resolution is a call to action, designating January 2004 as 
National Mentoring Month. It is my hope that this month-long 
celebration of mentoring will encourage more adults to volunteer their 
time as mentors for young people and enlist the involvement of 
nonprofit organizations, schools, businesses, faith communities, and 
government agencies in the mentoring movement.
  As President Bush noted last night in his state of the Union address, 
America's young people face dangers. Young people face negative 
cultural influences that glorify and glamorize those things that can 
hurt them most. Mentoring is focused on providing young people the best 
our society can offer--hope, stability, guidance, and understanding.
  Mr. CASTLE. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H. Res. 491, 
legislation recognizing the importance of mentoring.
  This resolution, introduced by the gentleman from Nebraska (Mr. 
Osborne), reminds us all of the important role that caring adults play 
in the lives of our Nation's youth, and I thank the gentleman for his 
work in Congress--as well as his work with his own mentoring 
organization, ``TeamMates of Nebraska''--on this important issue.
  Today's teens cope with major physical changes, emotional ups and 
downs, peer pressures and a changing identity, but they are also 
confronted by a more complex and impersonal society where drugs and 
alcohol are easily available and tragedies, such as AIDS and violence, 
strike too close to home. In this time of growth and uncertainty, our 
children need positive role models, or mentors, in their lives.
  Simply, a mentor is an adult who, along with parents, provides young 
people with support, counsel, and friendship. Most important, mentors 
are people who care. And, for many children, that makes all the 
difference.
  According to recent research, children with mentors are 46 percent 
less likely to begin using illegal drugs, 52 percent less likely to 
skip school, and 33 percent less likely to get into fights. In 
addition, children with mentors reported greater confidence in their 
performance at school and better relationships with their families.
  Despite these positive outcomes, too many children who need a mentor 
do not have one.

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In my state of Delaware alone, an estimated 10,000 young people could 
benefit from a positive, supportive relationship with an adult, but 
approximately 7,000 are currently served.
  It is therefore appropriate that January is National Mentoring Month, 
a time in which we encourage caring adults to reach out to the children 
and youth in their communities. As part of that effort, I want to 
recognize the many businesses, churches and community groups that 
partner with our schools to provide mentors to children in need as well 
as the informal mentoring relationships that exist between teachers, 
coaches and neighbors. I also want to recognize those who lend their 
expertise or contribute financially to mentoring organizations. Their 
support is as important as volunteering to become a mentor.
  Again, I thank the gentleman for his resolution and I urge an ``aye'' 
vote.
  Mr. OSBORNE. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I 
yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Simmons). The question is on the motion 
offered by the gentleman from Nebraska (Mr. Osborne) that the House 
suspend the rules and agree to the resolution, H. Res. 491.
  The question was taken.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds of 
those present have voted in the affirmative.
  Mr. OSBORNE. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
  The yeas and nays were ordered.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX and the 
Chair's prior announcement, further proceedings on this motion will be 
postponed.

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