[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 155 (2009), Part 17]
[House]
[Pages 23593-23594]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                   SUPPORTING READ FOR THE RECORD DAY

  Mr. POLIS. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to 
the resolution (H. Res. 741) expressing support for designation of 
October 8, 2009, as national Jumpstart's ``Read for the Record Day,'' 
as amended.
  The Clerk read the title of the resolution.
  The text of the resolution is as follows:

                              H. Res. 741

       Whereas Jumpstart, a national early education organization, 
     is working to ensure that all children in the United States 
     enter school prepared to succeed;
       Whereas year-round, Jumpstart recruits and trains college 
     students and community volunteers to work with preschool 
     children in low-income communities, helping them to develop 
     the language, literacy, and social skills they need to 
     succeed in school and in life;
       Whereas since 1993, Jumpstart has engaged nearly 21,000 
     adults to serve almost 80,000 young children in communities 
     across the Nation;
       Whereas Jumpstart's Read for the Record, presented in 
     partnership with the Pearson Foundation, is an annual 
     campaign, now in its fourth year, that brings national 
     attention to the crisis in early education by organizing the 
     world's largest shared reading experience;
       Whereas the goals of the campaign are to raise national 
     awareness about the importance of early education by engaging 
     1,000,000 children reading the same book on the same day, 
     provide books to children in low-income households through 
     donations and book purchases and sponsorship, and prepare 
     students for school success;
       Whereas Jumpstart hopes to engage more than 1,000,000 
     children to read ``The Very Hungry Caterpillar'' in this 
     record-breaking celebration of reading, service, and fun, all 
     in support of the Nation's preschoolers; and
       Whereas October 8, 2009, would be an appropriate date to 
     designate as national Jumpstart's ``Read for the Record Day'' 
     because it is the date Jumpstart aims to set a new world 
     record for the world's largest shared reading experience on 
     the same day: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
       (1) supports the designation of ``Read for the Record 
     Day'';
       (2) commends Jumpstart's Read for the Record in its fourth 
     year; and
       (3) encourages adults, including grandparents, parents, 
     teachers, and college students to come together with children 
     of all ages to create the world's largest shared reading 
     experience to show their support for early literacy and 
     Jumpstart's year-long program working with preschool children 
     in low-income communities.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Colorado (Mr. Polis) and the gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Petri) each 
will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Colorado.


                             General Leave

  Mr. POLIS. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that Members may 
have 5 legislative days during which Members may revise and extend 
their remarks and insert extraneous material on H. Res. 741 into the 
Record.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Colorado?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. POLIS. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of House Resolution 741, which 
supports the designation of October 8, 2009, as national Jumpstart's 
``Read For the Record Day.''
  I would like to yield 5 minutes to the sponsor of the bill, my 
colleague from the great State of Colorado, Betsy Markey.
  Ms. MARKEY of Colorado. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of one 
very hungry caterpillar and the thousands of children eager to hear his 
story. This Thursday, October 8, marks Read for the Record Day, a day 
in which we're striving to break the world record for the largest 
shared reading day ever. On Thursday, adults and children all around 
the world will gather to read Eric Carle's classic book, ``The Very 
Hungry Caterpillar,'' in celebration of reading and service to 
preschool children.
  In my own house, it was ``The Polar Express'' that captivated my 
children's imaginations and hearts at an early age. We would all 
snuggle up on the couch and enter the world of ringing bells, late-
night train rides and the North Pole. Though the days when my three 
children could fit on my lap have long since passed, the tradition of 
reading continues. When a child is exposed to books at an early age, it 
can instill a love of reading and helps to build the foundation for 
success at school.
  Jumpstart is a nonprofit dedicated to such success through early 
childhood education. College students and community volunteers tutor 
and mentor preschool children, empowering them with the tools necessary 
to be successful when they reach kindergarten. Since its inception, 
Jumpstart has worked with over 70,000 preschoolers.
  Now in its fourth year, Jumpstart's Read for the Record Day 
highlights the importance of early involvement of adults in the lives 
of at-risk preschoolers. Most children in low-income communities have 
few, if any, age-appropriate books in their homes. Without the 
necessary tools and instructions, one in three schoolchildren arrives 
at the first day of school unprepared to learn, primarily due to 
economic instability. Jumpstart's Read for the Record campaign raises 
awareness about the importance of early literacy by encouraging adults 
to serve and read with young children. Through the campaign, thousands 
of books are

[[Page 23594]]

distributed to young children in low-income communities, and 
Jumpstart's year-round program is supported.
  My resolution, House Resolution 741, designates October 8, 2009, as 
Read for the Record Day and encourages people of all ages to join us in 
reading for this record this Thursday. I urge support of this 
resolution.

                              {time}  1500

  Mr. PETRI. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  I rise today in support of the resolution before us, House Resolution 
741, expressing support for the designation of this Thursday, October 
8, 2009, as ``Read for the Record Day.''
  Jumpstart is a national early education organization that recruits 
and trains college students and community volunteers to work with 
preschool children in low-income communities. These volunteers help 
young children to develop language, literacy and social skills. Since 
1993, Jumpstart has engaged nearly 21,000 adults to serve almost 80,000 
young children.
  On Thursday, October 8, Jumpstart is working with its partners, 
including the Pearson Foundation, Walmart Stores, Inc., American Eagle 
Outfitters, Sodexo, Penguin Young Readers Group, Chase, and the 
American Association of Retired Persons, to continue its annual 
campaign to attempt to organize the world's largest shared reading 
experience.
  In 2006, the international campaign was created to bring preschool 
children together with valued grownups to read the same book, on the 
same day, in communities all over the world. In 2008, a world record 
was set as nearly 700,000 readers shared the classic children's tale, 
Corduroy.
  The goals of the campaign are to raise national awareness about the 
importance of early education. Jumpstart is working to provide books to 
children in low-income households through donations, book purchases and 
sponsorship in order to prepare more children for school success.
  On ``Read for the Record Day'' in 2009, the hope is to engage more 
than 1 million children to read The Very Hungry Caterpillar and set a 
new world record for the world's largest shared reading experience on 
the same day. Thursday, October 8, can be a celebration of reading, 
service, and fun in support of the Nation's preschoolers.
  I stand in support of designating October 8 as ``Read for the Record 
Day'' in order to encourage grandparents, parents, teachers, and 
students to come together with children of all ages to create the 
world's largest shared reading experience to show their support for 
early literacy.
  I ask my colleagues' support, and I yield back the balance of my 
time.
  Mr. POLIS. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Research shows that the number of books in a home is the single 
strongest indicator of a child's future reading ability--setting him or 
her on a track record for success in school and in life. Unfortunately, 
many low-income children lack age-appropriate books in their homes. 
With this campaign, Jumpstart gives each participating Jumpstart child 
a copy of The Very Hungry Caterpillar for their home library. Jumpstart 
and its partners have asked libraries and schools to host a reading 
event so that all children can participate on October 8, even if the 
kids don't have a copy of the official book at home.
  In addition to this campaign, numerous other programs work to enhance 
early childhood literary. Jumpstart has sponsored Read Across America 
Day--which encourages parents to read to their children. Jumpstart also 
sponsors the Toys for Tots literacy program that promotes children's 
literacy while fighting poverty.
  Recognizing Read for the Record Day encourages children, students, 
parents, and teachers to show their support for a shared reading 
experience. By planning a book drive, reading to children, or 
volunteering with Jumpstart, we can all play a significant role in 
helping to educate the youth of this country.
  With that, I want to thank Representative Markey for introducing this 
legislation, and I urge my colleagues to support this bill.
  Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Madam Speaker. I rise before you today in 
support of H. Res. 741, ``Expressing support for designation of October 
8, 2009, as national Jumpstart's `Read for the Record Day,''' I would 
like thank my colleague, Representative Markey, for introducing this 
resolution, as well as the co-sponsors.
  As the resolution states, Jumpstart is a national early education 
organization, which is working to ensure that all children in the 
United States enter school prepared to succeed. Year-round, Jumpstart 
recruits and trains college students and community volunteers to work 
with preschool children in low-income communities, helping them to 
develop the language, literacy, and social skills they need to succeed 
in school and in life.
  Since 1993, Jumpstart has engaged nearly 21,000 adults to serve 
almost 80,000 young children in communities across the Nation. 
Jumpstart's Read for the Record, presented in partnership with the 
Pearson Foundation, is an annual campaign, now in its fourth year, that 
brings national attention to the crisis in early education by 
organizing the world's largest shared reading experience.
  The goals of the campaign are to raise national awareness about the 
importance of early education by engaging one million children reading 
the same book on the same day, provide books to children in low-income 
households through donations and book purchases and sponsorship, and 
raise money to help bring Jumpstart to more children to prepare them 
for school success. Jumpstart hopes to engage more than one million 
children to read ``The Very Hungry Caterpillar'' in this record-
breaking celebration of reading, service, and fun, all in support of 
the Nation's preschoolers.
  I join this body in supporting the designation of ``Read for the 
Record Day,'' and agree that October 8, 2009, is the date Jumpstart 
aims to set a new world record for the world's largest shared reading 
experience, and, as such, is a perfect date for this designation.
  I also join this body in commending Jumpstart's Read for the Record 
in its fourth year; and encouraging adults, including grandparents, 
parents, teachers, and college students to come together with children 
of all ages to create the world's largest shared reading experience to 
show their support for early literacy and Jumpstart's year-long program 
working with preschool children in low-income communities.
  Mr. POLIS. I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from Colorado (Mr. Polis) that the House suspend the rules 
and agree to the resolution, H. Res. 741, 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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