[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 130 (Monday, October 11, 2004)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1933]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




            THE CONGRESSIONAL CONFERENCE ON CIVIC EDUCATION

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. EDWARD J. MARKEY

                            of massachusetts

                    in the house of representatives

                        Friday, October 8, 2004

  Mr. MARKEY. Mr. Speaker, the Honorable Judge Learned Hand once said:

     . . . Liberty lies in the hearts of men and women; when it 
     dies there, no constitution, no law, no court can save it; no 
     constitution, no law, no court can even do much to help it. 
     While it lies there, it needs no constitution, no law, no 
     court to save it.

  These famous words emphasize the fact that civic participation is 
vital to the maintenance of a healthy democracy. A national effort is 
currently underway to promote the civic engagement of our citizens by 
focusing on the youth of our nation. By creating effective civic 
education programs in our elementary and secondary schools, we can 
educate kids at an early age and encourage them to become active in 
local politics.
  In September of last year, the First Annual Congressional Conference 
on Civic Education was launched to begin a national conversation about 
how to encourage civic participation. One of the positive outcomes of 
the congressional conference was the establishment of state delegations 
that would enact specific policies designed to restore the civic 
mission of our schools.
  I would like to recognize Diane N. Palmer, the facilitator, and the 
whole Massachusetts delegation for their leadership in working to 
design a strategy to improve civic education in our State. These 
Massachusetts activities include: Holding a statewide conference on 
civic education for new teachers; creating a commission to plan better 
civic education; and conducting a survey to determine what civic 
education programs are already used in high schools.
  I look forward to seeing the accomplishments of the Massachusetts 
civic education delegation and their participation at the Second Annual 
Congressional Conference on Civic Education on December 4-6 of this 
year.

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