[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 153 (Wednesday, November 3, 1999)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E2250-E2251]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




            INTRODUCTION OF THE EDUCATION FOR DEMOCRACY ACT

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. DALE E. KILDEE

                              of michigan

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, November 2, 1999

  Mr. KILDEE. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to introduce the Education for 
Democracy Act and have my Subcommittee Chairman, Representative Castle, 
join me in this effort today. The legislation we are introducing would 
continue two vitally important and highly regarded education programs: 
The We the People *  *  * program and the International Education 
Program. Both of these programs are up for reauthorization this year.
  For well over a decade the We the People * * * program has involved 
elementary, middle and secondary school students throughout America in 
an innovative approach to learning about the U.S. Constitution, Bill of 
Rights and the principles of democratic government. More than 26.5 
million students in some 24,000 elementary and secondary schools in 
every congressional district in the United States have participated in 
this important program. It has directly involved more than 82,000 
teachers, and as a result of this program, more than 80,000 sets of 
civics education textbooks have been distributed free to schools 
throughout our Nation.
  The We the People *  *  * program is widely acclaimed as a highly 
successful and effective education program. Washington Post columnist 
David Broder described its national finals as ``the place to have your 
faith in the younger generation restored.'' The International Education 
Program, while only five years old, has produced dramatic results in 
providing civic education assistance to emerging democracies in Eastern 
Europe and the former Soviet Union.
  Currently, educators in 15 U.S. states are linked with more than 17 
fragile democracies in programs on the principles of democracy and the 
responsibilities of living in a free society. This year alone the 
program has reached 225,000 students and more than 2,000 educators in 
the emerging democracies and more than 56,000 students and more than 
550 educators here in the United States. As a result, students in the 
new democracies and here at home learn the importance, difficulties, 
and rewards of building and sustaining a democratic government.
  Mr. Speaker, it is imperative that these programs be continued, and 
not be allowed to languish. Inclusion in a block grant such as the 
Dollars to the Classroom Act would be the death knell. While a few 
districts might spend some of their block grant funds on civic 
education, the plain fact is that we would lose a

[[Page E2251]]

national focus and international focus on civic education.
  Gone would be the national competition on knowledge and understanding 
of our Constitution and Bill of Rights; gone would be the free 
distribution of textbooks; and gone would be the regional teacher 
training institutes. Gone would be civic education assistance we 
provide to emerging democracies and gone would be the program where 
U.S. students learn firsthand about the difficulties of building and 
sustaining a democracy in the modern world.
  As the ranking minority member of the subcommittee that will have the 
responsibility of reauthorizing these programs, I can assure my 
colleagues that I will work hard to see that these programs remain 
where and how they are. They are not large programs, but they are 
highly effective ones. They are worth the small amount we spend. They 
are a critically important investment in the future strength and 
welfare of democracy both here at home and in the emerging democracies 
abroad. They are worthy of our support.

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