[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 152 (2006), Part 12]
[House]
[Page 16001]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                              {time}  1230
                         SUPPORT OUR SCOUTS ACT

  (Mr. FITZPATRICK of Pennsylvania asked and was given permission to 
address the House for 1 minute.)
  Mr. FITZPATRICK of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, the Boy Scouts of 
America is one of the most wholesome organizations in this Nation's 
history, which is why it has earned the Congressional Charter. The 
Scouts have provided a way for children from the inner city and the 
country to learn more about themselves, their environment and their 
role as citizens through active engagement in outdoor and service 
activities.
  Unfortunately, the city of Philadelphia is considering a move that 
would seriously hinder scouting in southeastern Pennsylvania. 
Philadelphia Mayor John Street has told the Cradle of Liberty Council, 
which serves 87,000 inner city and suburban Scouts, to either pay 
market value for or vacate the headquarters it has used rent-free since 
1928.
  Mayor Street has chosen to focus on the differences of opinion he has 
with the Boy Scouts, rather then embracing and fostering greater 
cooperation on the issues we can agree on. This is an unfortunate turn 
of events for the scouting community in my district and the 
Philadelphia region, especially when the city is in crisis; violent 
crime and drug use are at all-time highs.
  I call on Mayor Street to work with the Scouts to work out an 
equitable solution to their dispute, and I call on my colleagues to 
cosponsor H.R. 1337, The Support Our Scouts Act, which will reaffirm 
the Federal Government's commitment to scouting.

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