[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 28 (Thursday, March 10, 2005)]
[House]
[Pages H1333-H1334]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        NATIONAL ANTHEM PROJECT

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentleman from Texas (Mr. Poe) is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. POE. Mr. Speaker, this morning on the west lawn of this fine 
building, the Capitol of the United States, I participated in the 
National Anthem Project. Sponsored by the National Association For 
Music Education and supported by its honorary Chair, First Lady Laura 
Bush, as well as Jeep, Chrysler, Save America's Treasures, the Girl 
Scouts of America, the NBA, the U.S. Conference of Mayors, the National 
Education Association, the American Legion and many, many more, this 3-
year project will get America singing our national anthem again, the 
``Star-Spangled Banner,'' proudly and strongly singing it again and 
will help people understand the important role that music classes play 
in teaching our culture.
  During the most forgotten American war, the War of 1812, some say the 
second American revolution, between the United States and England, the 
British invaded the United States and they torched this city, 
Washington, consuming numerous public buildings, including the White 
House and this Capitol, leaving it, as they said, in a most magnificent 
ruin.
  Next on their list was the city of Baltimore, not far from here. They 
attempted to attack Baltimore by sea. American forces under the command 
of Colonel George Armistead defended Baltimore in the harbor with Fort 
McHenry standing in the way of the British and Baltimore, and they 
thwarted this destruction by the British.
  A young lawyer on a British ship trying to seek the release of a 
friend watched this 25-hour British naval bombardment of Fort McHenry 
throughout the night, and the next morning he saw the largest United 
States flag he had ever seen flying at dawn and inspired this young 
lawyer by the name of Francis Scott Key to write the words that later 
became our national anthem. He watched the flag fly as the British 
ships left the harbor in defeat.
  Yet, Mr. Speaker, the lyrics to the ``Star-Spangled Banner'' that we 
have officially called our national anthem for 75 years are foreign to 
many of our citizens. According to a Harris poll, fewer than 30 percent 
of American children can sing this patriotic song. This is somewhat 
tragic. We must revive America's heritage starting by equipping our 
Nation's music teachers with the resources they need to preserve our 
tradition in freedom, freedom in song.
  Unfortunately, when budget cuts are made in the area of education, 
music classes in schools across the country are the first to be 
asphyxiated. But considering that so much of our history is chronicled 
through songs, songs like the ``Star-Spangled Banner,'' and that three 
out of four Americans cite music class in their public school as the 
primary place they learn about American history, how can we let this 
trend continue? Are we going to deprive future generations of Americans 
the vibrant spirit of our land?
  Cicero, the Roman orator, author, and politician, once said: ``Not to 
know what has been transacted in former times is always to remain a 
child. If no use is made of the labors of the past, the world must 
remain always in the infancy of knowledge.'' And even though he warned 
us about the tragedy of this apathy of history, we have deserted our 
commitment to the far-reaching study of civics, civics education and 
American history in these United States. We must ask ourselves how many 
of our students can identify such names as John Paul Jones, Susan B. 
Anthony, Paul Revere, and Nathan Hale.
  To answer this question, we have to examine where a number of the 
curricula in our Nation's classrooms begin the American tale. Now, in 
many American classrooms they do not start American history with the 
American Revolution. They start it with World War II to the present. 
They just do not have enough time, according to educators. So how can 
we blame our young

[[Page H1334]]

children who become our young leaders if they do not know our history?
  Moreover, according to the Fordham Institute, which seeks to focus on 
effective education reforms, few history teachers ever learn much 
history themselves. More than half of high school history teachers did 
not major or even minor in history in college. As a result, teachers 
charged with imparting information to young Americans about the history 
of their country and the history of the world rely on the textbooks 
available to them, often textbooks that the teachers themselves had 
little to do with selecting or reading. At some places in the United 
States we still use coaches to teach history.
  Mr. Speaker, this state of affairs is why I am proud to support 
campaigns like the National Anthem Project and encourage my fellow 
Americans to help us regain our appreciation for this legacy. Luckily, 
I come from Texas where the knowledge of our State's history is not 
neglected, but hallowed. In fact, State standards mandate the study of 
Texas history first in the fourth grade and then more comprehensively 
in the seventh grade. Lone Star students among other topics learn about 
the Texas Revolution, the establishment of the Republic of Texas, and 
subsequent annexation to the United States.
  As my colleague Senator Robert Byrd has said, ``An American student 
regardless of his race, religion or gender must know the history of the 
land to which they pledge allegiance. They should be taught about the 
Founding Fathers of this Nation, the battles they fought, the ideals 
that they championed, and the influences they have made throughout the 
world. They should be taught about our Nation's failures, our mistakes, 
our inequities. Without this knowledge, they cannot appreciate the 
hard-won freedoms that are our birthright.''
  So, Mr. Speaker, to reclaim and be the home of the brave and the land 
of the free, as our ``Star-Spangled Banner'' recites, we must learn our 
history, know our history, teach our history to our kids and be proud 
of our history; and we must get America singing about the United States 
of America.

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