House Resolution 46 PAG LIN 1 1 HOUSE RESOLUTION NO. 1 2 BY HEDDENS, WATTS, GRANZOW, HUTTER, SWAIM, 1 3 GREIMANN, WISE, BOGGESS, TJEPKES, SMITH, 1 4 THOMAS, GASKILL, DE BOEF, WHITAKER, REASONER, 1 5 CONNORS, WENDT, ROBERTS, KURTENBACH, and STRUYK 1 6 A Resolution relating to support of Best Buddies Iowa 1 7 and urging continued federal funding of the program. 1 8 WHEREAS, there are more than 7.5 million people 1 9 with intellectual disabilities in the United States 1 10 and as many as 250 million worldwide; and 1 11 WHEREAS, individuals with intellectual disabilities 1 12 often experience isolation and exclusion from 1 13 community activities because of limited opportunities 1 14 to associate with persons other than their immediate 1 15 family and paid workers; and 1 16 WHEREAS, Best Buddies is a nonprofit organization 1 17 dedicated to enhancing the lives of people with 1 18 intellectual disabilities by providing opportunities 1 19 for one=to=one friendships and integrated employment; 1 20 and 1 21 WHEREAS, Best Buddies has grown from one chapter on 1 22 one college campus to a vibrant, international 1 23 organization involving participants annually on more 1 24 than 750 middle school, high school, and college 1 25 campuses in the United States, Canada, Cuba, Egypt, 1 26 Greece, Ireland, and Sweden; and 1 27 WHEREAS, Best Buddies has touched the lives of over 1 28 175,000 individuals in its 13=year existence; and 1 29 WHEREAS, Best Buddies Iowa currently serves nine 1 30 college chapters and nine high school chapters within 2 1 our state and has a long=term goal of involving all 2 2 schools within Iowa in its mission to bring 2 3 friendships to individuals with intellectual 2 4 disabilities; NOW THEREFORE, 2 5 BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, 2 6 That the Iowa House of Representatives appreciates the 2 7 work that Best Buddies Iowa performs and urges the 2 8 federal government to continue to fund this program; 2 9 and 2 10 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the Iowa House of 2 11 Representatives encourages state agencies, county 2 12 central points of coordination, education providers, 2 13 and area education agencies to work with Best Buddies 2 14 Iowa to find additional funding for a middle school 2 15 program and to further expand its current programs 2 16 into additional communities; and 2 17 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That copies of this 2 18 Resolution be sent by the Chief Clerk of the House of 2 19 Representatives to the President of the United States, 2 20 the President of the Senate of the United States, the 2 21 Speaker of the United States House of Representatives; 2 22 the majority and minority leaders of the United States 2 23 Senate, the majority and minority leaders of the 2 24 United States House of Representatives, and each 2 25 member of Iowa's congressional delegation. 2 26 LSB 2674HH 80 2 27 dea/cf/24.1