[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 174 (Tuesday, November 15, 2011)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E2056-E2057]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




        HONORING THE 40TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE CLOSE-UP FOUNDATION

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. JAMES LANKFORD

                             of oklahoma--

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, November 15, 2011

  Mr. LANKFORD. Mr. Speaker, today I rise in honor of the Close-Up 
Foundation on their 40th Anniversary. Since 1971, Close Up has educated 
over 750,000 students and teachers in the democratic process through 
their Washington-based civic education programs and classroom 
publications.
  Close-Up provides students and teachers from diverse backgrounds all 
over the country with the opportunity to use the institutions and 
historical sites of our nation's capital as a backdrop for their 
lectures, small group discussions, and interactions with key policy 
experts. The programs are designed to enrich students' knowledge of the 
basic concepts and institutions of American constitutional government 
and develop a practical understanding of the processes of the 
democratic political system and the role of its citizens. They leave 
each student with a better understanding of the complex policy issues 
that surround our country every day.
  As a 10th grader on my first trip to Washington, D.C. with the Close-
Up Foundation, I

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had an opportunity to experience the benefits of the program firsthand. 
The inner workings of democracy and the legislative process fascinated 
me. The information and education I received during my visit as a 
student provided me with the foundation to be an active member of my 
community and engage in the civics process.
  I rise today in appreciation of the Close-Up foundation on their 40th 
Anniversary and thank them for the opportunity they have provided to 
hundreds of thousands of students from across our great nation. I look 
forward to meeting with the many more students that will visit our 
nation's capitol in the future.

                          ____________________