Urge your Congressman to Cosponsor HR 618 & S 938

Congressman Chaka Fattah (D-PA) and Congressman Todd Platts (R-PA) have re-introduced HR 618 in the House of Representatives and Senator Mary Landrieu (D-LA) and Senator Richard Burr (R-NC) have reintroduced S 938 in the Senate to make a White House Conference on Children and Youth a reality.

Legislation to convene a White House Conference on Children and Youth was filed by Congressman Fattah and Congressman Platts and Senator Landrieu and Senator Burr. This bipartisan bill would create a two-year event that will focus on child welfare issues and challenges. CWLA has been tirelessly working with Congress to file legislation that will convene a long overdue White House Conference on Children and Youth. That day has finally come.

Help CWLA and the sponsors of this bill make this a reality! Tell your members of Congress to co-sponsor and support HR 618 in the House of Representatives and S 938 in the Senate.

Sample Letter for Campaign

Subject: Support HR618 & S938 to reestablish the White House Conference

Dear [ Decision Maker ] ,

It is time to renew America's commitment to our children and youth, and resurrect the oldest White House Conference in history. The first conference was convened in 1909 by President Theodore Roosevelt, but no conference has been held since 1970. In these difficult economic times we need to focus our attention on families that are struggling.

I urge you to cosponsor bipartisan legislation in the House and the Senate (HR 618 and S938) to reestablish the White House Conference on Children and Youth introduced by Congressman Fattah (D-PA), Congressman Platts (R-PA), Senator Landrieu (D-LA) and Senator Burr (R-NC).

Each day in this country, the media reports stories of abuse and neglect. The numbers speak volumes; annually there are approximately 3 million reports of child abuse/neglect, more than 500,000 children in foster care, and more than 125,000 children waiting to be adopted.

The goal of the White House Conference is to make things better for all children particularly children who are abused and neglected. Congress needs to assume leadership on this issue and set the tone with a mandate to the White House and the nation to aggressively focus on our nations most vulnerable.

I appreciate your leadership and dedication to children's issues and hope you will lend your sponsorship and forceful leadership to HR 618 and S938.

Thanks for all you do to make children a national priority!

Sincerely,

Campaign Launched:
June 16, 2009

Background Information

The fundamental purpose of the 2010 White House Conference on Children and Youth is to fulfill the nation's need for an overall vision in child welfare and to refocus an inspired understanding of the many facts we have at our disposal to put them into practice at this critical juncture. There has never before been the summation of knowledge and experience as what now lies before the 2010 conference. Now is the time to bring together the years of research and expertise that will make a difference in the lives of children if focused upon nationally.

Previous conferences made significant contributions to establishing priorities for protecting and supporting children in need:

1909 - The conference for the first time committed the nation to oppose the institutionalization of dependent children.
1919 - The White House Conference on Standards of Child Welfare produced the first significant report on child health and welfare standards.
1920 - CWLA was creeated when White House Conference delegates cited an urgent need for a national child welfare agency.
1929 - This conference produced the most comprehensive report on the needs of children ever written, and resulted in the issuance of a national Children's Charter.
1939 - The Conference on Children in a Democracy highlighted the democratic values, services, and environment necessary for the welfare of children.
1950 - The Mid-Century White House Conference focused on healthy personality development.
1960 - The Golden Anniversary White House Conference on Children and Youth expanded upon this theme to examine ways for children to explore their potential in order to discover creative freedom.
1970 - The last White House Conference on Children and Youth strived to strengthen the individuality and identity of children through the support of healthy personality development.

A White House conference on Children and Youth is needed to focus the attention of the nation on the children who, after all, are our responsibility. The conference will examine the greatest needs and set the country on a path to reform. The commitment of the President and the power of the White House is needed to once again make vulnerable children a national priority and point the way to significant reform and improvements.