[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 21 (Friday, February 17, 2006)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E178]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




             HONORING THE CONTRIBUTIONS OF CATHOLIC SCHOOLS

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                          HON. LORETTA SANCHEZ

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, February 8, 2006

  Ms. LORETTA SANCHEZ of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to 
support H. Res. 657, a resolution honoring the contributions of 
Catholic schools to our Nation.
  I rise today in support of this resolution and in recognition of the 
teachers, parents, and schools administrations who dedicate themselves 
to the difficult task of creating a strong learning environment for 
students in Catholic schools everywhere.
  I have dedicated my time in Congress to the issue of education and 
have worked to try to improve our educational system by supporting such 
initiatives as the creation of incentives for new teachers and 
increased funding for preschool programs.
  It is in honor of this same pursuit by the Catholic schools of this 
Nation that I rise today. These schools are charged with the most 
important responsibility in our society: Educating our children. The 
pursuit of excellence in education and opportunities for students in 
the area of music and the arts put these schools and educators in a 
class of their own.
  The future of the American educational system is tenuous. To quote 
the former Chair of the Federal Reserve Bank Alan Greenspan in a recent 
congressional hearing regarding solving the education problem in this 
country, ``if you don't solve it, nothing else is going to matter.''
  Many thanks to the Catholic school system for all it does to help 
meet this challenge and I call on my colleagues in Congress to join me 
in working to put the education of our children at the top of our 
legislative priorities.

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