Senate Resolution 22

PAG LIN

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