[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 162 (2016), Part 10]
[House]
[Pages 13400-13401]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                    NATIONAL READ WITH A CHILD WEEK

  (Mr. NEWHOUSE asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. NEWHOUSE. Mr. Speaker, I stand in support of National Read with a 
Child Week, which is organized by the Children's Reading Foundation to 
promote early literacy development.
  The first few years of a child's life are critical to the acquisition 
of language and literacy skills, which are cornerstones of social and 
academic development. I firmly believe that all children deserve an 
excellent education and that preparation for academic success can never 
begin too early. Unfortunately, many children face significant barriers 
to achievement as recent research shows that over three-quarters of 
fourth graders from low-income families are not proficient in reading.
  The Children's Reading Foundation, which is headquartered in 
Kennewick, Washington, is leading the way in supporting early childhood 
literacy and in preparing all children for success in school and 
throughout their lives. Read with a Child Week, which takes place this 
week, September 18 through 24, is highlighting the tremendous 
importance of early literacy, and I call on all of my colleagues to 
join me in supporting this initiative.

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