Capitol Words a project of the Sunlight Foundation

Sen. Carol Moseley-Braun

Mr. President, it is my honor today to recognize and celebrate the 86th anniversary of the birth of the Girl Scouts of the United States of America (Girl Scouts of the USA).

Eighty six years ago, Juliette Gordon Low founded Girl Scouts of the USA with 18 members in her Savannah, Georgia living room. Today, there are over 2.6 million girl members, and a loyal corps of over 800,000 adult volunteers. This is Girl Scouting's third highest membership in 20 years. In my home state of Illinois, there are almost 200,000 Girl Scouts and volunteers. These numbers serve as strong evidence that the principles of honesty, service, community and self development upon which Ms. Low founded Girl Scouts of the USA 86 years ago are still relevant and meaningful to girls of all ages across our nation.

Girl Scouts still sell cookies, earn merit badges and go camping, but they also participate in sports, learn science and computer technology, and engage in activities that promote lasting friendships, diversity, cultural appreciation, personal improvement, and career development. Additionally, Girl Scouts participate in many meaningful community service projects that teach participants about the society in which they live, and address challenging issues such as illiteracy and school violence.

Most important, over the last 86 years, Girl Scouts of the USA has provided girls with the skills, understanding, and confidence to become successful women and citizens of our nation and the world. It is my distinct pleasure to acknowledge the incredible success that Girl Scouts of the USA has enjoyed over the last 86 years, and to wish them the best of luck as they prepare for the future.