Expressing support for designation of the week of September 13, 2010, as National Adult Education and Family Literacy Week.

Madam Speaker, I was not present for the following roll call votes. Had I been present, I would have voted as follows:

On rollcall No. 454, on H. Con. Res. 292, Supporting the goals and ideals of National

Aerospace Week, and for other purposes, I would have voted ``aye.''

On rollcall No. 450, on H. Res. 1219, Expressing support for designation of September as National Child Awareness Month, I would have voted ``aye.''

On rollcall No. 449, on H. Con. Res. 126, Recognizing the 50th anniversary of Title VI international education programs within the Department of Education, I would have voted ``aye.''

On rollcall No. 448, on H. Res. 1472, Expressing support for designation of the week of September 13, 2010, as National Adult Education and Family Literacy Week, I would have voted ``aye.''

On rollcall No. 372, on H.R. 5297, I would have voted ``aye.''

On rollcall No. 293, on H.R. 5330, To Amend the Antitrust Criminal Penalty Enhancement and Reform Act of 2004 to Extend the Operation of Such Act for a 5-Year Period Ending June 22, 2015, and for Other Purposes, I would have voted ``aye.''

On rollcall No. 292, H.R. 1017, Chiropractic Care Available to All Veterans Act, I would have voted ``aye.''

On rollcall No. 291, H. Con. Res. 278, Expressing the Sense of Congress That a Grateful Nation Supports and Salutes Sons and Daughters in Touch on Its 20th Anniversary That is Being Held on Father's Day, 2010, at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, the District of Columbia, I would have voted ``aye.''

On rollcall No. 213, H. Res. 1271, Honoring the Life and Achievements of Rev. Benjamin Lawson Hooks, I would have voted ``aye.''

On rollcall No. 212, H. Res. 1257, Supporting the Goals and Ideals of National Financial Literacy Month, 2010, and for Other Purposes, I would have voted ``aye.''

On rollcall No. 172, H. Res. 1205, Providing for Consideration of the Bill (H.R. 4849) to Amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to Provide Tax Incentives for Small Business Job Creation, Extend the Build America Bonds Program, Provide Other Infrastructure Job Creation Tax Incentives, and for Other Purposes (On Ordering the Previous Question), I would have voted ``aye.''

On rollcall No. 153, On Approving the Journal, I would have voted ``aye.''

On rollcall No. 84, H. Res. 699, Expressing the Appreciation of Congress for the Service and Sacrifice of the Members of the 139th Airlift Wing, Air National Guard, I would have voted ``aye.''

On rollcall No. 50, H.R. 4238, To Designate the Facility of the United States Postal Service Located at 930 39th Avenue in Greeley, Colorado, As the ``W.D. Farr Post Office Building'', I would have voted ``aye.''

On rollcall No. 49, H.R. 4425, To Designate the Facility of the United States Postal Service Located at 2-116th Street in North Troy, New York, As the ``Martin G. `Marty' Mahar Post Office'', I would have voted ``aye.''

On rollcall No. 19, H. Res. 1003, Expressing Support for the Designation of January 10, 2010, Through January 16, 2010, As National Influenza Vaccination Week, I would have voted ``aye.''

On rollcall No. 18, H. Res. 1011, Recognizing the Importance of Cervical Health and of Detecting Cervical Cancer During Its Earliest Stages and Supporting the Goals and Ideals of Cervical Health Awareness Month, I would have voted ``aye.''

On rollcall No. 17, H. Res. 990, Expressing Support for Designation of January 2010 As ``National Mentoring Month'', I would have voted ``aye.''

On rollcall No. 5, H.R. 3892, To Designate the Facility of the United States Postal Service Located at 101 West Highway 64 Bypass in Roper, North Carolina, As the ``E.V. Wilkins Post Office'', I would have voted ``aye.''

On rollcall No. 858, H. Res. 868, Honoring and Recognizing the Service and Achievements of Current and Former Female Members of the Armed Forces, I would have voted ``aye.''

On rollcall No. 381, H.R. 2847, I would have voted ``aye.''

On rollcall No. 109, H.J. Res. 38, Making Further Continuing Appropriations for Fiscal Year 2009, and for Other Purposes, I would have voted ``aye.''

On rollcall No. 108, H.J. Res. 38, Making Further Continuing Appropriations for Fiscal Year 2009, and for Other Purposes, I would have voted ``no.''

On rollcall No. 107, On Approving the Journal, I would have voted ``aye.''

Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 1472) expressing support for designation of the week of September 13, 2010, as National Adult Education and Family Literacy Week.

Madam Speaker, I request 5 legislative days during which Members may revise and extend and insert extraneous material on House Resolution 1472 into the Record.

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

I rise today in support of House Resolution 1472, which supports the designation of the week of September 13 as Adult Education and Family Literacy Week. This week recognizes the importance of adult education and family literacy programs to the success and well-being of those who strive to improve their and their children's education.

Adult education and literacy programs provide millions of Americans with the skills needed to lead productive and self-sufficient lives, boost their academic achievements, and engage in our 21st century workforce. These programs emphasize basic skills such as reading, writing, and math, prepare adult learners to take GED tests, and assist nonnative speakers in gaining English proficiency.

According to the 2003 National Assessment of Adult Literacy, the literacy skills of 90 million adults in the U.S. are currently considered ``basic'' or ``below basic.'' Adult literacy programs address this national need for improved literacy. These programs also help participants obtain the skills they need to reenter the education pipeline and transition to college, a critical part of creating an internationally competitive workforce and meeting the President's goal of a nation with the highest proportion of college graduates by 2020.

Family literacy programs work with entire families to offer education opportunities to improve life skills and improve literacy. These programs help break cycles of poverty and illiteracy that affect some of our Nation's most vulnerable families. Most importantly, family literacy programs provide parents with the knowledge and skills they need to be full participants in their child's education and development. For children, family literacy programs help ensure that children start school ready to learn and on an equal footing with their peers.

Adult Education and Family Literacy Week is an opportunity for educators, advocates, and participants in these important programs to elevate adult education and family literacy nationwide with policymakers, the media, and the community. It is important for States, localities, schools, libraries, nonprofit organizations, community- based organizations, consumer advocates, institutions of higher education, labor unions, and businesses to all work together to support increased access to these adult education and family literacy programs. The outreach which occurs during this week is critical to reaching many of those who would benefit from these programs.

Madam Speaker, I want to thank Representative Polis for introducing this resolution and once again express my support for the designation of the week of September 13 as Adult Education and Family Literacy Week. I urge my colleagues to support this resolution.

I reserve the balance of my time.

I again express my support for the designation of the week of September 13 as Adult Education and Family Literacy Week. I urge my colleagues to support this resolution.

I yield back the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

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

I rise today in support of House Resolution 1472, expressing support for designation of the week of September 13, 2010, as National Adult Education and Family Literacy Week.

Illiteracy is a nationwide problem. According to a recent report, nearly one out of two adults is illiterate, without the minimum skills required in today's society. Unfortunately, many adults in this country cannot read a newspaper or fill out a job application.

The U.S. Department of Education estimates that 93 million U.S. adults have ``basic'' and ``below basic'' literacy skills. Department of Education studies have also found that adults living in poverty were more likely to have lower than average literacy scores than adults with higher incomes. Half of the adults who did not have a high school diploma performed in the ``below basic'' levels. Seniors and the elderly over age 65 had the lowest average literacy scores of any range, with 64 percent performing in the ``basic'' and ``below basic'' levels. And the more than 1 million incarcerated adults in the Nation had lower average literacy scores than adults in households on nearly every comparable scale.

Literacy skills impact every aspect of adult life. Adults who are more literate are more likely to read to their children and discuss school topics, be employed full time and receive a higher income, use the Internet and email and vote, volunteer, and access information about local and national events.

Unfortunately, only a fraction of low literate adults seek literacy services from community providers. Many people with low literacy do not perceive their skills as a problem until a crisis, such as the loss of a job or a child's need for school, helps make them aware of their literacy needs.

National Adult Education and Family Literacy Week highlights the importance of efforts to ensure each and every citizen has the necessary literacy skills to succeed at home, at work, and in society. It encourages people across the United States to support programs to assist those in need of adult education and family literacy programs.

I support this resolution and ask my colleagues to do the same.

I yield back the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, today I rise in support of H. Res. 1472, ``Expressing support for designation of the week of September 13, 2010, as National Adult Education and Family Literacy Week.'' The future of this country depends upon the level of education we provide our citizens, and the foundation of a good education is the ability to read and write well. In order to remain competitive in this global economy, we must emphasize the importance of raising our nation's literacy and English language skills.

Madam Speaker, National Adult Education and Family Literacy Week brings public attention to the importance of adult education and family literacy. Adult education and family literacy are both significant factors in determining the country's future. For example, reading to children from a young age and the mother's level of education both impact a child's academic success. Statistics show those who are often unemployed, underemployed, receive public assistance, or incarcerated are those with low educational skills. By improving such skills we take a momentous step to correcting a large number of problems that our country now faces.

With this resolution, the Congress states it is never too late to improve one's literacy or educational skills. With this designation, we improve our nation's future prospects and the lives of its citizens. I urge my colleagues to support this resolution.

Madam Speaker, I rise to express my sincere apologies for missing votes on July 19, 2010. I am proud of my excellent attendance record during my time in Congress and regret that I must personally attend to matters in my district. Although I will not be able to cast votes on July 19, 2010, I would have voted as follows had I been present today: on H. Res 1472--Expressing support for designation of the week of September 13, 2010, as National Adult Education and Family Literacy Week--I would have voted, ``aye''; on H. Con. Res. 126--Recognizing the 50th anniversary of Title VI international education programs within the Department of Education--I would have voted, ``aye''; on H. Res. 1219--Expressing support for designation of September as National Child Awareness Month, in addition--I would have voted, ``aye''.