On February 3, the Senate approved, by unanimous consent, a resolution (S. Res. 294) requesting the President to designate the month of January 2004 as “National Mentoring Month.” The House approved a resolution (H. Res. 491) honoring individuals who mentor youth on January 21 (see The Source, 01/23/04).
Sponsored by Sen. Ted Kennedy (D-MA), the resolution states, “Mentoring offers a supportive environment in which young people can grow, expand their vision, learn necessary skills, and achieve a future that they may never have thought possible.” The resolution also notes that Congress has increased federal grant funding for local mentoring organizations to $100 million. By approving the resolution, the Senate “requests that the President issue a proclamation calling on the people of the United States and interested groups to observe the month with appropriate ceremonies and activities that promote awareness of and volunteer involvement with mentoring.”
