Recognizing the benefits and importance of school-based music education, and for other purposes.

Mr. Speaker, before I begin, I just want to join my colleagues tonight, the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Matsui) and the gentleman from California (Mr. Honda) in reminding us of the terrible scar on our Nation's history: the internment of Japanese Americans. And I want to say to them that as an African American, as a person of color in our country, from California, that we join you in making sure that this body continues to remind the entire country that never again shall we allow such a gross violation of the human rights of any, any people in our country and throughout the world.

So thank you, Mr. Honda and Ms. Matsui, for once again allowing us to participate and reminding us of this great atrocity.

I want to also add tonight my voice to those of my colleagues in the Congressional Black Caucus in honoring an organization whose fight against the oppression and discrimination that all of us have felt in this country, whether we were directly victimized by it or not, it affected all of us, which gave birth to the modern-day civil rights movement, and that is the NAACP.

Today, this body unanimously passed H. Con. Res. 355, which was a bipartisan resolution honoring the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People on their 97th anniversary. This is the largest and the oldest civil rights organization in our country.

Late last night, we concluded Black History Month by commemorating this month with activities led by the Congressional Black Caucus Chair, our great leader, Chairman Mel Watt, on the floor. But it was very late last night, and I hope people had an opportunity to listen to the few Members who were here to talk about the glorious history of African Americans in America.

Today, in keeping with the ideals of Black History Month and the tradition of our ancestors, we must recommit ourselves to a plan of action. For generations, the NAACP has provided the blueprint for organizing the African American community and other communities, communities of color,

throughout our country to build these coalitions for success.

In December, the House unanimously adopted my resolution recognizing the 140th anniversary of the 13th amendment. The abolition of slavery in 1865 should have been, should have been, a new day for African Americans. Yet 40 years later, African Americans continued to fight the repression and discrimination. It was this continued frustration and pain that led to the birth of the modern civil rights movement.

In Ontario, Canada, in 1905, a group of African American leaders developed an action plan and launched the Niagara Movement. Emerging from the Niagara Movement the call was issued and diverse progressives formed the National Negro Committee, which soon developed into the NAACP. For almost 100 years, since that historic meeting, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People has been the cornerstone of the social justice movement of minority communities.

Mr. Speaker, last year, Mr. Hilary Shelton, the Director of the NAACP's Washington Bureau, delivered a Black History Month speech to the Federal Aviation Administration, the following excerpt of which outlines the development of the NAACP.

From 1905 through 1910, an organization of African American

intellectuals led by W.E.B. Du Bois and calling for full

political, civil, and social and civil rights for African

Americans. This stance stood in clear contrast to the

accommodation philosophy proposed by Booker T. Washington in

the Atlanta Compromise of 1895, You see, the Niagara Movement

was the forerunner of the NAACP. In the summer of 1905, 29

prominent African Americans, including Du Bois, met secretly

at Niagara Falls, Ontario, and drew up a manifesto calling

for full civil liberties, abolition of racial discrimination,

and recognition of human brotherhood, a forerunner to the

United Nations U.N. Declaration of Human Rights. Subsequent

annual meetings were held in such symbolic locations as

Harpers Ferry, W.Va., and Boston's Faneuil Hall.

Despite the establishment of 30 branches and the

achievement of a few scattered civil-rights victories at the

local level, the group suffered from organizational weakness

and lack of funds as well as a permanent headquarters or

staff, and it never was able to attract mass support. After

the Springfield (ILL.) Race Riot of 1908, however, white

liberals joined with the nucleus of Niagara ``militants'' and

founded the NAACP the following year. The Niagara Movement

disbanded in 1910, with the leadership of Du Bois forming the

main continuity between the two organizations.

Dubois and the many other brave men and women of the

Niagara Movement to the reigns of the challenges of there day

to lead the Niagara movement and now the NAACP, we too must

rise up to take on the challenges of our generation.

Founded on February 12, 1909, the NAACP's diverse founders, Ida Wells-Barnett, W.E.B. DuBois, Henry Moscowitz, Mary White Ovington, Oswald Garrison Villiard, and William English Walling, understood the importance of organizing and motivating people. Currently headed by Julian Bond and the President and CEO, Mr. Bruce Gordon, the NAACP exemplifies a movement that has transcended race, class, and generations in the fight for equal rights for African Americans and all disenfranchised people.

The focus of the NAACP has always been working to build coalitions for equality and opportunity in the United States. However, they never forget to advocate for Africans throughout the Diaspora. In Washington, D.C., the NAACP's Legislative Bureau mobilizes communities on issues from the fiscal year 2007 budget shortfalls, to equal opportunity, to the importance of an independent judiciary and racial profiling. Every session, the NAACP's D.C. Bureau outlines what issues and legislation will impact minority communities both here in the United States and abroad. Their vigilance is a constant reminder of how much work there is to do.

Recently, the NAACP's priorities have been rebuilding the gulf coast in the wake of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, and addressing disparity in wealth, housing, and basic social services. That is the tragedy that unfolded, that we witnessed and which was exposed as a result of this tragedy of Katrina and Rita.

Also, the NAACP is very committed to reauthorizing the Voting Rights Act, the culmination of a movement that took blood, sweat, tears, and lives, and the sacrifices of those who came before us. This is set to expire next year.

They are committed to reforming our prison system, where our country has the largest prison population in the world. This is especially important since six in ten of those persons are people of color.

So let me just congratulate the NAACP on the 97th anniversary of this institution, and I urge everyone to use this occasion to recommit themselves to the struggle for freedom, justice, and peace.

Washington Bureau, National Association for the

Advancement of Colored People,

Washington, DC, February 28, 2006.

Representative Barbara Lee,

House of Representatives,

Washington, DC.

Dear Representative Lee: On behalf of the National

Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP),

our Nation's oldest, largest and most widely-recognized

grassroots civil rights organization, I am urging you, in the

strongest terms possible, to reject provisions in President

Bush's proposed budget for 2007 and instead pass a budget

plan that supports and encourages low- and middle-income

Americans. A Nation's budget reflects its priorities; our

willingness ability to care for the sick and elderly, educate

the young, protect our surroundings, respond to natural

emergencies and protect those less fortunate. The budget

proposal put forth by President Bush for fiscal year 2007

does not reflect the priorities of, nor does it serve the

governmental needs, the majority of Americans. Rather, the

President's proposal would benefit the wealthiest Americans

while short-changing low- and middle-income Americans and

saddling future generations with a debilitating deficit.

I urge you to demonstrate the necessary leadership skills

and to work with your colleagues to develop a budget proposal

that ensures that the basic needs of all our citizens are

met. This means rejecting the cuts in federal funding for

education, health care, job training, small business

promotion, the protection of our basic civil rights and

liberties and energy assistance. This also means rejecting

the President's proposed tax cuts, which have been proven to

mostly benefit only the wealthiest Americans and cripple our

ability to address some of the most basic needs of our

society while at the same time ballooning our deficit.

Although a majority of the Administration's proposed cuts

or program eliminations are problematic for the NAACP, we are

especially troubled by the provision in the budget to reduce

funding for the crucial work of the EEOC. The President's

budget for 2007 includes a cut in funding of the EEOC Budget

from $333 million to $323 million, most of which would be

taken from State and local operations. State and local

enforcement agencies handle about 42 percent of the total

Title VII caseload, yet, they are being asked to take 60

percent of the budget cut. Because enforcement of civil

rights laws is a key element of the strategic goals and

initiatives of the NAACP, we are especially troubled by these

proposals.

Again, on behalf of the millions of NAACP members and

friends of civil rights across this Nation I hope that you

will work hard to see that the values of supporting our

young, our ill and our elderly as well as those less

fortunate are addressed in this year's budget. I look forward

to working with you to ensure that the needs of all Americans

are met. Thank you in advance for your attention to the

concerns of the NAACP.

Sincerely,

Hilary O. Shelton,

Director.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the concurrent resolution (H. Con. Res. 355) recognizing the benefits and importance of school-based music education, and for other purposes, as amended.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks on House Concurrent Resolution 355.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume, and I rise today in support of House Concurrent Resolution 355, which highlights the benefits and importance of school-based music education.

Anyone who has seen the movie, Mr. Holland's Opus, can appreciate the value of school-based music education and the importance of music teachers who inspire our young people. I would like to thank my colleague from Tennessee (Mr. Cooper) for his leadership on this issue and for introducing the resolution we are considering today.

Research has shown that students' involvement in their school music program is crucial to a complete education. Musical studies develop critical thinking and self-discipline skills and improve a child's early cognitive development, basic math and reading abilities, self- esteem, SAT scores, ability to work in teams, abstract reasoning skills, and school attendance.

In an analysis of U.S. Department of Education data on more than 25,000 secondary school students, researchers found that students who report consistently high levels of involvement in music over middle school and high school years show significantly higher levels of mathematics proficiency by grade 12 regardless of a student's socioeconomic status.

For these reasons, I support House Concurrent Resolution 355 that recognizes the benefits and importance of school-based music education. The resolution before the House today is simple and straightforward. It states that it is the sense of Congress that music education, grounded in rigorous instruction, is an important component of a well-rounded academic curriculum and should be available to every student in every school.

As retired General Norman Schwarzkopf said, ``What a tragedy it would be if we lived in a world where music was not taught to children.'' Music education is important to our children. It can broaden and strengthen their education and improve their lives. I commend music educators and organizations across the country for the key roles they play in helping our children succeed in school and throughout life.

For every ``School of Rock'' or ``Mr. Holland's Opus,'' there are thousands of real-life music teachers inspiring our young people every day. They may not have major movies made about them, but they are heroes nonetheless. I urge my colleagues to support music education in our schools and House Concurrent Resolution 355, which highlights the benefits and importance of school-based music education.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I continue to reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I want to join my colleagues in thanking Congressman Cooper for introducing House Concurrent Resolution 355, which recognizes the benefits and importance of school-based music education. He has been steadfast in his support of music as a learning tool in the classroom, and we appreciate his work on this issue.

Mr. Speaker, every year schools throughout the country highlight the importance of music education. It is time to celebrate music and to use music as a means for enhancing the academic experience of students. While there has been much debate on how to teach students to read and to perform math, there is little debate that music contributes to overall learning ability.

We know that students who participate consistently in music activities over middle and high school show significantly higher levels of math proficiency by the 12th grade. Additional data shows correlations between music and higher SAT scores and a decrease in disciplinary problems and risky behavior. Students who are involved in music classes in school have higher self-esteem and self-confidence than their counterparts who do not participate in music class.

Unfortunately, even with all the data to support the importance of music in learning, many schools are struggling to keep art and music in the classroom. Mr. Speaker, music education is facing severe cuts in thousands of school districts throughout the Nation due to budget cuts. Instead of being able to fund programs to support music in the classroom, student choirs, and high school bands, local school districts find themselves struggling to find money for teachers' salaries.

Mr. Speaker, we must do better if we are committed to seeing to it that all children succeed. And for those who say that the three R's of reading, writing, and arithmetic should outweigh the arts and music in priority, I disagree. Music is a complementary academic subject and belongs right alongside math and reading.

In fact, the arts are considered a core academic subject under No Child Left Behind. This reflects an understanding by Congress and the President that the arts are critical to a well-rounded education.

Again, I would like to thank Mr. Cooper for bringing this resolution to the floor today and join with him in calling for more resources to our schools and to make sure that all children have access to music in the classroom.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to yield such time as he may consume to the author of this resolution, my friend from Tennessee (Mr. Cooper).

Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to support this resolution, H. Con. Res. 355, recognizing the benefits and importance of school-based music education programs.

I have long been a strong advocate for music education programs, both in my home State of Maryland and nationally. I believe that music education should be available to students of all ages and a part of every student's academic experience.

Music education programs enrich the whole student, and are a critical component of a well-rounded academic curriculum. In my home State of Maryland, educators and administrators have worked to integrate music and arts programs into academic curriculums in order to provide students with these important benefits. At a time when education programs are struggling for adequate funding and State and local governments across the country face tremendous budget pressures, it is more important than ever to highlight and emphasize the importance of music education programs.

I frequently meet with artists, songwriters, musicians and other creators who are actively engaged in ensuring that schools and communities continue to work music and arts into the school curriculum. These artists know that music education can enhance intellectual development and skills integral to improved learning. Skills learned through the study of music help children become better students. Skills learned through music transfer to improve study skills, communication skills, and cognitive skills. Also, studies have shown that students involved in music classes are less likely to be disruptive, have better attendance, and are more likely to receive academic honors and awards.

Studies have also shown that participation in school-based music education can increase student success. For example, in 2001 the College-Bound Seniors National Report showed that students with coursework in music performance and music appreciation scored notably higher on the SATs than students with no arts participation. Studies have shown that participation in music class correlates with increased proficiency in mathematics and success in science.

We must place a high value on music education. I am pleased to be a cosponsor of this resolution supporting the importance of music education programs and urging that the benefits of music education should be available to every student.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H. Con. Res. 355, recognizing the importance of school based music education. In today's climate of high stakes testing, it's important to recognize that skills learned through studying music translate to skills that help students succeed in life.

Empirical data suggest that music students perform higher than their counterparts on the Scholastic Aptitude Test, and also demonstrate higher math skills. Studies also show that students who participate in a band or orchestra show the lowest lifetime use of alcohol, tobacco and illicit drugs. Students that participate in music classes are less likely to be disruptive students in class. Among minority students, more identify their music teachers as role models than any other subject area. These students demonstrate higher self-esteem and thinking skills than their counterparts.

As a parent, I know that students who learn to think critically, perform analysis, and express themselves through written and verbal communication have a greater chance at success in life. Within a larger context, music is an essential cultural thread. How many people, whether listening to the O'Jay's, Bon Jovi, or Jill Scott, know that the term ``Rock and Roll'' is African American slang dating back to the early 20th Century? But music, whether rock and roll, classical, or jazz has come to mean much more. Within my district, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum and the Cleveland Institute of Music provide music history and distance learning programs for many schools that haven't been able to afford their own music education teachers. The usefulness of these music programs underscores the importance of filling student needs at a time when our society needs better teaching methods and a greater understanding of diversity, not less.

Educators with whom I meet, often express frustration that compressed school schedules and the focus on high stakes testing are failing to help our children develop the critical thinking skills needed to compete in an increasingly complex world. Music education aids critical thinking and more. I believe it imperative that we recognize its importance in the lives of our children, and strive to make school based music education available to all of America's youth.