Recognizing the immeasurable contributions of fathers in the healthy development of children, supporting responsible fatherhood, and encouraging greater involvement of fathers in the lives of their children, especially on Father's Day.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H. Res. 1389, ``Recognizing the immeasurable contributions of fathers in the healthy development of children, supporting responsible fatherhood, and encouraging greater involvement of fathers in the lives of their children, especially on Father's Day.''

This resolution commends the millions of fathers who serve as wonderful, caring parents for their children. It simultaneously calls on fathers across the United States (1) reconnect and rededicate themselves to their children's lives; and (2) express their love and support for their children, not only on Father's Day, but everyday.

Fathers all over the United States are involved in their children's lives in multitude ways that go beyond the traditional roles of economic provider. Fathers are also involved by having direct contact with their children, engagement; making themselves available to their children even when they are not in physical contact, accessibility; and taking responsibility for their children's care and welfare, again regardless of physical proximity, responsibility. For this reason and many others, I salute the millions of fathers who have embraced the attributes of fatherhood.

However, this piece of legislation also recognizes the need for fathers to take there place in their children's lives and become more involved. The statistics on children without an active father in their lives are alarming:

63 percent of youth suicides are from fatherless homes (U.S. Department Of Health/Census)--5 times the average

90 percent of all homeless and runaway children are from fatherless homes--32 times the average

85 percent of all children who show behavior disorders come from fatherless homes--20 times the average. (Center for Disease Control)

80 percent of rapists with anger problems come from fatherless homes--14 times the average. (Justice & Behavior, Vol 14, p. 403-26)

71 percent of all high school dropouts come from fatherless homes--9 times the average. (National Principals Association Report)

75 percent of all adolescent patients in chemical abuse centers come from fatherless homes--10 times the average. (Rainbows for All God's Children)

70 percent of youths in State-operated institutions come from fatherless homes--9 times the average. (U.S. Department of Justice, Sept. 1988)

85 percent of all youths in prison come from fatherless homes--20 times the average. (Fulton Co. Georgia, Texas Department of Correction)

Clearly, fathers represent a lot more than just a paycheck to a child; they represent safety, protection, guidance, friendship, and someone to look up to. This resolution urges men to understand the level of responsibility fathering a child requires, especially in the encouragement of the mental, moral, social, academic, emotional, physical, and spiritual development of children.

In conclusion, not only is this issue imperative to the development of the future of America's youth, but also to the prosperity of the country as a whole. I am diligently seeking ways to bring families back together and this resolution can be the catalyze to promote such unity; by promoting fathers who already exemplify these qualities.

I must pay tribute to my own father Ezra C. Jackson. I thank him for being a father to my brother Michael and me. For also being a grandfather to our children. He was God-fearing, funny and a great mentor to young men who were not his children. Thank you Dad for being in my life, although you are no longer with us--your guidance will always be appreciated.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Wisconsin for yielding me this time.

I come in support of this resolution because of a very meaningful time that I spent as a judge in Tennessee. I spent 7 and a half years as a criminal court judge before coming to Congress, trying the felony criminal cases, the most serious cases. I've never forgotten that the first day I was a judge, Gary Tullock, the chief probation counselor for 16 counties in east Tennessee, told me that 98 percent of the defendants in felony cases came from what he referred to as broken homes. He was not exactly right on that. It was not quite 98 percent, but it was well over 90 percent that came from father-absent households, and that's the key.

I went through over 10,000 cases in the time that I was judge because 97 or 98 percent of the people in felony cases in criminal court plead guilty and then apply for probation, and I would get 8- or 10- or 12- page reports into their family and work background and so forth. And every day for 7 and a half years, I would read, Defendant's father left home when defendant was 2 and never returned; defendant's father left home to get a pack of cigarettes and never came back. When you read that thousands of times over several years, it really makes an impression.

I know that many wonderful and many outstanding people have come from broken homes and even from father-absent households, but it's an amazing statistic that the gentlewoman from California gave a few minutes ago when she said that one out of every three children in America are living apart from their biological fathers now.

We need to get a message across some way, especially to the young men of this country, that marriage is very, very important and that the role of fatherhood is very, very important and that it is harmful to a great many young people when a father leaves and removes himself from the raising of a child. A child is really blessed to have two loving parents, and certainly we all know and appreciate the very, very important role of mothers, but the role of fathers is important as well and not just for young men.

I have read in the past that many prostitutes and many women who get in trouble have had abusive or very negative or bad relationships with their fathers. So it's important to young girls as well, but it is especially important to young boys.

The root of the crime problem in this country is father-absent households. Drugs and alcohol are involved in most crimes, but they are secondary to the problem of father-absent households. Where fathers have left the lives, we need to encourage mothers to get boys into Boy Scouts or find other good male role models within the family or within the neighborhood, and we need to encourage more men to teach in elementary schools and lead Boy Scout troops and do things like that because, unfortunately, millions of young boys are growing up without a good male role model in their lives.

I remember several years ago driving to the airport one Friday afternoon after we had finished our session, and there had been a school shooting out in I think Oregon. They had the national head of the YMCA on the national CBS news, and he said children are being neglected in this country like never before. I hope that's not true, but that is what he said. And it is a growing problem, and this resolution I hope will call attention to the great importance of fathers in the lives of their children, especially as we approach Father's Day.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 1389) recognizing the immeasurable contributions of fathers in the healthy development of children, supporting responsible fatherhood, and encouraging greater involvement of fathers in the lives of their children, especially on Father's Day.

Mr. Speaker, I request 5 legislative days during which Members may revise and extend and insert extraneous material on H. Res. 1389 into the Record.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of House Resolution 1389, to honor and celebrate Father's Day this Sunday and to recognize the involvement of our Nation's fathers in their children's lives. This resolution recognizes the special bond between father and child by celebrating the significant and positive impacts a present, supportive, and involved father has on their child and the entire family.

Every year on the third Sunday in June, families across the country take time out to celebrate the dad in the family. New fathers and experienced fathers alike are honored for the hard work and deep love it takes to be a supportive father. Whether it be through a home-cooked meal, a card, or even a simple phone call, we stop once a year to thank fathers for everything they do in our lives.

Unfortunately, 25 million children in America today are living apart from their biological fathers. This means that one out of every three children grow up without their biological father present in their lives.

Fathers play a significant and influential role in their child's development. When supportive fathers are involved in their children's lives, their children are more likely to enjoy learning, earn better grades, and participate in extracurricular activities. We celebrate the fathers who are positive role models for their children.

By commemorating the hard work and dedication of fathers on Father's Day, we encourage responsible fatherhood and happy, successful, and stronger families and communities.

With that, I reserve the balance of my time.

I continue to reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I personally have the great privilege to have raised two sons, Ed Critchett and Michael Woolsey, and I have a son-in-law, Mark Pauline, who are the most wonderful fathers on this earth. I am so proud of them, and I just thought I'd take this moment right now to be able to express that.

Their children, my grandchildren, Teddy and Julia, Jake-Eddie, Carlo and Luca are great kids, but they are all the better because they have such great dads.

So, Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support H. Res. 1389, honoring and celebrating Father's Day and recognizing the involvement of our Nation's fathers in their children's lives.

With that, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. McIntyre).

(Mr. McINTYRE asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. Speaker, I would just like to congratulate Congressman McIntyre as the author of this piece of legislation.

With that, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H. Res. 1389, which recognizes the important role that fathers play in the lives of their children. While Father's Day is celebrated once a year, the responsibility of being a father never ceases.

According to U.S. Census Bureau data from 2009, over 24 million children live apart from their biological fathers. That is 1 out of every 3 children in the United States. Nearly 2 out of every 3 African American children live apart from their biological fathers. While we honor biological fathers, we should also remember the many men that serve as father figures in the lives of children across the country. These truly special individuals consist of grandfathers, uncles, adoptive fathers, step-fathers, and anyone else who provides a parenting role. No one requires them to assume this responsibility, but they do so selflessly and without complaint.

Children with involved fathers are less likely to have behavioral problems, abuse drugs, and live in poverty. A child with an involved father is more likely to stay in school, go to college, and be successful later in life. Clearly, the presence of father figures in homes across the country is absolutely critical to the healthy development of our young people.

We also owe special recognition to the single fathers in California's 37th District and across the country. These fathers work longer and harder to ensure that their children have the resources and care they need to experience a fulfilling childhood and to grow into well-rounded adults. Many of these single fathers work extra hours just to put food on the table and meet their children's needs.

Lastly, Mr. Speaker, we should pay tribute to the fathers who are unable to be with their children this Father's Day. These individuals include the men serving overseas in our military, fathers that are working to provide for their families, fathers that are incarcerated, and fathers that live far away from their children.

Will Rogers, Jr. once said that his ``heritage to his children wasn't words or possessions, but an unspoken treasure, the treasure of his example as a man and a father.'' This sentiment perfectly sums up the importance of fathers and their role in the lives of our nation's youth.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting H. Res. 1389 and recognizing the important role that fathers play in their children's lives.

Madam Speaker, due to a family medical situation, I was unable to participate in the following votes. If I had been present, I would have voted as follows:

June 14, 2010

Rollcall vote 355, On Motion to Suspend the Rules and Agree--H. Res. 1368, Supporting the goals of National Dairy Month--I would have voted ``aye.''

Rollcall vote 356, On Motion to Suspend the Rules and Agree--H. Res. 1409, Expressing support for designation of June 20, 2010, as

``American Eagle Day'', and celebrating the recovery and restoration of the bald eagle, the national symbol of the United States--I would have voted ``aye.''

Rollcall vote 357, On Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass--H.R. 5502, To amend the effective date of the gift card provisions of the Credit Card Accountability Responsibility and Disclosure Act of 2009--I would have voted ``aye.''

June 15, 2010

Rollcall vote 358, On Motion to Suspend the Rules and Agree--H. Res. 1383, Honoring Dr. Larry Case on his retirement as National FFA Advisor--I would have voted ``aye.''

Rollcall vote 359, On Agreeing to the Resolution--H. Res. 1436, Providing for consideration of H.R. 5486, the Small Business Jobs Tax Relief Act; and providing for consideration of H.R. 5297, the Small Business Lending Fund Act--I would have voted ``no.''

Rollcall vote 360, On Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass, as Amended--H.R. 4855, Work-Life Balance Award Act--I would have voted ``no.''

Rollcall vote 361, On Motion to Suspend the Rules and Agree--H. Res. 1389, Recognizing the immeasurable contributions of fathers in the healthy development of children, supporting responsible fatherhood, and encouraging greater involvement of fathers in the lives of their children, especially on Father's Day--I would have voted ``aye.''

Rollcall vote 362, On Motion to Recommit with Instructions--H.R. 5486, Small Business Jobs Tax Relief Act of 2010--I would have voted ``aye.''

Rollcall vote 363, On Passage--H.R. 5486, Small Business Jobs Tax Relief Act of 2010--I would have voted ``no.''

Rollcall vote 364, On Motion to Suspend the Rules and Agree--H. Res. 1322, Celebrating the 20th anniversary of the Albert Einstein Distinguished Educator Fellowship Program and recognizing the significant contributions of Albert Einstein Fellows--I would have voted ``aye.''