Recognizing the roles and contributions of America's teachers to building and enhancing our Nation's civic, cultural, and economic well-being.

Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 374) recognizing the roles and contributions of America's teachers to building and enhancing our Nation's civic, cultural, and economic well-being.

Madam Speaker, I request 5 legislative days during which Members may revise and extend and insert extraneous material on House Resolution 374 into the Record.

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

I rise today to recognize the important role teachers play in the edification of our Nation. Madam Speaker, we celebrated National Teacher Appreciation Week from May 3 through May 10. The national PTA created Teacher Appreciation Week in 1984 to show gratitude to the many teachers of our United States. It is a chance for us to thank those individuals who have contributed to society in ways that cannot be measured. It is a chance for us to recognize the selflessness and dedication that teachers continue to show, and it is a chance for us to promote greater respect and understanding for the teaching profession.

Madam Speaker, we know that having good teachers greatly improves the outcomes of our Nation's youth. During the last decade, a body of evidence has grown to support the notion that teacher quality is an important factor in determining student achievement. In fact, research tells us that teacher quality accounts for the majority of variance in student learnings and test scores. Highly qualified teachers serve as excellent role models and instill a love for knowledge and lifelong learning in our students.

We all know that teaching is an important profession that deserves our support and respect. Teachers have the important job of shaping tomorrow's leaders. Those in the teaching profession work tirelessly for little reward, and good teachers constantly reflect on their lessons and modify instruction to reach the diverse needs of students in their classrooms.

Quality teachers hone their skills and are experts not only in their subject matter but also at connecting with young people and making learning come alive. Teaching is a dynamic profession, and educators continually attend professional development in order to sharpen their skills and increase their own knowledge.

Unfortunately, research has also shown us that negative effects of teacher shortages exist. It is imperative that schools and communities support teachers. National Teacher Appreciation Week is an opportunity for us to all pause and recognize the selfless dedication of our Nation's educators. In a survey of teachers across the country, nearly one-half said the best gift they could receive was a simple ``thank you.''

Madam Speaker, once again, I express my support for National Teacher Appreciation Week, and I hope this resolution serves as a big ``thank you'' to all of the teaching profession. I encourage everyone to take a moment and reflect on a motivational teacher that helped you realize your potential and reach your dream.

I want to thank Representative Graves for bringing this resolution to the floor, and I urge my colleagues to pass this resolution.

Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Does the gentleman from Kentucky have any further speakers?

Madam Speaker, I reserve my time.

Madam Speaker, I guess the role of teachers in our lives is quite profound. I think we can each think of that teacher or those teachers who made that impact on us to perhaps allow us to achieve our individual best or create a career path.

That being said, I was recently with some students from the State of Maryland who gathered here at the Capitol to celebrate their thank you notes in joint fashion. It's a great recognition nationwide to pay tribute to a very sound profession, one that impacts our present and our future.

For those reasons, I suggest strongly that we support the resolution before the House, House Resolution 374.

I yield back my time, Madam Speaker.

Madam Speaker, I object to the vote on the ground that a quorum is not present and make the point of order that a quorum is not present.

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

Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of House Resolution 374, recognizing the roles and contributions of America's teachers in building and enhancing our Nation's civic, cultural, and economic well- being, and supporting National Teacher Appreciation Week.

Teachers make a lasting impression on America's young people and are key to the development of students in the classroom. I bet that almost every Member of this Chamber could name at least one teacher that had a profound impact on their lives and helped shape the person they are today.

This resolution is important because it provides public recognition to those individuals who have dedicated their lives to helping educate our youth. National Teacher Appreciation Week, which took place May 3- 10, is an act of gratitude that reminds us how important teachers are and the integral role they play in our lives. It is important that we recognize teachers for the critical work they do in improving our Nation civically, culturally, and economically.

Well-trained, dedicated, and skilled teachers are vitally important to the fabric of our country. This Chamber often discusses the importance of ensuring that our high school and college graduates are able to compete in the global marketplace. Having top-notch graduates who are able to think both creatively and analytically is vital as our country competes with other countries like China and India, who are also stepping up their efforts to produce high-quality graduates. We only get these types of graduates when we have in place a dedicated and skilled teacher workforce. Congress has placed an emphasis on these attributes which has led to an increased demand for high-quality, experienced teachers. In this vein, I am pleased to see the President's support of the Teacher Incentive Fund, which rewards principals and teachers for the hard work they do.

Teachers today devote an extraordinary amount of time to teaching young people and also spend a lot of time on professional development, their own education, and on class preparation outside the classroom, oftentimes for salaries that average about $37,000 a year. The future of our Nation's children is dependent on the individuals that make these time, energy, and monetary commitments, and they deserve recognition for such.

I stand in support of this resolution, recognizing the roles and contributions of America's teachers and recognizing National Teacher Appreciation Week, and I thank my colleague, Mr. Graves from Missouri, for introducing this resolution.

I ask for my colleagues' support.

I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I do have one other speaker.

Madam Speaker, I yield as much time as he may consume to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Poe).

Madam Speaker, I yield back our time.

I thank the gentleman from Kentucky for yielding.

Madam Speaker, Aristotle once wrote that ``teachers are to be given the highest honor because they teach us how to live well,'' and of course, that's a correct statement.

Today, I am proud to rise in support of America's teachers and pleased to be a cosponsor of H. Res. 374. This measure recognizes the significant roles and contributions that America's teachers have made to building and enhancing our country.

The United States Census Bureau reports that today there are more than 6 million schoolteachers throughout the United States, not counting all the other types of teachers in this country.

I come from a long line of teachers. My mother was a schoolteacher. My wife's a schoolteacher. My three daughters are trained teachers. Two of them teach young kids at the elementary level, God bless them, and one of them is a professor at Baylor University. The most influential person that taught me in public school was my seventh grade Texas history teacher, Ms. Wilson.

But teaching isn't just a tradition in my family. Teaching has been a tradition in this country since its very inception. At our Nation's founding, of course, most of the teaching happened at home under the instruction of parents. Today, parents have many options when it comes to the education of their children. Some are taught in private schools, others in public schools. Some are charter schools, and others continue to be educated at home.

Regardless of where the education takes place, teachers play a primary role in equipping our youth to be good citizens, to take pride in the democratic heritage of our Nation, and to be competitive in the marketplace of ideas.

An American author and historian Henry Adams once said, ``A teacher affects eternity. The teacher can never tell where that influence stops.''

Mr. Adams was right. Let's be sure to let the teachers who have touched our lives and the lives of our children know how thankful we, as a Nation, are.