[Congressional Record Volume 159, Number 24 (Thursday, February 14, 2013)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E143]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




        RECOGNIZING NATIONAL COURT REPORTING AND CAPTIONING WEEK

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                             HON. RON KIND

                              of wisconsin

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, February 14, 2013

  Mr. KIND. Mr. Speaker, today I rise to acknowledge the hard work of 
court reporters and broadcast captioners nationwide, as well as the 
recognition of the National Court Reporting and Captioning Week from 
February 17-23, 2013.
   Court reporters and broadcast captioners have the unique skill of 
translating the spoken word into text to record history, preserve 
judicial proceedings, assist individuals who are deaf and hard-of-
hearing with access to audio communications, and even capture the work 
of Congress in committees and on the floor of the House and Senate. 
They are truly the guardians of the record.
   The profession of court reporting is thousands of years old; its 
roots can be traced back to 63 B.C., when Marcus Tullius Tiro created 
shorthand reporting to service the Roman philosopher, lawyer, and 
orator Cicero. Since the dawn of civilization, the desire to capture 
the spoken word and record our history has been the responsibility of 
the scribe, known today as the court reporter.
   The scribe has been an essential part of history from times in 
Ancient Egypt, to the drafting of the Declaration of Independence, Bill 
of Rights, the Emancipation Proclamation and the recording of our 
entire American history.
   Since the advent of shorthand machines, these scribes are now known 
as court reporters and have played a prominent and invaluable role in 
courtrooms, state legislatures, and in Congress preserving Members' 
words and actions.
   Court reporters and captioners are also responsible for the closed 
captioning seen scrolling across television screens, at sporting 
stadiums and in other community and educational settings, bringing 
information to almost 40 million deaf and hard-of-hearing Americans 
every day.
   Congress has continuously worked with the National Court Reporters 
Association to make increasing this access a reality and to ensure that 
every American has access to the spoken word.
   Whether called the scribes of yesterday or the court reporters and 
captioners of today, the individuals who preserve our Nation's history 
are truly the guardians of our national record. They have a tough 
profession but continue to excel through their dedication and 
expertise. With that, it is my honor to acknowledge February 17-23 as 
National Court Reporting and Captioning Week across the country.

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