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Statement

STATEMENT OF Kristin Rowe-Finkbeiner, Executive Director, CEO AND Co-Founder, Momsrising, on Ann Romney’s Introduction of Mitt Romney and the Romney/Ryan Record on Issues Important to Moms:

August 28, 2012
MomsVote

Lisa Lederer, 202-371-1996

MomsRising Calls on Romney to Address Issues Important to Mothers
“As Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan accept the Republican nomination at the Republican National Convention in Tampa, Florida, they need to consider one of America’s most important but overlooked demographics: moms.
  
“More than 80 percent of women in the United States have children by the time they're forty-four, making moms an important part of the American public, culturally and electorally.  
 
“We look forward to hearing Ann Romney's speech tonight highlighting her and Mitt Romney's marriage and family life with five boys. Ann Romney is justifiably proud of the work she's done raising her children.
 
“But it should not be overlooked that many moms in the United States don't have the same resources as the Romney family.  Many moms are struggling. With three-quarters of moms in the labor force--and nearly half serving as primary breadwinners--too many moms are working hard, and playing by the rules, yet still unable to make ends meet.
 
“There are many realities that moms face every day, but which aren't yet being addressed on the campaign trail, like the fact that one year of infant daycare now costs more than a year of public college in many states. Nearly a quarter of families with young children live in poverty. Nearly 80 percent of low-wage workers – and nearly 40 percent of private-sector workers – don’t have access to a single paid sick day.  And not surprisingly, without such policies in place, having a baby is a leading cause of “poverty spells” in our nation. On top of this, women, particularly moms, still don’t get equal pay for equal work. 
 
“Women's health care is also at stake in this election. In fact, with threats to overturn the Affordable Care Act, it's estimated that 129 million Americans under 65 with pre-existing conditions would be at risk of losing their health insurance if the Affordable Care Act is repealed.
 
“We'd like to hear all the candidates speak to all of these issues and we're still waiting.”
 

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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.