National Scouting Day

Floor Speech

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Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to celebrate an organization that is near and dear to my heart, Scouting America.

February 8 is National Scouting America Day, which recognizes the legacy of the organization and the young Americans who have gone from Scouts to leaders in their communities.

On May 17, 1977, I became an Eagle Scout myself, as a member of Scout Troop 52 in Walker Township, Pennsylvania. Over the years, I proudly held various leadership roles with Scout troops in Pennsylvania, including two separate stints as Scoutmaster for Troop 353 in Howard.

During my time as a Scoutmaster, I was honored to see many young men achieve the rank of Eagle Scout. Since the rank's inception, close to 3 million Scouts have earned Eagle Scout status.

Scouting America--formerly known as the Boy Scouts of America, and actually that is still the name of the movement as chartered by Congress--was established in 1910 by William D. Boyce. The mission of the organization is to prepare children for lives of impact and purpose. Since it was founded, more than 130 million young men and women have participated in Scouting America's programs.

Mr. Speaker, at its core, Scouting encourages its members to leave our country and the world a little better than they found it. Scouting America has helped build future leaders by combining educational activities and lifelong values with fun. Scouting founder, Lord Baden- Powell of England, defined Scouting as a game with a purpose. Through over a century of experience, we know that helping youth is a key to building a more conscientious, responsible, and productive society.

I am proud to co-chair the Congressional Scouting Caucus. This past summer, we welcomed dozens of Scouts from across the country to Camp Capitol Hill and Eagles on the Hill. This was an opportunity for Scouts to meet with Representatives and showcase what they have learned or built as a Scout. It was an honor to see the various projects Scouts have completed. All of them demonstrated the important values of service, community, and character.

Scouting demands physicality, innovation, curiosity, and for participants to enjoy the outdoors. It gives Scouts the opportunity to try new recreational activities like mountain biking, kayaking, and camping. All of these activities are an ode to the beautiful landscapes across our Nation and experiences that a Scout will never forget.

Scouts explore their interests and improve their skills while working toward Scouting's highest rank, Eagle. By first imagining, planning, then doing their own service projects, Scouts learn the value of hard work and experience the thrill of seeing it pay off.

Scouts are known as leaders within their communities, and approximately 15 percent of all military academy cadets and midshipmen across the United States' service academies are Eagle Scouts.

I am grateful for the longstanding partnership between Scouting America and the Department of War. I can think of no better recruitment tool for our military than the lessons learned through Scouting.

Mr. Speaker, Scouting has touched the lives of so many. I am proud of the way it has shaped our youth. I wish a happy 116th birthday to Scouting America.

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