[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 73 (Monday, May 5, 2008)]
[House]
[Pages H3043-H3044]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                              {time}  1615

  Mr. ROSKAM. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Connecticut. I, 
like many of us, come to the floor and want to congratulate Mr. Klein 
for his leadership on this issue and bringing us together actually in 
an area that I think most folks, if you reflect back, you can think of 
a favorite teacher. Let me tell you a little bit about one of my 
favorite teachers.
  My fourth grade teacher was Lillian Anderson. Lillian Anderson was 65 
years old and I was in the last class. Maybe I caused her to retire, 
but I was the last class that Ms. Anderson had. Ms. Anderson was one of 
those people at Ben Franklin School in Glen Ellyn, Illinois, that began 
to open up our eyes, myself and my classmates, to the State of 
Illinois, and that's a tradition that we have in Illinois.
  Mr. Speaker, as a fine product of the public schools in Illinois, you 
know that fourth graders in Illinois begin to learn about the State. We 
learn the State flower, the violet. We learn the State song, which I 
will not sing for you. We learn the State bird, the cardinal, and all 
of these things.
  And what happened to me was in Ms. Anderson's class, beginning to 
learn about the three branches of government, in all of those things, 
suddenly this was a whole new area that was revealed to me.
  I grew up in a family that wasn't active when it came to politics. My 
mom and dad would vote, but that was pretty much it. So here I was a 
young student, a young boy in Ms. Anderson's class, and a seed was 
planted by that dear woman. The seed was later watered for me when I 
was in eighth grade and took the Constitution test, and I was one of 
those kids in eighth grade that couldn't get enough of it, absolutely 
loved it.
  My point is that there were teachers along the way that encouraged 
and nurtured me, and I have a strong suspicion that, as we reflect, 
every one of us can point to somebody along the way, in addition to 
those people in our immediate families, but somebody along the way that 
encouraged us, that saw a little something in us, moved us along, took 
the time to pull us aside and give us an important word. I think that 
that legacy is the great benefit of the teaching profession today 
because they don't know all of the ways in which they've influenced 
people.
  So I want to thank Mr. Klein. I want to thank him for bringing this 
resolution to the floor, for having the Congress today pause and to 
reflect on those people who were influential in bringing us here today, 
and I know he's worked very hard to reach out to folks on both sides of 
the aisle.
  I want to thank my friend from Connecticut (Mr. Shays) for yielding.
  Mr. CLAY. Mr. Speaker, I continue to reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. SHAYS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  I rise today in support of this resolution urging the establishment 
of a National Teacher Day. Every day, thousands of men and women in 
this country wake up in the morning with a tremendous responsibility, 
this stressful and sometimes daunting task of educating our Nation's 
youth. We entrust these special people with our most precious resource, 
our children.
  Devoted teachers make a difference in the lives of students from 
every age and background. Every one of us can point to so many 
exceptional educators whose impact allowed us to get where we are 
today.
  Support for a national day honoring the hard work of teachers has 
been brewing since 1944 when an Arkansas schoolteacher, Maddie White 
Woodridge, began corresponding with education leaders about the need 
for a teacher's day. In 1953, Eleanor Roosevelt convinced the 81st 
Congress to establish the first National Teacher Day. Finally, in 1985, 
the National Parent Teacher Association declared the

[[Page H3044]]

first week in May as National Teacher Appreciation Week.
  Through their dedication and passion for service, teachers bridge the 
gap between the resources available and the vital need for a strong 
education, with sometimes too little compensation. They provide the 
tools necessary for success, and their sacrifice deserves national 
recognition.
  So, in recognition of the crucial role teachers play in trying to 
make sure every child receives a quality education, it is appropriate 
we pass this important resolution.
  Given the incredible teachers I have been fortunate to have over my 
life, it is appropriate for me to recognize and thank them. I am 
extraordinarily grateful for every teacher that I have had. They saw in 
me opportunities for growth--there sure was--but more important, they 
helped me to dream and to imagine I could be someone I wanted to be. I 
thank them for the skills they taught me and for helping me grow in the 
right direction. And I thank them for their love and care of me.
  With that, I yield back my time.
  Mr. CLAY. Mr. Speaker, in closing, I'd like to thank my friend from 
Florida (Mr. Klein) for bringing this resolution and to say that, after 
hearing the speakers today, it made me think about the impact some of 
my teachers had on my learning throughout my life. In the words of a 
famed historian and author, Henry Adams, he said, Teachers affect 
eternity because they can never tell you where their influence stops.
  So, today, let us stand in support and recognition of the timeless 
influence of our country's teachers and educators by passing H. Res. 
952, which expresses the sense of the House that there should be 
established a National Teacher Day to honor and celebrate teachers in 
the United States, and I urge passage of the bill.
  Mr. ETHERIDGE. Mr. Speaker, as the only former state schools' chief 
serving in Congress, I rise today in appreciation of the lasting impact 
that teachers make on the lives of all Americans.
  Each of us in the House have benefited from the care and guidance of 
a talented educator. Each of us knows, from personal experience and 
reports from our district, many of the amazing success stories in our 
schools today. These successes would not be possible without our 
dedicated teachers who lend their skills, experience, and passion to 
the task of educating our children.
  I am profoundly thankful to all of my teachers, who pushed me to 
succeed and taught me valuable lessons. Ms. Flossie Barber, who taught 
me at the Cleveland School, was the personification of teaching. Stern 
and tough, but always caring with each and every student, her early 
lessons enabled me to achieve my goals and more. Coach Bruce Coats 
taught me what it meant to be a member of a team and how to contribute 
to the greater good. I hope that everyone has the privilege of great 
teachers like these, and remembers to give them thanks for their hard 
work and inspiration.
  Too often, we do not give our teachers the respect and esteem that 
they deserve. This day, and really this whole week, is an opportunity 
to stop and remember the professional educators who work every day to 
build a bright future for our children and our Nation. Their efforts 
shape the world of tomorrow, and they deserve our support every day 
throughout the year.
  Mr. Speaker, with your leadership, the New Direction Congress is 
ensuring that our teachers get the support they need to continue their 
work to educate our children. We have committed to fully funding No 
Child Left Behind and other federal mandates that have been 
shortchanged by the current administration. We also must pass new 
teacher training and staff development initiatives to help our 
educators hone and maintain the skills they need to teach our children 
well. We have made great strides in recent years to improve our 
schools, and, on this National Teacher Day should recommit to build on 
that record of success.
  Improving education in this country is about creating a classroom 
environment where children can learn. My colleagues and I have crafted 
bipartisan legislation to provide critical investments in school 
construction and modernization across the country. The Rangel-Ramstad-
Etheridge America's Better Classrooms Act will provide $25 billion in 
interest-free bonds for local schools. This bill will make a real 
difference for our communities, our children, and their teachers. I 
have also introduced legislation to ensure that students and teachers 
have a safe place to learn that is equipped to respond to any disaster. 
The Schools Empowered to Respond Act will support schools in their 
efforts to keep children safe and implement robust emergency management 
plans. On this National Teacher Day, I urge my colleagues to join me in 
support of this important legislation.
  The work of our dedicated teachers inspires our students every day, 
and I have been inspired by so many educators who give much to our 
communities. I thank them for their work, and do so every day.
  Mr. VAN HOLLEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to support the 
establishment of a National Teacher Day to honor and celebrate 
teachers.
  Teachers are the cornerstone of our Nation's schools. We ask them to 
be educators and mentors. We ask them to work long hours, keep order in 
crowded classrooms, and respond creatively to individual student needs. 
They consistently rise to meet the challenge.
  We should recognize their contributions, but we should also take 
tangible steps to assist them. And that means funding for our schools, 
high quality training, and fair pay. It means making sure that every 
teacher is prepared to walk into the classroom and every teacher has 
support through the school day.
  We trust our Nation's teachers with our most important task--caring 
for and educating our children. National Teacher Day will remind us to 
honor their commitment and support that mission.
  Mr. CLAY. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Clay) that the House suspend the rules and 
agree to the resolution, H. Res. 952.
  The question was taken.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds 
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
  Mr. KLEIN of Florida. 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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