NATIONAL COUNCIL OF JEWISH WOMEN
Portland, Oregon Section
Advocacy Programs
Sarah
Wetherson, State Public Affairs Chair
The National Council of Jewish Women has been at the forefront of
social change, both locally and nationally, for over a century. Inspired
by Jewish values, NCJW works to improve the quality of life for women,
children and families and to ensure individual rights and freedoms.
| ACTION
ALERT |
| The Education
Begins at Home Act (S. 667 and H.R. 2343) |
A coalition of groups that support several home instruction
programs, such as HIPPY, are working together to build support for
bills to ensure the future of these important early-childhood education
programs. Some
of the links take you to different organizations, but the
advocacy is for a program NCJW supports locally and nationally.
Please take a few moments to learn more and to get in touch with your
Congressional representatives and senators and ask them to support
these bills.
The Education Begins at Home Act (S. 667 and H.R. 2343)
The Education Begins at Home Act (EBAH) is bipartisan legislation
that would provide federal funding to expand quality early childhood
home visitation programs. Early childhood home visiting promotes early
learning, improves parenting and family health, and ensures that children
grow up ready to learn.
The Act allots $400 million over 3 years to states, which then have
the flexibility to use the grants to provide eligible families with
voluntary early childhood home visitation. State allotments are determined
by the number of children 5 years and younger that reside within the
state (EBAH
State Funding Allocation in the Senate Version ). Importantly,
EBAH allows states to implement home visiting programs of their choosing
as opposed to requiring the use of only one, specified model.
The Act also provides two competitive grants of $50 million each over
3 years to expand services to families with English language learners
and to families with a family member in the armed forces. The bill
also strengthens the early childhood home visitation components of
early Head Start programs by establishing standards for home visitor
staff and providing for transition procedures.
EBAH introduced in the Senate by Senators Bond (R-MO) and Clinton
(D-NY) and has been referred to the Committee on Health, Education,
Labor and Pensions. The House version was introduced by Reps. Davis
(D-IL) and Platts (R-PA) and has been referred to the Education and
Labor Committee, as well as the Armed Services Committee.
To read the text of the Senate bill and the House bill, and to obtain
information regarding the bills' co-sponsors, please go to http://thomas.loc.gov/.
Enter S.667 to access the Senate bill and HR. 2343 for the House bill.
Why Home Visiting?
Click
here for more information on home visiting.
Click
here for a description of early childhood home visitation programs.
Click
here for comments by Hon. Patricia Jessamy, Baltimore City State's
Attorney, Baltimore, MD.
For more information about the collaborative work of home visiting
programs, visit:
Healthy
Families America
Home
Instructions for Parents of Preschool Youngsters (HIPPY) USA
Parents
as Teachers
The
Parent-Child Home Program
Take Action!
Take action today to support quality early childhood home visitation
programs by asking your Senators and Representatives to support the
Education Begins at Home Act.
Take
Action at Prevent Child Abuse America
Take
Action at Parents as Teachers Action Center
 |
Our pioneering advocacy program helps members and supporters
speak courageously with a progressive voice at the local, state
and federal levels. NCJW’s Washington D.C. office is at the
forefront among Jewish organizations in championing important issues
with lawmakers and policymakers. |
During the bi-annual Oregon legislative sessions, Portland
Section members travel to the state capitol to talk to senators
and representatives about issues that will impact women, families and
children. Members also use tools provided by national NCJW, such as
e-mail alerts and issue papers, to voice their opinions on important
issues.
Our major ongoing advocacy efforts center around:
Preserving
women’s reproductive rights: NCJW
created the national Benchmark program, aimed
at preserving Roe v Wade by opposing the appointment
of inappropriate judges to courts at all levels.
NCJW also works against local and federal laws
that seek to restrict a woman’s
right to make reproductive choices.
The separation of religion and state: NCJW believes
this is a constitutional principle that must be protected in order
to maintain a democratic society.
The well-being of women, children and families: This
has been a core issue of NCJW since its founding. Locally and nationally,
the organization works to reduce poverty and fight all forms of harassment,
violence and abuse against women.
Individual and civil rights: NCJW
supports legislation against hate-crimes, supports
equal rights for same-sex couples and works to preserve civil liberties
and civil rights for everyone.
