[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 123 (Tuesday, September 16, 1997)]
[House]
[Page H7286]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




       PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY, A CONCEPT AMERICANS CAN AGREE ON

  (Mr. HUTCHINSON asked and was given permission to address the House 
for 1 minute.)
  Mr. HUTCHINSON. Mr. Speaker, recently in my Sunday newspaper, I saw a 
fascinating article in the USA Weekend section that was entitled ``What 
Americans Agree On.'' USA Weekend took a poll over the July 4th holiday 
and found out that 95 percent of Americans agree that freedom must be 
tempered with personal responsibility. Ninety-five percent, Mr. 
Speaker.
  Now leaving aside the poll numbers, it is common sense that personal 
responsibility is vital to the American conception of freedom. But what 
if children come from homes in which blaming others for our 
shortcomings is a way of life? How will such children learn the basic 
American value of freedom in the context of personal responsibility?
  The answer is education. The problem is that too many schools are 
failing to teach what nearly all Americans agree on that is fundamental 
to our freedom. Personal responsibility, a concept shared by all 
Americans, is where education reformers should talk more about when 
thinking about educating our Nation's children.

                          ____________________