This afternoon I participated in a press conference call hosted by Americans United for Change, featuring a group of people all supporting bills within the Advancing America’s Priorities Act. Speakers included:
- John Walsh of America’s Most Wanted supporting the Combating Child Exploitation Act which will increase resources in the fight against child pornography and other internet crimes against children;
- Bruce Morgan of the Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation promoting passage of the Christopher & Dana Reeve Paralysis Act which supports and enhances cooperation in paralysis research, rehabilitation and quality of life programs for people with paralysis;
- Lee Page of Paralyzed Veterans of America, also supporting the Christopher & Dana Reeve Paralysis Act;
- Alvin Sykes of the Emmitt Till Justice Campaign supporting the Emmitt Till Unsolved Civil Rights Crime Act, which will strengthen the ability of the federal government to investigate and prosecute unsolved murders from the civil rights era; and
- me, Katherine Stone, speaking on behalf of Postpartum Support International in support of the Melanie Blocker Stokes MOTHERS Act, which as you know will help provide more education about and research into perinatal mood disorders and services for the women who suffer.
In a sad way, it was comforting to me to learn that so many other people are as frustrated as we are in trying to get bills passed to provide assistance to everyday Americans who need real help. Some of these organizations, including PSI, have been waiting for many years to get the Senate to take action. Mr. Walsh talked about how frustrating it is to watch the government spend "$5 billion to photograph ice crystals on Mars" while Congress continues to delay taking action on bills that would change the lives of people here in the US on day one. As he said so eloquently, "This is not about a bridge to nowhere. This is about Americans — the sacrifices they make and the obstacles they face."
