[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 157 (2011), Part 1]
[House]
[Pages 925-926]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                      NATIONAL SCHOOL CHOICE WEEK

  (Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania asked and was given permission to 
address the House for 1 minute.)
  Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, this week, January 23 to 
29, is National School Choice Week.

[[Page 926]]

Earlier this week in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, students, parents, and 
legislators from both parties and varying walks of life, from across 
the commonwealth, gather to rally for school choice in the State 
capitol.
  Every day, tens of thousands of children attend schools where quality 
education is not being offered. Meanwhile, those that defend the status 
quo claim that, if we just do more of the same, at some point schools 
will improve. Throughout the laboratories of democracy in this great 
Nation, concerned parents are moving forward with a different vision 
which is better for our children.
  So as we continue in this new 112th Congress, let's make a commitment 
for America's parents that they will not be forced to send their 
children to low-quality schools without other choices. Let's provide 
parents with options, whether they are public, private, charter, home, 
or cyber schools, for the education that is the best fit for their 
children.
  Children don't have the luxury of waiting for change. For today's 
students, reform only works if it takes place while they are still in 
school.
  I commend those back home that are standing up for our children. And 
I will do in my part here in Washington to support their efforts, not 
just this week, but always, in order to ensure that each child has the 
opportunity to live up to his or her individual learning potential.

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