[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 157 (2011), Part 9]
[House]
[Page 13106]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                       HOUSE CONGRESSIONAL PAGES

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from 
Oregon (Mr. Blumenauer) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. BLUMENAUER. Mr. Speaker, tonight is a very historic joint session 
of Congress. Indeed, it is unique in the history of our Nation.
  Not because it was the first time a President's request had been 
refused by the Speaker. No. Or that the President's speech, in and of 
itself, is somehow going to be extraordinary, although we all hope that 
it is.
  This event is historic because for the first time in two centuries, 
there will be no young House pages in attendance when the President 
takes the podium behind me. There will be no sea of young men and women 
in blue blazers with bright faces intent on shaking the President's 
hand and drinking in the ceremony and the significance of a joint 
session of Congress.
  This is sad on so many levels, especially as a symbol of why Congress 
is held in such low esteem. Many here understand the cost of a program 
but fail to understand its value.
  Dedicated staff were dismissed without notice in a decision that was 
announced via press release without a chance for the people who care 
passionately about the program to argue for its future or help pay for 
it. It may save a few million dollars, but we lose the opportunity to 
enrich thousands of lives whose influence and contributions have spread 
across the decades and across America, while strengthening and 
uplifting this institution. This is part of a disturbing trend here in 
Congress, devaluing youth and civic education.
  Also scheduled for elimination is the Classroom Law Project sponsored 
``We the People'' program and the national high school Constitution 
competition that takes place every year all across the country. This is 
at a time when our friend, the esteemed documentary producer, Ken 
Burns, points out that the average teenager can name eight kinds of 
blue jeans but can't name eight American Presidents. Yet Federal 
support for civic education is not on the radar screen here in 
Washington, D.C.
  This is not really any different than the other basic infrastructure 
that is falling victim to reckless budget knives and congressional 
indifference. The young people who participate in the page program and 
the Classroom Law Project could easily construct a path forward for 
this Congress and the President.
  These young people would craft a path forward that featured a 
balanced and fair revenue system that would raise revenue and reduce 
the deficit. They would accelerate health care reform, not put sand in 
the gears. They would right-size and redirect our military involvement, 
and they would reform agricultural programs to help more family farms 
and ranchers while saving money.
  These alumni could figure it out, while those who control the levers 
of power in the House pursue an extreme agenda that is not what America 
needs or what Americans want. These young people, the pages, may not be 
in attendance here this evening, but their absence speaks volumes about 
political dysfunction and a shortsighted agenda.
  I hope we will all listen to them.

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