Subject: Our first task
From: "Mark Shriver" <[email-masked]>
To: <[email-masked]>
Date: Thu, 17 Jan 2013 19:29:31 -0000

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Dear Hunter,

Yesterday, I was at the White House listening to President Obama unveil his highly anticipated (and much-contested) proposal to curb gun violence.  President Obama is the leader of the greatest and most powerful nation in the world, but he spoke as a father.

“This is our first task as a society, keeping our children safe,” he said.  “This is how we will be judged.  And their voices should compel us to change.”

At Save the Children, we strongly endorse the President’s proposal, including universal background checks for anyone purchasing a gun; a ban on high-capacity weapons; a 10-round limit on ammunition magazines; and tougher sanctions on illegal gun sales.  We also support efforts to expand mental health services, particularly for young people.

But these are just the first steps towards addressing a very complex issue: the safety and well-being of all children in a country where nearly 1 in 4 lives in poverty.

That’s why, together with the Children’s Health Fund, Every Child Matters, First Focus, Harlem Children’s Zone, and Share Our Strength, we are calling on the President and Congress to establish a new National Commission on Children.  This new Commission should be tasked with creating a national policy on children and setting goals for reducing childhood poverty, obesity, illiteracy, and violence.

The first National Commission on Children was formed by President Reagan and Congress in 1987 and ultimately led to the enactment of the Earned Income Tax Credit, the Child Tax Credit, and the creation of the Children's Health Insurance Program, among other important initiatives.  Twenty-five years later, it’s time for another Commission to develop bold, new ideas to tackle today’s challenges.

To learn more, take a look at this front-page Huffington Post (http://e2.ma/click/x1ncc/h9ytd/1okwcb) blog I wrote with Save the Children’s President and CEO, Carolyn Miles.  And please join us in our call for a Commission by signing our petition (http://e2.ma/click/x1ncc/h9ytd/hhlwcb) today.

If our kids are our most valuable resource, then their well-being is certainly worth the investment.

I hope this note finds you well.  Best wishes for a safe and happy 2013!

Warmly,

Mark

______________

Mark Shriver

Senior Vice President, U.S. Programs

Save the Children

Phone: (202) 640-6627 
[email-masked]

Connect with me on: Twitter (http://e2.ma/click/x1ncc/h9ytd/x9lwcb) | Facebook (http://e2.ma/click/x1ncc/h9ytd/d2mwcb)

 

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