[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 127 (Tuesday, September 16, 2003)]
[Senate]
[Pages S11559-S11561]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
THE FIRST ANNUAL CONGRESSIONAL CONFERENCE ON CIVIC EDUCATION
Mr. DASCHLE. Mr. President, ``A government of the people, by the
people and for the people.'' In his immortal description of American
democracy, President Lincoln made self-government sound almost easy.
The truth is, democracy is challenging, continuous work. No war, no
sacrifice made by one generation--no matter how enormous--can sustain
our democracy forever. Ultimately, each generation of Americans must do
the work of democracy itself or our democracy atrophies.
``Civic education'' is the term we use to describe the process by
which we transmit the knowledge, skills and attitudes that people need
in order to be responsible citizens. It is at least as important to the
future of our democracy as our economic might or our military power.
For that reason, I am very pleased to announce today that the Joint
Leadership of the Congress of the United States will host a 3-day
Congressional Conference on Civic Education later this month--September
20, 21, and 22.
This Congressional Conference on Civic Education will bring together
educators and other experts from every State to focus national
attention on the state of civic education in America. I am honored to
serve as an honorary host for the conference, along with the majority
leader, Senator Frist, and our counterparts in the House, Speaker
Hastert and Democratic Leader Pelosi.
It is our hope and our expectation that the conference will help
launch a nationwide movement, and produce strategic plans to strengthen
civic education and civic participation at every level of government--
local, State, and national. It is the first of five annual civic
education conferences planned by the Joint Leadership.
The goals of this first conference include: increasing public
understanding of America's representative democracies and the need for
Americans to play a responsible role in their Government; underscoring
for policymakers that America's schools play a critical role in
preparing students for effective citizenship, and expanding the
opportunities for policymakers to participate in carrying out this
civic mission; and encouraging the formation of State delegation
working groups that will take the lead in improving civic education in
their respective States.
The Congressional Conference on Civic Education is a fitting and
appropriate way for Congress to join the Nation in commemorating
Citizenship Week.
The conference is a project of the Alliance for Representative
Democracy, a national project designed to reinvigorate and educate
Americans on the critical relationship between Government and the
people it serves. The Alliance's members are the National Conference of
State Legislatures, the Center on Congress at Indiana University, and
the Center for Civic Education. The Alliance for Representative
Democracy project is funded by the U.S. Department of Education by act
of Congress.
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There is no more important or urgent task facing our Nation than
making sure that this and future generations of Americans have the
skills, knowledge and attitudes required to maintain this Government
``of the people, by the people and for the people.''
Every State delegation attending this first annual Congressional
Conference on Civic Education will identify its own specific goals for
improving civic engagement in our society and citizenship education in
our schools.
I am sure my colleagues join me in applauding the dedicated educators
and others who will be traveling to Washington from all over the
country for this important conference. We thank them for their time and
their commitment to this worthy endeavor. We look forward to hearing
their ideas--and hearing about their progress at the second annual
Congressional Conference on Civic Education in September 2004.
Among those who are volunteering their time and energy to make this
conference possible, and who deserve special thanks are the following,
whose names I ask unanimous consent to have printed in the Record.
There being no objection, the material was ordered to be printed in
the Record, as follows:
first congressional conference on civic education: confirmed delegation
list
Alabama: Ms. Janice A. Cowin, State Facilitator;
Representative Sue Schmitz, Alabama House; Dr. Ethel Hall,
Alabama State Board of Education; Mr. Tom Walker, Executive
Director, The American Village Citizenship Trust.
Alaska: Ms. Mary Bristol, State Facilitator; Senator Bettye
Davis, Alaska State Senate; Representative John Coghill,
House Majority Leader, Alaska House of Representatives; Ms.
Esther Cox, First Vice Chair, Alaska Board of Education; Mr.
Macon Roberts, Treasurer Anchorage School Board.
Arizona: Ms. Lynda Rasndo, State Facilitator; Senator Tim
Bee, Arizona Senate; Representative Linda Gray, Arizona House
of Representatives; Ms. Kathy Kay, Arizona Department of
Education; Mr. David Garcia, Arizona Center for Public
Policy.
Arkansas: Ms. Barbara Patty, State Facilitator; Dr. Daryl
Rice, Associate Dean, University of Arkansas; Mr. Frank
Smith, Social Studies Supervisor, Pulaski County Schools; Ms.
Suzanne McPherson, Fort Smith Schools.
California: Mr. Roy Erickson, State Facilitator; Honorable
Frank Damrell, Judge, US District Court, Northern District of
California; Senator Jack Scott, California Senate; Ms. Kerry
Mazzoni Secretary of Education, Office of Governor; Mr. David
Gordon, Superintendent, Elk Grove Unified School District;
Ms. Michelle Herczog, Social Studies Coordinator Los Angeles
County Schools.
Colorado: Ms. Barbara Miller, State Facilitator; Senator
Peter Groff, Colorado State Senate; Representative Shawn
Mitchell, Colorado House of Representatives; Mrs. Maria
Garcia-Berry, President, CRL Associates; Dr. Jane W. Urschel,
Associate Executive Director, Colorado Association of School
Boards.
Connecticut: Mr. James Schmidt, State Facilitator;
Representative Demetrios Giannaros, Connecticut House of
Representatives; Ms. Mary Skelly, Social Studies
Coordinator, Middletown, CT; Ms. Martha Press, Social
Studies Supervisor, Stratford CT Schools; Mr. Randall
Collins, Superintendent, Waterford Schools, Pres. Elect
ECS.
Delaware: Mr. Lewis Huffman, State Facilitator; Hon. M.
Jane Brady, Attorney General of Delaware; Ms. Valerie
Woodruff, Secretary of Education, Delaware Department of
Education.
District of Columbia: Ms. Deborah Foster, State
Facilitator; Ms. Vanessa (Connie) Spinner, Acting State
Education Officer; Dr. Roceal Duke, Social Studies Content
Specialist, DC Public Schools.
Florida: Ms. Annette Boyd Pitts, State Facilitator;
Representative Curtis Richardson, Florida House of
Representatives; Representative Renee Garcia, Florida House
of Representatives; Mr. Jack Bovee, Florida Department of
Education; Dr. Robert Guiterrez, Professor of Education,
Florida State University; Mr. John Doyle, Miami--Dade County
Public Schools.
Georgia: Dr. Eddie Bennett, State Facilitator; Senator Joey
Brush, Georgia Senate; Representative Bob Holmes, Georgia
House of Representatives; Ms. Janet Wiley, President, Georgia
Association of Curriculum and Instructional Supervisor; Ms.
Robynn Holland, Social Studies Coordinator, State Department
of Education; Ms. Stephanie Caywood, Office of the Secretary
of State.
Hawaii: Dr. Lyla Berg, State Facilitator; Senator Ron
Menor, Hawaii Senate; Representative Roy Takumi, Hawaii House
of Representatives; Mr. Sherwood Hara, State Board of
Education; Mr. Roger Takabayashi, President Hawaii State
Teachers's Association.
Idaho: Dr. Dan Prinzing, State Facilitator; Dr. Marilyn
Howard, Superintendent of Public Instruction; Senator Denton
Darrington, Idaho Senate; Mr. Tim Hurst, Chief Deputy,
Secretary of State; Mr. Doug Oppenheimer, Oppenheimer
Development Company.
Illinois: Dr. Frederick D. Drake, State Facilitator;
Senator Steven Rauschenberg, Illinois Senate, Vice
President, NCSL; Representative Suzanne Bassi, Illinois
House of Representatives; Dr. Darlene Ruscitti, Regional
Superintendent, DuPage County Schools; Ms. Maggie Oleson,
Legislative Consultant, State Farm Insurance Co.; Dr. John
Craig, Social Science Assessment, Illinois Board of
Education; Mr. Jon Schmidt, Service Learning Manager,
Chicago Public Schools.
Indiana: Dr. John J. Patrick, State Facilitator; Mr. Peter
Bomberger, Attorney at Law, Chair Citizenship Education
Committee, IN Bar; Mr. Lynn R. Nelson, Ackerman Center for
Democratic Citizenship, Purdue University; Dr. Sharon Brehm,
Chancellor, Indiana University.
Iowa: Mr. Jason Follett, State Facilitator; Honorable Chet
Culver, Secretary of State of Iowa; Senator Nancy Boettger,
Iowa State Senate; Dr. Jeffrey Cornett, Dean College of
Education, University of Northern Iowa.
Kansas: Mr. Dave Dubois, State Facilitator; Senator Dwayne
Umbarger, Kansas State Senate; Dr. Alexa Pochowski, Assistant
Commissioner of Education.
Kentucky: Ms. Deborah Williamson, State Facilitator;
Senator Jack Westwood, Kentucky Senate; Representative Tanya
Pullin, Kentucky House of Representatives; Ms. Cicely Jaracz
Lambert, Director, Kentucky Administrative Office of the
Courts; Ms. Natalie Stiglitz, Social Studies Consultant,
Kentucky Department of Education.
Louisiana: Ms. Maria Yiannopoulos, State Facilitator; Mr.
William Miller, Special Assistant to the Superintendent of
Education; Mr. R. Edward Hunt, Louisiana Center for Law and
Civic Education; Ms. C. Kevin Hayes, Attorney At Law, Roedel,
Parsons, Koch, Frost, Balhoff & McCollister; Mr. Jimmy
Fahrenholtz, Member Orleans Parish School Board & Attorney At
Law.
Maine: Ms. Julia Underwood, State Facilitator; Mr. Patrick
Phillips, Maine Department of Education; Ms. Crystal Ward,
Maine Education Association; Mr. Richard Lyons,
Superintendent Hampden Academy, Past Pres. ME
Superintendent's Assn.
Maryland: Ms. Marcie Taylor-Thoma, State Facilitator; Ms.
Sharon Cox, Vice President, Montgomery County Board of
Education; Delegate John Hurson, Maryland House of
Delegates, President--Elect, NCSL; Delegate David D.
Rudolph, Maryland House of Delegates.
Massachusetts: Ms. Diane Palmer, State Facilitator; Senator
Richard T. Moore, Massachusetts State Senator; Representative
Dan Bosley, Massachusetts House of Representatives; Dr.
Sheldon Berman, Superintendent, Hudson Public Schools; Ms.
Susan Wheltle, Massachusetts Department of Education.
Michigan: Ms. Linda Start, State Facilitator; Senator Ron
Jelenik, Michigan State Senate; Representative Hoon-Yung
Hopgood, Michigan House of Representatives; Ms. Kathleen
Strauss, President State Board of Education; Mr. John Lore,
Executive Director, Connect Michigan Alliance; Mr. Eric
Rader, Policy Division, Office of the Governor; Ms. Leslie
Salba, DC Office of the Governor.
Minnesota: Mr. Rick Theisen, State Facilitator; Senator
Steve Kelley, Majority Whip, Minnesota State Senate; Mr.
Charlie Skemp, Social Studies Specialist, Minnesota
Department of Education; Ms. Mary Ann Van Hooten, State
Department of Education; Ms. Lisa Wilde, Minnesota Bar
Association, National Mock Trial.
Mississippi: Dr. Susie Burroughs, State Facilitator;
Senator Alice Harden, Mississippi State Senate;
Representative Mike Lott, Mississippi House of
Representatives; Dee Chambliss, Assistant Secretary of State
for Education and Publications; Ms. Judith Couey, Bureau
Director, Mississippi Department of Education.
Missouri: Ms. Millie Aulbur, State Facilitator; Dr. Kent
King, Commissioner, Department of Elementary and Secondary
Education; Representative Sharon Sanders Brooks, Missouri
House of Representatives; Representative Walter Bivins,
Missouri House of Representatives; Mr. Stan Johnson,
Superintendent, School of the Osage.
Montana: Dr. Bruce Wendt, State Facilitator; Senator Sam
Kitzenberg, Montana Senate; Representative Gary Branae,
Montana House of Representatives; Ms. Stephanie Wasta,
School of Education, University of Montana.
Nebraska: Mr. Mitch McCartney, State Facilitator; Honorable
John Gale, Secretary of State, State of Nebraska; Senator
DiAnna Schimek, Nebraska Unicameral; Mr. Joe Higgins, Member,
State Board of Education; Ms. Lauren Hill, Education
Assistant to the Governor.
Nevada: Ms. Judith Simpson, State Facilitator;
Representative William Horne, Nevada House of
Representatives; Mr. Larry Struve, Chairman, NV Advisory
Committee on Participatory Democracy; Dr. Keith Rheault,
Deputy Superintendent, NV Dept. of Education.
New Hampshire: Mr. Mica B. Stark, New Hampshire Institute
of Politics, State Facilitator; Mr. Andrei Campeanu,
President, ATE Media Services.
New Jersey: Ms. Arlene Gardner, State Facilitator;
Assemblyman Craig Stanley, New Jersey House; Ms. Lucille
Davey, Education Assistant to the Governor; Mr. John
Dougherty, State Department of Education.
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New Mexico: Ms. Dora Marroquin, State Facilitator;
Representative Rick Miera, New Mexico House of
Representatives; Ms. Virginia Trujillo, State of New Mexico
Office of the Governor; Dr. Joseph Stewart, Professor,
University of New Mexico.
New York: Professor Stephen Schechter, State Facilitator;
Ms. Rita Lashway, Deputy Executive Director, New York State
School Boards Association; Mr. A. Thomas Levin, President,
New York State Bar Association; Ms. Gail Kelly, President,
New York Council of Educational Associations.
North Carolina: Ms. Debra Henzey, State Facilitator;
Senator Joe Sam Queen, North Carolina Senate;
Representative Linda Johnston, North Carolina House of
Representatives; Ms. Maria Theresa Unger Palmer, Member
North Carolina Board of Education; Ms. Susan Giamportone,
North Carolina Bar Association; Ms. Tracey Greggs,
Department of Public Instruction Social Studies Section;
Ms. Carol Vogler, Career Center High School, Past Pres.
Carolina Council for the Social Studies.
North Dakota: Mr. Phil Harmeson, Co-State Facilitator;
Senator Ray Holmberg, Co-State Facilitator; Representative
Dennis Johnson, North Dakota House of Representatives;
Honorable Wayne Stenehjem, Attorney General, State of North
Dakota; Honorable Mary Maring, Justice North Dakota Supreme
Court.
Ohio: Mr. Jared Reitz, State Facilitator; Representative
Dixie Allen, Ohio House of Representatives; Dr. Donald
Stenta, Associate Director, the John Glenn Institute; Mrs.
Patricia Allen Day, Roosevelt Center, Dayton Public Schools;
Ms. Linda Petz, Stark Educational Service Center; Mr. Frank
Underwood, Assistant Director, Ohio Community Service
Council.
Oklahoma: Mr. Michael Reggio, State Facilitator;
Representative Bill Nations, Oklahoma House; Ms. Lisa Pryor,
Learn & Serve Coordinator State Dept. of Education; Ms. Gina
Wekke, Sr. Coordinator, Oklahoma Regents for Higher
Education; Ms. Denise Rhodes, Oklahoma Council for the Social
Studies; Ms. Lyndal Caddell, Noble Middle School.
Oregon: Ms. Barbara Rost, State Facilitator; Senator Ryan
Deckert, Oregon State Senate; Representative Pat Farr, Oregon
House of Representatives; Mr. James Sager, Educational Policy
Advisor, Office of the Governor; Mr. Pat Burk, Associate
Superintendent Federal Programs, Department of Education.
Pennsylvania: Ms. Frances J. Warren, State Facilitator;
Representative Jess Stairs, Pennsylvania House of
Representatives; Mr. Albert Cunningham, Superintendent,
Montoursville Area School District; Mr. James Wetzler, Social
Studies Coordinator, Pennsylvania Department of Education.
Rhode Island: Mr. Michael Trofi, State Facilitator;
Honorable Matt Brown, Secretary of State of Rhode Island;
Senator Hanna Gallo, Rhode Island State Senate;
Representative Susan Story, Rhode Island House of
Representatives; Ms. Maria Escudero, Office of the
Secretary of State; Mr. James Parisi, Field
Representative, RI Federation of Teachers & Health
Professionals.
South Carolina: Mr. Paul Horne, State Facilitator, Invited;
Senator Warren Giese, South Carolina State Senate;
Representative Robert Walker, South Carolina House; Dr.
Harriett L. Rucker, State School Board; Mr. James Bryan,
Education Associate, Department of Education.
South Dakota: Dr. Jack Lyons, State Facilitator; Senator
Drue Vitter Lange, South Dakota House of Representatives; Ms.
Glenna Fouberg, President South Dakota School Board.
Tennessee: Ms. Janis Kyser, State Facilitator; Senator
Randy McNally, Tennessee State Senate; Representative Beth
Harwell, Tennessee House of Representatives; Representative
Joe Towns, Jr., Tennessee House of Representatives; Mr.
Richard Ray, Chairman State School Board; Mr. Bruce Opie,
Legislative Liaison, Department of Education; Dr. Ashley
Smith Jr., President Tennessee Middle School Association.
Texas: Mrs. Jan Miller, State Facilitator; Judge Royal
Furgeson, U.S. District Court Judge, Western District of
Texas; Mr. George Rislov, Director of Social Studies, Texas
Education Agency; Mr. Hugh Akin, Executive Director, Hatton
W. Sumner Foundation; Ms. Carlen Floyd, State Board for
Teacher Certification; Ms. Patricia Ann Hardy, Member State
Board of Education.
Utah: Ms. Kathy Dryer, State Facilitator; Chief Justice
Christine M. Durham, Utah Supreme Court; Senator Howard A.
Stephenson, Utah State Senate; Representative LaVar
Christensen, Utah House of Representatives; Ms. Janet Canon,
Vice President, State Board of Education.
Vermont: Vee Gordon State Facilitator, Senator Matt Dunne,
Vermont State Senate; Representative Malcolm Severance,
Vermont House; Mr. Patrick Burke, Principal South
Burlington High School.
Virginia: Mr. Andrew Washburn, State Facilitator, Delegate
James Dillard, Virginia House of Delegates; Ms. Susan
Genovese, Vice President, Virginia Board of Education; Dr.
Patricia Wright, Assistant State Superintendent of Education.
Washington: Mrs. Kathy Hand, State Facilitator, Dr. Terry
Bergeson, State Superintendent of Public Instruction; Senator
Steve Johnson, Washington State Senate; Representative Dave
Quall, Washington House of Representatives, Representative
David Upthegrove, Washington House of Representatives; Mr.
Steve Mullin, Vice President, Washington State Roundtable.
West Virginia: Mrs. Priscilla Haden, State Facilitator,
Member, State Board of Education; Delegate Ray Canterbury,
West Virginia House of Delegates; Dr. David Stewart, State
Superintendent, West Virginia Department of Education; Mr.
William Raglin, President, West Virginia School Boards
Association; Ms. Sharon Flack, Social Studies Supervisor,
State Department of Education.
Wisconsin: Ms. Dee Runaas, State Facilitator; Honorable
Elizabeth A. Burmaster, Superintendent of Public Instruction;
Senator Robert Jauch, Wisconsin State Senate; Representative
Luther S. Olsen, Wisconsin House of Representatives; Mr.
Richard Grobschmidt, Assistant State Superintendent of
Education; Ms. Kori Oberle, Wisconsin Educational
Communications Board.
Wyoming: Mr. Matt Strannigan, State Facilitator; Senator
Mike Massie, Wyoming State Senate; Representative Rosie
Berger, Wyoming House of Representatives; Ms. Sheri Tavegie,
State Department of Education.
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