The Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies Subcommittee held a hearing in Washington, D.C., focusing on childhood literacy and effective reading instruction. The session was chaired by Rep. Robert Aderholt (R-AL), with testimony from Dr. Holly Lane of the University of Florida Literacy Institute, Mrs. Bonnie Short of the Alabama Reading Initiative, and Mr. Larry Saulsberry from Huntsville City Schools.
Chairman Aderholt emphasized the importance of early reading skills: "Developing strong reading skills at an early age is a foundational building block for lifelong success. When students master basic reading skills by the fourth grade, they make the important transition from 'learning to read' to 'reading to learn.' That is why these early years are so crucial, and why we owe it to our children to provide them with proven, effective instruction in reading."
Rep. Mike Simpson (R-ID) discussed his experience with a colleague who taught reading recovery in Idaho. He stated, "She told me a couple of things. One of them is that if a child doesn't get on grade level by about the third grade, they're just going to get further and further behind, and you've essentially lost that child... Second thing she taught me was you have to get the parents involved." Dr. Lane responded by highlighting the lack of resources for teachers and outdated materials in many schools. She also noted connections between student literacy issues and family literacy levels.
Rep. Andy Harris (R-MD) referenced information from "Failure Factory," noting declining reading proficiency rates at a Baltimore high school once attended by Thurgood Marshall. Harris said, "You all know about the million-word gap. If you're read to as a child, you're likely not to have the million-word gap. And if you come out of a single-parent household, you're more likely not to succeed in reading and literacy... Maybe we need a 'Make America Read Again' policy or something... We know the data: 69% of black children are born to a single-[parent] household, 52% of Hispanics, 28% of white children. Our single-parent household rate is three times as high as the rest of the world. Our reading is worse than the rest of the world. We should be looking at every single policy we have, and make sure we promote a household that will support literacy." Mr. Saulsberry agreed on the importance of family structure for literacy development and mentioned programs encouraging students to bring books home.
Rep. Andrew Clyde (R-GA) raised concerns about stagnant test scores despite increased education spending over decades: "I think education should be done at the lowest level possible, the closest to parents and students. Today, we face a national crisis in reading proficiency. However, federal costs on education have only skyrocketed since the 1960s. U.S taxpayers have spent nearly $3 trillion on education in public schools, yet test scores have failed to meaningfully improve, with only about one-third of our fourth and eighth-graders reading at proficient levels, according to the latest national assessment of education progress data. This isn't just an education failure. It's a threat to America's self-reliance, its future workforce, and its global competitiveness."
Dr. Lane described research showing which programs increase literacy but noted that political pressures often favor less effective teaching trends over evidence-based methods.
The House Committee on Appropriations oversees funding decisions for federal agencies such as those discussed during this hearing (https://appropriations.house.gov). The committee drafts annual spending bills that allocate government funds across sectors including education (https://appropriations.house.gov). Guidance for community project funding requests also comes through this committee's processes (https://appropriations.house.gov).
Tom Cole has served as chairman for this committee (https://appropriations.house.gov), marking him as its 43rd chairperson (https://appropriations.house.gov). Both Republican members like Harold Rogers and Democratic members such as Steny Hoyer are notable figures within this body (https://appropriations.house.gov).
The subcommittee’s discussion will inform future appropriations work as Congress prepares for FY27 budget considerations.
