Although our country is enjoying great economic prosperity, problems like poverty, crime, and child abuse still exist. There are some in Washington who believe that government has all the solutions. Sadly, these efforts have done very little to solve these problems. Over $100 billion is spent each year to combat crime while little or nothing is spent on prevention. We need to shift the focus from treating the symptoms to really addressing the core problem of the breakdown of the American family.

Illegitimacy, divorce, and fatherless homes are factors that lead to drug abuse, school failure, and depression. Some of us in Congress have decided to take a new approach by focusing on a full family unit.

This year, I was able to secure $3 million to promote the National Fatherhood Initiative. The mission of this organization is to increase the number of children growing up with responsible, committed and loving fathers in their lives. This funding supports national awareness campaigns, research on fatherhood, and direct assistance to community-based fatherhood programs.

Children deserve to live in an environment of security with positive parental role models. Now is the time to reverse the trend of absentee fathers and encourage a stable home life. The National Fatherhood Initiative is a step in the right direction towards promoting responsibility, commitment, and dedication as we hold up the nuclear family as the model for a functional family structure.