Michael Burgess: “we have all heard the story about the visiting room in prisons that are packed on Mother's Day but empty on Father's…”

“we have all heard the story about the visiting room in prisons that are packed on Mother's Day but empty on Father's Day. This simple story illustrates the oftentimes unrecognized power of fatherhood as a force for the good in the lives of our children. In fact, almost three-fourths of means-tested welfare aid goes to children in homes without fathers. Children without fathers are more likely to become involved in crimes, fail in school, abuse drugs, and end up on welfare as adults. Children raised in household structures without fathers are subject to significantly increased risks of harm. Social science overwhelmingly demonstrates that children do far better when they are raised by two married parents in a stable family relationship. So this weekend we honor our Nation's fathers, and we should do so with the understanding of the enormous, yet sometimes silent and almost unrecognized impact that our fathers make on society at large. As a society, we should recognize that we undervalue fathers at our peril. We should honor our fathers. I know I honor mine. Thank you, dad.”