[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 169 (Monday, November 16, 2009)]
[Senate]
[Page S11377]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




             NATIONAL READING EDUCATION ASSISTANCE DOGS DAY

  Mr. DURBIN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Judiciary 
Committee be discharged from further consideration and the Senate now 
proceed to S. Res. 338.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The clerk will report the resolution by title.
  The assistant legislative clerk read as follows:

       A resolution (S. Res. 338) designating November 14, 2009, 
     as ``National Reading Education Assistance Dogs Day.''

  There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the 
resolution.
  Mr. DURBIN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the 
resolution be agreed to, the preamble be agreed to, and the motions to 
reconsider be laid upon the table.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The resolution (S. Res. 338) was agreed to.
  The preamble was agreed to.
  The resolution, with its preamble, reads as follows:

                              S. Res. 338

       Whereas reading provides children with an essential 
     foundation for all future learning;
       Whereas the Reading Education Assistance Dogs (R.E.A.D.) 
     program was founded in November of 1999 to improve the 
     literacy skills of children through the mentoring assistance 
     of trained, registered, and insured pet partner reading 
     volunteer teams;
       Whereas children who participate in the R.E.A.D. program 
     make significant improvements in fluency, comprehension, 
     confidence, and many additional academic and social 
     dimensions;
       Whereas the R.E.A.D. program now has an active presence in 
     49 States, 3 provinces in Canada, Europe, Asia, and beyond 
     with more than 2,400 trained and registered volunteer teams 
     participating and influencing thousands of children in 
     classrooms and libraries across the Nation;
       Whereas the program has received awards and recognition 
     from distinguished entities including the International 
     Reading Association, the Delta Society, the Latham 
     Foundation, the American Library Association, and PBS 
     Television; and
       Whereas the program has garnered enthusiastic coverage from 
     national media, including major television networks NBC, CBS, 
     and ABC, as well as international television and print 
     coverage: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate, in honor of the 10th anniversary 
     of the R.E.A.D. program, designates November 14, 2009, as 
     ``National Reading Education Assistance Dogs Day''.

                          ____________________