[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 11 (Wednesday, January 26, 2011)]
[House]
[Pages H503-H504]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                          MAKING AMERICA FIRST

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentleman from Texas (Mr. Al Green) is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. AL GREEN of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the President for 
his message last night, and I especially would like to focus on one 
aspect of the message.
  The President indicated to us that sitting together was important. It 
has great symbolism, and it's a positive thing; but he also indicated 
to us that this is not the final step in the process. Sitting together 
can never, never replace working together. So it is what we do today--
last night he said tomorrow--sitting together tonight, he indicated, 
but working together tomorrow; this is where we have to focus our 
energies and efforts. We must work together. And if we're going to work 
together to fulfill what I believe is a great challenge--and that is 
America first, to make America number one--if we're going to make 
America first, America number one, we absolutely have to focus on 
education.
  Education is important because the jobs, as we go forward, will 
require much more education than we have been allowed to have and have 
good jobs in the past. We must focus on education to have the good jobs 
that we want. And jobs are a priority for all of us.
  Some statistical information is available to help us better 
understand why we need to focus on education.
  Currently, about 25 percent of our students are completing high 
school. Over the next 10 years, half of all new jobs will require more 
than a high school education. If we compare our 15-year-olds to 15-
year-olds around the world, we find that we are 20 when it comes to 
science literacy; China is number 13; Korea 3. The U.S. is number 28 
when it comes to mathematics literacy among our 15-year-olds; China is 
number 1; Korea number 3. The U.S. is ranked 16 when it comes to 
reading literacy among 15-year-olds, China is number 1, Korea number 2.
  We must focus on and maintain an educated workforce. An educated 
workforce requires that we understand that we have to have quality 
teachers and that we are going to have to make sure that these teachers 
will invest in education themselves because they see it as a means by 
which they can have a livelihood.
  I understand that most teachers don't teach simply because they want 
money. They teach because they want to be with children, and they want 
to see children learn. This is important. But teachers have to feed 
their families, too. I support making sure that teachers get a decent 
day's pay for a hard day's work. I support teachers and making sure 
that the teachers are available to educate our children.
  If we're going to have America first, we have to have a first-rate 
health care system. We had a great sickness-care system. We were among 
the best when it came to sickness care. We spent a hundred billion 
dollars a year treating persons in emergency rooms, in facilities 
outside of primary care facilities.
  But if we're going to be number one, we had to move away from the 
$2.5 trillion that we were spending annually on health care, which 
translates into $79,000 a second--17.6 percent of GDP--and by 2018 it 
would have become $4.4 trillion per year--more than 20 percent of GDP--
$139,000 a second.
  To have America first, we've got to educate our people and we've got 
to have them receive quality health care. Quality health care can never 
be underestimated because of the way it impacts the workplace.
  America can be first. I stand for America first. I love America. And 
I stand here today to say to my colleagues across the aisle that I am 
willing and ready to reach out and work with you to help make America 
first because if America is first, not only is the United States a 
better place, but the world would be a better place because of the 
values that we hold so near and dear to us.
  We believe in liberty and justice for all. We believe in government 
of the people, by the people, for the people. We believe that every 
person ought to succeed on his merits or fail on his demerits. That's 
what America gives to the world--the notion that there is a fair system 
that allows anyone to rise to the top, to reach the zenith of life, the 
best that life can offer. We take this to the world, and I want America 
to be first so that the world can benefit from what America has to 
offer.
  Thank you, Mr. President, for your message. And I assure you I have 
taken the challenge that you have accorded us. I will work with others 
to make sure that we get beyond the symbolism of sitting together and 
move to working together which will make the difference in the lives of 
the people in this country and, indirectly, the people around the 
world.

[[Page H504]]

  God bless you, Mr. President, and God bless the United States of 
America.

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