Stop the U.S. Senate from Undermining Key Protections for American Families!

Corporate interests are demanding that Congress weaken critical protections for American families — protections that we need to make sure that our air is breathable, our water is clean, our food is safe to eat, and our economy is stable.

This Thursday, June 23, at 10 a.m. Eastern Time, the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee is scheduled to consider "regulatory reform" legislation that would hamstring government agencies, making it more difficult for them to protect us.

Here are two things you can do to make your voice heard:

1. Call the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee to tell them they should work on making sure regulations protect the public from harm and enforce them. The Committee will be considering several bills this Thursday that once again put special interests above public interests — and undermine public protections. Call (202) 224-2627 to tell them enough is enough. Your voice makes a huge difference.
2. Tell your senators to stand up to special interests and defend public protections for American families!Click here and make your voice heard by using our system to find your senators’ phone numbers and log a record of your calls.

Tell your senators that we need stronger, not weaker, protections to ensure:

• Safe food: Approximately 3,000 people die in this country as a result of foodborne illnesses.
• Clean air: Thousands of people die and thousands of children develop asthma every year as a result of air pollution.
• Stable financial system: Approximately 8 million jobs were lost as result of the tragic near-collapse of our economy three years ago. That crisis was caused by a lack of regulation of our financial system.
• Safe workplaces: Every day, 12 workers die as a result of workplace injuries, and more than 135 workers die from occupational diseases. It now takes nearly 10 years to issue each new workplace safety and health rule designed to prevent these deaths.

Contact your senators today and urge them to oppose any legislation that blocks agencies from carrying out their main mission: protecting the American people from health, safety, environmental, economic, and other hazards.

Bachmann: 2-Parent Family Key to Success

National Caregivers Month

It seems the federal government is embracing a new outlook on how we look at society and child welfare, a shift from the current way we look at how we care for and about those who care for others.


It's not parental rights, it is human rights and social justice, a reinvestment in society.


This is National Caregivers Month, a more inclusive term, a more compassionate concept.

Ten Years of Caring. Lifetimes of Rewards.

In our society, family caregivers are the primary source of support for individuals of all ages with physical, mental, and chronic health conditions. For ten years, the National Family Caregiver Support Program (NFCSP) has provided much-needed services to assist family members who care for grandparents, parents, spouses, and children who cannot care for themselves. NFCSP funded initiatives, the Aging Network, and other caregiver organizations continuously strive to meet the needs of both caregivers and the people in their care.

To recognize NFCSP’s decade of achievement and the family caregivers we serve, the U.S. Administration on Aging is collaborating with national caregiver organizations to sponsor a year of celebration. Join us! We are encouraging communities all across America to join in this celebration by:

• Hosting ceremonies and events to honor caregivers and caregiver supporters.
• Conducting information sessions about the role of family caregivers and the support NFCSP can provide.
• Engaging community leaders and policymakers to think about their vision for the next 10 years of support for family caregivers.

Use this website to download ready-made materials for planning and promoting your Year of the Family Caregiver events and help us celebrate the 10th anniversary of the NFCSP.

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release

October 29, 2010

Presidential Proclamation--National Family Caregivers Month

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BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
A PROCLAMATION
 

Every day, family members, friends, neighbors, and concerned individuals across America provide essential attention and assistance to their loved ones. Many individuals in need of care -- including children, elders, and persons with disabilities -- would have difficulty remaining safely in their homes and community without the support of their relatives and caregivers.

Caregivers often look after multiple generations of family members. Their efforts are vital to the quality of life of countless American seniors, bringing comfort and friendship to these treasured citizens. However, this labor of love can result in physical, psychological, and financial hardship for caregivers, and research suggests they often put their own health and well-being at risk while assisting loved ones. Through the National Family Caregiver Support Program, individuals can help their loved ones remain comfortably in the home and receive assistance with their caregiving responsibilities. This program provides information, assistance, counseling, training, support groups, and respite care for caregivers across our country.

My Administration's Middle Class Task Force, led by Vice President Joe Biden, has made supporting family caregivers a priority, and we are working to assist caregivers as they juggle work, filial, and financial responsibilities. We made important progress with this year's Affordable Care Act, and because of this landmark legislation, Americans will be able to take advantage of the Community Living Assistance Services and Supports (CLASS) Program. This voluntary insurance program will help individuals with long-term care needs to maintain independent living, as well as compensate family caregivers for their devoted work.

Our businesses and companies can also contribute to families' ability to care for their loved ones in need. By offering flexible work arrangements and paid leave when caregiving duties require employees to miss work, employers can enable workers with caregiver responsibilities to balance work and family obligations more easily. Such efforts impact countless lives across our Nation, easing concerns and contributing to the well-being of individuals and families as they go about their daily lives.

During National Family Caregivers Month, we honor the millions of Americans who give endlessly of themselves to provide for the health and well-being of a beloved family member. Through their countless hours of service to their families and communities, they are a shining example of our Nation's great capacity to care for each other.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim November 2010 as National Family Caregivers Month. I encourage all Americans to pay tribute to those who provide care for their family members, friends, and neighbors in need.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this twenty-ninth day of October, in the year of our Lord two thousand ten, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-fifth.

               BARACK OBAMA