Jared Polis

Thank you Chairman Miller and I applaud you holding a hearing on such an important issue as charter schools, to which I have devoted much of my policy and philanthropic efforts.

All children deserve to learn, and proven models exist today. That is why I will soon introduce the All Students Achieving Through Reform--ALL-STAR--Act.

Some might call Lieutenant Governor Barbara O'Brien the mother of charter schools in Colorado.

Thank you so much for holding a hearing on such an important issue as charter schools.

Both you and the president have repeatedly called for federal investment in innovative programs with a proven track record of helping schools meet high standards and close the achievement gap.

86 percent of Coloradoans support requiring 30 minutes of physical education each day in our schools.

Healthy habits start early in life, and the public overwhelmingly supports immediate action to reverse the obesity trend.

Today, more than one in 10 Colorado children is obese.

These businesses stimulate innovation and play a critical role in building and sustaining our economy.

In my district, we have 2,670 arts-related businesses that employ 8,292 people.

The multiplier effect of arts spending is impressive: every dollar in cultural spending returns nine in federal income taxes.

As a result of my life experiences and background, I am a strong supporter of the arts and have been a longtime advocate of arts education.

In growing up, arts put food on my table.

One of the things we can do is remove barriers to effective parenting.

As testimony to the demand for the need to change, there are currently pending about 2 million requests for coupons. This bill, as passed, would finally allow for some of those coupons to be reissued by allowing consumers to reapply for…

There are many Americans that don't realize that they have not made the transition to digital TV, absent this bill, in 13 days; with this bill, of a 115-day extension.

This bill had extensive discussion. In the absence of acting soon, there will be millions of people who will not have TV, and they won't be very happy.

No, I have to complete this. October 31, 2007, subcommittee holds a third hearing on status of the DTV transition; February 13, 2008, a fourth hearing. It continues. There were a total of nine hearings at which this matter was discussed…

Thank you, sir. This was discussed in the Rules Committee the other day. And there is a need for expediency here. We are talking about televisions that are going out and people losing the ability to view it.

SCHIP currently provides for coverage of 7 million children. This bill before us today would also allow for extending the coverage to 4.1 million uninsured children, every single one of them who is currently eligible for but not enrolled…

Ultimately, legislation to merely extend SCHIP as it was enacted into law will expire next month. Children's lives are at stake. That's what's so critical about passing this bill today. When people lack health care insurance they often…

At such a time, it is our most basic economic and moral responsibility to provide health care to the most vulnerable among us. In this country, where 9 million children are uninsured, we cannot let another day go by without passing this…

I rise in support of the Children's Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act... The lack of affordable health care in this country for families is a problem we cannot afford to ignore. We must ensure that this legislation passes the…