consumers are in fact the best consumers. and the best protected consumers. as consumers of education, families deserve the best information possible in making decisions regarding their child's education. so, mr. speaker, the strengthening education through research act will improve education research, will protect taxpayers by enhancing program accountability, and will help ensure more schools and students can actually benefit from effective education practices. for all these reasons, mr. speaker, i urge my colleagues to support the strengthening education through research act and i reserve the balance of my ime. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman reserves. the chair recognizes the gentleman from california. mr. miller: i recognize for four minutes, the gentlewoman from new york, mrs. mccarthy, the lead author on the democratic side on this legislation. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlelady is recognized. mrs. mccarthy: thank you, mr. speaker. i want to thank ranking member miller for allowing me to speak

in support of this bipartisan legislation. friend, thank my good mr. rokita for his great leadership on behalf of our students in the educational system. it's been a pleasure working with you shir. i rise today in strong support of h.r. 4366, the strengthening education through research act. now i firmly believe that in order to successfully prepare our students for the work forest, our nation's educators must be able to identify and have access to successful and proven techniques. in 202, i proudly supported the passage of the education science reform act which, among other thin things, ensured that education research be conducted free of political bias and focus on improving student achievement. last year, the government accountability office released a report highlighting the successes of the law but also detailed several areas that could be improved to better

outcomes for our students. today, along with mr. rokita, we have built on the success of that bill through h. reform 4366. the strengthening education through research act is a perfect example of what bipartisan and -- -- of what bipartisanship and a commitment to good government can yield. i'm proud to support the legislation today. the bill improves, among other things, the quality of education research by enhancing the timeliness and real van soif research, eliminating duplication and overlap and refocusing our commitment to equality in education for our most vulnerable student populations. the bill also provides critical funding to strengthen special education research which has been a fair -- which has been unfairly cut in recent years. moreover, the bill meets one of my top priorities by reaffirming a federal commitment to states and localities to provide teachers, principals and

education leaders with the latest research products to improve education, the quality and effectiveness for students without bias. especially under difficult budgetary circumstances, this congress has an obligation to explore opportunities that will most effectively deliver results to our students and our taxpayers and this bill does just that. i strongly urge my colleagues to upport h.r. 4436 -- 4366 as it represents another strong step forward improving our nation's educational landscape and preparing our students with the necessary skills to compete in the global economy. i thank you and i thank my colleague on the education committees and i yield back the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlelady from new york yield back. the gentleman from indiana. mr. rokita: i yield three minutes to the gentleman from pennsylvania. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized for three minutes. mr. thompson: thank you, mr. chairman.

mr. speaker, thank you. i want to thank my colleague from indiana for his leadership in this bill and i want to thank my colleague from new york, representative mccarthy, for her leadership on this bill. one of the most important assets that we have in education really is our teachers, but our teachers need proven tools. that's what we're here today, this bill is about making sure that we were providing best practices database tools in terms of teaching methods. the strengthening education through research act seeks to bolster one of our most fundamental educational priority, improving outcomes and raising student achievement, mr. speaker. in 2002, congress passed the education and science reform act,est tablying the institute of education sciences which is responsible for gathering data on educational best practices in the nation's schools. the intent of the law was to enable states and school districts to identify and improve upon the successful education practices.

it has meaningfully improved the quality of education over the last decades but faces shortcomings, one being a delay in disseminating key data and findings to local education stake holders, especially in more rural air dwhreefs country. despite the successes, improvements can and must be made, and that's the business we're about this evening. the strengthening education through research act reforms our research structure so that states, local school districts, parents a and policymakers have greater access to day tark data that's better organized and more reliable for our communities. as meab of the house education subcommittee on early childhood, elementary and secondary education, i'm proud to be a con co sponsor of this legislation. i urge us to pass this bill so we can provide localities with

the latest, best available evidence-based research for education in a timely fashion. thank you, mr. chairman and i yield back the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from pennsylvania yields back. the chair recognizes the gentleman from california. mr. miller: i yield myself such time as i may consume. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized. mr. miller: i want to thank mr. rokita for bringing this bill to the floor and to congresswoman mccarthy, ranking member on the subcommittee for all of their effort to make sure that this legislation was considered in this session of congress. the strengthening through education -- strengthening education through research act bolsters education research in a way that benefits students and teachers. congress passed the education sciences reform act in 2002 to strengthen the quality and research of eeducation research. 12 years later we have a wealth of education to determine what is working for students, make connections and drive

long-lasting improvements. research is not effective if it states locked in the computer files or is only published in abstract trade journals. research must be relevant, timely and useful. it must be used to address problems faced by students and teachers. we must make education research more valuable and it will ensure that research remains rigorous and scientific. i'm pleased to increase the federal investment in education research. our teachers need better actionable research on teaching students with disabilities. it includes an increase in research helping to make up for the cuts in 2011. the bill maintains our commitment in three way, it keeps a laser-like focus on closing the achievement gap and ensuring all students have a high education, sets graduation rates and student achievement and vital information on school

climate, student safety and discipline and student access to great teachers. this bill will help states and school districts use data systems to improve teaching and learning. mr. speaker, i have often said that we in the federal government must get back to partnering with schools to improve students' lives. i'm proud to say that this legislation takes us all a step in that direction, providing for eresearch that helps teachers in school -- teachers and schools improve the learning environment. i urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to support this legislation and i want to thank mr. rokita for bringing this legislation to the floor. before i yield the floor, mr. speaker, i would like to take a moment of this debate time that's been allocated to pay tribute and say thank you to jeremy ayers of our staff who will be leaving the committee at the end of this month. this is jeremy sitting here, in case anybody didn't know who he was. jeremy skillfully managed the negotiations on the bill before us today and led the committee work on education technology, accountability and elementary

and secondary education and oversight and the administration's waiver policy among other issues. he's a strong advocate for what's best in the interest of students and maintained a focus on civil rights. his humor and quick wit were always welcome in addition to what can sometimes be hard and tedious policy work. he's been a valued policy advisor and member of our education team. he'll be missed by team members on both sides of the aisle and all his colleagues. thank you for your service to our committee and to the education establishment in this country. with that i yield back my time and urge my colleagues to support this legislation. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman yields back. the gentleman from indiana. mr. rokita: i yield myself the remainder of the time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized. mr. rokita: jeremy, i would also like to recogniziermy and thank him for his service and hope that i wasn't the subject of any of that quick wit over time that i was chairman. i also thank congressman miller

for the work he's done on this bill and bills to come yet tonight as well as his general leadership on the committee. it's appreciated and from a newer guy on the other side of the aisle, someone that certainly respects him, i'm going to miss a lot. i also want to mank mrs. mccarthy for her work and lead -- thank mrs. mccarthy for her work and leadership on education issues generally and for her service on the committee. i know she cares about these issues, particularly improving education options for women. she has been a joy to work with as a ranking member on the subcommittee through the easy issues and frankly through some of the harder ones. and as a newer member and frankly a green chairman, i would often rely on the honest comment and the kind smile of

carolyn mccarthy and would simply say that if more of us did that, perhaps, mr. speaker, more work like the bill we're discussing right now would get done in congress. one of the top priorities of this congress certainly, one of my top priorities is helping people to build better lives for themselves and their families. whether that's through more flexible work schedules, stronger job training programs, or smarter student loan terms, advancing commonsense policies that will make life work for more american source primary goal. the strengthening education through research act is part of this effort. in classrooms nationwide, teachers and school leaders need quality research to identify the best ways to raise student achievement and encourage progress. by passing the strengthening education through research act today, we can help these educators gain access to the

timely and useful information necessary to raise student achievement levels across the board. so in short, and in closing, mr. speaker, i would simply say that i urge my colleagues to vote yes on h.r. 4366 and i yield back the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman yields back the balance of his time. all time having been yielded, the question is, will the house suspend the rules and pass h.r. 4366 as amended? those in favor say aye. those opposed, no. in the opinion of the chair, 2/3 being in the affirmative, the rules are suspended, the bill is passed and without objection the motion to reconsider is laid on the table.

for what purpose does the gentleman from minnesota seek recognition? >> mr. speaker, i ask unanimous consent that all members may have five legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on h.r. 10. the speaker pro tempore: without objection, so ordered. pursuant to house resolution 576 and rule 18, the chair declares the house in the committee of the whole house on the state of the union for the consideration of h.r. 10, the chair appoints the gentleman from utah, mr. bishop, to preside over the ommittee of the whole. the chair: the house is in the committee of the whole house on the state of the union for consideration of h.r. 10 which will clerk will report by title.

the clerk: a bill to amend the charter school program under the elementary and secondary education act of 1965. the chair: pursuant to the rule the bill is considered read the first time. the gentleman from minnesota, mr. kline, and the gentleman from california, mr. miller, each will control 45 minutes. the chair recognizes the gentleman from minnesota. mr. kline: i rise today in strong support of the success and opportunity through quality charter schools act legislation that will support the growth and expansion of successful charter schools and i yield myself such time as i may consume. the chair: the gentleman is recognized. mr. kline: thank you, mr. chairman. for many children and their parents, charter schools are a beacon of hope for a better education and a better life. the schools are extraordinarily in demand. wait lists for charter schools have grun steadily in recent years with more than one million students' names on wait listers in 2013-2014 school year. charter schools have a proven track record of success, encouraging higher academic

achievement in even the most troubled school districts. i recently had the opportunity visit two impressive charter schools in my home state of minnesota. at both schools, without objection -- without exception, students were engaged, excited and eager to learn. i know firsthand this is not a trend unique to charter schools in minnesota. in fact, each time i visit quality charter schools whether here in washington, d.c., in minnesota, or in harlem, new york, i've been amazed by the educators and the student's incredible progress. needs are clearly a valuable part of the education system. however the federal charter school program is in need of key reforms to enhance access to ensure continued educational quality. that's why i partnered with my colleague, the senior democrat on the house education and work force committee, mr. miller, to advance the success and opportunity through quality charter schools act. this bipartisan legislation will encourage more states and families to embrace charter

schools while also including several provisions to urge these schools to reach out to special populations including at-risk students, children with disabilities and english learners. the bill will streamline the federal charter school program will ensuring the institutions remain accountable to families and taxpayers. the bill also expands the allowable use of federal resources to support not just new cheart schools under current law but also replyation -- replication and expansion of successful charter schools. additionally it will direct charter schools to share best practices with traditional public schools to ensure school leaders working together to implement successful education practices throughout the community. we must support charter schools as a valuable alternative to failing public schools and work together to encourage their growth. this act is a commonsense proposal that will improve educational opportunities for students across the board and

provide families with additional school choice options. i'm very pleased that members of the education and work force committee have put their differences aside and worked through a very bipartisan process to develop an exceptional piece of legislation. i'd like to thank members and staff for these efforts and i urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to join with us in supporting legislation that can have a hugely positive effect on children nationwide and i reserve the balance of my time. the chair: the gentleman reserves the balance of his time. the gentleman from california. mr. miller: i yield myself five minutes. the chair: the gentleman is recognized for five minutes. mr. miller: mr. speaker, i rise in strong support of h.r. 10, and i want to thank the chairman of the committee for all of his cooperation, so we could arrive at this legislation, to bring to the floor. and i want to thank the staffs on both sides of the aisle for all the time they spent negotiating this legislation. and i'm delighted that we're here tonight to consider it. the success and opportunity through quality charter schools act, i urge my colleagues to

support this legislation. i guess we'll be voting tomorrow on it, to vote in support of the legislation. my support of h.r. 10 is grounded in my commitment to our nation's public schools and my firm belief that every child and every neighborhood deserves access to a high quality public education. this bipartisan legislation would take us one step closer to making the promise of quality public schools for every child a reality. in many ways the innovations coming out of the charter school sector are helping to disprove some of the false assumptions about kids who happen to be from the wrong zip code. charter schools continue to prove that all children can succeed. and the h.r. 10 seeks to build on that success. it will expand opportunities for all children to benefit from charter school innovations, along with chairman kline i authored similar legislation last congress. that legislation served as a basis for this bill which we are considering today and passed out of this chamber with more than 360 votes. i'm pleased that once again, to

collaborate with chairman kline on this re-authorization of the charter school program. by working together we have been able to produce a truly bipartisan bill that would be much -- will bring much-needed improvements to the only federal program that supports the startup of public charter schools. this existing federal program provides startup funding for public charter schools from states where the public charter schools are permitted, that win a competitive grant. while the program is in a small funding stream that reaches a limited number of schools, the program can and should be used as a leaver to ensure the quality within the charter public -- charter school sector, drive collaboration between charter and noncharter public schools, improve state oversight of charter schools to make sure that every public school is serving the most disadvantaged students. h.r. 10 would refocus the charter school program to achieve these goals while recognizing and supporting the success of public charter schools. much of that success comes from the autonomy of flexibility that charter schools have in

implementing innovative curriculum instruction. the research is clear. access to great schools, fantastic instruction and a safe learning environment matters. thousands of public schools across the country, both charter and noncharter, are great schools supported by millions of wonderful educators. unfortunately some of our nation's public schools, both charter and noncharter, fall short. i've been working on this issue for a long time. for me it isn't about the quantity of charter schools, it's about the quality of all public schools. over the years i requested numerous g.a.o. reports that examined activities of public charter schools to look at the quality of the services for students who are traditionally underserved, including those with disabilities and english language learners. the results have pointed to the flaws in the charter implementation that shortchanged disadvantaged . udents our federal investment in charters must help support and drive improvements in the charter sector. for example, in denver, when

the data showed the discrepancy in the charter school services with students for complex disabilities as compared to noncharters, the district leader said, we can do better. instead of pointing fingers and placing blame, the district leaders and charter lead rts collaborated on bringing -- leaders collaborated on bringing needed programs and supports to complex -- to students with complex disabilities. federal dollars that support charter schools must incentivize this type of collaboration on behalf of our most vulnerable students. the improvements in the charter school program that are embodied in h.r. 10 would do just that and that's why groups such as the national council of learning disabilities and the consortium of citizens with disabilities enthusiastically support this bill. no public school with charter or oice gets a pass -- or otherwise gets a pass. it would also ensure that federal investment supports only high-quality charts that are are serving all students and have demonstrated that they are accountable to parents and communities. h.r. 10 includes unprecedented quality controls and mechanisms to improve charter authorizing activity and oversight.

and it challenges states to support and transfer the best practices among all public schools in order to ensure that the benefits of charter schools are reaching all students, not just a few. this isn't a debate about charter schools. charter schools are here and they aren't going anywhere. this is about increasing the quality, the equity and transparency in the charter sector. the sector is vibrant and it's now serving more than two million students in 42 states and the district of columbia. a yes vote on h.r. 10 is a vote for much-needed program improvements that will help ensure that the federal dollars supporting public charter schools only flow to quality schools and that those children -- those schools live up to the promises of the equal education of all students. i urge you to join me, mr. speaker in supporting this bill. thank you and -- mr. speaker, in supporting this bill. thank you and i yield back the balance of my time. the chair: does the gentleman reserve -- mr. miller: i reserve the balance of my time. the chair: the gentleman from california reserves his time. the gentleman from minnesota. mr. kline: thank you, mr. chairman. i don't even know what to say

to that. no, thank you very much, mr. chairman. it is my pleasure now to yield to the chairman of the subcommittee on early childhood, elementary and secondary education, the gentleman from indiana, mr. rokita, what has been doing work, not only today, in the furtherance of the education for our nation's children, but every da day -- but every day. mr. rokita. the chair: the gentleman from indiana is recognized for three minutes. mr. rokita: i thank the chair and the chairman, i thank the ranking member as well. i think both the chairman and ranking member have a great bill here and it deserves the support of this entire body, in my humble opinion. k-12 irman of the subcommittee on education, it's been my high honor to travel throughout indiana and really across the country to see our public school system, our public charter school system

and the entire framework of how our great american children are educated. to the conclusion early on, and it's the same one that the chairman and the ranking member have come to, and that is charter schools empower parents to play a more active role in their child's education. opens doors for teachers to pioneer fresh teaching methods. it encourages state and local innovation and helps students escape underperforming schools. the charter school program facilitates the establishment of high-quality charter schools and encourages choice, innovation and excellence in education. now, the current charter school program, however, does not support the funding for the replication and expansion of high-quality charter schools. the ranking member said it himself, that charter schools are here to stay. and we're not about to have a debate over whether or not they should exist.

they do. and it's about the replication and expansion of them. because they work. this bill is a commonsense approach to updating the charter school program by streamlining multiple charter school programs, improving their quality and promoting the growth of the charter school sector at the state level. the bill also consolidates multiple funding streams and grant programs that support charter schools into the existing state grant program, eliminating a separate authorization for charter school facilities funding. by consolidating the funding streams into the existing state charter school program, the bill removes authority from the secretary of education to pick winners and losers and control the growth of the charter school sector. this authority is placed largely in the hands of states, frankly where it belongs in the first place. the bill updates the charter school program to reflect the success and growth of the charter school movement. states are authorized to use funds under the program to support the replication and expansion of high-quality charter schools, in addition to supporting new, innovative

charter school models. finally, i would say that this is into the new issue. in fact, this is not a new bill for us. this bill is very similar to charter school provisions included in h.r. 5, the student success act, and to h.r. 2218, the empowering parents through quality charter schools act. the latter of which passed the house been an overwhelmingly bipartisan vote of 365-44. so for all these reasons i simply urge my colleagues to support h.r. 10 and i yield back. the chair: the gentleman yields back the balance of his time. the gentleman from california. mr. miller: mr. speaker, i yield five minutes to the gentleman from colorado, mr. polis. there's no more enthusiastic and informed advocate of public charter schools in this congress than the gentleman from colorado and i thank him for all of the work that he put in on both sites of the aisle, working with us -- sides of the aisle, working with us, to make the improvements in this legislation and for his support

of it. the chair: the gentleman from colorado is recognized for five minutes. mr. polis: thank you, mr. speaker. and thank you, mr. ranking member, for the kind words. i want to thank chairman kline and ranking member miller for their hard work, particularly in a week where this body has been divided over issues like benghazi and lois lerner, how wonderful that we can come together around our most underserved kids and families to help extend the hope and opportunity of a quality charter school to more families. most members of this house have already voted for the provisions of this bill. a substantial -- substantially, nearly identical -- a substantially, nearly identical bill was included in the republican esca bill, all but 12 republicans voted for that bill. almost identical language was included in the department substitute for esca re-authorization as well. only two democrat it's voted against that bill -- democrats voted against that bill. so the vast majority, everybody in this body except for 14

people in this session, this 113th congress, have voted for the provisions of this bill. now, those bills, the democratic substitute and esca re-authorization, have an enormous gap between where they were. democrats and republicans had a different vision for accountability, the role of the federal government, so many issues within that. so why not take language that is nearly identical in both of those bills, with regard to re-authorization of the federal charter school program, and combine it into a stand-alone bill that can actually pass this body and pass the senate? we've done enough of these one-party bills and i know when we were in the majority we did them as well. the house acts, we yell at the senate for not acting. they act and they yell at us for not acting. here's a bill, mr. speaker, that with a strong vote on the floor of the house can send a message to the senate that while perhaps we cannot agree on the entirety of esca re-authorization, yes we can agree on upgrading the federal charter program, first

conceived in 1994, to the 2.0 version. and what does that mean, mr. speaker? what are these improvements in this bill? they're commonsense improvements. they're neither republican nor democratic. they simply make the bill better, to make sure that our very limited federal investments that we have, the limited resources we have, is spent and invested in a way to have the maximum possible outcome. and ensuring that kids across the country have access to a quality public charter school. for instance, rather than just supporting the formation of entirely new charter schools that are innovative, under this bill we now allow the funds to be used for expansion and replication of successful models. models that we know work. schools that we know work. schools that are transforming lives and restoring hope to families across our country. if only they can expand, if only we can have more to serve kids. we have also heard from our constituents across the country complainlts about thank some charter schools -- complaint

about some charter schools. under the old language of this authorization that we still have, charter schools that receive these funds are actually prevented from remedying that. they are not allowed to have any -- allowed to have anything other than a pure lottery with regard to determining their student composition. what we now allow with this bill is a weighted lottery to give charter schools in concert with an authorizing entity, the ability to make sure that they can serve the most at-risk kids pursuant to their mission, they can serve special needs kids commensurate with the district averages, they can serve english language learners and make sure they can fulfill their mission, rather than have some of those students squeezed out by those who who are in a position -- who are in a better position to exercise their school choice because they're better informed and better

connected. this improves access for all students. it will help ensure that the limited federal investment we have makes the biggest single difference for families across our country. mr. speaker, public charter schools are simply public schools with sight-based overnance. they are free to innovate when it comes to learning day, uniform, yet they're accountable for student outcomes this bill adds additional layers of accountability and transparency to ensure that this federal investment has the maximum possible effect. i am proud that before i served in this body, mr. speaker, i founded two public charter schools. new america school and another one. new america works with immigrants to help them learn the english language and access a college education. mr. speaker, absent the federal charter school program, i don't think i even could have started

that charter school and hundreds and thousands of charter school that was benefited from this program across the country will tell you the same story. before the state or district money even begins, may i have another minute? mr. miller: i yield the gentleman two minutes. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized. mr. polis: before the school begins, there are expenses. teachers and principals have to be hired, classrooms have to be outfitted, that's what this money allows. coupled with strong support from the nonprofit sector and foundations, we have helped give with this program life to ideas that have existed in the minds of social sprep -- entrepreneur that was been transformed in the lives of kids and families. however, not all public charter schools are high quality just as all district schools are not high quality. that's why h.r. 10 adds strong protections to ensure that public charter schools are accountable, that they serve low

income kids and english language learners and at-risk kids. we informs in quality authorizing practices. what does that mean? an authorizing district can hand out charters too'y, handing them out to every tom, dick and harry, including those who have a idea of how to put together budget, or they can hand them out to nobody because they view it as competition with the district but you have a good authorizing group, you should be able to receive the charter and operate the school, and we raise the bar on authorizing practices, something on which the original authorization for this program was silent. for those on my side of the aisle who are skeptical of public charter schools this bill brings stronger protections for oversight, transparency and accountability.

this program, the federal charter school program will exist under the old authorization or the new authorization. i implore my colleagues on my side of the aisle to support the new and better 2.0 version for all of the democratic priorities, whether you like charter schools or not, this program is simply better under this bill this bill has gotten better through every phase of the process. better than the bill in the last congress, better than the republican bill, better than the democratic substitute and now as a stand-alone will we have the ability to send a message to the senate and bill to president obama's desk. i yield back the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from minnesota. mr. kline: thank you, mr. chairman. i must say, i so appreciate the depth of knowledge and the enthusiasm and the passion of the gentleman from colorado. always a pleasure. another great pleasure for me is to yield some time to another gentleman from indiana who was traveling with me and my -- in my home state visiting charter schools only a few weeks ago, the gentleman from indiana, mr.

messer, four minutes. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized -- the chair: the gentleman is recognized for four minutes. mr. messer: thank you, mr. chairman. rise in support of h.r. 10, the success and opportunity through quality charter schools act. i want to commend chairman kline and ranking member miller for coming together on this important bipartisan legislation. i also want to thank my good friend from indiana, todd rokita, who chairs the subcommittee on elementary and secondary education for his work on this bill and i thank the good member polis for his comments as well and appreciate the opportunity to work with him. every child deserves the opportunity to learn. but too many families in america today live in neighborhoods with struggling schools. where their children don't have access to a high quality education. that is why education choice matters.

lots of kids live in communities with great schools, but too many don't. parental choice is the ultimate local control. it allows -- allows parents to choose the best educational environment for their child regardless of income, geographic location or lot in life. the freedom provided by school choice levels the playing field and helping en-- helps ensure all children have a chance to achieve success in life. as the founder and chairman of the congressional school choice caucus, i'm a proponent of all forms of educational choice, including magnet schools, online schools, private schools, homeschooling, and traditional public schools. charter schools certainly play an integral role in expanding educational freedom. i'm very encouraged by this bipartisan legislation which

will update the charter school program to reflect the success and growth of successful charter models by supporting the replication, expansion and opening of new, innovative, high quality charter schools. encouraging the expansion of charter schools is important because they empower parents with another free public school option and are a driving force in creating classroom innovation . over the past couple of months, i've had the opportunity to visit several charter schools that are preparing students for success. just this last month as the chairman mentioned, i was forced -- fortunate enough to join chairman kline on his trip to visit the aspen academy and the global academy charter schools in minnesota.

more recently, i toured the inspire academy of muncie in my district, one of 76 charter schools in indiana, serving more than 28,000 hoosier students. i was impressed with what i saw. a diverse group of students actively engaged in learning, teachers pioneering, fresh -- pioneering fresh teaching methods and parents heavily involved in their child's education. in the declaration of independence, our founding fathers wrote that all men are endowed by their creator with certain unalienable rights. chief among those rights is the right to pursue happiness. in modern america, that pursuit begins with a high quality education. we cannot rest until every child in america has that chance.

i urge my colleagues to support this bipartisan legislation. thank you. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from indiana yields back. the gentleman from california. mr. miller: i yield three minutes to the gentlewoman from california, ms. sanchez. the chair: the gentlewoman is recognized for three minutes. ms. sanchez: thank you, mr. chairman. rye is -- i rise in support of h.r. 10, the success and opportunity through quality charter schools act, demonstrating that congress can actually work together to get things done. i want to thank chairman kline and my good friend from california, ranking member george miller for bringing this forward. i'm still waiting for you guys to bring the esca to the floor but i'm thrilled that we're making some critical improvements to the public charter school system. so charter schools were never

meant trow place our traditional public school system, but i have to tell you that they have grown over the last 20 years and i see several of them in my area, just down the street, really making a difference in my community. orange county high school of the arts, for example. i have an elementary school called elsombings l. all doing -- el sol. all doing great work. it's great for us to look at the federal law and say, how can we make this even better? because even though we have great schools like the ones i just mentioned, there are also some charter schools that have failed or some charter schools that are actually failing. -- failing our kids. they're not really getting the work done that we thought they would do, or that the people who envisioned them thought would be done.

while charter schools work toward encouraging innovation in our public schools, we really need to take a look and see what these schools are doing system of h.r. 10 is the first step in highlighting the need for charter schools that improve student outcomes while expanding those schools that are currently utilizing our best practices. i'm also pleased to see that the legislation requires greater charter authorizer accountability and even more pleased that we are finally addressing the underenrollment of some of our most vulnerable students through the weighted lotteries provision. this is incredibly important in the area where i live as i have a very urban area. we hold our traditional public schools accountable for the education of our future leaders and we expect charter schools to involve the community in their efforts to improve the charter school system. that's why i'm happy to have worked with both the majority and the minority on an amendment that i will have tomorrow which

will hold public charter schools accountable in fostering and promoting community involvement. we all know that when people are involved, when they're involved in their school, when parents are involved, we see a mass difference in the students who come out of those schools. charter schools must be ep gauge with local communities to understand the students they teach and my amendment will strengthen that role. this is not a final solution. mr. miller: i yield the gentlelady an additional minute. the chair: the gentlelady is recognized for an additional minute. ms. sanchez:while it's not the final solution, h.r. 10 contributes to the promise of a quality education for every child never neighborhood and i yield back the balance of my time. thank you. the chair: the gentlewoman yields back. he gentleman from minnesota. mr. kline: thank you, mr. chairman. i'm pleased now to yield two minutes to the gentleman from

texas, mr. hall. the chair: the gentleman from texas is recognized for two minutes. mr. hall: i thank you, mr. chairman, for the time and mr. speaker, as we celebrate the national teachers week, i do rise in support of charter schools and the remarkable job they do in advancing high quality education through innovative approaches and our -- in our classrooms across the country. with an increasingly competitive work force, quality education is more important than ever. charter schools play a valuable role in the education field. charter schools provide parents and students a choice for the best -- that best meets what the children's needs are. classrooms that offer more personalized education and accountability if the school's a cheevement goals and metrics are not met. when i was home over easter i had an opportunity to visit the phoenix charter school located in greenville, texas. built in 1986, phoenix charter school serves over 600 students

by providing a creative educational experience, one that integrates fine art into a strong traditional curriculum. during my visit i talked with students who were excited to share their experiences with the school. they told me they were happy to receive a hands-on education in a place that makes them feel at home. more importantly they are thank to feel attend a school that meets their individual living needs. i walked around the campus and was able to see teachers interact with students and you could sthee students were fully engaged in the classroom. charter -- phoenix charter schools have been recognize wid the alliance for charter schools for providing exceptional education to its students and this recognition is well deserved. parents and educators know best what their students need. if a student can benefit most from a charter school, they should be able to have that access to that education. i encourage my colleagues to join me in efforts to provide students full access to charter schools and the innovative way

they prepare our students for successful futures. thank you and i yield back. the chair: the gentleman yields back. the gentleman from california. mr. miller: i yield three minutes to the gentleman from colorado. the chair: the gentleman has another three minutes. mr. polis: thank you, mr. speaker. i want to discuss today some of the priorities that democrats have which are important to members of my party which are included in this bill and i hope that those on my side of the aisle who are listening tonight the capable educational lia sembings s will tell their bosses tomorrow. this bill makes sure that charter schools don't have entrance requirements they don't charge tuition, they're not religious and don't discriminate against students on any basis. we also make sure that low-performing or financially irresponsible charter schools re closed and that the authorizer does dus this. we make sure they recruit and

serve students with disabilities. mr. speaker, we also improve performance oversight and management for public charter schools, new provisions about transparency and evaluation practices, make sure that each public charter school considers input from parents and community members with regard to the operation of the school. the public charter schools abide by civil rights laws, can't charge tuition, make sure the public charter schools have the same audit requirements as traditional public schools. these these are some of the reasons, mr. speaker, that i encourage my colleagues on my side of the aisle to upgrade this authorization, to upgrade from the version passed in 1994 to a new and better version that incorporates almost two decks of learning about what works and what doesn't work within public charter school movement. those on my side of the aisle support good public schools. whether those are district schools, neighborhood schools, whether they're public magnet schools, whether they're public

charter schools, whether they're schools with choice operated by the district. we want to make sure that every family has access to a good, high-quality public education. public charter schools are not the silver bullet alone. they're not going to fix everything that's wrong and needs to be improved about public education in the country. but what they do offer is examples of hope and opportunity for the kids they serve. and too many families, mr. speaker, almost a million families across the country, are languishing on the wait list for public charter schools and forced to attend a worse school because the capacity doesn't exist to serve them. this bill will allow quality public charter schools to expand, to replicate, to serve more children, to help reduce that number. and make sure that in other -- another generations of americans and particularly americans in poverty are not con signed to a life of reliance on government programs

or the inability to acquire, attend college, and instead have every opportunity that this country can provide because they have a good education. in the 21st century, mr. speaker, a good education is more important than ever to be in the middle americanle class and live the american dream -- american middle class and to live the american dream. we need to redouble our efforts to ensure every family has access to a high-quality school and that's why i encourage my colleagues to vote yes on this bill. i yield back the balance of my time. the chair: the gentleman yields back the balance of his time. the gentleman from minnesota. mr. kline: thank you, mr. chairman. i'm getting ready to yield some time to a man who comes from the state that has learned a great deal about the value of charter schools in these last few years, i want to yield three minutes to the gentleman from louisiana, mr. scalise. the chair: the gentleman from louisiana is recognized for three minutes. mr. scalise: thank you, mr. chairman. and i want to thank chairman kline and ranking member miller for bringing this legislation to the floor and it's so important when you talk about the things that we need to do to help give our children a

better opportunity. the charter school movement has literally transformed the public education system in new orleans. if you look at what was happening in the city of new orleans before hurricane katrina, it was the most failed and corrupt public system in the country. and after hurricane katrina i was in the legislature at the time and many of my colleagues came together and we passed a charter system that literally empowered communities to get involved in the education of their children. and what we saw was revolutionary, mr. chairman. what we saw was parents finally having options and choices to send their kids to schools that were competing for those children. that were actually providing better opportunities. before hurricane katrina, mr. chairman, 75% of the students in new orleans public schools were attending failing schools. schools that were giving them no opportunity, no hope for their future. and what's happened since with this revolution, with the charter school movement in new orleans?

what we've seen is now over 91% of the public school students in new orleans attend charter schools. over 91%. but what does that mean for quality? because that's ultimately what really matters. what kind of education are hese children now being able to get? as i said before, before katrina, 75% of the students in public schools in new orleans were attending failing schools. today less than 15% of those students are attending schools with either a d or f rating. because now there's competition. parents literally have multiple options of where to send their kids and those schools are competing for the students. i attended hines elementary school last week in my district in lake view, the part of new orleans, the school that is a charter school, it's incredibly successful. you see such enthusiasm from these young kids. they have over 450-person waiting list to come to this charter school. it really is working. the fact that you've invoked

this competition. i want to applaud majority leader cantor. ma jordan leader cantor came down and -- majority leader cantor has come down and toured a number of charter schools. that has served as the model of how you can transform failed education systems that were denying students the opportunity to have a future. to achieve that american dream. and when we talk about opportunities for children, this is not a republican idea or a democrat idea. this literally is our ability to pass on the franchise of the american dream to our children. and charter schools have helped expand that opportunity. and that's why it's so important that we pass h.r. 10. to help replicate those successful programs, to help highlight what's working with the charter school movement. and again you can look to new orleans and see just how it's literally transformed people's lives for the better. this is something we need to do. it's great that this is a bipartisan effort and again i

applaud chairman kline for bringing this bill to the floor and i yield back the balance of my time. the chair: the gentleman yields back the balance of his time. the gentleman from california. the gentleman reserves. the gentleman from minnesota. mr. kline: thank you, mr. chairman. i'm now very pleased to recognize my colleague from the state of minnesota where charter schools originated. the gentleman from minnesota, mr. paulsen, is recognized for three minutes. mr. paulsen: the gentleman is recognized for three minutes. -- the chair: the gentleman is recognized for three minutes. mr. paulsen: thank you, mr. speaker. i'd like to thank the gentlemen for working together to bring this important legislation to the floor today. i also need to thank my colleague, congressman polis, who i co-chaired the charter school caucus with and i want to thank him for his leadership and passion on education issues. mr. chairman, we need to pass this legislation. this is an opportunity working together because h.r. 10 will ensure that a student's zip code does not determine the quality of their education. there are too many students across the country that are trapped in failing schools with

little hope of ever escaping. parents want the best for their child. but many parents are often left with only two options. either an expensive private school or a failing public school. and thankfully many more families now have this option of a third option, a high-quality charter school. recently i had a chance to visit beacon preparatory school in bloomington, minnesota, which is in my district. and while there i saw students that were thriving in their class. i saw dedicated teachers. i saw challenging academics. charter schools are not tied down by a lot of bureaucratic red tape or outdated traditions. in fact, charter schools are creating very new and i in-- new and innovative ways of learning that will make students more excited to learn. in too many staint states that debate has sometimes been public schools versus charter schools but it simply does not have to be that way. public schools and charter schools can co-exist to make the system better. as chairman kline noted in our home state of minnesota, we

were the pioneers for the charter school movement 22 years ago. it's an example of how this system can absolutely work. and we have a rich tradition of providing a world class education to our students in both public schools and charter schools. charter schools are continuing to grow. in 2007 there were nearly 1.3 million students enrolled in charter schools arm the country. as we debate this legislation today, there's 6,500 charter schools that are now enrolling 2 1/2 million students across the country. but here's the thing. there are one million students on waiting lists to enter into these charter schools. so the legislation before us today focuses on expansion and replication of high quality charter schools, that concentrates on charter school models that have had a proven record of success to raise the bar for everyone. and ensure that those who attend charter schools will receive that best education possible. mr. chairman, this is an opportunity that we have today to show the american people we are committed at the federal level to helping produce the best educational opportunities for all students.

so let's vote to make sure that a child's zip code does not determine the quality of their education. i yield back. the chair: the gentleman yields back the balance of his time. the gentleman from california reserves. the gentleman from minnesota. mr. kline: thank you, mr. chairman. i'm now pleased to yield three minutes to the chairman of the subcommittee on health, employment, labor and pensions, dr. rowe from tennessee. the chair: the gentleman is recognized for three minutes. mr. roe: i thank the chairman and thank you, mr. speaker. i rise in strong support of h.r. 10, the success and opportunity through quality charter schools act and i've got to sound like a recording because you're going to hear a lot of the same themes in this. today there are an estimated one million students on waiting lists to attend public charter schools. these students and their families believe that their educational needs are not being met by their current school. while many of our public schools are doing a great job, too many others are failing our children. these kids deserve the opportunity to receive a top-notch education and they

cannot wait as we work to improve these underperforming schools. they don't have the time. public charter schools provide students with the opportunity to escape underperforming schools while also giving parents more control over their children's education. to ensure more access to these innovative institutions, the success and opportunity through quality charter schools act appears -- support the replication or expansion of existing high-quality charter schools. h.r. 10 streamlines and modernizes our charter school program, providing our nation's public charter schools with the flexibility needed to encourage innovation at the state and local level. h.r. 10 supports the sharing of best practices between the charter and traditional public schools and this way all public school students, not just charter school students, benefit from the innovation of these institutions. i'm proud the educators and students in my home state of tennessee and their accomplishments of improving

education in our state. since 2003, tennessee has increased its high school graduation rate by 17 points to 87%. this is commendable, but it's not enough. we can and should do more and charter schools must be part of the discussion. since 2002, tennessee has opened more than 45 charter schools, giving nearly 12,000 students the opportunity to attend these innovative institutions. tennessee's public charter schools serve 87% low-income and 96% minority students from economically disadvantaged areas, providing school choice to the students who need it most. just like tennessee, we as a nation must fully embrace all the tools available, including charter schools, to ensure our students' success. mr. speaker, i spent 24 years .n the public school system

i've never attended a private school. and the opportunity for students like me, who are first-generation students, college students, to be able to get a great basic public education is really the future of our country. and i think our very future depends on that. i want to also, while i'm here, to thank both the chairman and the ranking member, mr. miller, mr. poe less, and the rest of the committee -- poe less, and the rest of the committee -- polis, and the rest of the committee for circling around this important legislation. a student in the second or third grade can't afford a failing school. they have to be allowed to go into a school where they can be successful. that, mr. speaker, i strongly urge my colleagues to support h.r. 10 and i yield yooled -- and i yield back the balance of my time. the chair: the gentleman yields back the balance of his time. the gentleman from california reserves. the gentleman from minnesota. mr. kline: thank you, mr. chairman. i now would like to yield three minutes to the gentleman from south carolina, mr. sanford. the chair: the gentleman from south carolina is recognized for three minutes. ms. sanchez: i thank the chairman -- mr. sanford: i thank you the chairman. -- i thank the chairman. at the end of the day this

represents expanded choice in education and that whole notion of increasing and expanding the marketplace in education i think is vital for a couple of different reasons. i think it's vital, one, because it's better for students. i think it's vital because ultimately local control of education matters and i think it's ultimately vital from the standpoint of improving and increasing the level of innovation that we see in the educational marketplace. let me expand on those thoughts just over a couple of minutes. one, it's vital for students because god makes every child different. and when i was working in the politics in south carolina, we passed a rather major charter school bill. we now have over 60 charter schools in south carolina, right at 60 charter schools in south carolina, and what it did was it tailor-made for students applications that fit who they were. so in some cases they wanted to work on leadership, they could do so. in some cases they wanted to work on mathematics or on

english or on technology or the arts and they had venues by which to specialize in that which god wired them to do. and so, one, this idea of increased choices for the students that are out there i think is vital. two, i think it's absolutely vital to the larger notion of local control. you know, people invest in things that they have a say in, that they have a voice in and what we saw in choice in south carolina, in expanded choice on the charter school front, was that parents indeed got more deeply involved and i've not just seen that in south carolina, i've seen it in different spots across the country, whether that's a school up toward milwaukee, you know, it's interesting to see the way in which parents would invest in their child's education when they had a little bit more control and a voice, that's true again at bridges academy in south carolina or the academy out toward houston.

it's vital because the old saying is the definition of insanity is keep on doing the same thing and expect this idea the educational paradigm so there are more choices is absolutely critical to competitiveness in this country. if you look at the numbers. we are behind vietnam and iceland with regard to math in global scores. we are behind poland and luxembourg and estonia in reading scores. we are behind canada. we are behind the united kingdom. we are behind france, a whole host of different places in scores on the science front and if we are going to change that and be competitive in this global competition, it's vital

that we have bills like this and for that reason i applaud the work of the committee. i yield back. mr. miller: are we closing or reserving time for tomorrow? mr. kline: good question. mr. miller: i think mr. hoyer was going to speak but he's not here. ok. germ going to close for debate. mr. miller: i yield back. the chair: the gentleman from california yields back. the gentleman from minnesota. i see mr. polis is ready to spring into action. mr. kline: it has been a pleasure to work on this legislation. we have heard compelling stories here today from around the country and transformation of

entire cities and school systems and lives being changed and we have legislation here today and tomorrow, which will make that federal charter school law better and make the opportunities more available and give more kids a chance for success and opportunity. this should be an easy vote. i urge my colleagues to lend their support to h.r. 10 and i will yield back the balance of my time. the chair: the gentleman from minnesota has yielded back. all time for germ debate has expired. the gentleman from -- all time . r general debate has expired does the gentleman -- does the gentleman wish to move to rise? mr. kline: i move to rise. the speaker pro tempore: the question is on the motion of the committee to rise.

those in favor say aye. those opposed, no. the ayes have it. accordingly, the committee rises. the speaker pro tempore: mr. hairman. , -- air: mr. speaker report that the committee has come to no resolution thereon. the speaker pro tempore: the committee has had under consideration h.r. 10 and has come to no resolution thereon.

the speaker pro tempore: the chair lays before the house the following personal requests. the clerk: leaves of absence requested for mr. bishop of georgia for today and tomorrow, mr. cotton of arkansas for today and the balance of the week. mr. mcallister for today and the balance of the week, mr. palazzo for the balance of the week and mr. rush for the balance of the week. the speaker pro tempore: without objection. the requests are granted. under the speaker's announced policy of january 3, 2013, the gentleman from new jersey, mr. lance, is recognized for 60 nutes as the designee of the majority leader. mr. lance: thank you, mr. speaker. tonight, my colleagues and i

rise to discuss a matter that has touched virtually every family in america and one of the great public health challenges of our time or indeed of any time, and that is the challenges of cancer. the diagnosis, no person wants to hear, the battle no one should face alone. for those in treatment, to those everyone treatment, knows someone who has has been afflicted with cancer. cancer has been the great melt health men ace. but now here in the 21st century, medical advancement, innovative treatments and the genius of many scientists and medical doctors are every day

bringing us closer to a cure. we await the advent of new technologies and of work here in congress to deliver the tools and resources both to public and to private industry to spur the research and collaborations that will change the health of the world. and it is my judgment that the united states is really the medical center of the entire world and brilliant medical doctors and scientists in this country who will lead the charge in the new century. clinical oncolingists are on the cutting edge and are responsible for the advances in cancer care that are improving the livebs and prognosis for many cancer patients. this year marks the 50th anniversary of the american

society of clinical oncology, a group which represents 35,000 oncology professionals across the world. when it was founded in 1964, it dedicated itself to a challenging mission. a commitment to conquer cancer through research and delivery of high-quality patient care. when it was founded, cancer was widely regarded as an untreatable disease with fewer of patients alive five years after diagnosis. there was an undeniable stigma associated with a cancer diagnosis that left many patients to suffer in silence with minimal support, and worse, few effective therapy.

but because of the work of passionate advocates and tireless champions, the expertise of talented medical professionals including those at the american society of clinical oncology, the survival rate is better than 2/3. improved care coordination and the use of care have proven to improve patients' quality of life dramatically and increase survival rates dramatically. it has put forward new technologies such as nanotechnology, imaging that are leading to entirely new ways to develop therapist. these advances are fully realized, people with cancer will be able to receive more

effective treatment. and in my work on the energy and commerce committee and particularly on the health subcommittee, i am sure that the way of the future is personalized medical care. and in a coordinated capacity, the members of the committee and members of the subcommittee are working together to create that new wave of the future regarding personalized medicine. federal investments in cancer research have also resulted in a massive increase in the quality of treatments available to cancer patients. i have the highest confidence in dr. francis collins and his team at the national institutes of health. have toured n.i.h.'s magnificent facility in bethesda, the best of its kind

on the face of the earth. some of the best doctors, greatest intell ebts and dedicated professionals are working every day to course the future of medicine and tackle this terrible disease and continue our nation's commitment to n.i.h. to keep the united states as the global center of medical innovation. the chairman of the energy and commerce committee convened a round table with many of the most brilliant doctors and we were privileged that dr. collins joined us. but the work will not be done alone such as n.i.h. in fact, great minds from across this nation and around the world have brought their desire to rid the world of cancer do some of

the finest companies on the forefront of this research. many of these life-science leaders in the bioand medical development field call the district i serve and the state i serve, new jersey, as home. and work on cancer solutions every day in labs i have the honor of representing. the district i serve, mr. speaker, has more pharmaceutical and medical device employees than any district in the united states, but that is not to say we are alone. there are magnificent facilities across this country and they will be described, i believe, by colleagues of mine this evening. and i know there is great interest and commitment in the house of representatives. as demonstrated by the participation this evening of distinguished members, including mr. higgins of new york and

buffalo is one of the leading centers not only in this nation but across the globe in medical technology and medical research and institutions of medical care. and the work of the committee, the house energy and commerce committee. our committee has broad jurisdiction over federal agencies and policies important to health care to medical research and to the life sciences sectors. i also have the honor of serving as the republican chair of the rare disease caucus. another mantle where we discuss needs and ideas in the cancer-support community and i'm joined with the democratic chair, congressman crowley of the great city of new york. one of the major endeavors of the energy and commerce

committee will be to pursue an initiative of chairman upton that he has titled "the 21st century cures breakthroughs in the united states. for the first time, congress will take a comprehensive look at the full arc of accelerating cures from the discovery of clues in basic science to streamlining the device practice to unleashing the power of medicine in the treatment delivery phase. in one of the inaugural hearings this week, the incredible advancement in cancer research were discussed and the great opportunities presented to advance new cures and treatments for other diseases were discussed. the committee will focus on the cycle of discovery, development and delivery that are saves

lives. we in congress want to work effectively and efficiently and ensure there is no gap between 20th century science and the washington regulatory process. it is well positioned for the type of 21st century science the committee is working to facilitate. accelerating cancer research, establishing a new approach to therapeutic development and new technologies to obtain a greater understanding of cancer biology and the needs that congress and the administration are willing to work together for solutions to the market. and let me say, mr. speaker, that we are anxious to work with the administration. and we want to be a partner with the executive branch, making sure that we work as effectively as possible in fighting cancer.

and this is by no means a partisan manner, and indeed it goes beyond being a bipartisan manner. it is really nonpartisan in nature. . benefits of more rigorous trial designs allow trials to be conducted faster. these steps represent significant new momentum toward a 21st century research system that realizes the potential of precision medicine. and as we personalize medicine a space untry, it is in no small measure on precision medicine and this is the wave of the future. on these critical public health issues, the public and private secter have worked together to make a difference in improving the highest quality of health

care, the highest quality that the american people deserve. congress is contributing by giving public research the 21st century tools to compete on the global stage. and empowering private innovators to solve these great complexities in american laboratories. this is how congress should work. together. on issues that make a lasting difference. too often, mr. speaker, we are iewed as divisive, as overly partisan, as not coming together on the great issues confronting the american nation. let me make as clear as possible, on the fight against cancer, we are working closely together and we are working with our partners in the nonprofit sector and our partnerships in the private sect -- partners in the private

sector. this is a three-legged stool. one of those legs, indispensable, is the involvement of the federal government. particularly through n.i.h. but through other agencies as well, and through our oversight capacity here in congress, making sure that drugs are brought to market as quickly as possible with, of course, recognizing that paramount is the safety of those drugs brought to market. asco and those of us in the congress and leaders in the life science industries renew our commitment to the millions of patients and their families who will benefit from more timely access to innovative medical technologies. more than 40 years ago president nixon declared a war on cancer. and tremendous advances have

been made from that initial declaration of war. but the war has not yet been fully won. nd it is our responsibility in our generation to make sure we do as much as possible so that that war will be won. while we do not know the cure for all cancers, we do know that awareness is the best protection. and well-rounded care and during -- care during and after treatment is the best therapy. these burdens often fall on loved ones. i am thankful for the families and the advocates whose challenges we may never understand fully but whose commitment to loved ones is unyielding and inspiring. to asco and the other heroes of cancer care, i thank you for

all that you have done and all that you will continue to do. we are here in congress in a bipartisan capacity to help give you the tools you need to succeed in the fight against cancer. and, mr. speaker, i reserve at the moment the balance of my ime. the speaker pro tempore: does the gentleman -- mr. lance: i yield to the distinguished gentleman from ew york. >> thank you, mr. speaker. i want to thank my colleague from new jersey for his leadership on this issue. mr. higgins: for his eloquent opening and i want to echo his sentiments in congratulating the american society of clinical oncologists.

as my colleague has said, you know, we have made major advancements in cancer research in this country. 30 years ago less than 50% of those who were diagnosed with cancer live beyond five years of their diagnosis. today it's over 65% for adults and over 80% for children. historically you had really three options with cancer. you could burn it out through radiation, you could cut it out through surgery or you could poison the fast-growing cancer cells. but the problem is, you were also killing healthy cells as well through chemotherapy. today, because of medical research, we now have smart drugs. drugs that will attack fast-growing cancer cells without attacking fast-growing healthy cells. we also have a number of clinical trials going on

including one in buffalo, new york, as roswell park cancer institute. clinical trials for vaccines that treat the body's cells toward the goal of helping the body naturally fight cancer. we have made major progress, but as my friend from new jersey has said, we still have much further to go. people realize that early detection is very, very important in effectively treating cancer. cancer, less than 10% of cancer deaths, occur from the original tumor. it's when cancer metastasizes, when it grows, when it advances to a vital organ that we need is when cancer becomes lethal. that's why it's important for early detection, which will dramatically increase the survival rate of cancer patients.

as the gentleman from new jersey also indicated, buffalo and west new york is home to roswell park cancer institute. the first comprehensive cancer center in the entire nation. roswell park gave the nation and the world chemotherapy in 1904 it. gave the nation and the world the prostate-specific antigen test, the p.s.a. test, to detect prostate cancer and it also did ground breaking work in the link between tobacco use and smoking in cancer. one of every three women in this nation will develop invasive cancer in their lifetime. one of every two men during their lifetime will develop invasive cancer. the incident is higher for men because they smoke more. so we have a long way to go, we have made major progress. the gentleman had said richard nixon declared a war on cancer in 1971 and that was a major, major initiative on the part of the federal government.

but what we know also from cancer research is the only failure in that research is when you quit or you're forced to quit because of lack of funding. a lot of these new drugs that are coming to market today have been in various phases of discovery for the past 20 years. so to sustain cancer research is to produce promising new therapies, but to also encourage young researchers to stay in the field and that's our obligation as democrats and republicans of this body, in recognizing that we must fully fund the national institutes of health and the national cancer institute. with that i'll yield back to the gentleman. mr. lance: thank you very much. i now yield as much time as he may consume to the gentleman from tennessee. >> thank you, mr. speaker, and to my distinguished colleague from new jersey and from new york, i thank both of you all

for addressing this issue which is of national importance. what both of my colleagues have said, mr. speaker, is correct. cancer is a hideous disease and we need a national commitment to beat this horrific disease. mr. fleischmann: but i want to talk tonight to the american people about a personal experience that i had with cancer and at the same time i want to also, as my distinguished colleagues did, honor the american society of clinical oncology for their efforts to fight cancer. when i was 9 years old, my mother developed breast cancer. i was more worried about playing baseball, being a kid, and i can remember vividly the doctors saying that your mother has cancer. and my parents were from the

world war ii generation. my mother was born in 1922, my dad in 1925. and they did not have a formal education. but i knew something was very wrong that night and i knew my other was going to have breast cancer surgery. but i didn't know what cancer was. and we had hoped and prayed that she would get better. about two years later, unfortunately, that cancer did metastasize. at that time my father was working away, several hundred miles, to keep a job and i was an only child and i can remember my mother waking up screaming in pain. actually i didn't realize the cancer had come back and actually i called my dad at that time, he was working in pittsburgh, and basically he called the surgeon and the

surgeon said, bring her on in, but i think the cancer's back. unfortunately, despite some chemotherapy and treatment, she lost that battle to cancer when i was 13 years old. i was a freshman in high school. and that so impacted my life, my father's life, our entire outlook about cancer. my father came from a eneration where a cancer diagnosis was a death sentence, sadly. i can remember him crying when my mother was first diagnosed. he was crying uncontrollably and didn't understand why and he said, no, no, no, this is going to be awful and sadly it was. interestingly enough, my father did live to the ripe old age of 87 1/2. but i was before my subcommittee and for the people

watching tonight, i serve on the house appropriations committee, and one of my subcommittees is the labor, education and health and human services committee which actually funds the national institutes of health and the national cancer institute. so for those watching, and i applaud my colleague from new jersey, talking about all the other committees, but this committee actually funds cancer research and it's so, so critically important. but i was actually talking to the head of the n.i.h. that day, and went outside and got a call from my father's doctor and he indicated that my father ad cancer and again, despite the fact that i was almost 50 years old and had a law degree, i didn't understand the graphicity of that. fortunately in this great body -- gravity of that.

fortunately, in this great body, in the house of representatives, i served with some very fine doctor, men and women who were outstanding doctors and i sat down with some of them and they told me the gravity of the situation. and sadly my father lost that attle in three months. i went with him to the doctor and i saw him through that process and it was a sad process. what we all know, this story that i've shared and i've experienced has been experienced by millions of americans and sadly the statistics show that cancer is on the rise. the incidents of cancer is on the rise. again, my colleagues alluded to the fact that president nixon declared war on cancer many years ago. well, this is a war that is ongoing and this is a fight that we cannot lose. america ought to lead the way. in this body, we control

spending. we should control spending. but i think sometimes about all the waste, fraud and abuse, duplicative programs and the like, where we could actually show a great resolve. not as republicans, not as democrats, but as americans to beat this hideous disease. and i do want to commend the men and women who are oncologists, who fight this fight every day, in my district, the third district of tennessee, i have some very fine cities. one of those cities is oak ridge. and in oak ridge is the oak ridge national laboratory. and that laboratory is doing groundbreaking cancer research. so there is a federal component to this, our great universities are fighting this great fight and when i have young men and women come to me and say, what hould i do when i grow up, i

suggest medicine. it's a noble profession. it still is. i feel sorry for doctors because they are facing challenges and this body ought to resolve to help that profession so that profession including oncologist can continue to provide health care to fight cancer and other diseases. but as we move forward as a nation, i would hope that we would stop and think about the magnitude of the effect of this horrific disease. cancer one is not cancer 2. we made several strides. we need to defeat breast cancer and defeat all cancers. i was so sad to learn that the fight against all cancers are so futile. the success and survival rate is still low and i learned that as

a congressman. for those watching, i know our popularity and our numbers in this body sometimes is not that high, but i want to assure the american people that one of the things i do best and i think my colleagues do best we get educated. people come from around the world, from around the country, doctors, scientists and they educate us. they educate us about the progress being made or sadly in some cases, the lack of progress being made. it's my commitment not only to my constituents but to all americans and i'm proud to serve in this body. this is the people's house. this is a wonderful, wonderful body. our founding fathers gave us this body. and our men and women who are fighting to preserve our freedoms in uniform allow us to have great gates in this

chamber. but there must be a resolve to defeat cancer. we do it. the cure for cancer is out there. the strides are being made. and as we work together as americans, i sincerely hope we can beat this hideous disease ease and help the men and women, the toll on families is horrific. and it as a young boy adult male. i thank the oncologists for fighting the good fight and thank my colleagues for allowing me to address this issue and my fervent hope and prayer that we address this and defeat this hid yose disease and i yield back. mr. lance: i yield to the distinguished gentlelady from texas.

ms. jackson lee: i thank the distinguished congressman, congressman lance, for his having this very special, special order this eeping and my friend, congressman brian higgins, for sponsoring this special order to recognize the 50th anniversary of the american society of clinical oncology. one would wonder what seven physicians were doing 50 years ago and i'm glad they came together to recognize the vitality of their specialty and the importance of gathering together. they had their first real meeting with 5 physicians in november of 1964 and i'm glad they organized because as we watch the progression of research and care in the treatment of cancer, we owe a

great deal to them. let me tell you why. because when they founded this organization in 1964, cancer was perceived as largely untreatable. in fact, even today, we still have the remnants of that fear when you get that diagnosis. they call it the big c. there is trepidation and fear. and i would say to you when those physicians organized in 1964, they understood the awesome task they had. only a handful of technologies were available. and they organized physicians with proper educational background material to facilitate their improved management of patients with neoplastic diseases, research

organizations and initiating and coordinating cooperating projects of investigation. and so i am glad to celebrate them today because in the cancer hospitals across america and i have the privilege of having in my community mb anderson and the work, it collaborates with our local clinics and other hospitals because everyone knows that everyone cannot get into a specific cancer hospital, but they may be in a general hospital of which there is a cancer unit. those oncologists collaborate with the major cancer centers of america. and i want to thank my colleagues because it has benefited from your understanding of the need for cancer research dollars. the n.i.h. is and entity we should fully fund and i am on $32rd to have that funding,

billion that will put that entity in a position to do its work. i was interested to listen to the gentleman who spoke about his mother and father. and when members come to the floor and speak of their personal experiences, it draws us closer to our constituents and to our colleagues who have walked some of the similar territory. and so as i have listened to his story, mine is different. heard that diagnosis, cancer, breast cancer. and i didn't hear it quickly, because when i suspected that my physician was calling to say that, all of a sudden, my phone didn't work. and it was quite difficult to

reach me. i was on an airplane, i was in a meeting and it was even in this era of new research, to hear that is a startling and overwhelming experience. but the good news that oncologists are working with the n.i.h. over the 50 years and have given families and children, not 100%, maybe not even 90%, but have been able to cut the mortality rate among pediatric cancer. all of us know how heart-wrenching that is, how difficult it is to see a child suffering with cancer. a story in my local newspaper talked to one of my neighbors, a dance away from my community who sadly lost their three-year-old.

the community gave her a princess parade a few months ago . it is heart-wrenching to see a family member suffer without relief. yet through the oncologists and the research we are doing here in the united states congress to support that research, we have been able to impact pediatric cancer and have been able to impact breast cancer. and i have continued to work to highlight the idea that cancer and in all of its forms, can ultimately be cured. i would like to cite the physicians, one who talked about the new attitude they have in wanted to get would haven into care because they realize we are living longer and by living longer that is a plus, but they

are recognizing that more elderly are more susceptible to cancer and therefore we need research, preventive care to be able to get in front of that so that the costs of saving their lives can be the amount needed to do so, but that we can put a stop to them losing their lives because we have engaged in preventive care. so i have offered amendments on something called the triple-negative breast cancer, e of the most deadlyiest cancers. it affects all women. i remember being in a breast cancer walk and a young woman came up to me and hugged me and said i'm here to walk for my

mother. i saw what you are doing for triple-negative. she did not make it. but thank you. they are so grateful for any recognition of the pain they wept through. even if they lost their loved ones, they are happy that you are doing something to help loved ones. i'm glad here tonight to acknowledge oncologists who would come forward and bring new ideas. one, with respect to triple-negative breast cancer, 10% to 17% female. three times more likely toll cause deaths. 0% of women with triple-negative breast cancer do not live more than five years after being diagnosed. there is no treatment available. the american cancer society

calls this is a subtype associated with lower survival rates. my conversations with the many research areas they are doing, they have included triple-negative breast cancer. i know those oncolingifflets are going to give us a new day. congressman, i thank you for honoring now 50 years of oncologists working working to ensure there is a cure. nd i want to acknowledge a new .e.o. of m.b. anderson and all the oncologists. i would like to like to meddelson. . john ircall him a friend.

he will be honored through the organizations oncoling series. he served as president of m.b. anderson through a period of 15 years, institution doubled in size and aiming at higher excellence. international reputation and he which d an anti-body inhibits proliferation by blocking the pathways. there are many who we can cite tonight but there is a specialty called oncolingists that can answer that phone call and receive that diagnosis in a way that we know that is hope that family members know know there s hope and facing a diagnosis.

oncologists have given us that hope ap i stand ready with my colleagues to provide the research and funding for them to continue to look to save lives. i thank the gentleman for yielding and i yield back. mr. lance: thank you very much. and i think that the impassioned remarks of my distinguished colleague from texas is an indication of her advocacy not only for her constituents and the residents of the great state of texas but for the entire american people. and mr. speaker, my distinguished colleague from texas spoke about breast cancer. yesterday, i spoke to a group of advocates dedicated to the treatment of breast cancer and working to ensure that women are educated about breast re

construction surgery. these advocates working out of love for mothers, daughters, sisters and wives have championed the act which will take the approach to breast cancer treatment and allow women toville full access to their options. since 1998, plans have been required to provide breast reconstruction. surprisingly, recent studies report that up to 70% of women eligible for breast reconstruction following cancer treatment are not fully informed of their options by their general surgeon and this is particularly true in minority communities. . hive heard the stories -- i've

heard the stories of fear and insecurity that comes with the diagnosis, as the distinguished gentlelady from texas has indicated, and the despair of having so many questions and too few answers. and i hope that at an early date the congress will pass the breast cancer patient education act to work to change that. and in another area of cancer that we've not mentioned this evening, i have worked with colleagues on both sides of the aisle regarding pancreatic cancer and i know oncologists are fighting hard against this very virulent form of cancer. the survival rate for pancreatic cancer, mr. speaker, unfortunately has not increased in 40 years. and the five-year survival rate as i understand it is 7%. and it is incumbent upon those of us here in congress to ensure that n.i.h. and those involved in cancer research at

the federal level do as good a job as possible regarding pancreatic cancer. and i acknowledge this evening all of those who are working in that area as well. he asco founded 50 years ago has a great, great history over these last five decades. but much more needs to be done and we will do it together. and i conclude this evening, mr. speaker, on a personal note. i have a twin brother and we lost our mother to breast cancer when we were 12 years old. now, this was almost 50 years ago. just think of the tremendous progress that has been made in the last 50 years. certainly with the leadership of the asco. but more progress needs to be made. and to all of us who have been

affected either personally or familiarly, based upon our family, regarding the issue of cancer, we stand here on the floor of the house to work together on this bipartisan -- in this bipartisan capacity and might i suggest nonpartisan capacity to make sure that as we move forward we move forward together in what i know will be a successful fight. we will win the war against cancer, we will win it working together in the best tradition of the american nation and, mr. speaker, i yield back the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman yields back. under the speaker's announced policy of january 3, 2013, the gentleman from florida, mr. yoho, is recognized for 17 minutes as the designee of the majority leader. mr. yoho: thank you, mr. speaker. i rise today to recognize

challenge enterprise of north florida and the ability one program. challenge enterprise employs more than 300 citizens in my district alone. are disabled persons employed on projects acquired directly as a result of the ability one program. this program has been of great assistance in helping our disabled citizens achieve meaningful employment. challenge enterprise's motto is, power of the people and possibilities. i have visited their facilities to meet their staff, workers and the wounded warriors, to learn what they do and solve first -- and saw firsthand how the ability one program enhances the quality of their lives. therefore, mr. speaker, it is with pleasure that i thank the staff, the workers and the volunteers of challenge enterprise and the ability one program for helping disabled citizens of my district and of north central florida become productive, self-reliant

citizens of their community and of the third congressional district and with that, mr. speaker, i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman yields back.

the speaker pro tempore: for what purpose does the gentleman from florida seek recognition? >> mr. speaker, i move that the house do now adjourn. the speaker pro tempore: the question is on the motion to adjourn. those in favor say aye. those opposed, no. the ayes have it. the motion is adopted.

accordingly, the house stands legislation that will change some of the rules regarding charter schools in the united states. allison klein is a reporter. what kind of rules would this bill change? >> should make it easier for people who have a track record

of starting charter schools like re to be able to start more while also seeing that they serve english language learners and special education. those are two they have been accused of annoying -- ignoring. >> split evenly between the two parties, what are some that we should watch for? >> some amendments are those -- i'mve been opposed sorry, that have the strong support of a national education association which is officially neutral on this bill but wishes it went a little further in terms of accountability for charters. would the amendments require the secretary of education basically develop and enforce conflict of interest guidelines for charter schools and another would set aside

money for state oversight amendment from representative more. us.lyson klein with some nea act amendments including on chap your -- , what is the level of support like in the white house for this kind of legislation? arnie duncantary testified before the house .ducation committee >> want to get your take on the article you wrote in education week. is set to consider, key senators right their own bill." is drastically different from what the house will do? >> there are a few tweaks and

changes. the senate bill gives a little more flexibility in using dollars. these are the groups that grow charters, that operate way more .han one it would steer money to those organizations more than the house. in for education week covering the charter legislation and you can read more on edweek.org and the politics k12 blog. twitter handle. thanks for joining us. on c-span tonight, house debate on creating a committee to investigate the 2012 benghazi attack. comcast and time warner testify about the proposed merger.

the house today agreed to create a committee to investigate the terrorist attacks in benghazi, libya. for whathe stage politico calls a contentious summer full of hearings about whether the white house bungled the response to the strike. was split along party lines. the panel has bought for seven republicans and five democrats. has tappedn boehner a leader and will announce other panel members tomorrow. politico writing that nancy is looking to appoint fewer than five members. we will go back to earlier this afternoon now to hear some of the debate before the vote. the speaker: mr. speaker, my colleagues, i believe the whole house and the american people deserve to know how i came to the decision that brings us here

today. on september 11, 2012, a terrorist attack on our consulate in libya left four people dead including our ambassador. since that time four committees of the house have been investigating these events and those committees have done exemplary work. chairman issa, chairman mckeon, chairman rogers and chairman royce and all the members of their respective committees deserve our gratitude. but last week, a line was crossed in two places. first it came to light that the white house did more to obscure what happened and why, than what we were led to believe. second, we now know that the administration defied a formal congressional subpoena. our committee sought the full truth and the administration tried to make sure that they

wouldn't find it. which means they tried to prevent the american people from finding the truth as well. in my view, these discoveries compel the house to respond as one institution and establish one select committee. a committee with robust authority, a committee that will do its work while the house continues to focus on the people's priorities. i have asked mr. gowdy of south carolina to chair this panel. he is a well respected member of this body and he has my complete confidence. and i will convey to you what i conveyed to him. this doesn't need to be, shouldn't be and will not be a partisan process. four americans died at the hands of terrorists in a well-coordinated assault and we will not take any shortcuts to

the truth, accountability or justice. and we will not allow any side shows that distract us from those goals. our system of government depends on transparency and accountability. and either we do this well or we face the terrifying prospect of our people having less knowledge and less power over their own government. and we owe it to future generations to make the right choice. so i ask all the members of this body to reflect on this matter and ask you to support this resolution. and i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from texas. mr. sessions: we reserve. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman reserves. the gentlelady from new york. ms. slaughter: thank you, mr. speaker, i yield myself such time as i may consume. mr. speaker, we all agree, i hink all americans agree and

the attack on benghazi was a tragedy. but here we are once again, riling up the community and the country and causing again grief to the families of the four people who died in a pursuit of some kind of truth that they were unable to find in two years of hearings over four mmittees, 13 congressional hearings, 50 briefings, five reports, 25,000 pages of documentation and waste of millions of dollars and that's just in the house. the senate has held hearings, the state department did a thorough report and yet now, after all that, we want the truth. i mean, what does it say about the house of representatives and whatever that was going on where they did not get to the truth. this is some reminiscent of what we have done in the house of representatives by doing ove