IV 

119TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. RES. 66 

Affirming the role of the United States in improving access to quality, 

inclusive public education and improving learning outcomes for children 

and adolescents, particularly for girls, around the world. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

JANUARY 24, 2025 

Ms. MENG (for herself, Mr. FITZPATRICK, Mr. QUIGLEY, Mr. CARTER of Louisiana, Ms. SCHAKOWSKY, Mrs. DINGELL, Ms. CLARKE of New York, Mr. 

MCGOVERN, Mr. MOULTON, Ms. SA ́NCHEZ, Mr. EVANS of Pennsylvania, 

Ms. TOKUDA, Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ, Ms. NORTON, Ms. VELA ́ZQUEZ, 

Ms. HOULAHAN, Mr. BISHOP, Mr. LIEU, Ms. BONAMICI, Mrs. BEATTY, 

Mr. CASE, Mr. KRISHNAMOORTHI, Mrs. MCIVER, Ms. OMAR, Ms. TITUS, 

Mrs. HAYES, Mr. COHEN, Ms. KAMLAGER-DOVE, and Mr. GRIJALVA) 

submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee 

on Foreign Affairs 

RESOLUTION 

Affirming the role of the United States in improving access 

to quality, inclusive public education and improving 

learning outcomes for children and adolescents, particularly for girls, around the world. 

Whereas January 24 has been proclaimed as the International Day of Education, in celebration of the role of 

education in development, economic prosperity, and global security; 


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•HRES 66 IH 

Whereas access to quality education reduces poverty, advances economic prosperity, bolsters peace and security, 

and strengthens public health; 

Whereas hourly earnings increase by 9 percent for every 

extra year of schooling; 

Whereas every $1 invested in girls’ education generates as 

much as $2.80 in return, equating to billions of dollars 

in additional GDP growth; 

Whereas doubling the percentage of youth with secondary 

education can cut the risk of conflict in half; 

Whereas secondary education can reduce the likelihood of 

young people supporting political violence by 48 percent; 

Whereas 251 million children are out of school globally; 

Whereas 3 out of 4 children in low- and middle-income countries cannot read and understand a simple text; 

Whereas, approximately 473 million children, more than 1 in 

6 globally, live in areas affected by conflict; 

Whereas, in 2024, 49 percent of all school-aged refugee children were out of school; 

Whereas education is lifesaving in emergencies and can provide a sense of stability, access to critical physical and 

mental health programs, and a chance to regain and 

grow essential cognitive skills, as well as essential learning like how to stay safe from unexploded bombs or how 

to prevent the spread of disease; 

Whereas education in emergencies reduces the likelihood of 

child labor, trafficking, recruitment and use of children 

by Armed Forces or armed groups, child marriage, and 

adolescent pregnancy; 


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•HRES 66 IH 

Whereas girls are 2.5 times more likely to be out of school 

in emergency settings, and are less likely to return to 

school following disruptions in their education; 

Whereas disability is one of the most serious barriers to education, and there are 240 million children with disabilities 

worldwide; 

Whereas, in fiscal year 2023, the United States Agency for 

International Development’s (USAID) global education 

programs reached more than 44 million learners through 

preprimary, primary, secondary, vocational, and workforce development programs and provided nutritious 

meals to 3.5 million children across 34 countries, vocational and other workforce training to 1.5 million individuals, and educational interventions to more than 19.4 

million young women and girls; 

Whereas United States support for partnerships, including 

the Global Partnership for Education (GPE) and Education Cannot Wait (ECW), complements United States 

Government programs and leverages additional resources 

for this important work; 

Whereas the United States Government has long been a leader in global education, and experience has shown that 

when the United States Government retreats from critical 

development and humanitarian programs, it leaves gaps 

that other influences will fill; and 

Whereas Congress passed the bipartisan Reinforcing Education Accountability in Development (READ) Act (Division A, Public Law 115–56), in 2017 and reauthorized 

that bill in 2024 for an additional five fiscal years to 

demonstrate the United States Government’s commitment to improve access to education around the world 


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and ensure individuals around the world have the education and skills needed to be productive members of society and the workforce: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 

2 (1) commends the leadership and commitment 

3 of the United States Government to improve access 

4 to quality, inclusive education and improved learning 

5 outcomes for the poorest and most marginalized 

6 children and adolescents worldwide, which promotes 

7 global stability, economic prosperity, and poverty 

8 elimination; 

9 (2) recognizes that the United States Govern10 ment’s basic education programs are strengthened 

11 and complemented by Global Partnership for Edu12 cation’s education systems-level approach and part13 nership building and Education Cannot Wait’s focus 

14 on education in emergencies and protracted crises; 

15 (3) acknowledges that education is a lifesaving 

16 humanitarian intervention and encourages the 

17 United States Government to integrate education in 

18 all humanitarian response efforts and continue to 

19 promote coordination across all sectors and branches 

20 of the United States Government; 

21 (4) implores the United States Government to 

22 meet its various commitments to international basic 


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•HRES 66 IH 

1 education through its annual budget requests to 

2 Congress, recognizing the significant global need; 

3 (5) calls on the Secretary of State and the Ad4 ministrator of the United States Agency for Inter5 national Development to use all diplomatic, humani6 tarian, and development means to promote access to 

7 quality education for children and adolescents 

8 throughout the world; and 

9 (6) calls on the Secretary of State and the Ad10 ministrator of the United States Agency for Inter11 national Development to commit to prioritizing qual12 ity, inclusive public education for children and youth 

13 with disabilities, girls, children and youth in emer14 gency and crisis settings, and traditionally 

15 marginalized groups as a critical component to 

16 learning equity, poverty elimination, and global sta17 bility and prosperity. 

Æ 


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