TheWeekInCongress.com

Week Ending September 30, 3005

House Joint Resolution 66 designating October 14, 2004, as "Lights On After school! Day".

BRIEF

  With More than 28 million children in the US having parents who work outside the home, and 14.3 million of them with no place to go after school, add many after school programs across the country facing funding shortfalls so severe that they are being forced to close their doors and turn off their lights and the need for attention to the matter becomes evident.

   The resolution designates October 20, 2005 as Lights On After School Day aiming to stimulate the effort to offer quality after school programs in the “lives of children, their families and their communities.

Sponsor: Representative Nita Lowy (D-NY-18^th)

Vote: Passed House  403 TO 0 (RC 494) September 27, 2005

Cost to the taxpayers:  No discernible cost.

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Whereas high-quality after-school programs provide safe, challenging, engaging, and fun learning experiences to help children and youth develop their social, emotional, physical, cultural, and academic skills;

Whereas high-quality after-school programs support working families by ensuring that their children are safe and productive after the regular school day ends;

Whereas high-quality after-school programs build stronger communities by involving the Nation's students, parents, business leaders, and adult volunteers in the lives of the Nation's young people, thereby promoting positive relationships among children, youth, families, and adults;

Whereas high-quality after-school programs engage families, schools, and diverse community partners in advancing the well-being of the Nation's children;

Whereas `Lights On Afterschool!', a national celebration of after-school programs on October 20, 2005, promotes the critical importance of high-quality after-school programs in the lives of children, their families, and their communities;

Whereas more than 28,000,000 children in the United States have parents who work outside the home, and 14,300,000 children have no place to go after school; and

Whereas many after-school programs across the Nation are struggling to keep their doors open and their lights on: Now, therefore, be it

Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the Congress supports the goals and ideals of `Lights On Afterschool!', a national celebration of after-school programs.