[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 161 (2015), Part 1]
[House]
[Pages 1342-1343]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                      NATIONAL SCHOOL CHOICE WEEK

  (Mr. McHENRY asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute.)
  Mr. McHENRY. Mr. Speaker, this week Americans from all 50 States will 
gather at over 11,000 events nationwide to celebrate National School 
Choice Week. These are not partisan gatherings focused on a particular 
piece of legislation, nor are the attendees advocating for one type of 
school over another; rather, these gatherings will highlight the 
importance of providing parents with diverse choices when it comes to 
the education of their children.

[[Page 1343]]

  Far too often America's children are given educational opportunities 
dictated by what best serves someone else's economic interest or is 
focused on their own economic status or where they live. This is 
inappropriate. We need a better way.
  I have supported legislation to expand charter schools. That is a 
bipartisanship thing that we can all agree on. That empowers parents. 
At the State level, Republican legislators and Governors have passed 
open enrollment laws and funding portability for education.
  National School Choice Week is a great reminder that we must continue 
to pursue these vital reforms, ensuring all parents have freedom when 
deciding how to educate their children.

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