Steve Rothman: “first let me thank my distinguished friend and colleague, Mr. Holt from New Jersey, for his leadership on this issue and…”

“first let me thank my distinguished friend and colleague, Mr. Holt from New Jersey, for his leadership on this issue and his support from the very beginning. It was critical. I am most grateful, as are all the students who will now be able to participate. I also would like to thank my friend and colleague from Minnesota (Mr. Kline) for his kind remarks and his support of this resolution, which will bring fairness and restore a sense of equal justice under the law to a program we are hopeful has the potential to provide valuable lessons to all our students. Mr. Speaker, in 2005 there was a National High School Mock Trial Championship competition all over America, just like there has been for many years. There were literally hundreds of schools in New Jersey, as there are hundreds of schools in other States, participating in this competition, and, by the way, hundreds of schools, public schools, private schools. That year, in 2005, the Torah Academy, an Orthodox Yeshiva located in Teaneck, New Jersey, won the New Jersey State championship. And they won the right to represent our beloved Garden State in the National High School Mock Trial Championship. How awful it was for them to learn that if they had proceeded in the competition to the semifinals and finals, they wouldn't be able to participate because the semifinals and finals had been scheduled on a Saturday, on their Sabbath.”