PRINTER'S NO. 4280
No. 654 Session of 2002
INTRODUCED BY M. WRIGHT, BELFANTI, M. BAKER, BEBKO-JONES,
CALTAGIRONE, CAPPELLI, CIVERA, M. COHEN, CORRIGAN, COSTA,
CRUZ, DALEY, DERMODY, FORCIER, GEIST, GEORGE, GRUCELA,
HARHAI, HENNESSEY, HERSHEY, HESS, HORSEY, JAMES, KENNEY,
LAUGHLIN, LEVDANSKY, MANN, McGILL, McNAUGHTON, MELIO,
PICKETT, PIPPY, PISTELLA, READSHAW, ROBERTS, ROSS, RUBLEY,
SANTONI, SATHER, SAYLOR, SCAVELLO, SCHULER, SHANER, B. SMITH,
STABACK, E. Z. TAYLOR, THOMAS, TIGUE, WALKO, WATERS, WATSON,
WOJNAROSKI, G. WRIGHT AND YOUNGBLOOD, SEPTEMBER 16, 2002
INTRODUCED AS NONCONTROVERSIAL RESOLUTION UNDER RULE 35,
SEPTEMBER 16, 2002
A RESOLUTION
1 Recognizing the week of September 23 through 29, 2002, 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 23 through 29,
30 2002, as "Equal Parents' Week," to raise public awareness of the
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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.
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