[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 159 (2013), Part 5]
[House]
[Pages 6384-6385]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                   NATIONAL TEACHERS APPRECIATION DAY

  (Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania asked and was given permission to 
address the House for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, today is National Teachers 
Appreciation Day. There are many factors that contribute towards a 
quality education, but no one factor is more significant than the 
teacher.

[[Page 6385]]

  Teachers make a difference in the lives of students every day across 
this great Nation. Teachers work to open students' minds to ideas, 
knowledge and dreams, and keep American democracy alive by laying the 
foundation for good citizenship.
  To quote President Kennedy:

       There is an old saying that the course of civilization is a 
     race between catastrophe and education. In a democracy such 
     as ours, we must make sure that education wins the race.

  Our Nation faces many challenges today, including a struggling 
economy and record unemployment. For these problems and others, the 
education provided by teachers can be the key to our success.
  I am very appreciative to all of the teachers who have made such a 
difference in my life, including the lives of my children; and I urge 
my colleagues to take time to recognize and acknowledge the impact of 
teachers in our lives.

                          ____________________