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Statement

Moms Group on Trump’s Upcoming Address to Congress

February 28, 2017
#KeepMarching, Immigration, Maternal Health, Workplace Justice

Lisa Lederer, 202-371-1996

Statement from Kristin Rowe-Finkbeiner, executive director and CEO of MomsRising.org, ahead of Trump’s first speech before a joint session of Congress
“Tonight, President Trump will speak for the first time before a joint session of Congress, and all indications are that he will continue to push a radical alt-right agenda that hurts our families, our communities, our economy, and threatens the underpinnings of our democracy. His vision strips healthcare from tens of millions of Americans, perpetuates Islamophobic falsehoods, weakens important workplaces protections, undermines family incomes, and tears communities and families apart via mass deportations. 
 
“The moms of America have a simple message to President Trump: This agenda is not our agenda.  
  • The moms of America know that nearly 30 million Americans rely on health care via the Affordable Care Act to keep their families alive and healthy.  And millions of people rely on Medicaid--including half of all births in this country, and 70% of nursing home patients.
  • The moms of America know that the diversity of our nation is what makes us a strong, innovative, and prosperous country. 
  • The moms of America know that immigrants - including Muslims and Mexicans - are a vibrant and important parts of our communities and our economy.
“And the moms of America will not be fooled. We know that the paid family leave and childcare proposals that President Trump proposed during the campaign fall far short of being the solutions that American families , businesses, and our economy need.   
 
“For instance, parents need safe, enriching places for their children to be so they can go to work; and children need safe, enriching education in order to thrive. Yet increased access to quality, affordable early education and care; as well as fair treatment, pay and professional development opportunities for childcare workers are some of the critically important components that are missing from the plans Trump circulated before he was elected. Further, Trump’s proposed plan of paid family leave for moms only doubles down on the discrimination that moms already face in the workforce and  unfairly leaves other caregivers behind. 
 
“The mom of our nation know that the priorities of our nation – and our nation itself -- didn’t shift between Presidents. Donald Trump lost the majority vote. There’s no mandate. We didn’t suddenly change from a country where our diversity is what makes us strong, creative and prosperous; to one of carnage and division on November 8th. The moms of our nation hold the vision of the better America in our hearts as we #KeepMarching for our nation to be a country where liberty and justice is had by all.”
 

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MomsRising.org is an on-the-ground and online grassroots organization of more than a million people who are working to increase family economic security, decrease discrimination against women and moms, and to build a nation where businesses and families can thrive. Established in 2006, MomsRising and its members are organizing and speaking out to improve public policy and to change the national dialogue on issues that are critically important to America’s families, including criminal justice reform, immigration policy reform, and gun safety. MomsRising is working for paid family and medical leave, affordable, high quality childcare and early learning, and for an end to the wage and hiring discrimination which penalizes women — particularly moms and women of color — and so many others. MomsRising advocates for access to healthy food for all kids, health care for all, earned sick days, and breastfeeding rights so that all children can have a healthy start. MomsRising maintains a Spanish language website: MamásConPoder.org. Sign up online at www.MomsRising.org — and follow us on our blog, and on Twitter and Facebook.