Recognizing America's Teachers

Floor Speech

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Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of this bill to recognize the roles and contributions of America's teachers to building and enhancing our Nation's civic, cultural, and economic well-being.

It is clear that we cannot improve schools or ensure student success without good teachers. We know that an engaged teacher can be the difference between kids getting ahead and falling behind. And I'm sure we can all remember a teacher who provided guidance or sparked interest in a new subject.

Today's bill recognizes teachers, but they deserve more than recognition. We have to make sure we are taking tangible steps to assist them. And that means funding for our schools, high quality training, and fair pay. It means making sure that every teacher is prepared to walk into the classroom and every teacher has support through the school day.

We trust our Nation's teachers with our most important task--caring for and educating our children. We need to honor their commitment and support that mission.

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