Dan Kildee: “I want to thank my friend, Mr. Barletta, for his interest and his work on this subject, as well as thank our ranking…”

“I want to thank my friend, Mr. Barletta, for his interest and his work on this subject, as well as thank our ranking member for his service and the work that he has put into this overall effort. This is really important, and I think it is important that we stop for a moment and recognize the effect, the impact, that afterschool programs have in the lives and the trajectory of the lives of so many kids in this country who otherwise don't have a positive outlet for all the energy that these young people carry around with them all the time. There are neighborhoods in this country--certainly neighborhoods in the communities that I represent--that without afterschool programming provided in that school building, there is no other positive avenue available for them. There is not a community center. There is not a park that is maintained. They don't have the access to or the means to join a YMCA or a YWCA. For these kids, the only avenue they have to explore cultural activities, to become involved in music or in the arts or in just good physical exercise, are those afterschool programs, which have the additional value of connecting these young people to their school in a way that is not solely tied to simply classroom time and the very important work that they are doing on their academic studies, but allows them to fill that connection to school as the center of their community.…”