PRINTER'S NO. 2308
No. 347 Session of 2003
INTRODUCED BY WRIGHT, BARRAR, BEBKO-JONES, BUNT, CAPPELLI, CORRIGAN, COSTA, CREIGHTON, FABRIZIO, FICHTER, FRANKEL, GEIST, GINGRICH, HARHAI, HARHART, HENNESSEY, HERSHEY, HESS, HORSEY, JAMES, JOSEPHS, KIRKLAND, LAUGHLIN, LEACH, LEDERER, LEVDANSKY, LEWIS, MAJOR, MANN, McGILL, McNAUGHTON, METCALFE, PISTELLA, READSHAW, REICHLEY, ROBERTS, ROSS, SANTONI, SATHER, SAYLOR, SCAVELLO, SHANER, B. SMITH, THOMAS, TIGUE, WASHINGTON, WATSON, WILT, WOJNAROSKI, YOUNGBLOOD, PAYNE AND CRAHALLA, JULY 1, 2003
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON CHILDREN AND YOUTH, JULY 1, 2003
A RESOLUTION 1 Recognizing the week of September 22 through 28, 2003, as "Equal 2 Parents' Week." 3 WHEREAS, The Children's Rights Council (CRC) is a nationwide, 4 nonprofit children's rights organization which works to 5 strengthen families through education and advocacy and to assure 6 a child frequent and continuing contact with two parents and 7 extended family when families break up or are never formed; and 8 WHEREAS, In furtherance of these objectives, the CRC 9 advocates parenting education before marriage, during marriage 10 and in the event of separation; works to demilitarize divorce 11 between parents who are involved in marital disputes, 12 substituting conciliation and mediation for the adversarial 13 process and providing for comprehensive child support; and 14 WHEREAS, Fathers' and Children's Equality (FACE) is a
1 nonprofit organization which was founded in 1978 in Pennsylvania 2 for the purpose of advocating children's rights to full access 3 to both parents and the extended family and providing a self- 4 help support group for noncustodial and nonresidential parents; 5 and 6 WHEREAS, We recognize the right of children of nonmarried 7 parents to continue to receive the same access to both parents 8 which is sanctioned in families with married parents, and that 9 children cannot benefit from family values when they are allowed 10 to suffer the loss of a parent and perpetuation of 11 irresponsibility by parents against each other and their 12 children; and 13 WHEREAS, We recognize that nothing can take the place of the 14 love of a parent in children's lives and that it takes the equal 15 presence of both parents in children's lives to meet their need 16 for that love; and 17 WHEREAS, We recognize that the best interest of children 18 cannot be met unless we maximize the ability of both parents to 19 raise and nurture their children and afford children the maximum 20 parenting effort and involvement of each parent who is willing 21 and able to contribute in raising their children, and that the 22 best parent is both parents; and 23 WHEREAS, We recognize that we as a society share the 24 responsibility to keep families together by promoting a system 25 that protects the rights of children to be raised and nurtured 26 by both parents and the right of families to exist and function 27 as a family, as civil rights inalienable to all families; and 28 WHEREAS, Fathers' and Children's Equality joins with the 29 Children's Rights Council in declaring September 22 through 28, 30 2003, as "Equal Parents' Week," to raise public awareness of the 20030H0347R2308 - 2 -
1 urgent need of our children for the love and support from both 2 parents, their extended families and stepfamilies; therefore be 3 it 4 RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives endorse "Equal 5 Parents' Week," recognizing it as a local event in Pennsylvania 6 and promoting participation throughout Pennsylvania for the 7 public good. F20L82AJM/20030H0347R2308 - 3 -