March 8, 2006 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD—HOUSE 2905 an outbreak of avian influenza may games, they are increasingly ‘‘media marketing and obesity. Although those have diplomatically, economically, and multi-tasking,’’ using more than one projects were not included in this man- security-wise in each major region of medium at a time and packing a grow- ager’s package, I continue to be very the continent. I also urge the adminis- ing volume of media content into each pleased with the bill. It’s a step for- tration to develop plans to support or- day. According to Kaiser, a full quarter ward for children. And I look forward ganizations like the African Union to of the time children are using media, to working with my colleagues in other develop information-sharing mecha- they are using more than one type at venues to ensure that the pilot projects nisms and a clearinghouse of informa- once. get done. tion related to initial reporting, initial This new pattern of media consump- But CAMRA is just one step. We need impact, mitigation efforts, and man- tion presents twin challenges. Parents to do more so children grow up in a agement mechanisms to prevent the face new obstacles to monitoring their safe media environment. In December spread of the virus, beyond the initial children’s media consumption. And Senators LIEBERMAN, BAYH, and I in- efforts that have been made through children are exposed to a media envi- troduced S. 2126, the Family Entertain- the International Partnership on Avian ronment with an unknown impact. ment Protection Act, which would pre- and Pandemic Influenza. That is why the CAMRA Act—the vent children from buying and renting Additionally, the administration Children and the Media Research Ad- ultra violent and pornographic video should identify particularly vulnerable vancement Act—is so important. This games. regions or countries, and provide de- bill will create a single, coordinated re- There is enough research out there tailed plans for how the international search program at the Center for Dis- now to show conclusively that playing community can support efforts in these ease Control. It will study the impact violent video games has a negative ef- regions or countries through both bi- of electronic media on children’s—in- fect on youth. We know that these lateral and multilateral mechanisms to cluding very young children and in- games are damaging to children. We help mitigate or alleviate the potential fants’—cognitive, social and physical need to take the decision to buy them impact of avian flu. development. out of the hands of children and put Assisting the countries of Africa in The CAMRA Act will help answer that decision back in the hands of par- preventing more widespread trans- critical questions about the myriad ef- ents. That is what S. 2126 would do, and mission of the deadly H5N1 virus fects media has on childhood develop- I look forward to working with my col- should be a critical priority. It is in the ment. One area we need to look at par- leagues in the Senate to move that bill. interest of millions of the world most ticularly is the effect of exposure to I am so pleased that we are taking vulnerable populations in some of the media on infants. Research tells us this step forward today with CAMRA, poorest countries, and it is also in our that the earliest years of a child’s life and I am hopeful that it will be speed- interest that we help prepare regions are among the most significant for his ily approved by the full Senate. It is like Africa to head off a humanitarian or her brain development. But we need one step to ensure that children in tragedy that could easily spread to our to know what forms of media—if any— America grow up safely. own backyards. contribute to healthy brain develop- f f ment for babies. Is it OK to put a baby INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION AND CHILDREN AND MEDIA RESEARCH down in front of the TV? Are videos FOREIGN LANGUAGE STUDIES ADVANCEMENT ACT helpful or harmful when it comes to Mr. SARBANES. Mr. President, I Mrs. CLINTON. Mr. President, I children’s cognitive and emotional de- take this time to draw to the attention thank Chairman ENZI and Senator velopment? Today we don’t know. In December the Kaiser Foundation of my colleagues a significant report, KENNEDY for placing S. 1902, the Chil- released on February 9, 2006 in Wash- dren and Media Research Advancement published a report finding ‘‘no pub- Act CAMRA, on the calendar today. I lished studies on cognitive outcomes ington, DC, by the Committee for Eco- appreciate their commitment to the from any of the educational videos, nomic Development, CED, a group of health and welfare of children. I also computer software programs, or video some 200 business leaders and several want to thank the co-sponsors of this game systems currently on the market university presidents. The CED statement, ‘‘Education for bill, Senators LIEBERMAN, BROWNBACK, for children ages 0–6.’’ These products Global Leadership: The Importance of SANTORUM, BAYH, and DURBIN for being are more and more popular. You can such leaders on this issue, and my fel- see them marketed to new parents ev- International Studies and Foreign Lan- low Senators on the HELP Committee erywhere. We should know what their guage Education for U.S. Economic and for their support for this legislation. In effect is on young children and infants. National Security’’, asserts that the addition, I thank two groups, Common The CAMRA Act will also spur re- United States will be less competitive Sense Media and Children Now, for search on the effect of media on chil- in the global economy because of a raising awareness of the effect media dren’s physical development. Since shortage of strong foreign language has on children’s development. And fi- 1980, the proportion of overweight chil- and international studies programs in nally, I express thanks to two research- dren has doubled and the rate for ado- our colleges and high schools and ers, Dr. Michael Rich of the Center for lescents has tripled. During that same warns, too, that the lack of Americans Media and Child Health at Harvard time period, the number of advertise- educated in foreign languages and cul- University Medical School, and Dr. ments for unhealthy food that children tures is hampering efforts to counter Sandy Calvert of the Children’s Digital see annually has exploded. terrorist threats. Media Center at Georgetown Univer- In the 1970s, children saw 20,000 com- The cochairs of the CED sub- sity. Both Dr. Rich and Dr. Calvert mercials a year. Today, they see 40,000. committee that produced the report have been great advocates for CAMRA. Is this a coincidence or is there a direct are Charles E.M. Kolb, President of I thank them for sharing their exper- link? We need answers to these ques- CED; Alfred T. Mockett, CED trustee, tise and support. tions. In December, the Institute of former chairman and CEO, CGI–AMS, Last year the Kaiser Family Founda- Medicine called for ‘‘sustained, multi- Inc.; and another CED trustee, Dr. tion released a report showing dra- disciplinary work on how marketing John Brademas, president emeritus of matic changes in the way young people influences the food and beverage New York University and former Mem- consume media, and confirming that choices of children and youth.’’ ber—1959–1981—of the U.S. House of children use electronic media an ex- CAMRA will help get us there. Representatives from Indiana. traordinary amount. On average, chil- The bill I introduced with Senators Dr. Brademas brought long and dis- dren are spending 45 hours a week— LIEBERMAN, BROWNBACK, SANTORUM, tinguished experience to his respon- more than a full-time job—with media. BAYH, and DURBIN included pilot sibilities as cochair of the CED sub- Young people today are not just projects to look at the effect of media committee. A member of the House of watching television or playing video on young children, and to look at food Representatives from 1959 to 1981, he

VerDate Sep 11 2014 11:36 Mar 14, 2017 Jkt 000000 PO 00000 Frm 00033 Fmt 0685 Sfmt 0634 E:\FDSYS\BOUNDRECORD\BOOK3\DAT FILES\BR08MR06.DAT BR08MR06 ejoyner on DSK30MW082PROD with CONG-REC-ONLINE 2906 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD—HOUSE March 8, 2006 served throughout those years on the Spain, announced a professorship in his and National Needs: One Million Americans House Committee on Education and name and in 1997, in the presence of Their Studying Abroad. Produced by the Commis- Labor and for 10 years chaired its Se- Majesties, the King and Queen Sofı´a, and of sion on the Abraham Lincoln Study Abroad lect Subcommittee on Education. He the then First Lady of the United States, Fellowship Program. now Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton, dedi- The report calls for sending one million played a major role in writing the land- cated the King Juan Carlos I of Spain Center students from the United States to study mark education legislation of that pe- at NYU for the study of the economics, his- abroad annually in a decade. riod, including the Elementary and tory and politics of modern Spain. I add that New York University ranks fifth Secondary School Act and the Higher All this was the result of my having, in on the list for hosting students from other Education Act, and he was the author South Bend, Indiana, read a book about the countries. Mayas when I was a schoolboy! I continue to be deeply dedicated to inter- of the International Education Act of national education at the college and univer- 1966. So I know what early exposure to another culture, another country, another language sity level. The recommendations in the CED Re- But I do not think we should wait until has meant in my own life. port include teaching international students go to college to begin learning content across the curriculum and at INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION ACT OF 1966 about other countries and learning lan- all levels of learning, to expand Amer- Indeed, while in Congress, I wrote the guages other than English. We should start in grade school and, where ican students’ knowledge of other International Education Act of 1966, to pro- vide grants to colleges and universities in possible, even at the pre-school level. countries and cultures; expanding the the United States for the study of other Now if as a Member of Congress and as training pipeline at every level of edu- countries and cultures. President Lyndon president of New York University, I pressed cation to address the paucity of Ameri- Johnson signed the bill into law but Con- for more study of other countries, cultures cans fluent in strategic languages, es- gress failed to appropriate the funds to im- and languages, I continued—and continue— pecially critical, less commonly taught plement it. to do so wearing other hats. And I believe that among the reasons—I do Appointed, by President Clinton, chairman languages; national leaders—political of the President’s Committee on the Arts leaders as well as the business and phil- not say the only one—the United States suf- fered such loss of lives and treasure in Viet- and the Humanities, which in 1997 produced anthropic communities and the a report, Creative America, with rec- nam and does now in Iraq is ignorance—igno- ommendations for generating more support, media—should educate the public rance of the cultures, histories and lan- public and private, for these two fields in about the importance of improving guages of those societies. American life, I was pleased that our Com- education in languages other than I add that the tragedies of 9/11, Madrid, mittee recommended that our ‘‘schools and English and in international studies. London, Bali and Baghdad must bring home colleges . . . place greater emphasis on inter- to us as Americans the imperative, as a mat- Mr. President, I ask unanimous con- national studies and the history, languages ter of our national security, of learning more sent to have printed in the RECORD the and cultures of other nations.’’ remarks of Dr. Brademas on the CED about the world of Islam. President Clinton and then First Lady Hil- report, ‘‘Education for Global Leader- Here I note that only one year ago, the US lary Rodham Clinton accepted our Commit- Department of Defense, recalling the launch ship.’’ tee’s recommendation to hold a White House by the Soviet Union of Sputnik in 1957, Conference on ‘‘Culture and Diplomacy’’. There being no objection, the mate- brought together leaders from government, NATIONAL ENDOWMENT FOR DEMOCRACY rial was ordered to be printed in the the academy and language associations to RECORD, as follows: produce a ‘‘call to action for national foreign As for seven years, chairman of the Na- tional Endowment for Democracy, the feder- EDUCATION FOR GLOBAL LEADERSHIP: THE IM- language capabilities’’. There was then—and still is—particular concern about our lack of ally financed agency that makes grants to PORTANCE OF INTERNATIONAL STUDIES AND private groups struggling to build democracy FOREIGN LANGUAGE EDUCATION FOR U.S. Arabic speakers. But it is not only for reasons of national in countries where it does not exist, I had ECONOMIC AND NATIONAL SECURITY: OF CED, another exposure to the imperative of know- THE COMMITTEE FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOP- security that we must learn more about countries and cultures other than our own. ing about other countries and cultures. MENT I continue that interest through service on Such knowledge is indispensable, too, to The opportunity to serve as a co-chair of the US-Japan Foundation, US-Spain Council, America’s economic strength and competi- the Subcommittee of the Committee for Eco- World Conference of Religions for Peace, tive position in the world. nomic Development (CED) that produced a Center for Democracy and Reconciliation in The marketplace has now become global. report entitled, Education for Global Leader- Southeast Europe, Council for a Community Modern technology—the Internet, for exam- ship: The Importance of International Stud- of Democracies as well as on the Advisory ple—has made communication and travel ies and Foreign Language Education for U.S. Councils of Transparency International, the possible on a worldwide basis. In the last few Economic and National Security, has en- organization that combats corruption in years, I myself have visited Spain, England, abled me to champion anew what has been a international business transactions, and by Greece, Jordan, Morocco, Cuba, Kazakhstan, passion of mine from childhood. chairing the American Ditchley Foundation, Japan, Turkey and Vietnam. Son of a Greek immigrant father and a which helps plan meetings on all manner of New York Times columnist Tom Friedman Scots-English-Irish mother, I read a book in subjects at Ditchley Park, a conference cen- has eloquently spelled out the impact of elementary school in Indiana about the ter outside Oxford, England. globalization on culture, politics, science Mayas, decided I wanted to become a Mayan I’m also vice chair of the Advisory Council and history in his book, The World Is Flat. archaeologist, started learning Spanish, as a of Americans for UNESCO, an organization highschooler hitchhiked to Mexico, as a Har- GLOBAL STUDIES AT NYU that shares our concerns today, led by its vard undergraduate spent a summer working Reflecting on my commitment to inter- president, Richard T. Arndt, veteran of the with Aztec Indians in rural Mexico, wrote national education, during my presidency of United States Information Agency and au- my college honors essay on a Mexican peas- NYU, my colleagues and I established a Cen- thor of a recent book, The First Resort of ant movement and, four years later, at Ox- ter for Japan-U.S. Business & Economic Kings: American Cultural Diplomacy in the ford University, my Ph.D. dissertation on Studies, a Casa Italiana Zerilli-Marimo` , Twentieth Century. the anarchist movement in Spain. Onassis Center for Hellenic Studies, the Eric Last Fall I spoke in Ottawa on the fifteen Although I studied anarchism, I did not Maria Remarque Institute for European anniversary of the Canada-U.S. Fulbright practice it! In 1958 I was first elected to Con- studies, Skirball Department of Hebrew and program, and I have been asked to take part gress, and then ten times reelected, serving, Judaic Studies, and King Juan Carlos I of this year in conferences in the Czech Repub- therefore, for twenty-two years. Spain Center, and we are now planning a lic, Guatemala, Greece, Japan, Turkey and In 1961, as a member of the House Com- Center for Dialogue with the Islamic world. Rwanda. mittee on Education and Labor, I visited Ar- I add that NYU also has campuses abroad— So you will, with these words of personal gentina to study how colleges and univer- in London, Paris, Florence, Madrid, Prague background, understand my enthusiasm for sities in Latin America could contribute to and now, Ghana. The Institute of Inter- this CED report, and I want to congratulate President Kennedy’s ‘‘Alliance for Progress’’. national Education reported a few weeks ago the other co-chairs of the Subcommittee, I made other trips to Latin America— that in 2003–04, NYU sent more students to Charlie Kolb and Alfred Mockett, as well as Cuba, Peru, Panama, Colombia, Venezuela— study abroad than any other American col- the CED staff who did such outstanding work honing my Spanish and learning more about lege or university. And next fall, NYU will in preparing it—Daniel Schecter, Donna the Spanish-speaking Americas. offer a study abroad site in Shanghai, the Desrochers and Rachel Dunsmoor. In 1981 I became president of New York first for a large American university there. MAJOR RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE CED REPORT University, where, two years later, I awarded I call your attention in this respect to the Here I want only to reiterate the major an honorary degree to King Juan Carlos I of report issued last year, Global Competence recommendations of our CED report:

VerDate Sep 11 2014 11:36 Mar 14, 2017 Jkt 000000 PO 00000 Frm 00034 Fmt 0685 Sfmt 0634 E:\FDSYS\BOUNDRECORD\BOOK3\DAT FILES\BR08MR06.DAT BR08MR06 ejoyner on DSK30MW082PROD with CONG-REC-ONLINE March 8, 2006 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD—HOUSE 2907 1. That ‘‘international content be taught one high school student and one junior HONORING ELEANOR L. across the curriculum and at all levels of high school student in each state as RICHARDSON learning, to expand American students’ well as the District of Columbia. A ∑ knowledge of other countries and cultures.’’ Mr. ISAKSON. Mr. President, today I 2. That we expand ‘‘the training pipeline at quick look at Elizabeth’s record of mourn the passing and pay tribute to a every level of education to address the pau- community service shows her to be wonderful Georgian, a great leader, and city of Americans fluent in foreign lan- truly deserving of such recognition. a personal friend of mine. The Honor- guages, especially critical, less commonly Elizabeth, who is 17 years old and a able Eleanor Richardson passed away taught ones such as Arabic, Chinese, Japa- junior at Guilford High School, is the on February 21, 2006, leaving a tremen- nese, Korean, Persian/Farsi, Russian and dous void in the hearts of all who knew Turkish. founder and president of Students for Health and Social Justice, a club at her and loved this extraordinary woman. 3. That ‘‘national leaders—political lead- A long-time resident of Decatur, GA, ers, as well as the business and philanthropic school that is dedicated to raising communities and the media—educate the she was involved in Civic Organizations awareness and funds to assist needy such as the League of Women Voters, public about the importance of improving people both in the United States and education in foreign languages and inter- serving as the president of the Dekalb national studies.’’ abroad. League and then the Georgia League. The report we release today contains con- Elizabeth was first inspired to be- It was during this time that a friend crete proposals for action, especially for pro- come involved in volunteer work by urged her to run for a vacant seat in grams financed by the Federal Government, her older brother’s work with impover- the Georgia General Assembly, thus be- with specific recommendations for appro- ginning her memorable political ca- priations to implement our proposals. ished Haitians. Upon arriving at Guil- Here I want to make a crucial point. We ford High School her freshman year, reer. must put our money where our recommenda- Elizabeth decided she wanted to share From 1975 until 1991, she served with tions are! her passion for helping others with her great distinction as one of the first fe- I reiterate that the failure of Congress fellow students. The result was Stu- male members in the Georgia House of forty years ago to vote the funds to carry dents for Health and Social Justice, Representatives, and I was privileged out the provisions of the International Edu- to serve with her for many of those cation Act, a measure to achieve many of which now boasts 21 members who meet regularly to discuss poverty and years. She gained an impeccable rep- the purposes articulated in this CED report, utation as a faithful advocate for her community health issues around the meant a loss to the nation we should not re- district and a determined voice of the peat. world and plan both awareness, and voiceless. Eleanor’s legislative prior- FUNDS FOR INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION, fundraising, events to address these ities included issues related to the wel- FOREIGN LANGUAGE STUDIES issues. With hard work, creativity, and fare of children, women, the elderly Accordingly, we should examine with care a deep commitment to helping others, and the homeless. She had an unwaver- the budget recommendations of President the club has sponsored dances and ing commitment to justice and equal- Bush for Fiscal 2007 for programs to other events to help raise money for strengthen international education and for- ity. eign language studies even as we must follow health care programs in Haiti, relief Eleanor was respected by her col- tenaciously the response of Congress. aid for tsunami victims, UNICEF, and leagues on both sides of the aisle for I was very pleased in this respect that last other causes. Elizabeth and her fellow her determined leadership. She served month President Bush told a group of U.S. club members have also not forgotten on several key House committees, in- university presidents of his proposal to about the needy in their local commu- cluding the Appropriations Committee, strengthen foreign language study, particu- nity, organizing an impressive four- the Health and Ecology Committee and larly Arabic and other critical languages. school-strong food drive for a local The President spoke of a ‘‘National Secu- the State Planning and Community Af- rity Language Initiative’’ and asked for $114 soup kitchen. fairs Committee, where she served as million in Fiscal 2007 as ‘‘seed money’’ to es- Elizabeth’s extensive record of volun- chair of the local legislation sub- tablish critical language instruction in grade teer service, done at such a young age, committee. After retiring from public office, El- schools, support college-level language serves as an inspiring example to all of courses and create a national corps of ‘‘re- eanor was appointed to the newly serve’’ linguists who could serve in times of us about the difference we can make in founded Georgia Commission on need. our communities if we are willing to Women in 1992 and served as its first Although an encouraging sign, as The New put in the time and energy. It is young vice chair. She remained a tireless Republic said last month (January 23, 2006), people such as Elizabeth that give me ‘‘[I]t remains to be seen whether the lightly servant to her community and to the great hope for the future of our coun- State through her work on countless funded initiative will be anything more than try. symbolic.’’ other boards and advocacy organiza- Now we must be sure that Congress votes In recognition of her achievements, tions. For over 45 years, she was a even this modest amount of money to carry Elizabeth will be invited to Washington faithful and beloved member of Glenn out this promise and, indeed, do much bet- in early May with the 101 other 2006 Memorial United Methodist Church, ter! Spirit of Community honorees from highly active both in the local church For as the final sentence of our CED report across the country who were selected and in her denomination. declares, ‘‘Our national security and our eco- Eleanor leaves behind a loving and nomic prosperity ultimately depend on how from a pool of several thousand nomi- well we educate today’s students to become nees. While in Washington, 10 of the devoted family, including her husband, tomorrow’s global leaders.’’ honorees will be selected as America’s Merlyn Eldon Richardson; her daugh- Amen! top youth volunteers of the year by a ter, Merlyn Richardson Nolan; her two f distinguished national selection com- grandsons, Gaillard Ravenel Nolan, Jr., and Merlyn Richardson Nolan; and her ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS mittee cochaired by 2 of my distin- guished colleagues, Senator TIM JOHN- two great-grandchildren, Hadley Jane Nolan and Parker Richardson Nolan. SON of South Dakota and Senator This strong-willed and generous SAXBY CHAMBLISS of Georgia. TRIBUTE TO ELIZABETH AMERICO woman devoted her entire life to serv- ∑ Mr. LIEBERMAN. Mr. President, I I wish Elizabeth the best of luck, ing others, and she will always be re- rise today to honor a truly extraor- both with this award and in all her fu- membered for her compassion, integ- dinary young student from Con- ture endeavors. I would like to end my rity, fairness and unshakable commit- necticut. Elizabeth Americo of Guil- remarks, Mr. President, by taking the ment to creating a fair and just soci- ford has recently been selected as one time to thank Elizabeth Americo for ety. She touched the lives of many of Connecticut’s two honorees in the the good work she has done and the Georgians, including this Senator, 2006 Prudential Spirit of Community work I am sure she will continue to do through her efforts on behalf of our Awards. This honor, is given to only in the future.∑ community.

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