National Call In Day: White House Conference on Children

In addition to visits to Congressional offices by those able to attend the CWLA National Conference next week, CWLA is organizing a National Call In Day on February 24 to encourage support for a White House Conference on Children.

This follows a conference call CWLA hosted on February 18 to discuss the status of the White House Conference, and provide a legislative update on the latest news regarding child welfare and health issues in Washington. Info at bottom of this page

Suggestions:
- Visit Congress.org for contact info: enter your ZIP on this page
- Use your free weekend cell minutes to call in and leave a message on your Congressional representatives voicemail
- Follow up with an email
- If they're not on the list below, ask them to join as cosponsors of the bills. If they are, thank them
- Also let them know about other legislation that they should support: the Education Begins At Home Act (home visiting), the MOTHERS Act (postpartum depression education and awareness) and the SBS Prevention Act (SBS education and awareness)

After great success last year, CWLA is thrilled to announce that the White House Conference Bill has been reintroduced into Congress! Each new Congress requires all bills to be re-introduced for the new session.

On February 24, hundreds of CWLA advocates will converge on Capitol Hill to get Congressional support for a White House Conference. Those of us who cannot be in Washington will join by phone!

Join your colleagues for a National Call-in Day! Call your members of Congress on Tuesday, February 24, and ask them to cosponsor this important bill!

Call the U.S. Capitol Switchboard to be connected to your members of Congress!
202-224-3121

MESSAGE

Tell your Representatives to cosponsor H.R. 618

Tell your Senators to call Sen. Landrieu's office in order to be a cosponsor for the Senate bill - she is expected to introduce it at any time now!

A White House conference on Children and Youth is needed to focus the attention of the nation on children. This conference is long overdue, as there hasn't been one in almost 40 years! The conference will examine the greatest needs and set the country on a path to reform.

Cosponsors of H.R. 618 (2.21.09)

Rep. Chaka Fattah (D-PA) Rep. Todd Platts (D-PA)
Rep. Neil Abercrombie (D-HA) Rep. Dennis Cardoza (D-CA)
Rep. Elijah Cummings (D-MD) Rep. Raul Grijalva (D-AZ)
Rep. Patrick Kennedy (D-RI) Rep. John Lewis (D-GA)
Rep. Donald Payne (D-NJ) Rep. Jared Polis (D-NJ)
Rep. Pete Stark (D-CA) Rep. John Yarmouth (D-KY)
Rep. Madeleine Bordallo (D-GU) Rep. Jim Cooper (D-TN)
Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-CT) Rep. Reubin Hinojosa (D-TX)
Rep. Dennis Kucinich (D-OH) Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D-NY)
Rep. Loretta Sanchez (D-CA) Rep. Robert Wexler (D-FL)
Rep. Don Young (R-AK) Rep. Howard Berman (CA)
Rep. Danny Davis (D-IL) Rep. Keith Ellison (D-MN)
Rep. Michael Honda (D-CA) Rep. Carolyn Kilpatrick (D-MI)
Rep. Gregory Meeks (D-NY) Rep. Thomas Petri (R-WI)
Rep. Lynn Woolsey (D-CA) Rep. Tammy Baldwin (D-WI)
Rep. Russ Carnahan (D-MO) Rep. Bob Filner (D-CA)
Rep. Dutch Ruppersberger (D-MD) Rep. Janice Schakowsky (D-IL)
Rep. Jose Serrano (D-NY) Rep. Louise Slaughter (D-NY)