Smucker Supports Legislation to Educate Students about Dangers of Communism, Totalitarianism

Washington, D.C.-Last week H.R. 6123, known as the Crucial Communism Teaching Act, which is supported by Rep. Lloyd Smucker (PA-11) and over 60 other members, was introduced by Congresswoman María Elvira Salazar (FL-27). The legislation aims to teach students about the dangers of communism and totalitarianism. It is modeled after by the Never Again Education Act, passed by the 116th Congress, which created an analogous program to educate American students about the Holocaust through the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum. Under the Crucial Communism Teaching Act, educational materials would be made available through the Victims of Communism Memorial Foundation to help educate high school students about the dangers of communism and totalitarianism, and how they are contrary to the founding principles of freedom and democracy in the United States. The Victims of Communism Memorial Foundation was founded in 1993 by a unanimous act of Congress. It is dedicated to the purpose of "educating new generations about the ideology, history, and legacy of communism."

"Thanks to our free enterprise system, I, like so many across our nation, have been blessed with the opportunity to live the American Dream. I came to Congress to vigorously defend every American's opportunity to work towards their own American Dream. Self-described socialists in Congress are pushing legislation to kill that opportunity and radically alter our way of life. I'm very concerned that an alarming number of younger Americans hold favorable views of communism, according to recent polling," said Rep. Smucker.

"The world knows communism is responsible for horrifying death and destruction throughout history. It is more critical than ever that we ensure our students are taught the history and the present dangers of this ideology. I appreciate Congresswoman Salazar for leading this critical legislation and am proud to join her in supporting it," said Smucker.

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