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CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
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WHEREAS, Fathers play an important role in nurturing and |
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supporting children, enabling them to learn, develop, and reach |
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their full potential; and |
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WHEREAS, Fatherlessness and the lack of important role models |
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in the lives of children today are factors of the violence and |
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unrest we are witnessing in our state and across our nation; and |
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WHEREAS, Despite some successful legislation and the |
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creation of fatherhood initiatives, fatherless homes are still |
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prevalent; and |
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WHEREAS, Research shows children do best when raised by two |
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parents in a committed, long-term marriage; and |
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WHEREAS, According to the United States Census Bureau, |
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18,400,000 children in the United States live without a father in |
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the home, and 2.5 million children in Texas live in single-parent |
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homes; and |
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WHEREAS, Data supports the hypothesis that having strong male |
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role models in the home helps prevent suicide, behavioral |
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disorders, juvenile detention, substance abuse, aggression, |
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violence, and teen pregnancy; and |
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WHEREAS, Fathers play an important role in teaching important |
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life skills, providing guidance through challenges, and helping |
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children persevere through adversity; and |
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WHEREAS, By promoting fatherhood with amended policies that |
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remove disincentives to two-parent households, and by following |
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evidence-based practices, the number of fatherless homes will |
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decrease across all communities; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the 89th Legislature of the State of Texas |
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hereby |
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(1) affirms the importance of fatherhood in caring |
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for, nurturing, and supporting children throughout their lives; |
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(2) supports the efforts of public officials, |
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community leaders, faith leaders, and all citizens to promote and |
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encourage engaged fatherhood; |
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(3) recognizes the impact that fatherlessness has had |
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on American children in creating obstacles for children to learn, |
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grow, develop, and live fulfilling and rewarding lives; |
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(4) recognizes misaligned incentives in the structure |
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of state welfare programs and the barriers they create in allowing |
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fathers to return home to their spouse and children; |
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(5) supports programs and initiatives to provide |
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incarcerated individuals with the tools and skills to seek |
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meaningful employment opportunities upon serving their time in |
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detention; |
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(6) reaffirms support for efforts to encourage |
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educational opportunities and economic development in minority |
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communities, such as the First Step Act and Opportunity Zones; |
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(7) commits to researching and understanding the root |
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causes of fatherlessness and crafting public policy that supports |
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and encourages fully engaged fatherhood; |
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(8) supports addressing the difficulties of child |
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custody as it relates to alimony and child support; |
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(9) supports exploring programs that help promote male |
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role models in children's lives, including through foster parenting |
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and mentoring programs, and in so doing reduce overall government |
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dependency and social breakdown; and |
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(10) recognizes the threat of government growth to |
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prosperity, responsibility, and liberty, and thus embraces the |
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important role that the private sector, including faith-based |
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organizations, can often play in lieu of direct government |
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involvement. |