Mr. ENZI. Mr. President, I am very pleased to have this opportunity to acknowledge one of our great success stories--the Congressional Awards--on the occasion of their 30th anniversary. This is a great milestone in the history of a program that has served to inspire and encourage countless young people across the country since it was first signed into law in 1979.
Thirty years ago, Senator Malcolm Wallop of Wyoming and Congressman James Howard of New Jersey joined forces to establish and promote the Congressional Awards and provide this great opportunity to young people all across the Nation. Today this program is achieving results throughout the United States far beyond what anyone could have ever expected. One by one, students are rolling up their sleeves and getting to work, establishing personal goals as well as goals for community service. Their dedication has made it possible for them to make a great difference in the world right where it should always start--in their own backyard.
The Congressional Awards program has deep Wyoming roots because Malcolm Wallop helped to provide the leadership that led to its creation. It has deep roots in Wyoming because it has inspired our young people to a truly remarkable degree. The popularity of this program extends from one corner of my home State to the other and it continues to spark the imagination and encourage the enthusiastic participation of another group of participants every year.
Because of the great work this program makes possible, I try to attend as many award ceremonies as I possibly can. I enjoy having the opportunity to recognize the achievements of those who have earned these awards almost as much as the award winners enjoy receiving the recognition of the Congress for their efforts. Every time I take part in one of these special ceremonies, I can see the excitement and sense of satisfaction that the award represents to each recipient because they have earned it by accomplishing what they set out to do.
The Congressional Awards are open and available to young people from about age 14 to 23. They honor those who have done something to improve themselves by expanding their horizons as to what they believe is possible for them to achieve. Working with adult mentors, they dedicate themselves to achieving a set of goals in four areas--public service, personal development, physical fitness, and the exploration of the world around them. Because of their enthusiasm, it is no surprise that they have been able to achieve such great results in their lives.
There are three levels of awards offered by the program--Bronze, Silver and Gold. The Gold Award is the most difficult of the three to earn because it requires the most in terms of both time and effort.
Over the years, the number of Wyoming Congressional Award winners at each level has been impressive. However, because of the good example Malcolm Wallop worked so hard to provide, we have had a remarkable number of Gold Medal award winners in my State. That is a remarkable achievement for a State with a comparatively small population. It underscores the determination of Wyoming's young people to always finish what they set out to do.
That is why our award winners have been getting noticed and the word has been getting around about how much it means to each award winner to have earned such a special prize. That has inspired others to try to do the same and it has kept the line of program participants going strong.
Malcolm Wallop understood the importance of that message and the need for our young people to hear it--and hear it clearly. Thanks to him and his efforts, kids in Wyoming and throughout the nation understand that there is something better for them to do than to complain about what's wrong with the world. They now know that if there is a problem in the community or down the street you can do something about it. It's more than positive thinking; it's a call to action. It's a lesson learned that will then encourage our young people to apply the same determination that helped them to earn their Congressional Award to the other goals they have set for themselves so they can achieve the same kind of success in every area of their lives.
Although Malcolm accomplished a great deal during his three terms of service in the United States Senate, I have always believed the Congressional Awards had to be one of his favorite achievements, something special that will continue to last as part of his Senate legacy that will serve to inspire present and future generations to continue to work to make great changes in the world around them.
That will mean, in the years to come, when we look to the young people of Wyoming, the West and the United States to take their place as our leaders on the local, State and national level, thanks in part to the experience of the Congressional Awards program, they will be ready.