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[Congressional Bills 111th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 493 Agreed to Senate (ATS)]

111th CONGRESS
  1st Session
S. RES. 493

   Designating April 23 through 25, 2010, as ``Global Youth Service 
                                Days''.

_______________________________________________________________________

                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             April 20, 2010

  Ms. Murkowski (for herself, Mr. Akaka, Mr. Begich, Mrs. Gillibrand, 
 Mrs. Lincoln, Mrs. Murray, Ms. Mikulski, Mr. Bayh, Ms. Landrieu, Mr. 
  Lautenberg, Mr. Udall of Colorado, Ms. Stabenow, Mr. Bingaman, Mrs. 
    Hagan, Mr. Nelson of Nebraska, Mr. Menendez, Mr. Lieberman, Ms. 
Collins, Mr. Gregg, Mr. LeMieux, Mr. Burr, Mr. Cochran, Mr. Cardin, Ms. 
  Klobuchar, Mr. Isakson, Mrs. Feinstein, and Mr. Dodd) submitted the 
        following resolution; which was considered and agreed to

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION

 
   Designating April 23 through 25, 2010, as ``Global Youth Service 
                                Days''.

Whereas Global Youth Service Days is an annual campaign that celebrates and 
        mobilizes the millions of children and youths who improve their 
        communities each day through community service and service-learning 
        programs;
Whereas the goals of Global Youth Service Days are--

    (1) to mobilize and support young people to identify and address the 
needs of their communities, schools, and organizations; and

    (2) to provide opportunities for--

    G    (A) youth engagement; and

    G    (B) the public, the media, and policymakers to recognize and raise 
awareness of young people as assets and resources;

Whereas Global Youth Service Days, a program of Youth Service America, is the 
        largest service event in the world and the only service event dedicated 
        to youth engagement;
Whereas, in 2010, Global Youth Service Days is being observed for the 22nd 
        consecutive year in the United States and, in more than 100 countries, 
        for the 11th year globally;
Whereas Global Youth Service Days engages millions of young people worldwide 
        with the support of more than 200 national and international partners, 
        85 State and local lead agencies, and thousands of local partners;
Whereas high quality community service and service-learning programs--

    (1) increase the academic engagement and achievement of young people;

    (2) prepare young people for the workforce; and

    (3) provide young people with the skills necessary to achieve success 
in the 21st century;

Whereas community service and service-learning programs provide opportunities 
        for young people to apply their knowledge, idealism, energy, creativity, 
        and unique perspectives to solving critical issues, including health, 
        childhood obesity, education, illiteracy, poverty, hunger, the 
        environment, violence, and natural disasters;
Whereas Global Youth Service Days is an opportunity for citizen diplomacy that 
        increases intercultural understanding and promotes the sense that youths 
        are global citizens, as evidenced by the growing number of projects that 
        involve youths working collaboratively across borders to address global 
        issues;
Whereas thousands of participants in schools and community-based organizations 
        are planning Global Youth Service Days activities as a part of Semester 
        of Service, a program that includes the Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of 
        Service, in which young people spend the semester addressing meaningful 
        community needs connected to intentional learning goals or academic 
        standards over at least 70 hours;
Whereas thousands of youth volunteers learn, create, and implement innovative 
        solutions to global issues on Global Youth Service Days through ``Get Ur 
        Good On,'' an online network of youths supporting each other in the 
        mission to do good works in their communities;
Whereas Global Youth Service Days provides young children, teenagers, and young 
        adults with an opportunity to contribute their abilities and talents as 
        active citizens and community leaders;
Whereas Global Youth Service Days provides schools, community organizations, 
        faith-based organizations, government agencies, businesses, and families 
        with an opportunity to engage youths as leaders and problem solvers; and
Whereas section 198(g) of the National and Community Service Act of 1990 (42 
        U.S.C. 12653(g)) recognizes Global Youth Service Days as national days 
        of service and calls on the Corporation for National and Community 
        Service, other Federal agencies and departments, and the President of 
        the United States to recognize and support youth-led activities on the 
        designated days: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the Senate--
            (1) recognizes and commends the significant contributions 
        of the youths of the United States and encourages the 
        cultivation of a civic bond between young people dedicated to 
        serving their neighbors, their communities, and the Nation;
            (2) designates April 23 through 25, 2010, as ``Global Youth 
        Service Days''; and
            (3) calls on the people of the United States to observe 
        Global Youth Service Days by--
                    (A) encouraging youths to participate in community 
                service and service-learning projects;
                    (B) recognizing the volunteer efforts of the young 
                people of the United States throughout the year; and
                    (C) supporting the volunteer efforts of young 
                people and engaging young people in meaningful 
                community service, service-learning, and decision-
                making opportunities, as an investment in the future of 
                the United States.
                                 <all>
```