Jim Inhofe: “I rise today to share some thoughts on a subject of growing concern to many Americans, particularly to parents who seek…”

“I rise today to share some thoughts on a subject of growing concern to many Americans, particularly to parents who seek a better and brighter future for their children through education. It is that we are failing to teach our children to read effectively. In 1940, the literacy rate in the United States was 97 percent. It has now plunged to 76 percent--a rate which is lower than that of over 100 other nations. To me, this is intolerable. America's future depends on restoring the reading skills of its people. If we value our responsibility for leadership; if we seek to stay competitive in the world economy, we must address the problem of illiteracy in America. We cannot stand by and watch our children sentenced to a life of mediocrity and illiteracy. This problem exists in spite of the good intentions of Government and the expenditure of billions of taxpayer dollars over many years. Reading is the most basic skill every child needs to achieve individual success and happiness--both in work and in life. Yet in failing to impart this skill effectively, we are directly undermining the success our children seek and deserve.”