[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 161 (2015), Part 8]
[House]
[Page 11618]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                           PROMOTING LITERACY

  (Ms. KELLY of Illinois asked and was given permission to address the 
House for 1 minute.)
  Ms. KELLY of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, as students enjoy summer break, 
we need to ensure that our kids remain intellectually engaged.
  Today we hear so much about our youth being glued to their screens, 
their tablets, and their gaming apps. It has caused concerns among 
parents who worry that their kids will remain idle without mental 
exercise during the summer months.
  I know that our kids can be just as enthusiastic about reading as 
they are about Minecraft.
  Last year, I started Robin's Readers, a literacy challenge for 
students in my district. I was blown away by the response. More than 
3,000 kids participated and read over 20,000 books in a 10-week period. 
This past April, I hosted an awards event for these kids and saw 
firsthand their passion for reading.
  Chicago's mayor, Rahm Emanuel, has also started Rahm's Readers, which 
will ensure that the love for reading continues to burn strong over the 
summer months.
  I urge my colleagues, especially my Illinois colleagues, to work with 
me to promote literacy. I call on you to start your own reading 
programs. Together, we can instill a lifelong love of reading in our 
children.

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