[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 139 (Friday, September 8, 1995)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1742]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


                THE PBS SERIES ``THE AMERICAN PROMISE''

                                 ______


                          HON. CARDISS COLLINS

                              of illinois

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, September 7, 1995
  Mrs. COLLINS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, as has been said many times 
before, ours is the only Nation founded on an idea--the idea of 
democracy. No idea is more American. Yet the idea of democracy is 
neither simply defined, nor easily described. American democracy 
expresses itself in endless variations.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise today to remind my colleagues of the grassroots 
of democracy, taking place everyday in communities across the United 
States, which is literally vital to the life of our Nation, yet too 
often ignored in the chambers of this Capitol. With this in mind, I 
recommend to you the American Promise, an important new PBS television 
series celebrating community-based democracy. The American Promise 
makes its national broadcast premier on October 1, 2, and 3.
  Here, in Washington, we conduct democracy's most visible work. It is 
the democracy studied in civics and political science classrooms and 
reported by our newspapers, magazines, and television programs.
  We arrive here after elections, propose and study legislation, 
debate, and then vote on competing bills and amendments. It is a fact 
that each stage of the process has winners and losers. By necessity we 
live and work in a world of partisanship and competition. Before any 
bill becomes the law of the land, it must be debated, tested, and its 
consequence thoroughly understood by the people and by us, the peoples 
representatives.
  Not surprisingly, this world in which we are immersed leaves many 
citizens frustrated and cynical. Too often, this version of democracy 
seems to be nothing but a political contest. Who is up? Who is down? 
How do yesterday's events affect the power to get things done tomorrow? 
Our standing is gauged by an extraordinary sensitive barometer, 
instantaneously reflecting each small political success and failure.
  Yet this work--our work here in Washington--is but one form of 
American democracy. It is a serious mistake to think otherwise. In 
community after community throughout America, in large ways and small, 
citizens decide every day to become part of the democratic process. 
They do this by joining an organization; bringing other together to 
improve or expand existing services; inventing a better mousetrap; 
asking why a flawed practice can't be changed; engaging in a civil and 
respectful debate; considering another viewpoint; or shouldering the 
responsibility to make hard decisions.
  When this happens, there are no losers. Everybody in the community 
wins. When a community development bank is opened when none existed 
before, or when individuals cooperate so that dry lands may be 
irrigated, no one need ask who is up, or who is down. Score keeping 
quickly becomes irrelevant. Through action and energy, participation 
and deliberation, taking responsibility and seeking common ground, 
American democracy comes to life and everybody in the community wins.
  Mr. Speaker, In my view there is no better antidote to doubts about 
our Nation's future. We need only shift our gaze away from the latest 
reiteration of partisan one-upmanship, to the grassroots democracy 
taking place in our communities.
  The American Promise, the new PBS series, does exactly that: it 
reminds us all of the community-based democracy that is found beyond 
this Capitol, and in so doing, it helps restore our faith in the idea 
of democracy, the idea of America, and the limitless possibilities for 
our Nation's future.
  The American Promise is a 3-hour television program on civic 
participation and grassroots democracy. In some 50 different story 
segments taken from every region of the United States, lessons are 
offered on the skills and values needed to bring our democracy to life. 
These vignettes are collected around distinct themes to illustrate core 
American values such as freedom, responsibility, opportunity, 
participation, and deliberation.
  One of the story segments features an outstanding example of 
community-based democracy in Chicago in the Seventh Congressional 
District which I represent. The Full Circle Fund, designed and funded 
by the Chicago Women's Self-Employment Project, provides vital capital 
along with business advice to micro-enterprises. In the last 3 years, 
the Women's Self-Employment Project has lent $60,000 to 60 low-income 
women without a single default and a late payment rate of only three 
percent.
  The Full Circle Fund lends to circles, of teams, all women in the 
circle are responsible for the loan. The circle qualifies for the loan, 
one or two women in the circle get the money first, then when they have 
begun paying it back, other circle members are eligible for funds. 
Circle members meet to collect loan payments, discuss their businesses, 
and provide each other with support and advice. Together, these women 
work together to create opportunity, social capital and the backbone of 
community democracy.
  One of the lending circle meetings at BJ's Professional Beauty Supply 
will be a part of the American Promise's first hour and it offers all 
of us much to consider and remember about our communities.
  After the October PBS broadcast premier The American Promise will 
then be put to use in high school and junior high school classrooms 
throughout the United States, as an instructional tools on civics and 
community-based democracy.
  The National Council for the Social Studies has endorsed the program. 
And Farmers Insurance Group, the program's corporate sponsor, has 
pledged to make the video, teaching guides, and classroom materials 
available to all interested schools and teachers at no cost.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues and viewers across the Nation to 
tune-in to this important program. And I would like to thank the 
Farmers Insurance Group, and its chairman, Leo E. Denlea, Jr., for 
bringing The American Promise to us. The program reminds us all of what 
right about America, and what we have to do to make good on America's 
bright future.


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