IV 118th CONGRESS 1st Session H. RES. 738 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES September 28, 2023 Mr. Huizenga submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Education and the Workforce RESOLUTION Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that the goal of the education system shall be that virtually every American student be able to read at grade level or better.

Whereas literacy is an essential skill for success in America; Whereas illiteracy continues to challenge thousands of students annually, across many grade levels; Whereas illiteracy has been a silent epidemic which has not been addressed in America for decades and now finds us at a crisis level; Whereas a literacy gap nationwide—measuring 8th grade students who are reading below proficiency—exists at well over 50 percent; Whereas children who struggle to read, become adults who struggle in society; leading to a cycle of poverty; Whereas literacy transforms the lives of students and creates strong communities; Whereas a literacy curriculum with a structured literacy approach that includes multisensory, phonics, and decoding components are foundational reading skills; Whereas literacy programs that include an individual diagnostic assessment by a certified teacher are best set to improve outcomes; Whereas research shows students who are tutored one-on-one, five days a week achieve grade-level movement in reading; Whereas research shows individuals who can read at least at a high school level are more likely to be hired in the job force; Whereas research shows individuals who can read at least at a high school level are less likely to be incarcerated in prison; Whereas research shows Junior ROTC students who are reading at grade level or better are more likely to be accepted into the military; and Whereas the COVID–19 Pandemic exacerbated learning loss among K–12 students.