On June 3, the Senate approved, by unanimous consent, a bill (S. 2363) to reauthorize the Boys and Girls Clubs of America through FY2010. The Senate Judiciary Committee approved the measure by voice vote the same day.
Sponsored by Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-UT), the bill would authorize $80 million for the Boys and Girls Clubs of America in FY2006, $85 million in FY2007, $90 million in FY2008, $95 million in FY2009, and $100 million in FY2010.
Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-VT) stated, “If we had a Boys and Girls Club in every community, prosecutors in our country would have a lot less work to do because of the values that are being instilled in children from the Boys and Girls Clubs of America. Each time I visit a club in Vermont, I am approached by parents, educators, teachers, grandparents, and law enforcement officers who tell me, ‘Keep doing this! These clubs give our children the chance to grow up free of drugs, gangs, and crime.’”
