Dearborn, Mich. – Today, U.S. Representative John D. Dingell (D-MI15) released the following statement regarding his decision to send a letter to Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) and Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) expressing his concern about the recent decision to end the Page Program.
“While I appreciate the fiscal constraints currently facing our nation and the House of Representatives, I believe the decision to end the House Page Program was short-sighted. I find it difficult to believe that ending the Page Program will not result in the hiring of additional staff to answer the phones, take messages, and administer floor duties. The House Page Program is a unique and valuable way to engage young people in public service and had Members of the House been consulted I believe the decision to end the Page Program would not have been rendered.”
Below is the text of the letter:
“Dear Speaker Boehner and Leader Pelosi:
I write with concern about the recent decision to terminate the House Page Program. As a former page who has seen the benefits of this program first hand, this decision raises questions about the future operation of Congress and the information on which this decision was based.
Pages have a long history that coincides with the creation of our great nation. Although the term “page” was not used until the 20th Congress, the First Continental Congress in 1774 employed messengers to help their operations, and these young folks were precursors to modern-day pages. Since then, countless numbers of young people have had the enriching experience of viewing firsthand how their government operates while giving them an early opportunity to engage in public service. The Page Program is a great way to get young people of all backgrounds involved in our democracy and excited about public service, which is certainly valuable to society as a whole.
I appreciate the fiscal constraints currently facing our nation and understand that difficult decisions must be made. However, we must not forget the value this program brings to young people and the House of Representatives as a whole. It is also prudent to consider how the termination of this program will affect future operations of the Congress. I believe that stakeholders, including current and former pages, members of the page board, and other interested parties, deserve the opportunity to review the information on which your decision was based on. Therefore, I respectfully request that your offices release the results of the commissioned review of the Page Program, in addition to answering the following questions.
1) How much money will be saved by terminating the Page Program?
2) What additional costs will be incurred by the Congress due to this program being eliminated? For example, will other employees have to be hired to perform some of the duties pages currently perform?
3) Did your offices consider any reforms to the program to make it more cost-effective, such as reducing the size of the page classes, reducing the stipend, or making it a commuter program?
Providing this information will go a long way in instilling public confidence that the proper decision has been made in this instance. I look forward to your response and to working with all interested parties to ensure that Congress remains open and accepting to the contributions of young people.
With every good wish,
Sincerely yours,
John D. Dingell
Member of Congress
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