[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 176 (Wednesday, October 25, 2023)]
[Senate]
[Pages S5193-S5194]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  SENATE RESOLUTION 430--DESIGNATING OCTOBER 20, 2023, AS ``NATIONAL 
                EARLY CHILDHOOD LITERACY AWARENESS DAY''

  Mr. MANCHIN (for himself, Ms. Collins, Mrs. Capito, and Mr. King) 
submitted the following resolution; which was considered and agreed to:

                              S. Res. 430

       Whereas many children from families with low incomes begin 
     school already far behind children from families with higher 
     incomes;
       Whereas research shows that children from families with low 
     incomes are less likely to have interactions that are 
     critical for language development, including--
       (1) being read to or spoken to regularly;
       (2) having access to books;
       (3) having a literacy-rich environment; and
       (4) accessing high-quality early childhood education 
     programs;
       Whereas language development is an important precursor to 
     literacy;
       Whereas access to high-quality early childhood education 
     programs can support early childhood language development and 
     literacy;
       Whereas, as early as 3 years of age, the vocabulary of a 
     child can predict the future third-grade reading proficiency 
     of the child;
       Whereas, during the first 3 years of life, children from 
     families with low-incomes can

[[Page S5194]]

     hear as many as 30,000,000 fewer words than children from 
     more affluent families;
       Whereas, in 2022, the National Assessment of Educational 
     Progress (referred to in this preamble as ``NAEP'') reported 
     that--
       (1) 66 percent of fourth-grade public school students 
     nationally performed below the NAEP proficient level in 
     reading; and
       (2) 37 percent of fourth-grade public school students 
     nationally performed below the NAEP basic level in reading; 
     and
       Whereas awareness of early childhood literacy issues must 
     be heightened to encourage greater support to help children 
     achieve reading proficiency: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) designates October 20, 2023, as ``National Early 
     Childhood Literacy Awareness Day'';
       (2) encourages States, localities, schools, early childhood 
     education programs, and nonprofit organizations to observe 
     the day with appropriate programs and activities, with the 
     goal of increasing public awareness about early childhood 
     literacy issues;
       (3) recognizes the need to make early childhood literacy a 
     public priority;
       (4) supports the efforts of businesses, State and local 
     governments, early childhood education programs, nonprofit 
     organizations, educators, and volunteers dedicated to 
     increasing childhood literacy rates;
       (5) applauds the initiatives of businesses, State and local 
     governments, early childhood education programs, nonprofit 
     organizations, educators, and volunteers that--
       (A) use time and resources to address early childhood 
     literacy issues, the causes of poor reading scores, and 
     potential solutions to those issues; and
       (B) work to promote the love of reading among children; and
       (6) encourages parents, other family members, and 
     caregivers to introduce children to the world of books and 
     other literacy activities in different ways, including by--
       (A) reading to children;
       (B) telling stories;
       (C) teaching letters and words; and
       (D) visiting libraries.

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