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<PRE>[DOCID: f:hr167ih.txt]






107th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. RES. 167

   Encouraging and promoting greater involvement of fathers in their 
             children's lives, especially on Father's Day.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             June 14, 2001

 Ms. Carson of Indiana (for herself, Mr. Bishop, Mrs. Christensen, Mr. 
 Clay, Mrs. Clayton, Mr. Clyburn, Mr. Conyers, Mr. Cummings, Mr. Davis 
of Illinois, Mr. Fattah, Mr. Hastings of Washington, Mr. Hilliard, Mr. 
 Jackson of Illinois, Ms. Eddie Bernice Johnson of Texas, Ms. Lee, Ms. 
Jackson-Lee of Texas, Mr. Lewis of Georgia, Ms. Millender-McDonald, Ms. 
McKinney, Mr. Meeks of New York, Ms. Norton, Mr. Owens, Mr. Payne, Mr. 
     Scott, Mr. Thompson of Mississippi, Mr. Towns, Ms. Watson of 
  California, Mr. Watt of North Carolina, and Mr. Wynn) submitted the 
following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Education 
                           and the Workforce

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
   Encouraging and promoting greater involvement of fathers in their 
             children's lives, especially on Father's Day.

Whereas 40 percent of children who live in fatherless households in the United 
        States have not seen their fathers in at least 1 year, and 50 percent of 
        such children have never visited their fathers' homes;
Whereas approximately 50 percent of all children born in the United States spend 
        at least half of their childhood in families without father figures;
Whereas 3 out of 4 adolescents in the United States report that they do not have 
        adults in their lives that serve as positive role models;
Whereas children who are apart from their biological fathers are, in comparison 
        to other children, 5 times more likely to live in poverty, and more 
        likely to bring weapons and drugs into the classroom, commit other 
        crimes, drop out of school, commit suicide, abuse alcohol or drugs, and 
        become pregnant as teenagers;
Whereas the Federal Government spends billions of dollars to address these 
        social ills and very little to promote responsible fatherhood;
Whereas many of the leading experts on family and child development in the 
        United States agree that it is in the best interest of both children and 
        the United States to encourage more 2-parent, father-involved families;
Whereas child support is an important means by which a parent can take financial 
        responsibility for a child, and emotional support is an important means 
        by which a parent can take social responsibility for a child;
Whereas it is important to promote responsible fatherhood and encourage loving 
        and healthy relationships between parents and their children in order to 
        increase the chance that children will have 2 caring parents to help 
        them grow up healthy and secure;
Whereas the promotion of responsible fatherhood should not (1) denigrate the 
        standing or parenting efforts of single mothers, whose efforts are 
        heroic, (2) lessen the protection of children from abusive parents, (3) 
        cause women to remain in or enter into abusive relationships, or (4) 
        compromise the health or safety of a custodial parent;
Whereas children learn by example, and community programs that help mold young 
        men into positive role models for their children need to be encouraged; 
        and
Whereas Congress has begun to take notice of this issue with legislation 
        introduced in both the House of Representatives and the Senate to 
        address the epidemic of absent fathers: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
            (1) recognizes the need to encourage active involvement of 
        fathers in the rearing and development of their children;
            (2) recognizes that while there are millions of fathers who 
        serve as wonderful, caring parents for their children, there 
        are children who will have no one with whom to celebrate on 
        Father's Day;
            (3) urges fathers to participate in their children's lives, 
        both financially and emotionally;
            (4) encourages fathers to devote time, energy, and 
        resources to their children;
            (5) urges fathers to understand the level of responsibility 
        required when fathering a child and to fulfill that 
        responsibility;
            (6) is committed to assisting absent fathers to become more 
        responsible and engaged in their children's lives; and
            (7) calls upon fathers around the country to use Father's 
        Day to reconnect and rededicate themselves to their children's 
        lives, to spend Father's Day with their children, and to 
        express their love and support for their children.
                                 &lt;all&gt;

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