[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.

[[Page S11560]]

  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.

[[Page S11561]]

       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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