Glenn Thompson: “Scouting organizations are pivotal in the lives of so many American youth, and this week there has been much to…”

“Scouting organizations are pivotal in the lives of so many American youth, and this week there has been much to celebrate. Yesterday, the Girl Scouts of the USA marked its 107th birthday, and tonight the Boy Scouts of America will conclude its annual report to the Nation. Girl Scouts help girls develop into the future leaders of our economy, our communities, our country, and the world by encouraging them to dream big and work hard to achieve their goals. In fact, many Congresswomen have been Girl Scouts, and we saw some Congresswomen deliver speeches on this floor yesterday in honor of the Girl Scouts building girls of courage, confidence, and character for 107 years. Mr. Speaker, I know firsthand the positive impact that Scouting can have on the life of a young person. I have been actively involved with the Boy Scouts of America since I was 11 years old. On May 17, 1977, I became an Eagle Scout myself, as a member of Boy Scout Troop 52 in Walker Township, Pennsylvania. Over the years, I have proudly held various leadership roles with Boy Scout troops in Pennsylvania, including two separate stints as Scoutmaster for Troop 353 and president of the Juniata Valley Boy Scout Council. One of my greatest honors was to witness 29 young men achieve the rank of Eagle Scout during my tenure as Scoutmaster. Many Eagle Scouts will gather tonight in the Capitol to conclude the annual Report to the Nation delegation trip.…”