[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 150 (Monday, September 19, 2022)]
[House]
[Page H7947]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       REAUTHORIZING THE READ ACT

  (Ms. LEE of California asked and was given permission to address the 
House for 1 minute.)
  Ms. LEE of California. Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of 
H.R. 7240 to reauthorize the Reinforcing Education Accountability in 
Development Act, or the READ Act.
  I thank my good friend, Chairwoman Karen Bass, for leading this 
bipartisan legislation and Chairman Meeks and the Speaker for moving it 
to the floor.
  Our dear friend and a great leader, Chairwoman Nita Lowey, who 
preceded me as chair of the Subcommittee on State, Foreign Operations, 
and Related Programs, led the charge to pass the READ Act in 2017. I 
saw her over this weekend, and she was so excited that this bill was 
coming to the floor.
  The READ Act coordinates and amplifies U.S. efforts to support basic 
education abroad. Over 58 million children still cannot go to school 
around the world, more than half are girls, and COVID-19 disrupted 
learning for hundreds of millions of kids, creating huge challenges for 
meeting the sustainable development goal of providing a quality 
education for all kids by 2030.
  I was proud to include in the fiscal year 2023 House SFOPS 
appropriations bill $985 million for international basic education, $35 
million above last year's enacted level and $291.6 million above the 
President's budget request. The READ Act authorization will ensure that 
these resources will deliver the most value for kids around the world.

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