[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 21 (Wednesday, February 14, 2001)]
[House]
[Pages H328-H329]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   INTRODUCTION OF CHARACTER LEARNING AND STUDENT SUCCESS (CLASS) ACT

  (Mr. SMITH of Texas asked and was given permission to address the 
House for 1 minute.)
  Mr. SMITH of Texas. Madam Speaker, Americans are concerned about the 
decline in our Nation's values, particularly among our children. 
Parents should be the primary developers of character, but educators 
play an increasingly important role. Many school districts have 
included character education in their curriculum. Others have not but 
would like to do so. Schools

[[Page H329]]

need an organization that exists to help them identify their particular 
needs and implement effective character education programs.
  The gentleman from Tennessee (Mr. Clement) and I are introducing the 
Character Learning and Student Success Act. This legislation provides a 
grant to develop initiatives and disseminate up-to-date resource 
information about character education. It also funds a study that will 
examine whether or not character education programs are effective and 
sustainable.
  Madam Speaker, character education not only cultivates minds, it 
nurtures hearts. I ask my colleagues to please join us in cosponsoring 
this bill.

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