[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 162 (2016), Part 7]
[Senate]
[Pages 8868-8869]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




 100TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE FEDERAL CHARTER FOR THE BOY SCOUTS OF AMERICA

  Mr. ENZI. Mr. President, a few moments ago I got to speak to 45 
students from 5 towns in Wyoming who are here for National History Day 
competition. So it is only fitting that I rise today to recognize a 
historic event, and that would be the 100th anniversary of the Boy 
Scouts of America receiving a congressional Federal charter. On this 
day in 1916, President Woodrow Wilson signed the Federal Charter of the 
Boy Scouts of America, and I am submitting a resolution to commemorate 
that important event.
  The congressional charter has helped the Boy Scouts to become one of 
the largest youth organizations in the United States. In fact, it is 
estimated that more than 110 million Americans have served as members 
within its ranks.
  Scouting offers those young people friendship, an opportunity to set 
positive goals, and outdoor experiences. But, above all, Scouting is 
about building character and service. That concept of service is based 
on a young boy in London who happened to guide an American through fog, 
and when the American tried to pay the boy, the boy said: No, that was 
my good deed for the day. The man brought that concept back to the 
United States and started the Boy Scouts. A few years later, in 1916, 
they got the Federal charter.
  The service that Scouts perform is immeasurable, but there are many 
noteworthy moments I'd like to mention. During World War I, Scouts 
played an important role by collecting used paper and glass from homes. 
Scouts also sold Liberty Bonds valued at over $147 million. That was a 
lot of money at that time.
  President Roosevelt called on Scouts to help the needy during the 
Great Depression, and throughout World War II, the Scouts again 
collected materials and sold war bonds.
  The call to service continues, and today Boy Scouts are doing 
projects all over this country, thousands of hours every year, to earn 
their Eagle award.
  Another service opportunity will happen next year when the National 
Scout Jamboree takes place 13 months from now in West Virginia. 
Volunteers are needed for that effort. The jamboree dates back to 1937 
when more than 27,000 Scouts camped on the National Mall, right out 
there. On July 19 of next year, 35,000 Scouts and Venturers will arrive 
at the Summit Bechtel Reserve in West Virginia for the 18th National 
Scout Jamboree.
  I went to a National Scout Jamboree at Valley Forge when I was in 
Scouts. It started with trains on the West Coast and picked up cars as 
it came through each State, heading east to Valley Forge. It was the 
largest civilian movement of people in the history of the United 
States. It was an opportunity to get together with people who were 
fellow Scouts from all over the United States, as well as from other 
countries. I remember getting to meet some Australian Scouts at that 
particular jamboree. We were having a campfire with them in the 
evening, and somehow a garter snake happened to come through the camp. 
They leaped up and hacked that snake to pieces.
  We said: What is that all about?
  They said: In Australia, we have 25 snakes and 23 of them are 
poisonous, so we try to kill them first and then identify them.
  There are a lot of opportunities in Scouts. This jamboree will 
provide some outstanding experiences, adventures, and achievements for 
merit badges through a number of outdoor sports such as whitewater 
rafting, rock climbing, and zip-lining. In keeping with the Boy Scout 
slogan of ``Do a Good Turn Daily,'' there are also opportunities to 
participate in service projects near the reserve.
  I am especially excited by next year's jamboree because Matt Myers, 
the Scout executive director from my home State of Wyoming, is the 
National Scout Jamboree director. But Matt can't do this alone. 
Thousands of volunteers have to work to make the jamboree a success by 
serving as first responders, media specialists, IT support, doctors, 
and more. An interesting thing about these volunteers is they have to 
pay their own way to the session, they have to pay the same fee as 
everybody who camps there, and they have to spend two weeks of their 
vacation volunteering. When they had the last jamboree 3 years ago, I 
think there were 8,000 of these volunteers that came and dedicated 
their time to the boys in Scouts.
  Scouting has meant a great deal to me and my family over the years. 
Incidentally, there are 10 U.S. Senators who are Eagle Scouts. The 
normal percentage would be about 4 percent. In the Eagle Scouts you 
learn a lot of leadership skills and are also encouraged to participate 
in your community, your country, and the world. Scouts do that.
  Incidentally, there are a whole lot more in this body who have been 
in Scouts. I remember one saying that he made it only to Life Scout, 
and he wanted me to know that they call it Life Scout because if that 
is as far as you get--if you don't make that next step to Eagle--you 
will regret it for life. But no matter what rank you go to in Scouts, 
no matter how long you are in Scouts, you will learn some things that 
you will not learn anywhere else.
  Part of it is the merit badge system. We have a Scout in Wyoming who 
has earned all 132 of the merit badges--what a tremendous adventure in 
personal finance, safety, and career exploration. You can learn about 
just about any career working on a merit badge, and you can find out 
what is involved in it, what you have to know, how you get into that 
profession.
  There have been some outstanding Scouts over the years. Richard Byrd, 
when he went to the South Pole, took a Boy Scout with him. That was the 
first Scout to visit the pole, and there have been opportunities for 
Antarctic Scouts at the South Pole ever since. Paul Siple was the first 
Scout who got to go because he earned the taxidermy merit badge. The 
expedition wanted to capture some of the animals to have specimens when 
they came back to the United States, so Siple was chosen.
  A year and a half ago on the space station, there was a Boy Scout. He 
had been to an academy and had been a test pilot, but after he was 
selected and got to see his reviewed application, there was only one 
thing on the application that was circled, and that was ``Eagle 
Scout.'' While he was up in the space station, they had a piece of 
equipment break loose. Anything floating around in space, especially if 
it is big, can be a real hazard. So the Scout took the thing and tied 
it down using a clove hitch. Of course, they reported back to NASA and 
said ``We have this little problem.'' NASA worked on it for 2 days and 
sent back word that they needed to tie the equipment down with a clove 
hitch. NASA sent instructions. But the Scout had already taken care of 
the problem. This shows that you never know what you can learn in 
Scouts and how it can be used later.
  Yesterday I got to meet with some of the Upward Bound TRIO students. 
Those are kids who would be first generation college students. One of 
them was named Michael Nadig. He was proud to tell me during our 
meeting that he is an Eagle Scout. I am pretty certain that this young 
man is going to complete his college because one of the things that an 
Eagle Scout represents is a symbol of perseverance and a quest to get 
extra knowledge. I am pretty sure Michael is one of those young people 
who is going to get that extra knowledge and make it through college.
  I am pleased to meet with Scouts everywhere and hear of their 
adventures

[[Page 8869]]

and remember my own. And Mr. President, today I am proud to recognize 
the 100th anniversary of the Boy Scouts Federal Charter. The values of 
leadership, service, character, and achievement will live on, thanks to 
the Boy Scouts of America.
  I yield the floor.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Illinois.

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