[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 89 (Friday, May 26, 1995)]
[Senate]
[Pages S7598-S7599]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                               EDUCATION

  Mr. BIDEN. Mr. President, in over 20 years in the Senate I do not 
think I have done this twice, but I will say, to be safe, I do not 
think I have done it a half dozen times. I would like to read into the 
Record a letter that I received yesterday from a woman who is 
graduating from high school in my State, a woman I have never met. Her 
name is Mrs. Judi Robinson. She lives in old New Castle, DE, which is a 
community over 350 years old, a beautiful place, in a place called Penn 
Acres. I would like to read it, if I may.

       Dear Senator Biden, I am a 48-year-old night student at 
     William Penn High School in New Castle. I'm one of many 
     students who recently wrote to you concerning adult 
     education. Thank you for your letter. It helped me a little 
     more to understand what it concerns.
       I have been in the program since September 1994 and 
     received my G.E.D. that June. Now I'm at Penn doing very well 
     and will [[Page S7599]] graduate this June. It took me 31 
     years to get to this point in my life, so I thank God that 
     there was a program available to me. Although my 
     circumstances are different than some of my classmates, we're 
     all there for the same reasons, to get our G.E.D. or better 
     yet our diploma. Senator as far as I'm concerned, I wanted 
     this very badly, but I have been married 27 years, have two 
     children one of which also graduates this year from Penn. I 
     never had to work so my education wasn't the top on my list. 
     Because my husband worked and took care of us and the house. 
     But most of the kids in the program need this educational 
     program to continue to grow into productive adults. Our 
     counselors and teachers are the best, they work very hard to 
     keep things going well at school. These programs need to keep 
     going and I know that you will do your best to keep it going.
       Now to get to the second reason I'm writing to you. I would 
     like to take this opportunity to invite you to my graduation 
     on June 14 at 7:30 p.m. It will take place at Newark High 
     School. Myself and I know all the other students and staff 
     would be honored to have you there. I know you are a very, 
     very busy man but if you could find it in your heart and 
     schedule to make it, I would be happy to have you there.
           Sincerely,
                                               Mrs. Judi Robinson.

  Mr. President, the reason I read that into the Record is I do not 
think we should lose sight of the fact that there are thousands and 
thousands and thousands of women and men like Judi Robinson who are 
going back to try to get the basic education that for whatever reasons 
they did not get when they were children. I think our reluctance to put 
as much emphasis on the educational needs in this country and the 
Federal responsibility to participate in that is a serious mistake. I 
am sure all of my colleagues, and I know the Senator in the chair, the 
Senator from Colorado, like everyone else in here, shares a sense of 
pride when there is someone in their State like Judi Robinson who goes 
through that effort.
  I remember discussing with my friend from Colorado how his mother 
went back and her significant educational accomplishments and what she 
has done. I just thought it worthwhile to let people know that there 
are a lot of people like Judi Robinson still fighting hard, who still 
have faith in this operation, still have faith in the system, and still 
think they can better themselves through education.
  I thank the Chair for this time and I yield the floor.
  I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
  The assistant legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. SPECTER. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order 
for the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  Mr. SPECTER. I ask unanimous consent that I may be permitted to speak 
for up to 5 minutes as if in morning business.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Coverdell). Without objection, it is so 
ordered.
  Mr. SPECTER. I thank the Chair.

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