[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 75 (Tuesday, May 18, 2010)]
[House]
[Pages H3507-H3509]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                          NATIONAL TEACHER DAY

  Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and 
agree to the resolution (H. Res. 403) expressing the sense of the House 
of Representatives that there should be established a National Teacher 
Day to honor and celebrate teachers in the United States, as amended.
  The Clerk read the title of the resolution.
  The text of the resolution is as follows:

                              H. Res. 403

       Whereas the education of children in the United States is 
     the foundation of the future success of the United States;
       Whereas education is critical for the creation of an 
     innovative workforce and for increasing the global 
     competitiveness of the United States;
       Whereas teachers help students cultivate the knowledge and 
     principles necessary to be successful in life;
       Whereas teachers are held to high expectations;
       Whereas teachers help instill civic responsibility among 
     students in the United States;
       Whereas teachers deserve annual national recognition for 
     their knowledge, selfless dedication to their profession, 
     compassion, and sacrifice; and
       Whereas the Tuesday of the first full week of May of each 
     year is an appropriate day for the establishment of National 
     Teacher Day: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
       (1) supports the goals and ideals of National Teacher Day; 
     and
       (2) calls upon the people of the United States to observe 
     such a day with appropriate ceremonies, programs, and 
     activities.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Illinois (Mr. Davis) and the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Broun) each 
will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Illinois.


                             General Leave

  Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that 
all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend 
their remarks.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Illinois?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I 
may consume.
  Madam Speaker, I rise in support of H. Res. 403, a resolution that 
supports the goals and ideals of National Teacher Day to honor and 
celebrate teachers in the United States of America.

[[Page H3508]]

  Every day in schools across the country, teachers work tirelessly to 
educate our country's most precious resource, our children. Oftentimes 
they work long hours under difficult conditions and don't receive the 
recognition and appreciation they deserve. The least we can do is 
designate a day where the teachers of America know that they are 
appreciated and that they are in our thoughts.

                              {time}  1630

  Most of us can think back to that one special teacher who influenced 
us or changed our lives: the math teacher that took extra time out of 
their overloaded schedule to help us understand that one difficult 
algebra problem; the Spanish teacher who stayed late to help us with 
verb conjugations before the big test, or the history teacher who made 
the American Revolution come alive off the page of a textbook.
  Teachers are the glue that holds our education system together. They 
ensure that our young people become successful adults by providing the 
knowledge and skills for them to thrive, even if some of our children 
don't realize it at the time. Teachers help our children find their way 
along the path to adulthood, teaching more than facts and figures, but 
life lessons as well.
  I often remember and often talk about my favorite teacher, a woman, 
Ms. Beadie King, who taught in a one-room school that I attended as a 
young person. Ms. Beadie taught 8 grades plus what we called the little 
primer and the big primer, all at the same time. And oftentimes today, 
when I talk, I use pithy sayings and comments. Most of those I remember 
from Ms. Beadie, who would often use these little illustrations to try 
and teach us how to behave.
  For example, she used to tell us that a wise old owl sat on an oak. 
The more he heard, the less he spoke. The more he spoke, the less he 
heard. Now I want you boys to be like that wise old bird. And of 
course, if we didn't comply, she had other methods and techniques that 
she would use to get her message across.
  And to this very day--that's been a long, long time ago--I never 
forget poems that she taught us because by the time I graduated high 
school, she had become the English teacher and the literature teacher.
  And she taught without thinking about her compensation. As a matter 
of fact, some days she would walk in the rain, 6 to 8 miles herself, to 
get to school. Other times, if the weather was just too inclement, her 
husband would drive her in his wagon. Now, of course, lots of people 
can't remember times like those, but that was sometime ago.
  We still have many dedicated teachers all over America, teachers who 
give of themselves in such a way that others can experience and have 
the opportunities to grow and develop to become whatever it is that 
their talents, ambition, hard work combine to make them. That is the 
role of teachers. That is the promise of America.
  And so we salute teachers on this day. I believe that they are the 
salt of the Earth, the pillars of the universe, the individuals upon 
whose shoulders the rest of society stands.
  And so I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting this resolution.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. BROUN of Georgia. Madam Speaker, I yield myself as much time as I 
may consume.
  Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of House Resolution 403, 
expressing the sense that the House of Representatives should establish 
a National Teachers Day to honor and celebrate teachers in the United 
States.
  Every day thousands of men and women in this country wake up in the 
morning with a tremendous responsibility, the stressful and sometimes 
daunting task of educating our Nation's youth. We entrust these special 
people with our most precious gift, our children.
  Education requires commitment and hard work from both students and 
teachers. Most of us can point to the one or two special educators, as 
Mr. Davis was just talking about his teacher, whose impact allowed us 
to get to where we are today.
  Teachers have guided children throughout history instilling 
principles of good citizenship, hard work and the reward of doing one's 
personal best. Across all borders and around the world, teachers are a 
key factor in engaging the minds of their students and imparting 
knowledge for a lifetime.
  Through their dedication and passion for service, teachers bridge the 
gap between the resources available and the vital need for a strong 
education. They provide the tools necessary for success, and their 
sacrifice deserves national recognition.

  Madam Speaker, I ask all Members to join me in supporting this 
resolution.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I 
might consume.
  Madam Speaker, this resolution was introduced by our colleague, the 
gentleman from Florida, Representative Ron Klein, on April 22, 2010, 
and was referred to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform. 
The committee reported the measure by unanimous consent on May 6, 2010. 
The measure enjoys the support of over 70 Members of the House, and so 
I thank the Member from Florida for introducing this measure. And I'd 
also like to thank Chairman Towns and Ranking Member Issa for their 
support. I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting our Nation's 
teachers by voting in favor of this measure.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. BROUN of Georgia. Madam Speaker, I yield myself as much time as I 
may consume.
  Madam Speaker, teachers around this country are overworked; they're 
underpaid. They have the future of our Nation in their hands, and they 
deserve the recognition that this resolution so duly gives them. And I 
urge support of this resolution.
  I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Madam Speaker, to close, we have noted lately 
strong conversation about perhaps some school districts having to lay 
off teachers, not having all of the resources that are needed or the 
resources that are necessary to keep them engaged and keep them 
employed.
  I urge my colleagues, not only to support this resolution, but I urge 
this Congress, I urge State legislatures, I urge State officials and 
Federal officials and local officials all across the country to make 
absolutely certain that we find the resources necessary to make our 
education system the very best in the world and to live up to the idea 
that our teachers deserve all of the support we could possibly provide.
  Mr. BROUN of Georgia. Would the gentleman yield?
  Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Yes.
  Mr. BROUN of Georgia. I just want to associate myself with the 
gentleman's remarks. He's absolutely right. We need to focus on 
teachers, not administrators and a lot of the auxiliary people who are 
in the educational system today. Teachers should be the primary focus.
  In my State of Georgia, we're laying off teachers, and it's a crying 
shame. Teachers don't get the recognition that they deserve. They don't 
get the pay that they deserve. They're hamstrung by red tape and 
paperwork. They're struggling very hard to impart an education to the 
youth of our Nation. Many of these teachers have to come out of their 
own pocket to pay for supplies for kids in their own room, and that's a 
crying shame. It should not be that way.
  This is just a simple token, but I hope a tremendous token, to honor 
the teachers that affect all of us and affect the Nation's future. And 
so I wanted to associate myself with Mr. Davis' words because he's 
very, very correct in what he said. These people need the much deserved 
recognition that this resolution gives them. And I thank the gentleman 
for yielding.
  Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. I want to thank the gentleman from Georgia 
(Mr. Broun) very much for his comments, and I join with him.
  I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Davis) that the House suspend the rules 
and agree to the resolution, H. Res. 403, as amended.
  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. DAVIS of Illinois. Madam Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and 
nays.
  The yeas and nays were ordered.

[[Page H3509]]

  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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