[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 150 (2004), Part 6]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 8333]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




         CONGRATULATIONS TO GIRL SCOUTS ON THEIR 92ND BIRTHDAY

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. BOB FILNER

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                          Tuesday, May 4, 2004

  Mr. FILNER. Mr. Speaker and colleagues, I rise today to honor an 
American icon and an organization that we all know well, Girl Scouts of 
the USA. This year, Girl Scouts is celebrating 92 years of service to 
our communities and our nation. For 92 years, Girl Scouting has made a 
remarkable difference in the lives of girls in so many ways.
  The Girl Scouts is an organization that has always been ahead of its 
time, and the experiences that girls have in Girl Scouting today are 
profound. For example, they travel the world, learn about science, math 
and engineering by working with some of the most innovative thinkers in 
these fields, and perform community service projects that are literally 
changing many of our communities for the better.
   In March, I had the opportunity to meet with Girl Scout 
representatives from my district who came to Washington, D.C. with 
nearly 600 other Girl Scout executives, professional staff and 
volunteers from across the nation. The Girl Scouts/San Diego-Imperial 
Council is the council that serves girls in my district, and I am proud 
of their work and leading expertise on the challenging issues affecting 
girls in today's world. This council serves over 30,000 girls in San 
Diego and Imperial Counties.
  During their time in Washington, the representatives of Girl Scouts 
were discussing a very important issue: safety for girls. I am 
impressed by their dedication to helping all girls feel emotionally and 
physically safe, secure and strong. In our contemporary society where 
child abductions, rampant abuse and other violence against children 
occurs too frequently, their task is extremely important. I commend the 
Girl Scouts for their national and local leadership on this issue.
  Through a nationwide call to action, Girl Scouts of the USA is 
leading an effort to create communities in which all girls feel safe 
and empowered. I ask that schools, churches, youth-serving 
organizations, Congress, and other government entities join with Girl 
Scouts to bring attention to this very important issue. All of our 
nation's children deserve to feel safe, secure and strong.
  Mr. Speaker, in conclusion I congratulate Girl Scouts for a job well 
done and look forward to working with them on ensuring the safety of 
our nation's youth.

                          ____________________