On October 19, the Senate approved, by unanimous consent, a resolution (S. Res. 280) supporting the goals and ideals of “Lights on Afterschool!”, a national celebration of after-school school programs on October 20, 2005. Sen. Christopher Dodd (D-CT) sponsored the resolution.
According to the resolution, “High-quality after-school programs support working families by ensuring their children are safe and productive after the regular school day ends.” The resolution notes that more than 28 million children in the United States have parents who work outside the home, and 14.3 million children have no place to go after school. The resolution explains that “many after-school programs across the United States are struggling to keep their doors open and their lights on.” The resolution applauds “Lights On Afterschool!” as a celebration that “promotes the critical importance of high-quality after-school programs in the lives of children, their families, and their communities.”
The House approved a similar resolution (H. J. Res. 66) on September 27 (see The Source, 9/30/05).
