[NLA] National Literacy Day

[Jon Randall]

Actually, there are Presidential Proclamations for National Literacy Day going back to 1986. 

We have our firends from New Jersey to thank for perpetuating National Literacy Day. If memory serves me right, then Rep. Jim Florio was the initial driving force for the creation of National Literacy Day, back in 1986. He was responding to the wishes of his constituents. 

After Florio became Governor, Rep. Donald Paine -- also from NJ -- became the commemorative holiday's champion. Since 1989, Rep. Tom Sawyer from Ohio also has played a key role in helping to secure the date. For many years, NJ Senator Frank Lautenberg had taken the lead in getting the resoultion through the Senate.

It seems the House-Senate Joint Resoultion commemorating National Literacy Day frequently has not been officially approved until late June, so it has been difficult to give much notice for an *official* holiday. Congress has been trying to do away with commemorative days for years to increase time for policy-making, but constituents keep requesting holidays like National Literacy Day. Thanks again to our literacy colleagues in New Jersey!

Jon Randall 
Public Policy Committee Chair
National Coalition for Literacy
www.natcoalitionliteracy.org

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