III
109th CONGRESS
2d Session
S. RES. 422
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
April 4, 2006
Ms. Murkowski (for herself, Mr. Akaka, Mr. Allen, Mr. Baucus, Mr. Bayh, Mrs. Boxer, Mr. Bunning, Mr. Burr, Ms. Cantwell, Mrs. Clinton, Mr. Cochran, Mr. Coleman, Ms. Collins, Mr. Cornyn, Mr. Craig, Mr. Dodd, Mrs. Dole, Mr. Domenici, Mr. Dorgan, Mr. Durbin, Mr. Feingold, Mrs. Feinstein, Mr. Hagel, Mr. Isakson, Mr. Johnson, Mr. Kennedy, Mr. Kerry, Ms. Landrieu, Mr. Lautenberg, Mr. Levin, Mr. Lieberman, Mr. Lott, Mr. Martinez, Mr. Menendez, Ms. Mikulski, Mrs. Murray, Mr. Nelson of Florida, Mr. Nelson of Nebraska, Mr. Salazar, Mr. Santorum, Ms. Snowe, Mr. Specter, Ms. Stabenow, and Mr. Stevens) submitted the following resolution; which was considered and agreed to
RESOLUTION
Designating April 21, 2006, as
National and Global Youth Service Day
, and for other
purposes.
Whereas National and Global Youth Service Day is an annual public awareness and education campaign that highlights the valuable contributions that young people make to their communities throughout the year;
Whereas the goals of National and Global Youth Service Day are to—
mobilize the youth of the United States to identify and address the needs of their communities through service and service-learning;
encourage young citizens to embark on a lifelong path of service and civic engagement; and
educate the public, the media, and policymakers about contributions made by young people as community leaders throughout the year;
Whereas National and Global Youth Service Day, a program of Youth Service America, is the largest service event in the world and is being observed for the 18th consecutive year in 2006;
Whereas young people in the United States and in many other countries are volunteering more than any other generation in history;
Whereas the children and youth of the United States not only represent the future of the Nation, but also are leaders and assets today;
Whereas the children and youth of the United States should be valued for the idealism, energy, creativity, and unique perspective that they use when addressing challenges found in their communities;
Whereas a fundamental and conclusive correlation exists between youth service, lifelong adult volunteering, and philanthropy;
Whereas through community service, young people of all ages and backgrounds build character and learn valuable skills sought by employers, including time management, decision-making, teamwork, needs-assessment, and leadership;
Whereas service-learning, an innovative teaching method that combines community service with curriculum-based learning, increases student achievement while strengthening civic responsibility;
Whereas several private foundations and corporations in the United States support service-learning because they understand that educated, civically-engaged communities tend to be economically prosperous and good places to do business;
Whereas sustained investments by the Federal Government, business partners, schools, and communities fuel the positive, long-term cultural change that will make service and service-learning a common expectation and a common experience for all young people;
Whereas National and Global Youth Service Day, with the support of 51 lead agencies, hundreds of grant winners, and thousands of local partners, engages millions of young people worldwide;
Whereas National and Global Youth Service Day will involve 38 international organizations and 110 national partners, including 8 Federal agencies and 6 organizations that offer grants to support National and Global Youth Service Day;
Whereas National Youth Service Day has inspired Global Youth Service Day, which occurs concurrently in more than 100 countries and is now in its 7th year; and
Whereas both young people and their communities will benefit greatly from expanded opportunities to engage the youth of the United States in meaningful volunteer service and service-learning: Now, therefore, be it
That the Senate—
recognizes and commends the significant contributions of United States youth and encourages the cultivation of a common civic bond between young people dedicated to serving their neighbors, their communities, and the Nation;
designates April
21, 2006, as National and Global Youth Service Day
; and
calls on the citizens of the United States to—
observe the day by encouraging and engaging youth to participate in civic and community service projects;
recognize the volunteer efforts of the young people of the United States throughout the year; and
support the volunteer efforts of young people and engage them in meaningful decision-making opportunities today as an investment for the future of the United States.