Scholarships for Opportunity and Results Reauthorization Act

Floor Speech

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Mr. WALBERG. Mr. Speaker, I proudly support the reauthorization of the SOAR Act because the SOAR Act provides the choice that parents in the District deserve. I supported H.R. 10 and I now support H.R. 4901, which made important improvements to H.R. 10.

This legislation we are considering today continues to empower low- income families in D.C. to take advantage of opportunities they may not otherwise be able to do. That is because H.R. 4901 is a bill that focuses on people, public schools, charter schools, Opportunity Scholarship Program, people with choices in each of those areas.

The SOAR Act is about improving the lives of students and families in the District in a profoundly personal way. Isn't that what true education is all about: personal achievement, improvement, and opportunity?

Take the story of Carlos Battle, as written about in the National Journal and a recent book on educational choice. Carlos received a scholarship through the OSP and attended Assumption Catholic School and then Georgetown Day School for high school.

As a result of this quality education, by choice, Carlos was able to attend Northeastern University in Boston. In fact, his mother says Carlos ``almost surely wouldn't have gone to college'' without the scholarship.

Carlos now talks about how many of his friends from his time in public school are still in the neighborhood and not doing well for themselves, and he said some even are in jail.

As he puts it: Everyone who was in my sixth grade class had the potential to achieve just as much as I did . . . that's just the unfortunate truth.

The OSP allowed Carlos to take advantage of his potential, and he kept on achieving all the way to Northeastern.

While in Boston, Carlos has spent time working at a nonprofit, helping give back to Boston public school students by helping them prepare for responsibilities of college where he has been able to lead workshops for public school students on college preparedness.

He is currently preparing to pursue a Ph.D. in a career as a child psychologist, and that would be an appropriate time for an applause line.

I encourage my colleagues to support this legislation.

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