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News release

Moms on Capitol Hill to Congress - “Childcare Costs More Than College!”

December 9, 2014

Lisa Lederer, 202-371-1996

Moms and Kids Deliver Decorated Paper Dolls to Members of Congress in Support of Early Childhood Education
WASHINGTON, DC -- On Thursday, December 11th, moms and their kids will be on Capitol Hill to deliver decorated paper dolls and parent stories to members of Congress with messages about the skyrocketing costs of early childhood education.  Members of MomsRising will deliver these messages the day after President Obama is set to convene a White House Summit on Early Learning with the focus on increasing investments in preschools and childcare - fundamental early learning opportunities that ensure that all kids in America have the most opportunities possible and that our economy can thrive.
 
WHO/WHAT: Moms and their families will deliver decorated paper dolls and stories to the offices of US Senators on the importance of early childhood education.  Parents and kids from Washington DC, Maryland, Virginia and Washington State will be in attendence.
WHERE: Lobby of the Senate Hart Building
WHEN: Thursday, December 11th.  11:00am ET.
 
Advocates plan to meet with and deliver paper dolls and storybooks with the offices of Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-UT), Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-TN), Sen. Patty Murray (D-WA), Sen. Bob Casey (D-PA),  Sen. Barbara Mikulski (D-MD), Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL), Sen. Ron Wyden (D-OR) and Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Sen. Jerry Moran (R-KS), Rep. Bobby Scott (D-VA), Rep. Rosa de Laura (D-CT), Rep. Katherine Clark (D-CT), Rep. Nita Lowey (D-NC), Rep. Donna Edwards (D-MD), Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), Rep. John Klein (R-MN), and Rep. Hal Rogers (R-KY).
 
“Childcare now costs more than public college in most states in our nation, leaving hundreds of thousands of people struggling to pay for high-quality childcare. Sadly, this fact is relatively unknown by our elected leaders. That’s why kids and parents across the country are coloring paper dolls to show members of Congress the importance of investing in early learning in order to boost our economy and families. The decorated paper dolls also show what the children hope to grow up to be….provided they can get access to high-quality, affordable pre-school and childcare,” explained Kristin Rowe-Finkbeiner, executive director and CEO of MomsRising.org ahead of the delivery on Thursday. “The reality is simple: Parents need safe, enriching places for their kids to be so they can work; and kids need high quality early learning opportunities so they can thrive. Congress needs to step up and make sure all kids have access to affordable, high quality preschool and childcare.”
 
For more information, or to interview the mothers - please contact Gretchen Wright or Kim Hayes at 202-371-1999.
 

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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.