[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 154 (2008), Part 10]
[House]
[Pages 13364-13367]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




   RECOGNIZING HIGH SCHOOL VALEDICTORIANS OF GRADUATING CLASS OF 2008

  Mr. SARBANES. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to 
the resolution (H. Res. 1229) recognizing the achievements of America's 
high school valedictorians of the graduating class of 2008, promoting 
the importance of encouraging intellectual growth, and rewarding 
academic excellence of all American high school students, as amended.
  The Clerk read the title of the resolution.
  The text of the resolution is as follows:

                              H. Res. 1229

       Whereas valedictorians are conferred as the highest 
     academically-ranked student in their high school's graduating 
     class;
       Whereas our Nation's secondary schools honor their highest 
     academically ranked students with the ``valedictorian'' 
     title;
       Whereas valedictorians have demonstrated consistency in 
     their intellectual inquiry, academic discipline, and 
     utilization of teacher mentoring throughout their high school 
     careers;
       Whereas valedictorians serve as peer role models to fellow 
     high school students by succeeding academically and 
     contributing to community improvement;
       Whereas valedictorians are charged with the duty of giving 
     a graduation speech that reflects upon the intellectual 
     development and community involvement of the graduating class 
     and inspires all graduating students to further their 
     academic studies and social engagement;
       Whereas numerous valedictorians and graduating seniors will 
     further their intellectual interests and academic studies by 
     enrolling in universities and postsecondary educational 
     institutions;
       Whereas family members, teachers, school administrators, 
     and community members have nurtured the intellectual growth 
     and rewarded the academic achievements of valedictorians and 
     graduating seniors; and
       Whereas valedictorians and graduating seniors will become 
     America's future civic, business, and political leaders, 
     maintaining our Nation's global leadership position and 
     strengthening its economic competitiveness: Now, therefore, 
     be it
       Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
       (1) honors and recognizes the valedictorians and graduating 
     seniors of the class of 2008 for their academic achievements 
     and contributions to their communities;
       (2) encourages all valedictorians and graduating seniors to 
     further their intellectual inquiry and academic studies in 
     universities and postsecondary educational institutions; and
       (3) supports the continued social engagement of 
     valedictorians and graduating seniors, which utilizes their 
     knowledge and skills for the betterment of their communities 
     and the social, cultural, and economic advancement of the 
     Nation.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Maryland (Mr. Sarbanes) and the gentlewoman from North Carolina (Ms. 
Foxx) each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Maryland.


                             General Leave

  Mr. SARBANES. Madam Speaker, I request 5 legislative days during 
which Members may revise and extend and insert extraneous material on 
H. Res. 1229 into the Record.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Maryland?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. SARBANES. Madam Speaker, I yield myself as much time as I may 
consume.
  Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of H. Res. 1229, which 
recognizes the achievements of America's high school valedictorians of 
the graduating class of 2008. I am pleased to honor these outstanding 
individuals, as well as encourage the pursuit of high academic honors.
  Today, as we recognize our valedictorians, we reaffirm our commitment 
to education and encourage our youth to discover the many learning 
opportunities they will encounter throughout their lives. I hope that 
by saluting these valedictorians we help make high achievement 
infectious and help every student appreciate the countless 
opportunities that await them beyond high school.
  Valedictorians are not only the highest academically ranked students 
in their class; they are also peer role models who represent the ideals 
of their families and communities. They inspire fellow classmates to 
become involved in improving the community and motivate their peers to 
achieve academically.
  Long after high school, the title of valedictorian is still upheld as 
a significant accomplishment. By recognizing the accomplishments of 
this year's high school valedictorians, I hope to support and promote 
inquiry and learning across our Nation. I know that this year's 
valedictorians, and all graduating seniors at our Nation's high 
schools, are our future leaders. We owe it to these students to give 
them the best education we can and celebrate

[[Page 13365]]

high school graduation as an important step toward achieving their 
goals.
  Madam Speaker, I congratulate this year's valedictorians and everyone 
in the graduating class of 2008. I urge my colleagues to support this 
resolution.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Ms. FOXX. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  I rise today in support of House Resolution 1229, recognizing the 
achievements of America's high school valedictorians of the graduating 
class of 2008, promoting the importance of encouraging intellectual 
growth, and rewarding academic excellence of all American high school 
students.
  Valedictorians are the highest academically ranked students in their 
high school's graduating class. These students have demonstrated 
consistency in their intellectual inquiry, academic discipline, and 
utilization of teacher mentoring throughout their high school careers.

                              {time}  1700

  They serve as peer role models to fellow high school students by 
succeeding academically and contributing to a culture of excellence in 
their schools.
  Valedictorians are charged with the duty of giving a graduation 
speech that reflects upon the intellectual development and community 
involvement of the graduating class and inspires all graduating 
students to further their academic studies and social engagement. These 
students enjoy the support of family members, teachers, school 
administrators and community members who have nurtured their 
intellectual growth and rewarded their academic achievements. This 
class of seniors will become America's future civic, business and 
political leaders, maintaining our Nation's global leadership position 
and strengthening its economic competitiveness.
  Today I want to especially honor and recognize the valedictorians and 
graduating seniors of the class of 2008. They have all worked very hard 
to accomplish the goals they reached on high school graduation day. I 
know this is not the first outstanding accomplishment for many of these 
young people, and I am equally certain it will not be the last.
  I encourage all valedictorians and all graduating seniors to further 
their intellectual inquiry and academic studies in universities and 
post-secondary educational institutions across the Nation.
  To all graduating seniors, I want to say congratulations on your many 
accomplishments, and enjoy your summer.
  I ask my colleagues to support this resolution.
  Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. SARBANES. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Ms. FOXX. Madam Speaker, as we reflect on the valedictorians of the 
class of 2008, I think it's important that we think about what the 
Democrats are doing now in the House of Representatives that are going 
to affect their future. I think that we have to reflect on the fact 
that the Democrat majority's ``just say no'' energy policy certainly 
darkens America's energy future:
  No production of American energy resources, which increases reliance 
on unstable foreign sources such as Venezuela, Iran and Saudi Arabia.
  No new oil refineries built, which increases gas prices and reliance 
on imported fuel.
  No new transmission lines, which hinders renewable electricity 
getting to consumers and reduces reliability.
  No new coal power plants, which increases electricity prices and 
stifles the economy.
  No new advanced zero-emission nuclear plants, which blocks one of the 
cleanest, most reliable energy sources available.
  No new zero-emission hydroelectric plants, which blocks reliable 
clean energy.
  No liquefied natural gas terminals, which increases prices and ships 
jobs overseas.
  Democrats' prohibition on producing American energy resources have 
made the U.S. more reliant on imported oil and natural gas.
  Democrats' roadblocks on the utilization of energy from our North 
American neighbors have made the U.S. more reliant on the Organization 
of Petroleum Exporting Countries, OPEC.
  Democrats' unfavorable tax rules have sent energy investment and 
production abroad.
  Democrats' unnecessary red tape and bureaucracy have made it nearly 
impossible to move forward on new clean power generation.
  Democrats' 1970s-era energy policies have cancelled dozens of power 
plants, reducing electricity supplies and increasing electricity costs 
to consumers.
  Democrats' refusal to provide incentives for individuals and 
businesses has made it difficult to invest in efficient technologies.
  But Republicans have solutions that will fix this problem. We then 
can look at meeting our energy needs with American-made energy in the 
future.
  The comprehensive House Republican plan will fund research and 
development of technologies and innovations which advance the use of 
renewable and domestically available energy sources, increase energy 
efficiency, and ease the environmental impacts of energy use.
  We will increase the production of American-made energy in an 
environmentally safe way.
  We support actions that reduce America's dependence on energy from 
unstable foreign governments and dictatorships by increasing domestic 
production of oil and natural gas in an environmentally safe way.
  And we promote unconventional fuels such as coal-to-liquid technology 
by recovering our vast oil shale reserves and increasing access for 
environmentally responsible development of conventional and 
unconventional domestic oil and natural gas production.
  We want to provide coal-to-liquids financing and tax incentives. We 
want to advance the commercialization of the Nation's 2 trillion barrel 
shale oil resource, 80 percent of which occurs on government-owned land 
in the West. This is enough to supply all of America's needs for over 
two centuries.
  We are promoting new, clean and reliable power generation. We 
encourage more production of environmentally safe energy to increase 
the use of our vast domestic supply, reduce emissions, and keep coal-
dependent communities strong.
  We want to expand emissions-free nuclear power, including long-term 
nuclear waste storage solutions and recycling spent fuel by providing 
production and investment tax credits for all new base-load electricity 
products such as advanced nuclear power and clean coal, and allowing 
immediate expensing for new renewable or zero-emission power.
  We want to cut red tape and increase the supply of American-made fuel 
and energy by expediting permitting for enhanced oil recovery projects, 
including CO2 delivery and injection, as well as permitting 
for new refining capacity.
  We want to improve environmental review and permitting to encourage 
the deployment of technologies which increase the efficiency of 
existing power plants.
  And we want to end ill-advised policies that have led to the 
proliferation of unique gasoline and diesel fuel formations known as 
``boutique fuels'' which have fragmented our motor fuels distribution 
system, choked off supply, and exacerbated the already painful Pelosi 
Premium.
  We are encouraging greater energy efficiency by offering conservation 
tax incentives. We support technologies to help increase energy 
efficiency in all sectors of the American economy, including removing 
bureaucratic regulatory barriers that prevent businesses from upgrading 
their facilities with newer, more efficient energy technologies.
  We want to make home energy efficiency upgrades tax deductible, 
provide incentives for homebuilders and homeowners to make their homes 
more energy efficient, offer investment expensing for industrial and 
commercial building efficiency upgrades, extend the residential and 
business solar and fuel cell investment tax credits, with enhancements 
to the residential solar credit ($2,000 per \1/2\ kilowatt installed),

[[Page 13366]]

extend the fiber-optic distributed sunlight investment tax credit, and 
increase energy efficiency of government-owned facilities.
  With that, Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. SARBANES. Madam Speaker, for too long our Nation has been captive 
of the interests that are preserving dependence on fossil fuels.
  What's so exciting about what is happening with the younger 
generation, among them these valedictorians that we're saluting today, 
is they're really getting out on the cutting edge in terms of thinking 
about the green revolution, about new energy technologies. And they're 
the ones, I think, that are going to join with enlightened policy 
makers across the country to make sure that we liberate ourselves from 
that dependence on fossil fuels and we move forward and explore 
alternatives to that, which is really going to be the solution to our 
energy crisis over time.
  So again, for all they're doing and for stepping up as they do every 
day and demonstrating incredible accomplishments, I want to salute the 
valedictorians of the class of 2008 and encourage my colleagues to 
support H. Res. 1229.
  Mr. GRIJALVA. Madam Speaker, today, we rightly honor the hard work 
and achievements of this year's valedictorians, salutatorians and 
graduates all across the Nation. I wish to recognize their dedication 
and the contributions to their community. By completing a high school 
diploma, the future for these students has become considerably 
brighter.
  I also wish to take a moment to reflect on largo group of 
valedictorians, salutatorians and graduates who, despite high school 
success and graduation, will be shut out of many of the opportunities 
for a prosperous future that we promise to our children for their hard 
work.
  I am referring to the many valedictorians, salutatorians and 
graduates who have worked hard in the communities they have known their 
whole lives, played by the rules, excelled in school and, because of 
their undocumented status, will be systematically cut off from the 
opportunities that are afforded to successful students like them. 
Through no fault of their own, these bright, intelligent, model 
students will be caught in limbo--denied an opportunity to pursue 
success and, in so doing, to serve our country.
  These students are confronted with a lesson that high schools do not 
teach--that because of a status that was not of their choosing, their 
achievements are worth less than the achievements of their friends and 
classmates. This is a cruel lesson indeed; the lesson that they have 
grown up in a social caste; that despite America's promise of 
prosperity for hard work, that no matter what their educational 
success--they will be branded ``untouchables''.
  Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of 
H. Res. 1229, recognizing the achievements of America's high school 
valedictorians of the graduating class of 2008, promoting the 
importance of encouraging intellectual growth, and rewarding academic 
excellence of all American high school students, introduced by my 
distinguished colleague from New York, Representative Gregory Meeks, of 
which I am a proud cosponsor. This bill is an important step in 
continuing and promoting the excellent secondary education that our 
nation provides.
  This legislation recognizes the fine accomplishments of the 
graduating class of 2008 and commends them for their intellectual 
pursuits as well as their academic achievements. This bill, 
furthermore, recognizes the family members, teachers, school 
administrators, and community members that have nurtured the 
intellectual growth and rewarded the academic achievements of this 
year's valedictorians and graduating seniors.
  This year, valedictorians across America have succeeded in tremendous 
academic endeavors. Whether by inspiring their fellow classmates to 
study a little longer for a test, or by tutoring them to write an 
essay, valedictorians have acted as noteworthy role models to their 
peers. Furthermore, through their hard work and dedications, they have 
enriched their academic communities.
  It is further important that we recognize that valedictorians often 
engage in extracurricular activities, enriching their local communities 
and the nation by furthering economic, cultural, and social 
accomplishments. By volunteering their time in soup kitchens, acting as 
captain of the soccer team or chess club, or simply taking an after-
school job, valedictorians learn more than math and English, they learn 
to contribute significantly to our society.
  As Chair of the Congressional Children's Caucus, I recognize the 
importance of today's youth. Valedictorians as well as graduating 
seniors of 2008 will become the future businessmen, leaders, teachers, 
and scientists that lead this nation. They will use their extraordinary 
talents to make the world a better place. As thus, it is important for 
them to continue to cultivate their strengths by attending one of the 
many universities that this great nation has to offer. I support this 
legislation that encourages valedictorians and the graduating class of 
2008 as a whole, to further their intellectual inquiry and academic 
studies beyond their secondary education.
  With over 15,000 of our nation's schools recognizing this year's 
valedictorians as the highest academically-ranked students in their 
graduating class, the members of Congress, as representatives of our 
nation, must recognize these talented individuals for their hard work. 
By doing so, we demonstrate the importance of education and show our 
support for the continued hard work of students across the country. 
Without this official recognition, talented youth may not feel support 
which can push them to achieve high goals, such as past valedictorians 
and the valedictorians of the 2008 graduating class have achieved. I 
feel strongly that this bill is a step toward providing support for 
students.
  This legislation is imperative to recognizing the achievement of the 
graduating class of 2008, supporting social engagements by graduating 
seniors to better our communities, and promoting continued intellectual 
pursuits by these men and women at colleges and universities. As the 
Chair of the Congressional Children's Caucus, a Representative of the 
people of the United States, and a mother of two, I am proud to 
cosponsor this legislation and I urge my colleagues to join me in 
supporting this legislation.
  Mr. MEEKS of New York. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize and 
honor the achievements of America's high school valedictorians and the 
graduating class of 2008. With House Resolution 1229, I know that I 
capture the sentiment of all Members of the 110th Congress in promoting 
the importance of intellectual growth and the academic excellence of 
America's graduating high school students. In my southeast Queens 
community, New York's Sixth Congressional District, I personally know 
that great achievements have taking place in the high schools servicing 
my young constituents. My district's graduating seniors have achieved a 
major milestone in their educational and social development. With this 
accomplishment, I now encourage these young adults to take their next 
major step towards becoming our Nation's future leaders and engaged 
citizens by entering higher education institutions or by beginning 
their young careers.
  For this graduation celebration, I want to specifically recognize the 
stellar accomplishments of our Nation's high school Valedictorians. 
Each year, every high school recognizes an individual student who has 
risen above his or her fellow students through their consistency of 
intellectual inquiry, in their demonstration of academic discipline, 
and their utilization of teacher mentoring. Through their dedication 
and hard work, these students have attained the position of top 
academically ranked student within their graduating class and are 
honored as the ``Valedictorian'' at their graduation ceremony. 
Throughout their high school careers, Valedictorians have served as 
peer role models to fellow high school students by succeeding 
academically and contributing to community improvement. It is their 
example that shines clearly to their fellow students and community 
members, demonstrating the dedication and drive that it takes to become 
America's future civic, business, and political leaders, and 
maintaining our Nation's global leadership position through 
strengthening its economic competitiveness.
  During this graduation season, let us not forget that no child 
achieves alone, but rather it takes an entire community to rear a 
socially and educationally mature child. Along with our Nation's 
valedictorians and graduating class, I want to recognize and honor the 
love, support, and contributions of the parents, community members, 
teachers, and school administrators, who have provided these students 
with the resources and guidance needed to achieve. It has been the 
selfless contributions of these individuals who have nurtured the 
intellectual growth and rewarded the academic achievements of our 
Nation's valedictorians and graduating seniors.
  In closing, I make the call to all graduating seniors to further 
their intellectual interests and academic studies by enrolling in 
universities and postsecondary educational institutions and to continue 
their social engagement, utilizing their knowledge and skills for the 
betterment of their communities and the social, cultural, and economic 
advancement of our great Nation.

[[Page 13367]]


  Mr. SARBANES. Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Sarbanes) that the House suspend the rules 
and agree to the resolution, H. Res. 1229, as amended.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the 
rules were suspended and the resolution, as amended, was agreed to.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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