A concurrent resolution supporting "Lights On Afterschool!", a national celebration of after school programs.

Mr. President, Today, I ask my colleagues to recognize the 7th Annual Lights on Afterschool events taking place across the country on October 12, 2006. ``Lights on Afterschool is a national celebration in which more than 1 million Americans will gather in their communities to recognize the important role that afterschool programs provide for the children in this country.

Afterschool providers throughout California and across the country have demonstrated that afterschool programs keep children safe, improve learning, and reduce crime and drug use. According to the FBI, youth are most at risk for being victims of violent crimes and committing violent acts between 3 p.m. and 6 p.m.--after school is out and before parents arrive home. Afterschool programs keep children safe, reduce crime and drug use, and improve academic performance.

As we take this occasion to recognize the afterschool program providers, we also must honor the communities that also contribute to the enrichment of these afterschool activities that provide safe and supervised afterschool educational, enrichment, and recreational programs. The partnerships you have forged with the afterschool program providers are instrumental in their success. There is no responsibility greater than ensuring that our children can learn and grow in a safe environment.

Afterschool programs are critical to the success of American families. These programs make it easier for parents to go to work because they know that their children are in a safe and nourishing environment. According to the Afterschool Alliance, 14.3 million children go home to an empty house every day. We must work to ensure these children have access to these programs that are vital to developing cultural and social skills, as well as the academic enrichment that the programs provide.

Afterschool is a wise investment in our children's future. That is why I will continue to work to make after school a national priority-- so that we can bring Federal resources to support great local programs to keep the lights on and the doors open.

I send my sincere thanks to everyone working in programs and schools involved with Lights on Afterschool and for all of the work you have done and continue to do in creating partnerships that promote and enhance afterschool programs.

Mr. President, today Senator Ensign and I, along with 42 cosponsors, are submitting a concurrent resolution with the House designating October 12, 2006 as Lights On Afterschool Day. Lights on Afterschool is a national celebration of afterschool programs, designed to promote the critical importance of afterschool in the lives of America's children, families, and communities. This year alone, we expect over 1 million Americans to participate in this important celebration.

Quality afterschool programs keep kids safe, help working families, and improve academic achievement. It has been demonstrated that children in afterschool programs show greater interest in school, learn new skills, exhibit improved behavior and get better grades than their peers. Afterschool programs also build stronger communities by involving our students, parents, business leaders and adult volunteers in the lives of our young people, thereby promoting positive relationships among children and adults.

In America today, more than 28 million children have parents who work outside the home. As many as 15 million of these children have no place to go after school and consequently are missing out on important opportunities to learn and grow. Two-thirds of Americans say that it is difficult to find programs in their communities and that not enough programs are available.

In our work on the Senate Afterschool Caucus, Senator Ensign and I have been working for more than a year to impress upon our colleagues the importance of afterschool and are proud to say that 34 of our colleagues have joined the Caucus to date. We hope that they, along with other Members of the Congress, will join us on October 12th to celebrate the importance of afterschool programs in their communities back home.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the concurrent resolution be agreed to, the preamble be agreed to, and the motion to reconsider be laid upon the table.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the HELP Committee be discharged from further consideration, and the Senate now proceed to S. Con. Res. 116.