[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 60 (Tuesday, May 4, 2004)]
[House]
[Pages H2509-H2511]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
RECOGNIZING BENEFITS AND IMPORTANCE OF SCHOOL-BASED MUSIC EDUCATION
Mr. PORTER. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the
concurrent resolution (H. Con. Res. 380) recognizing the benefits and
importance of school-based music education, as amended.
The Clerk read as follows:
Whereas school music programs enhance intellectual
development and enrich the academic environment for students
of all ages;
Whereas students who participate in school music programs
are less likely to be involved with drugs, gangs, or alcohol
and have better attendance in school;
Whereas the skills gained through sequential music
instruction, including discipline and the ability to analyze,
solve problems, communicate, and work cooperatively, are
vital for success in the 21st century workplace;
Whereas the majority of students attending public schools
in inner city neighborhoods have virtually no access to music
education, which places them at a disadvantage compared to
their peers in other communities;
Whereas local budget cuts are predicted to lead to
significant curtailment of school music programs, thereby
depriving millions of students of an education that includes
music;
Whereas the arts are a core academic subject, and music is
an essential element of the arts; and
Whereas every student in the United States should have an
opportunity to reap the benefits of music education: Now,
therefore, be it
Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate
concurring), That--
(1) it is the sense of the Congress that music education
grounded in rigorous instruction is an important component of
a well-rounded academic curriculum and should be available to
every student in every school; and
(2) the Congress recognizes NAMM, the International Music
Products Association for its efforts to designate a Music in
Our Schools Month in order to highlight the important role
that school music programs play in the academic and social
development of children.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
Nevada (Mr. Porter) and the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Ryan) each will
control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Nevada (Mr. Porter).
General Leave
Mr. PORTER. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may
have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks
on H. Con. Res. 380.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Nevada?
There was no objection.
Mr. PORTER. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
[[Page H2510]]
Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of House Concurrent Resolution
380 which highlights the benefits and importance of school-based music
education. I would like to thank the gentleman from Tennessee (Mr.
Cooper) and the gentleman from California (Mr. Cunningham) for their
leadership on this issue, and for introducing the resolution we are
considering today.
Research has shown that students' involvement in their school music
program is critical to a complete education. Musical study develops
critical thinking and self-discipline skills, and improves a child's
early cognitive development, basic math and reading abilities, self-
esteem, SAT scores, ability to work in teams, spatial reasoning skills,
and school attendance.
In an analysis of United States Department of Education data on more
than 25,000 secondary school students, researchers found that students
who report consistent high levels of involvement in instrumental music
over the middle and high school years show ``significantly higher
levels of mathematics proficiency by grade 12,'' regardless of a
student's socioeconomic status.
A 1999 report by the Texas Commission on Drug and Alcohol Abuse found
that individuals who participated in band or orchestra reported the
lowest levels of current and lifelong use of alcohol, tobacco, and
illicit drugs. So it is not surprising that children involved with
music education are more likely to graduate from high school and attend
college and are less likely to be involved with gangs and substance
abuse.
In fact, many colleges and universities view participation in the
arts and music as a valuable experience that broadens students'
understanding and appreciation of the world around them.
For these reasons, I support H. Con. Res. 380, which recognizes the
benefits and importance of school recognizing the benefits and
importance of school-based music education. The resolution before the
House today is simple and straightforward. It states that it is the
sense of the Congress that music education grounded in rigorous
instruction is an important component of a well-rounded academic
curriculum and should be available to every student in every school.
It also recognizes the International Music Products Association for
their efforts to designate a Music in Our Schools Month in order to
highlight the important role that school music programs play in the
academic and social development of children.
Music in Our Schools Month began as a single statewide celebration in
1973, and has run over the decades to encompass a day a week; and in
1985, March was designated as a month-long celebration of music in our
schools.
I would like to thank two organizations that have played an important
role in promoting the benefits of music education, the International
Music Products Association, commonly called NAMM, in reference to the
organization's popular NAMM trade shows. It is a not-for-profit
association that unifies, leads, and strengthens the $16 billion global
musical instruments and products industry. NAMM's activities and
programs are designed to promote music making to people of all ages.
The National Association For Music Education, the world's largest
arts education organization, addresses all aspects of music education.
Nearly 90,000 members represent all levels of teaching from preschool
to graduate school. Since 1907, the Association has worked to ensure
that every student has access to a well-balanced, comprehensive, and
high-quality program of music instruction taught by qualified teachers.
Music education is important to our children. It can broaden and
strengthen their education and improve their lives. I commend music
educators and music organizations across the country for the key roles
they play in helping our children succeed in school and throughout
life.
As former President Gerald Ford said, ``Music education opens the
doors that help children pass from school in the world around them, a
world of work, culture, intellectual activity, and human involvement.
The future of our Nation depends on providing our children with a
complete education that includes music.''
I urge my colleagues to support music education in our schools and H.
Con. Res. 380, which highlights the benefits and importance of school-
based music education.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. RYAN of Ohio. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
I support this resolution which honors the importance of school-based
music education. Specifically, this resolution recognizes that music
education, grounded in rigorous instruction, is an important component
of a well-rounded academic curriculum, and should be available to all
students. It also recognizes that school music programs play an
important role in the academic and social development of children. Any
music educator will tell you that the school music program enriches the
academic environment of our schools, and also enhances the intellectual
development of our children. Music education is very important. I am
pleased to support this resolution.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. PORTER. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. RYAN of Ohio. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to
the gentleman from Tennessee (Mr. Cooper), and more specifically, from
Music City, U.S.A.
Mr. COOPER. Mr. Speaker, I do have the privilege of representing
Nashville, Tennessee, and outlying communities in the United States
Congress, and we commonly go by the name Music City, U.S.A. We are very
proud of that because we may have more creative individuals in our area
than perhaps any other community of the world. Some say that everyone
who lives there is either a musician or a songwriter, and some just
haven't cut their demos yet.
We are very proud of that musical tradition and heritage, and we
believe music should be included in the curriculum in our public
schools. Music education is vitally important, not only for the reasons
that my two colleagues have given, and I would also like to thank the
original cosponsor of this legislation, the gentleman from California
(Mr. Cunningham) for his strong support.
Music education I think is even more important than the reasons that
have been given so far. When our Founders started talking about the
values of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, surely in the
pursuit of happiness, they were talking about music. Music is literally
the joy of life, the soundtrack of our lives. It accompanies our most
important and most intimate moments. Whether it is a tune or a lyric
that you carry in your heart forever, that is an important part of
being fully human. It is also an important part of our educational
system. A shocking number of our young people, some 30 million or more,
are being deprived of this music education. They are being deprived of
a well-rounded education.
Many Americans have seen the movie called ``Mr. Holland's Opus'' in
which Richard Dreyfuss played a high school music teacher who did a
superb job over decades teaching young people how to play an instrument
in a band, how to appreciate music, and develop their minds and hearts
to the fullest extent. Of course in that movie, Mr. Holland's job was
terminated because the local school board did not think music was
important. They considered it a luxury rather than a necessity.
But I think all thinking Americans realize music is important, it is
not a luxury, it is a necessity, and it is very important for our young
people to learn those skills. The music historian Jules Combarieu said,
``Music is the art of thinking with sounds.'' I hope that all of our
young people will be able to learn to think with sounds and learns how
to play a musical instrument.
The International Music Products Association deserves a lot of credit
for helping focus our attention during this month on the needs of our
students who need the ability to learn a musical instrument.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the many Members of this House who
strongly support this resolution. I would like to thank the members of
this committee who brought forward this measure with unusual speed
using an unconventional mechanism, and we appreciate the recognition of
music as a key part of our public education.
However, it is very important that we do not just pay lip service to
this
[[Page H2511]]
goal because there is no funding in this bill. This is a concurrent
resolution. This just encourages, this just asks the many school
districts around the country to include music as a priority. Let us
make it real. Let us make sure that our public schools do have music
education in the curriculum and that all of our children around this
great Nation have the chance to learn the sound of music.
Mr. PORTER. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. RYAN of Ohio. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
Mr. Speaker, again, I want to reiterate our support and thank the
gentleman from Tennessee (Mr. Cooper) for his leadership on this
particular piece of legislation and also all of his work as far as
encouraging music in our schools. We have stories abound about famous
musicians who have stumbled onto music class somehow or other. One
story I am familiar with is Boyd Timsley, the famous violinist from the
Dave Matthews Band. He started off in a middle school strings class,
and the rest is history. The next thing we know, we have one of the
premier violinists in the history of the world. We want to encourage
this, but I also agree with the gentleman from Tennessee (Mr. Cooper).
We want to take this to the next level.
{time} 1515
We cannot rely on organizations like Save Our Music to try to help
encourage this. This is our government. We understand the importance of
the arts. We understand the importance of the stamp of approval that
the Federal Government has. I think we also want to start putting our
money where our mouth is on this issue. I thank the gentleman from
Nevada and the gentleman from Tennessee and all who were involved in
this. We are going to support this resolution.
Mr. HOLT. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H. Con. Res. 380,
legislation recognizing the benefits and importance of school-based
music education. I am proud to join my colleagues in passing this
bipartisan proposal today in the House of Representatives.
As a teacher, I can testify to the value that music and art can have
in a well-rounded academic program. There is a growing body of
scientific research demonstrating that children who receive music
instruction perform better on spatial-temporal reasoning tests and
proportional math problems.
Opportunities in music and the arts have also enabled children with
disabilities to participate more fully in school and community
activities.
There is something special about music an the arts that speak to what
is special and unique in the human spirit. Music and the arts can
motivate at-risk students to stay in school and become active
participants in the education process. They teach all students about
beauty and abstract thinking.
According to the College Board, college-bound high school seniors in
1998 who received music instruction scored 53 points higher on the
verbal portion of the Scholastic Aptitude Test and 39 points higher on
the math portion of the test than college-bound high school seniors
with no music or arts instruction.
Other data show that individuals who participate in band or orchestra
reported the lowest levels of current and lifelong use of alcohol,
tobacco, and illicit drugs. Comprehensive, sequential music instruction
assists brain development and improves cognitive and communicative
skills, self-discipline, and creativity.
Mr. Speaker, music education enhances intellectual development and
enriches the academic environment for children of all ages. I am proud
to join with my colleagues in passing this bipartisan resolution in
recognition of these facts.
Mr. RYAN of Ohio. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. PORTER. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I
yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Terry). The question is on the motion
offered by the gentleman from Nevada (Mr. Porter) that the House
suspend the rules and agree to the concurrent resolution, H. Con. Res.
380, as amended.
The question was taken.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds of
those present have voted in the affirmative.
Mr. PORTER. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
The yeas and nays were ordered.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX and the
Chair's prior announcement, further proceedings on this motion will be
postponed.
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