[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 120 (Thursday, September 22, 2005)]
[Senate]
[Pages S10367-S10370]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




        THIRD ANNUAL CONGRESSIONAL CONFERENCE ON CIVIC EDUCATION

  Mr. REID. Mr. President, Justice Louis Brandeis once said, ``The only 
title in our democracy superior to that of President is the title of 
citizen.'' This statement illustrates the paramount importance that the 
citizen plays within these United States. And, as such, we must 
continue to learn and teach what it means to be a good citizen.
  ``Civic education'' is the term used to describe the transmitting of 
knowledge

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and skills necessary for people to become responsible citizens. And our 
democracy is sustained and strengthened when our citizens have these 
skills and tools. In fact, there is no more important or urgent task 
than preparing this and future generations of Americans to maintain our 
democracy.
  To advance the continuing importance of civic education, I am pleased 
to announce that the Joint Leadership of the Congress of the United 
States will host the Third Annual Congressional Conference on Civic 
Education on September 24-26 here in Washington, DC.
  The Congressional Conference on Civic Education will bring together 
educators and experts from all across the country who work to promote 
civic education and civic engagement at the state and local levels. I 
am pleased to serve as honorary host for the conference, along with 
Majority Leader Frist, Speaker Hastert, and Leader Pelosi.
  The 2005 Congressional Conference on Civic Education will emphasize 
the state of civic education in America. In an effort to restore the 
civic mission of schools, each State is working on creating a plan to 
promote civic education and engagement. Conferees will work to build 
upon these foundations built by participants and State delegations from 
the past two conferences.
  The Congressional Conference on Civic Education is the third of five 
annual conferences planned to focus public attention on the state of 
civic education in America's public schools. This conference is 
sponsored by the nonpartisan Alliance for Representative Democracy, and 
consists of the National Conference of State Legislatures, the Center 
on Congress at Indiana University and the Center for Civic Education. 
Through an act of Congress, the Alliance is funded by the Department of 
Education.
  I am honored to recognize the work of the Nevada delegation. The 
Nevada Campaign for the Civic Mission of Schools is building on the 
previous success of the Nevada Commission on Participatory Democracy. 
The Nevada Campaign has completed a benchmark survey regarding the 
state of civic education in the State and is planning the First Nevada 
Civic Education Summit for this December. Thanks to the efforts of 
congressional conference delegate, Senator Valerie Wiener, a resolution 
was passed by the Nevada Legislature this year supporting efforts of 
the Nevada Department of Education in increasing the role of civics in 
the Nevada schools curriculum.
  I find it particularly appropriate that the Congressional Conference 
on Civic Education convenes this week. Just last week, on September 17, 
we observed Constitution Day, celebrating the brilliance of our 
founding document and the essential role citizens play in our 
democracy.
  I am sure that the congressional leadership joins me in expressing 
gratitude to the many educators and State delegations that make this 
conference possible. We thank them for their time and commitment to 
this important endeavor. We look forward to learning about their ideas 
and hearing of the progress made at next year's conference.
  Among those delegates who are in Washington, DC, 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:

       Alabama: Ms. Janice A. Cowin, State Facilitator; Ms. 
     Rebecca Beaty, Executive Director, The American Village 
     Citizenship Trust; Representative Priscilla Dunn, Alabama 
     House of Representatives; Dr. Ethel Hall, Vice-President, 
     Alabama State Board of Education; Dr. William P. Collins, 
     Professor, Samford University.
       Alaska: Ms. Mary Bristol, State Facilitator; Mr. Macon 
     Roberts, Treasurer, Anchorage School Board; Dr. Carl F. N. 
     Rose, Executive Director, Association of Alaska School 
     Boards; Ms. Krista Scully, Pro Bono Director, Alaska Bar 
     Association; Mr. David Baranow, Chair, Law Related Education 
     Committee, Alaska Bar Association.
       Arizona: Senator Tim Bee, State Facilitator, Majority 
     Leader, Arizona Senate; Mrs. Lynda Rando, Assistant State 
     Facilitator; Representative Mark Anderson, Arizona House of 
     Representatives; Ms. Kathleen Williams, Retired Teacher, Mesa 
     Schools; Senator Linda Gray, Arizona State Senate; Mr. 
     Jeffrey Schrade, Director, LRE, Arizona Foundation for Legal 
     Services & Education; Representative Jennifer Burns, Arizona 
     House of Representatives.
       Arkansas: Ms. Barbara Patty, State Facilitator; 
     Representative Betty Pickett, Arkansas House of 
     Representatives; Ms. Suzanne McPherson, Director of Special 
     Programs, Van Buren School District; Mr. Frank Smith, Social 
     Studies Supervisor, Pulaski County Schools; Ms. Margaret 
     Herrick, Social Studies Specialist, Arkansas Department of 
     Education.
       California: Mr. Roy Erickson, State Facilitator; Mr. David 
     W. Gordon, Sacramento County Superintendent of Schools; Mrs. 
     Michelle Herczog, Consultant, Los Angeles County Office of 
     Education; Mr. Todd Clark, Executive Director, Constitutional 
     Rights Foundation. Dr. Darline Robles, Superintendent, Los 
     Angeles County Office of Education; Mr. Gary K. Hart, 
     Institute for Education Reform, California State University; 
     Mr. Michael Hulsizer, Administrator, Kern County 
     Superintendent of Schools; Mr. Michael Ricketts, Chief 
     Consultant, California Assembly Committee on Education; Ms. 
     Julie Sauls, Chief of Staff, Office of Assemblyman Kevin 
     McCarthy; Dr. William Cirone, County Superintendent, Santa 
     Barbara County.
       Colorado: Ms. Barbara Miller, State Facilitator; Mrs. Maria 
     Garcia-Berry, President, CRL Associates; Representative David 
     Balmer, Colorado General Assembly; Senator Sue Windels, 
     Colorado General Assembly; Ms. Jill Conrad, Director, 
     Colorado Canopy; Dr. Jane Urschel, Associate Executive 
     Director, Colorado Association of School Boards.
       Connecticut: Dr. James Schmidt, State Facilitator; Ms. 
     Sheila McKay, Government Relations, Connecticut Association 
     of Boards of Education; Ms. Mary Skelly, Social Studies 
     Coordinator, Vocational-Technical School System; Ms. Martha 
     Press, Supervisor of Social Studies, Stratford Public 
     Schools.
       Delaware: Mr. Lewis Huffman, State Facilitator; Mr. 
     Reginald Greenwald, Collette Educational Resource Center; Mr. 
     Ed Freel, Director of Policy, University of Delaware, IPA; 
     Mr. Fran O'Malley, Delaware Social Studies Education Project, 
     University of Delaware.
       District of Columbia: Ms. Deborah Foster, State 
     Facilitator; Honorable Royce Lamberth, Judge, U.S. District 
     Court; Doug Alexander, Newspapers in Education Coordinator, 
     Washington Times; Ms. Carla Cartwright, Attorney, McKee, 
     Nelson, LLP; Mr. John Cruden, President District of Columbia 
     Bar Association; Ms. Jacquelyn Davis, Executive Director, New 
     Leaders for New Schools.
       Florida: Ms. Annette Boyd Pitts, State Facilitator; 
     Honorable Barbara Pariente, Chief Justice, Supreme Court of 
     Florida; Mr. John Doyle, Director, Division of Social 
     Sciences, Dade County Public Schools; Ms. Dianne Wheatley 
     Gilotti, President, Florida League of Women Voters; Ms. Levon 
     Terrell, Social Studies Program Specialist, FL Dept. of 
     Education; Honorable Peggy A. Quince, Justice, Supreme Court 
     of Florida; Ms. Mary Chiles, Office of U.S. Senator Bill 
     Nelson.
       Georgia:
       Ms. Mary Stakes, State Facilitator; Representative David 
     Casas, Georgia House of Representatives; Dr. Bill Cranshaw, 
     Social Studies Program Specialist; Mr. Eddie Bennett, Social 
     Studies Supervisor, Cobb County Public Schools; Mr. William 
     Cheeks, Businessman; Senator Daniel Weber, Georgia State 
     Senate; Ms. Shalynda Warren, Regional Voting Education 
     Coordinator.
       Hawaii: Representative Lyla Berg, State Facilitator, Hawaii 
     House of Representatives; Mr. Robert McClelland, Planning and 
     Evaluation, Hawaii State Department of Education; Senator 
     Norm Sakamoto, Hawaii State Senate Representative; Roy 
     Takumi, Hawaii House of Representatives; Mr. Roger 
     Takabayashi, President, Hawaii State Teacher's Association.
       Idaho: Dr. Dan Prinzing, State Facilitator Justice; Linda 
     Copple Trout, Idaho Supreme Court; Mrs. Parra Byron, 
     Education Policy Advisor, Office of the Governor; Dr. Marilyn 
     Howard, State Superintendent of Public Instruction; Ms. Linda 
     Clark, Superintendent, Meridian Schools.
       Illinois: Dr. Patton Feichter, State Facilitator; Dr. 
     Darlene Ruscitti, Regional Superintendent, DuPage County 
     Schools; Dr. Carolyn Pereira, Executive Director, 
     Constitutional Rights Foundation Chicago; Dr. Steven Klein, 
     State Coordinator, Law Related Education, Elgin School 
     District; Representative Suzanne Bassi, Illinois House of 
     Representatives; Representative William Davis, Illinois House 
     of Representatives; Mr. Jesse Ruiz, Chairman, Illinois State 
     Board of Education.
       Indiana: Mr. Peter Bomberger, State Facilitator; Dr. John 
     Patrick, Indiana University; Dr. Suellen Reed, Superintendent 
     of Public Instruction, Indiana Department of Education; 
     Senator Theresa Lubbers, Indiana State Senate; Representative 
     Robert Behning, Indiana House of Representatives; Mr. Dennis 
     Lee, Birmingham & McHale Law Firm; Ms. Jill Baisinger, Social 
     Studies Coordinator, Indiana Department of Education.
       Iowa: Mr. Jason Follett, State Facilitator; Senator Paul 
     McKinley, Iowa State Senator; Ms. Dianne Bystrom, Iowa State 
     University.
       Kansas: Ms. Lynn Stanley, State Facilitator; Mr. Paul 
     Stuewe, Teacher, Lawrence High School; Dr. Dan C. Yunk, CEO, 
     Kansas Fann Bureau; Mr. Rick Reed, Educator, McPherson High 
     School; Dr. Randall Watson, Superintendent, McPherson School 
     District; Senator Roger Retiz, Kansas State Senate.
       Kentucky: Dr. Deborah Williamson, State Facilitator; 
     Honorable Trey Grayson, Secretary of State of Kentucky; Ms. 
     Natalie

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     Stiglitz, Social Studies Coordinator, Kentucky Department of 
     Education; Ms. Robin Chandler, Branch Manager, Kentucky 
     Department of Education; Representative Tanya Pullin, 
     Kentucky House of Representatives; Ms. Polly Page, Northern 
     Kentucky University; Senator Jack Westwood, Kentucky State 
     Senate.
       Louisiana: Ms. Maria Yiannopoulos, State Facilitator; 
     Senator Gerald Theunissen, Louisiana Senate; Mr. E. Wade 
     Shows, Attorney at Law.
       Maine: Mr. Patrick Phillips, State Facilitator; Kala Clark, 
     Legislative Youth Advisory Board; Kathryn Hunt, University of 
     Maine; Theodore Sharp, Superintendent of Schools, Gorham, ME; 
     Representative Stephen Bowen, Maine House of Representatives.
       Maryland: Ms. Marcie Taylor-Thoma, State Facilitator; Ms. 
     Sharon Cox, President, Montgomery County Board of Education; 
     Delegate David Rudolph, Maryland House of Delegates; Mrs. 
     Julie Ayers, Student Learning Specialist, Maryland State 
     Department of Education; Senator Gwendolyn Britt, Maryland 
     General Assembly.
       Massachusetts: Ms. Diane Palmer, State Facilitator; Senator 
     Richard T. Moore, Massachusetts Senate; Mr. Sheldon Berman, 
     Superintendent, Hudson Public Schools; Ms. Susan Wheltle, 
     Director, Office for the Humanities, Massachusetts Department 
     of Education; Mr. Roger Desrosiers, Social Studies Teacher, 
     Millbury High; School Representative Michael Rush, 
     Massachusetts House of Representatives.
       Michigan: Ms. Linda Start, State Facilitator; Mr. Chris 
     Siebenmark, Office of Senator Ron Jelinek; Mrs. Kathleen 
     Straus, President, State Board of Education; 
     Representative Hoon-Yung Hopgood, Michigan House of 
     Representatives.
       Minnesota: Ms. Jennifer Bloom, State Facilitator; Ms. 
     Juanita Peterson, 1st Vice President, League of Women Voters 
     Minnesota; Ms. Dana Carmichael, Minneapolis Public Schools; 
     Senator Jim Greenwalt, Minnesota State Senate; Mr. Richard 
     Theisen, Past President, National Council for the Social 
     Studies.
       Mississippi: Dr. Susie Burroughs, State Facilitator; Ms. 
     Judith Couey, Curriculum Director, Mississippi Department of 
     Education; Dee Chambliss, Assistant Secretary of State for 
     Education & Publications.
       Missouri: Ms. Millie Aulbur, State Facilitator; Ms. Leslye 
     Winslow, Deputy Secretary of State for Elections, Office of 
     the Secretary of State; Mr. Stan Johnson, Missouri Department 
     of Elementary and Secondary Education; Senator Gary Nodler, 
     Missouri General Assembly; Ms. Melissa Randol, Associate 
     Executive Director of Law, Missouri School Boards 
     Association; Representative Danielle Moore, Missouri House of 
     Representatives.
       Montana: Dr. Bruce Wendt, State Facilitator; Senator Sam 
     Kitzenberg, Montana Senate; Ms. Brenda Wahler, Attorney, 
     State of Montana Child and Family Services; Representative 
     Gary Branae, Montana House of Representatives; Honorable 
     Linda McCulloch, State Superintendent of Education; Honorable 
     Brad Johnson, Montana Secretary of State.
       Nebraska: Mr. Mitch McCartney, State Facilitator; Senator 
     DiAnna Schimek, Member, Nebraska Unicameral Legislature; Joe 
     Rowson, Assistant Vice President, University of Nebraska; Mr. 
     Ken Meyers, 9th Grade Social Studies Teacher, Wilcox-Hildreth 
     High School; Mr. Larry K. Starr, Director of Social Science 
     Education, Nebraska Department of Education; Ms. Doris 
     Huffman, Nebraska State Bar Foundation.
       Nevada: Ms. Judith Simpson, State Facilitator; Senator 
     Valerie Wiener, Nevada State Senate; Assemblywoman Bonnie 
     Parnell, Nevada Assembly; Mr. Steve George, Public 
     Information Officer, Office of the Secretary of State; Dr. 
     Keith Rheault, Nevada Superintendent of Schools.
       New Hampshire: Mr. Mica B. Stark, New Hampshire Institute 
     of Politics, State Facilitator; Ms. Debby Scire, Executive 
     director, Campus Compact, New Hampshire; Mr. Kenneth Relihan, 
     Social Studies Consultant, New Hampshire Department of 
     Education; Ms. Debra Hamel, New Hampshire State Board of 
     Education.
       New Jersey: Ms. Arlene Gardner, State Facilitator; Ms. 
     Debra Casha, Vice President, New Jersey State Board of 
     Education; Mr. Phillip Brown, Center for Character Education 
     at Rutgers; Mr. Ramon De La Cruz, Director, Division of 
     Elections, Office of the Attorney General; Assemblyman Craig 
     A. Stanley, New Jersey General Assembly.
       New Mexico: Ms. Dora Marroquin, State Facilitator, 
     Secretary Rebecca Vigil-Giron, New Mexico Secretary of State; 
     Patricia Concannon, Social Studies Consultant, New Mexico 
     Department of Education; Ms. Jennifer MacDonald, Curriculum 
     Director; Representative; Teresa Zanetti, New Mexico House of 
     Representatives; Ms. Leah Gutierrez Wier Instructional 
     Manager, Albuquerque Public Schools.
       New York: Dr. Stephen Schechter, State Facilitator; Ms. 
     Rita Lashway, Deputy Executive Director, New York State 
     School Boards Association; Dr. John Bierwirth, 
     Superintendent, Herricks Union Free School District; Mr. Carl 
     Onken, President Elect, New York State School Boards 
     Association; Ms. Deborah Shayo, Director, Law, Youth & 
     Citizenship Program, New York State Bar Assn.; Mr. Timothy 
     Backus, Supervisor, Social Studies, South Colonie Central 
     School District.
       North Carolina: Ms. Kelley O'Brien, State Facilitator; 
     Representative Susan Fisher, North Carolina House of 
     Representatives; Representative Rick Glazier, North Carolina 
     House of Representatives; Ms. Margot Christensen, North 
     Carolina League of Municipalities; Ms. Mollie Henderson, 
     Social Studies Consultant, North Carolina Department of 
     Public Instruction; Ms. Sandra Cook, Newspapers in Education, 
     NC Press Foundation.
       North Dakota: Dr. Phil Harmeson, Co-State Facilitator; 
     Senator Ray Holmberg, Co-State Facilitator, North Dakota 
     Senate; Honorable Wayne Stenehjem, Attorney General, State of 
     North Dakota; Mr. Neil Howe, Director, Division of 
     Independent Study; Representative Rae Ann Kelsch, North 
     Dakota House of Representatives; Honorable Mary Maring, 
     Justice, North Dakota Supreme Court.
       Ohio: Mr. Jared Reitz, State Facilitator; Ms. Linda Petz, 
     Consultant for Social Studies, Stark Educational Service 
     Center; Representative Dixie Allen, Ohio House of 
     Representatives; Mr. Frank Underwood, Special Projects and 
     Initiatives, Ohio Community Service Council; Ms. Lisa Duty, 
     Education Consultant, Ohio Department of Education; Ms. 
     Patricia Allen Day, Executive Director, Secondary Education, 
     Dayton Public Schools.
       Oklahoma: Ms. Lisa Pryor, State Facilitator; Representative 
     Gary Banz, Oklahoma House of Representatives; Ms. Gina Wekke, 
     Campus Compact/Academic Affairs, OK State Regents for Higher 
     Education; Representative Bill Nations, Oklahoma House of 
     Representatives; Dr. Teena Nations, Director, Professional 
     Development, OK Commission on Teacher Preparation; Ms. Jean 
     Hendrickson, Executive Director, Oklahoma A+ Schools.
       Oregon: Ms. Barbara Rost, State Facilitator; Ms. Marilyn 
     Cover, Executive Director, Classroom Law Project; 
     Representative Linda Flores, Oregon House of Representatives; 
     Ms. Kathleen Cornett, Oregon Community Foundation; Ms. 
     Cynthia Guyer, Executive Director, Portland Schools 
     Foundation.
       Pennsylvania: Ms. Stephanie McKissic, State Facilitator; 
     Ms. Sue Perrotty, Chief of Staff, First Lady of Pennsylvania; 
     Representative Dwight Evans, Pennsylvania House of 
     Representatives; Ms. Sabrina Holloway, Office of 
     Representative Dwight Evans; Mr. Jeffrey Zeiders, 
     Pennsylvania Department of Education; David Trevaskis, 
     Executive Director LEAP Kids PA.
       Rhode Island: Mr. Michael Trofi, State Facilitator; Mr. 
     James Parisi, Rhode Island Federation of Teachers & Health 
     Professionals; Representative Edwin Pacheco, Rhode Island 
     General Assembly; Senator Juan Pichardo, Rhode Island General 
     Assembly; Representative Hanna Gallo, Rhode Island General 
     Assembly.
       South Carolina: Ms. Beth DeHart, South Carolina Bar 
     Association; Mr. James Bryan, Social Studies Coordinator; 
     Senator Robert Hayes, South Carolina State Senate; Dr. Paul 
     Home, Director of Curriculum and Program Review, Education 
     Oversight Committee; Mr. Matthew Gates, Staff Attorney SC 
     House of Representatives; Senator John W. Matthews, South 
     Carolina State Senate.
       South Dakota: Dr. John Lyons, State Facilitator; 
     Representative Gerald Lange, South Dakota House of 
     Representatives; Mrs. Glena Fouberg, President, State Board 
     of Education; Representative Keri Weems, South Dakota House 
     of Representatives; Ms. Patty Pearson, Executive Director, 
     Kids Voting South Dakota.
       Tennessee: Ms. Janis Kyser, State Facilitator; Dr. Ashley 
     Smith, President, Tennessee Association of Middle Schools; 
     Mr. Bruce Opie, Legislative Liaison, Tennessee Department of 
     Education; Mr. Al Mance, Executive Director, Tennessee 
     Education Association; Ms. Brenda Ables, Social Studies 
     Specialist, Tennessee Department of Education.
       Texas: Mrs. Jan Miller, State Facilitator; Ms. Patricia Ann 
     Hardy, Texas State Board of Education; Mr. George Rislov, 
     Managing Director, Curriculum Development, Texas Education 
     Agency; Ms. Michelle Ungurait, Director of Social Studies, 
     Curriculum Division, Texas Education Agency; Ms. Mary Lee 
     Webeck, Assistant Professor, University of Texas at Austin.
       Utah: Ms. Kathy Dryer, State Facilitator; Representative 
     LaVar Christensen, Utah House of Representatives; Judge 
     Judith Billings, Utah Court of Appeals; Mr. Ed Dalton, 
     Member, Utah State Board of Education; Senator Karen Hale, 
     Utah State Senate; Mr. Alan Griffin, Civic, Character and 
     Service-Learning Specialist, Utah State Office of Education.
       Vermont: Vee Gordon, State Facilitator; Secretary Deborah 
     L. Markowitz, Secretary of State; Mr. Robert Paolini, 
     Executive Director, Vermont Bar Association; Ms. Janel 
     Johnson, Civic Education Coordinator, Office of the 
     Secretary of State, State of Vermont; Senator Donald 
     Collins, Vermont State Senate; Mr. William Corrow, Vice-
     Chairman, Vermont Board of Education; Representative Kathy 
     Lavoie, Vermont House of Representatives; Margaret 
     Sanchez, The Vermont Youth Engagement Coalition; Mr. Kevin 
     Ryan, Director of Education and Communication, Vermont Bar 
     Association.
       Virginia: Dr. Barbara Parry, Co State Facilitator; Dr. 
     Steve Bragaw, Co State Facilitator; Ms. Beverly Thurston, 
     Specialist-History, Social Sciences, Virginia Department of 
     Education; Delegate James Dillard, Virginia General Assembly.
       Washington: Mrs. Kathy Hand, State Facilitator; Mr. Steve 
     Mullin, President,

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     Washington Roundtable; Representative David Upthegrove, 
     Washington House of Representatives; Representative Dave 
     Quall, Washington House of Representatives; Dr. Robert Butts, 
     Assistant Superintendent, Office of the Superintendent of 
     Public Instruction.
       West Virginia: Mrs. Priscilla Haden, State Facilitator, 
     Member, State Board of Education; Delegate Tom Campbell, West 
     Virginia House of Delegates; Mr. Ben Beakes, Chief of Staff, 
     West Virginia Secretary of State; Mr. Bill Thomas, West 
     Virginia Legislative Reference and Information Center; Ms. 
     Regina Scotchie, Social Studies Coordinator, West Virginia 
     Department of Education.
       Wisconsin: Ms. Dee Runaas, State Facilitator; Dr. Diana 
     Hess, Assistant Professor, University of Wisconsin; Honorable 
     Elizabeth A. Burmaster, State Superintendent; Senator Luther 
     Olsen, Wisconsin State Senate; Dr. Richard Grobschmidt, 
     Assistant State Superintendent, Department of Public 
     Instruction; Lindsey Draper, Milwaukee County Children's 
     Court; Senator Robert Jauch, Wisconsin State Senate; Ms. Beth 
     Ratway, Social Studies Consultant, Department of Public 
     Instruction.
       Wyoming: Mr. Matt Strannigan, State Facilitator; Ms. Wendy 
     Madsen, Legislative Information Officer, Wyoming Legislature; 
     Senator Mike Massie, Wyoming State Senate; Mr. Geoff O'Gara, 
     Member, Member, Wyoming State Board of Education; 
     Representative Rosie Berger, Wyoming House of 
     Representatives; Ms. Kristi Wallin, Coordinator, Wyoming 
     Partnership for Civic Education.

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