To amend title XIX of the Social Security Act to include podiatrists as physicians for purposes of covering physicians services under the Medicaid Program.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 699) supporting the goals and ideals of National Entrepreneurship Week and encouraging the implementation of entrepreneurship education programs in elementary and secondary schools and institutions of higher education through the United Sates.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks on H. Res. 699.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H. Res. 699, a resolution to support the goals and ideals of National Entrepreneurship Week and encourage the implementation of entrepreneurship education programs in elementary and secondary education schools and institutions of higher education throughout the United States.

I want to congratulate the sponsor of this resolution, the gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. Price), as well as House Committee on Education and the Workforce Chairman McKeon and Ranking Member Miller, as well as the leadership in both parties in working to move this resolution to the floor in such a bipartisan fashion.

This is a very important resolution because it supports the goals and ideal of National Entrepreneurship Week and encourages creation of entrepreneurship education programs in elementary and secondary schools. The future strength of our economy depends on our youth and upon developing new businesses, which essentially is what entrepreneurship is all about. From lawn mowing businesses to baby sitting, most youths have been entrepreneurs at one time or another. Unfortunately, formal entrepreneurial education is not always available to young people.

Several studies have been done on the interests that young people have in entrepreneurship. For example, in their book, ``The E Generation: Prepared for the Entrepreneurial Economy,'' Marilyn Kourilsky and William Walstad explain that youth are overwhelmingly interested in entrepreneurship. In fact, they found that six out of 10 young people aspire to start a business of their own.

The Gallup Organization, in conjunction with the Kauffman Foundation, conducted the first national poll on entrepreneurship. What they found was that 70 percent of students polled wanted to start their own business.

Now, this would be primarily at the high school level. Yet only 44 percent had any basic knowledge concerning entrepreneurship. In other words, they wanted to start a business, but they had no idea as to how to do it.

Youth entrepreneurs provide added stimulus to the local economy. Student entrepreneurial endeavors help to foster youth retention by providing youth the opportunity to contribute and invest in their home communities. As young people build and grow businesses within a community, they are more likely to stay and invest in a community's future.

Where this has been tremendously important has been in rural areas. We have all seen many small towns that continue to unravel, lose young people, lose population, and in the district that I represent we have seen this graphically. So we find that probably the best way to revitalize rural America is to provide entrepreneurial training, entrepreneurial skills, so some people can stay there and survive and young people can start a business.

There are a number of academic reasons to integrate entrepreneurship training into curriculum as well. Entrepreneurship training can be successfully integrated into traditional course work by incorporating hands-on business activities in a traditional classroom and textbook instruction. For example, writing marketing materials, business plans, can improve English skills. Sales and accounting can improve math skills. Developing manufacturing processes for products can be incorporated in a science class. True entrepreneurial education integrates hands-on business developments into the school system.

So we find that it is possible to build entrepreneurial training into the curriculum in a school. And when this happens, some really good things begin to happen.

Entrepreneurship education has a positive effect on the academic performance of students according to a study conducted by Howard Rasheed, a business professor at the University of Florida. Students with entrepreneurship training scored better in a number of academic subjects, including reading, math, social studies, and language. Also, attendance improves, dropout rates decrease, and it also helps close the achievement gap between minority students and the rest of the student body. So there is a tremendous academic contribution that entrepreneurial training provides.

I have worked throughout my time in Congress to encourage Nebraska schools to adopt entrepreneurship programs, and many have. I am pleased to

have had the opportunity to be involved in numerous entrepreneurship efforts across the State of Nebraska, including NETFORCE, which is working to develop a curriculum that is sponsored through Nebraska's community college system.

H.R. 699 encourages more schools to adopt entrepreneurship programs and supports the goals of National Entrepreneurship Week. I strongly support this resolution and urge its passage.

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

Mr. Speaker, I would like to commend the gentleman from North Carolina and Mr. Davis, and as I have no further speakers, I yield back the balance of my time.

I thank the gentleman for yielding, Mr. Speaker, and I rise in support of H. Res. 699, a resolution I sponsored with the gentleman from Nebraska (Mr. Osborne), and many other colleagues. The resolution supports the goals and ideals of National Entrepreneurship Week.

More than 70 percent of American high school students say they would like to open their own business someday. Over 10 percent of American adults are actively planning to become entrepreneurs in their local communities. These figures indicate the strong entrepreneurial inclination of many Americans. Yet while many people have an interest in starting a new business, only a fraction of these actually make the attempt.

Entrepreneurial education brings together the core academic, technical, and problem-solving skills needed for future entrepreneurs. Individuals who receive entrepreneurship training are not only more likely to start a business, but they are also more likely to enjoy success with such a new venture.

H. Res. 699 would support the goals and the ideals of National Entrepreneurship Week and the implementation of entrepreneurship education programs in elementary and secondary schools and in institutions of higher education. National Entrepreneurship Week would consist of a national series of celebrations, business plan competitions, and other community events to nurture entrepreneurship and to engage young people in the opportunities available to them as future business owners.

In short, Mr. Speaker, National Entrepreneurship Week offers the opportunity to recognize the societal contributions of America's leading entrepreneurs and to encourage those with a dream to become entrepreneurs.

I am fortunate to have several organizations in my home State of North Carolina that effectively promote entrepreneurship in varied ways. For example, the North Carolina Rural Center, the North Carolina Community College System, the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction, and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill are working together to develop a system of education for youth and adults that ensures anyone who seeks advice or assistance on starting a business gets the help they need.

The Small Business and Technology Development Centers and the SCORE program, run by retired executives, help new entrepreneurs translate their aspirations into reality. ``Marketplace,'' a forum which I joined colleagues in starting years ago in the Triangle area of North Carolina, introduces entrepreneurs to opportunities in government contracting.

The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill's Entrepreneurship Club is dedicated to encouraging entrepreneurship among students by connecting them with local entrepreneurs, professors, and support organizations. The North Carolina Center for 21st Century Skills is the first of its kind in the Nation to help elementary and secondary public school students acquire the knowledge and the skills needed for success in the global economy.

The Consortium for Entrepreneurship Education continues its work to make entrepreneurship education a formal part of the American curriculum in each school district and educational institution, and I want to commend the consortium for their leadership role in developing and promoting the resolution before us today.

I also want to thank Representatives Tom Osborne and Danny Davis and their staffs, as well as the bipartisan staff of the Education and the Workforce Committee, for their contributions to this effort, this effort to call attention to the need for encouraging our young people to become entrepreneurs.

I urge my colleagues to support this resolution.

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

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

I am pleased to join with the gentleman from Nebraska in support of a resolution to support National Entrepreneurship Week. I rise in support of H. Res. 699 and thank Mr. Price of North Carolina for introducing this resolution.

H. Res. 699 calls on the President to issue a proclamation recognizing National Entrepreneurship Week and to encourage all levels of government to observe National Entrepreneurship Week annually with special events in support of entrepreneurs and entrepreneurship education programs.

Entrepreneurship education has long been an integral part of career and technical education programs in high schools across the country. While students may have difficulties defining ``entrepreneur,'' it is clear that, when surveyed, young people understand the concepts behind entrepreneurship and actively seek out similar opportunities.

According to the Consortium for Entrepreneurship Education, entrepreneurship education programs are providing opportunities for young people to master competencies in concepts such as how to recognize opportunities, how to generate ideas and marshal resources in the face of risk, to pursue opportunities, venture creation and operation, and creativity as well as critical thinking.

Mr. Speaker, students who participate in entrepreneurship education learn not just the skills for making smart business decisions; they also learn how to become more involved in their community through civic engagement and participation. And as the resolution points out, students who participate in these programs have better attendance records, perform better on core subjects, and have lower dropout rates than those who do not participate in these programs.

Mr. Speaker, entrepreneurs represent one of the fastest growing business sectors in our global marketplace. The establishment of a week recognizing the role of entrepreneurs in our economy will continue to help inform young people about the opportunities for success in this global marketplace.

Again, I want to thank Mr. Price for introducing this important legislation, and I urge its support.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to yield the balance of my time to Mr. David Price, who introduced this resolution, from the great State of North Carolina.