Gregorio Sablan

Mr. SABLAN

Mr. SABLAN. I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of House Resolution 1276, which recognizes the anniversary of the signing of the landmark service legislation, which is the Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act, and the continued importance of volunteerism and national service to our country. For many Americans, including my constituents in the Northern Mariana Islands, service is the most valuable way for them to contribute to their communities. The Serve America Act encourages all Americans--from at-risk youth in inner cities, to people in rural communities, to people in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, to seniors and veterans--to unite in service to their communities. This is the universal quality of service that Martin Luther King spoke about when he said, ``Everyone can be great because anyone can serve.'' The Serve America Act expands many of the current service programs, including AmeriCorps, which is on a path to increasing its volunteer force from 75,000 to 250,000 by 2014. These new initiatives will specifically focus on key areas that are the foundation of our Nation's growth and prosperity, such as education, health care, energy, and veterans. Young adults who join AmeriCorps VISTA commit to serve full time for a year at a nonprofit organization or local government agency, working to fight illiteracy, improve health services, create businesses, and strengthen community groups. Programs like these are valuable teaching tools for students to apply real-world experiences to issues they may encounter in the classroom and to grow as individuals while giving back. Most importantly, the act seeks to revitalize our Nation's commitment to, and engagement in, service, especially among our Nation's youth. I strongly believe that our people are our most important and best resource, and engaging them in service puts that resource to work for the good of the community as a whole. I have seen the benefits, in my home in the Northern Mariana Islands, to the recipient of service and the volunteer alike, and I know that it is a rewarding experience for both, one that strengthens the ties of our community. This week also marks the 37th Annual National Volunteer Week. Established in 1974, National Volunteer Week celebrates the spirit of service that has been so important to bringing Americans together, especially in times of economic hardship. According to the Corporation for National and Community Service, 61.8 million Americans, or 26 percent of adults, took time to contribute some volunteer service in 2008. Those volunteers donated 8 billion hours, worth $162 billion. Finally, I want to recognize the person for whom this Serve America Act is named, the late Senator Edward M. Kennedy. Senator Kennedy spent his life serving his country, never forgetting the words spoken by his brother President John F. Kennedy in 1961: ``Of those to whom much is given, much is required.'' I am proud that we can honor Senator Kennedy's memory by encouraging Americans to offer service to their fellow citizens. Mr. Speaker, once again I express my support for this resolution commemorating the Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act, and I urge my colleagues to join me in support of this resolution celebrating its 1 year anniversary. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. SABLAN. Mr. Speaker, again I express my support for this resolution, and I encourage all my colleagues to join me in their support.

Mr. SABLAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. SABLAN

Mr. SABLAN. Mr. Speaker, I request 5 legislative days during which Members may revise and extend and insert extraneous material on H.R. 1585 into the Record.

Mr. SABLAN. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 1585) to amend the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to improve standards for physical education, as amended.

Mr. SABLAN. Mr. Speaker, again, I am very happy to join the First Lady in encouraging awareness of the importance of physical education in our schools. I ask all of our colleagues to join us in supporting H.R. 1585, as amended.

Mr. SABLAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself as much time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 1585, which brings much- needed attention to the role of physical attention and activity in our Nation's schools and the importance of healthy living and active lifestyles. This legislation comes at a critical time. Obesity among our Nation's children has not only reached epidemic proportions, it has become a public health crisis. The danger of childhood obesity is far greater than any other health-related emergency we have seen in the past decade. The percentage of children that are overweight in America has tripled over the last 30 years. Nearly 25 million children and teens are considered overweight or obese, a number that keeps on rising. The First Lady has recognized the need to address this epidemic and has created the ``Let's Move'' initiative. Her initiative has four key pillars to achieve the goal of ending childhood obesity: Getting parents more involved and informed about nutrition and exercise; making healthy foods more accessible and affordable; increasing attention to physical activity; and lastly, improving the quality of food in the school meal programs. This legislation touches on many of those goals, making available important information to parents and communities regarding the type of physical education being provided to students, encouraging increased physical education and activity and promoting the Healthier U.S. School Challenge, which recognizes schools that are creating healthier school environments through their promotion of good nutrition and physical activity. The legislation will also make available best practices for innovative and successful physical education programs and policies at the State and local level. Finally, the bill calls for a National Research Council study to figure out the best way to incorporate physical activity into the school day and study the relationship between physical activity and cognitive development and academic achievement. This study will build on recent research that has shown that children's health has a statistically significant impact on their academic achievement and a decline in physical education may contribute to a decline in school performance. I am glad to join the First Lady in encouraging awareness of the importance of physical education in our schools. By investing in our children and their future, we will be investing in our country's future health and prosperity. Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank Representative Kind and Representative Wamp for bringing this bill forward and urge my colleagues to support it. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. SABLAN. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to recognize the gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Kind) for 4 minutes. (Mr. KIND asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. SABLAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman 1 additional minute.

Mr. SABLAN. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. SABLAN

Mr. SABLAN. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 1239) commending the University of Connecticut Huskies for their historic win in the 2010 NCAA Division I Women's Basketball Tournament, as amended.

Mr. SABLAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself as much time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise to congratulate the University of Connecticut's women's basketball team for winning the 2010 NCAA Division I Women's Basketball Championship. At the final buzzer in this year's championship game, the UConn Huskies roared to their second straight championship win and a history- making 78th straight win of the season. With their 53-47 victory that Tuesday night at the Alamodome, the UConn Huskies and the Stanford Cardinals both played with exceptional talent and dedication. In the end, UConn seized their seventh NCAA Women's Basketball Championship. The Huskies became the first women's basketball team to have back-to- back undefeated national championship seasons. With their 78 straight wins, UConn also broke the NCAA women's basketball record for number of consecutive wins. The Huskies women's basketball season marked Coach Geno Auriemma's 25th season at UConn, and his seventh NCAA Women's Basketball Championship victory. Auriemma has led UConn to the Final Four a total of 11 times during his time with the team, and this game was his 735th career win as a coach. In fact, he has the highest winning percentage among the Division I active coaches. Auriemma has also guided UConn to five Big East regular season titles and 14 Big East Tournament titles. The sensational junior forward Maya Moore was named the Final Four's Most Outstanding Player, scoring 23 points during the championship game. She scored 11 of her team's 17 points during the second half, leading UConn's comeback from the first half and giving the Huskies their solid lead. She has been a leader and a remarkable asset to the Huskies all season. Senior center Tina Charles also proved to be an invaluable player. She was chosen as the Naismith Award winner and Associated Press player of the year. She was later drafted number one overall in the 2010 WNBA draft and recently signed with the Connecticut Sun. I also congratulate the Huskies on their excellence both on and off the court. The Huskies women's team boasts a flawless 100 percent graduation rate in 2009 amongst all 4-year players. The alumni, faculty, and staff at the University of Connecticut have much to be proud of. Once again, I congratulate the UConn Huskies winning the national championship, and I thank Mr. Courtney for bringing this bill forward.

Mr. SABLAN. Mr. Speaker, again, I ask all my colleagues to support House Resolution 1239, as amended. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. SABLAN. Mr. Speaker, I request 5 legislative days during which Members can revise and insert extraneous material on House Resolution 1239 into the Record.

Mr. SABLAN. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield as much time as he may consume to the distinguished gentleman from Connecticut (Mr. Courtney).

Mr. SABLAN

Mr. SABLAN. Mr. Speaker, I again urge my colleagues to support H. Res. 1182, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. SABLAN. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 1182) congratulating Radford University on the 100th anniversary of the university.

Mr. SABLAN. I yield myself as much time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H. Res. 1182, which celebrates Radford University for 100 years of leadership and service in higher education. Radford was originally founded in 1910 as the State Normal and Industrial School for Women, tracing its roots back to the expansion of the Virginia public higher education system. While its name and composition has evolved over the years, Radford's commitment to academic excellence has never wavered. Radford's beautiful 177-acre campus is located in the New River Valley between the Blue Ridge and Allegheny mountains. The university is home to nearly 8,000 undergraduates and over 1,000 graduate students, and these students have access to a diversity of academic and extracurricular programs. The university is comprised of six undergraduate and one graduate college which offer 153 degree options. Additionally, Radford also has 19 NCAA Division I teams, 400 intramural sports teams, and over 200 clubs and organizations. Recently, Radford was named one of the Top Up-and-Coming Schools in the Nation by U.S. News & World Report due to its promising and innovative changes it has made over the past few years. Under the leadership of Radford's sixth president, Ms. Penelope Kyle, the university has consistently ranked among the best colleges and universities in the Southeast region. Such recognition shows that the school is continually innovating and striving for success. For its 100th anniversary, Radford honored its culture of service with a ``Centennial Service Challenge,'' which encouraged students, faculty, and staff to participate in community service in local and regional areas. This event is indicative of Radford's tradition of cultivating graduates who will become meaningful contributors to society and mark a significant milestone in the university's history. Once again, I congratulate Radford University on its 100-year anniversary and thank Representative Boucher for bringing this bill forward.

Mr. SABLAN. Mr. Speaker, I'm pleased to recognize the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Boucher), the sponsor of the resolution, for 3 minutes. (Mr. BOUCHER asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. SABLAN. I request 5 legislative days during which Members may revise and extend and insert extraneous material on House Resolution 1182 into the Record.

Mr. SABLAN

Mr. SABLAN. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 1270) expressing support for Mathematics Awareness Month.

Mr. SABLAN. Mr. Speaker, I request 5 legislative days during which Members may revise and extend their remarks and insert extraneous material on House Resolution 1270 into the Record.

Mr. SABLAN. I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of House Resolution 1270, which recognizes the important role of mathematics in our schools and in our country. Family members, as children's first teachers, are crucial to student success. The more adults become engaged in their children's education, the greater the chances that children will succeed. Parents teach children academic fundamentals by reading to them and by counting with them. Mathematics Awareness Month provides a venue for students from kindergarten through high school and their families to celebrate and learn math. Institutes of higher education and professional organizations organize community events that highlight math problem- solving and how math is used in a variety of careers. To succeed in tomorrow's world, students must understand algebra, geometry, statistics, and probability. Business and industry demand workers who can solve real-world problems, who can explain their thinking to others, who can identify and analyze trends from data, and who can use modern technology. Our Nation's economic competitiveness depends upon rich math knowledge that can fuel industry by our citizenry. Tackling prominent social and health challenges will require professionals skilled in mathematics. Mathematics Awareness Month began in 1986 as Mathematics Awareness Week, and it became a monthlong celebration in 1999. Math has been commemorated this way every April for almost 25 years. The theme of this year's Mathematics Awareness Month is ``Sports.'' All over the country, students and their families can attend community events to learn about math in baseball, basketball, football, golf, soccer, track and field, tennis, and, actually, car racing. Additionally, the Mathematics Awareness Month Web site provides videos and links to other resources. Mathematics Awareness Month also provides an opportunity for us all to recognize the dedication of our Nation's math educators and to purposefully look for ways to increase mathematical excellence for all of our children. I commend the colleges, universities, and organizations which hold events to draw and retain students into the field of mathematics. Mr. Speaker, once again, I express my support for Mathematics Awareness Month, and I hope this resolution serves to inspire our Nation's citizenry to seek out events near them. I want to thank Representative McMorris Rodgers for bringing this resolution to the floor, and I urge my colleagues to pass this resolution. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. SABLAN. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. SABLAN

Mr. SABLAN. Mr. Speaker, when we open our hearts to our young people--give generously our support and encouragement--those young people consistently exceed our expectation. Let me tell you of the story of a dedicated group of students from a tiny island in the western Pacific Ocean, and the teachers who supported and encouraged them. Because on April 20, those students, the Saipan Southern High School Manta Ray Concert Band, exceeding any reasonable expectation, will be performing at one of America's premier musical venues: Carnegie Hall in New York City. Saipan Southern High School opened just a few years ago, in 2002. Southern was a beautiful new facility, but it needed to be filled with life and with heart. The new students and new teachers quickly adopted the motto ``un eskuela, un korason''--one school, one heart--and began to bring their school to life. One of the new teachers was William DeWitt. Mr. DeWitt is a wonderful musician himself and his new Saipan Southern music and band students were enthusiastic to learn. But few had any musical training. Yet within a few months of opening, Saipan Southern enjoyed the first performance of its very own band, the Manta Ray Concert Band, and quickly ``un eskuela, un korason'' became more than just a motto because the musical rhythms of the Manta Rays became the heartbeat of Saipan Southern. The band performed at pep rallies, sports competitions, for the PTA, at graduation. It seemed whenever Saipan Southern had an event, the beat of the Manta Rays provided the musical backdrop. By 2005, the Manta Ray Concert Band had reached a level of proficiency that allowed them to take on the complex Latin rhythms and jazzy dissonances of West Side Story for a production at Saipan Southern. And their reach extended beyond their school, as they began performing--and entertaining--for the annual Taste of the Marianas festival, Northern Marianas College Charter Day, the Western Pacific Judicial Council Conference, and many other community events. How that heartbeat grew stronger. In 2008 and again in 2009, the Manta Ray Concert Band captured First Place Gold awards at the Tumon Bay International Music Festival in Guam. Student members of the Manta Ray Concert Band joined the Official Youth Orchestra at the 2008 Summer Olympics and performed in Beijing, China. Today, the Saipan Southern High School band program has grown to more than 150 aspiring student musicians. The Manta Ray Concert Band has studied under guest conductors from Guam and Japan. They have played for dramatic productions of My Fair Lady, A Winter's Tale, and It's a Wonderful Life. They host their own concerts and perform at others as well. The Manta Ray Concert Band typically presents more than 20 performances annually. Throughout their exemplary rise, these young musicians and their teachers have struggled with lack of finances, with lack of instruments, with the difficulties of travel for a band of students of various ethnicities and citizenship. But they have not lost heart. Nor have they forgotten that music can fill the hearts of others. When a security guard was brutally murdered at a sister school, the Manta Rays played to raise funds for the grieving family. After a shooting rampage left four dead on the island of Saipan, the Manta Rays raised spirits and funds for those in mourning. The Manta Ray Concert Band certainly deserves recognition. But they won their most recent distinction solely by virtue of the quality of their music. Still under the dedicated direction of William DeWitt, they auditioned for the right to play at this year's New York International Music Festival at Carnegie Hall. And on April 20, with some of the most accomplished high school and college bands, the Manta Rays will fill the storied venue with their heartbeat. As usual, they will not be playing for themselves but for others. The band is dedicating its Carnegie performance to Peter Le'au, the first principal of Saipan Southern High School, who, as the Manta Rays' program notes, ``is courageously fighting to recover from a recent illness.'' Mr. Speaker, I hereby submit this tribute to the Saipan Southern High School Manta Ray Concert Band, along with individual names of each band member performing at Carnegie Hall as well as of their esteemed band director and school principal, for publication in the Congressional Record. They are: Eun Joung Ahn, tenor saxophone Ken Alvarado, trumpet Naomi Cabrera, percussion Scott Cabrera, trumpet James Camacho, clarinet Crista Ching, trombone Joe Ray Dela Cruz, tuba Anna Rose Deleon Guerrero, percussion/logistician Mereylen Denora, trumpet Pedro Duenias, alto saxophone Kevin Fejeran, baritone Rodolfo Guiao, Jr., baritone saxophone Jun Yeop Han, tenor saxophone Hyun Rock Jang, horn Joseph Jang, percussion Chan Young Kang, percussion Haneul Kim, flute II Ho (Ted) Kim, trombone Shin Hye Kwon, flute John Craig Lamberto, clarinet Bo Mi Lee, flute Ji Won (Rebekah) Lee, flute Trini Macduff, flute Leagine Mendiola, clarinet Genevieve Ngiraibuuch, clarinet Fumi Nimura, clarinet Momoko Nishikido, trumpet Maria-Theszaray Omar, flute David Paek, trombone Albert Palacios, alto saxophone Jaynine Parico, percussion John Park, clarinet Joshua Roberto, trumpet Joshua Sablan, horn Roseanna Sablan, percussion Elejohn Solomon, clarinet Min Jung Song, clarinet So Jung Song, alto saxophone Jonelie Torres, percussion Donovan Tudela, bass clarinet Krysthian Villanueva, alto saxophone William DeWitt, Teacher Craig Garrison, School Principal