[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 70 (Tuesday, May 1, 2007)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E902-E903]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    . . . AND HOW ARE THE CHILDREN?

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                         HON. CHARLES B. RANGEL

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                          Tuesday, May 1, 2007

  Mr. RANGEL. Madam Speaker, I rise today to enter into the record an 
article titled ``. . . And How Are The Children?'' published in Witness 
for Justice on April 9, 2007.
  The article highlights a monumental gathering of over 50 
organizations that came together to sponsor the annual Ecumenical 
Advocacy Days Conference in Washington, DC. The theme of the conference 
was ``. . . And How Are The Children?'' The answer, offered by 
executive minister M. Linda Jaramillo is ``the children are not doing 
so well.''
  Included in the article are abominable facts that speak to the crisis 
facing our nation's children. For example, 9 million children are 
without health care. That is more than the total population of large 
states like Georgia, Minnesota, and Virginia. Almost 90 percent of 
these children live in working households, most in two-parent families; 
a fact which destroys the myth that only those from broken homes are 
without access to essential resources like health care.
  We owe it to our children, to ourselves, and to our country to stop 
the senseless neglect experienced by far too many of our most precious 
resource--the future of our nation. The article endorses the call to 
conscience and action sponsored by the children's defense fund. I too 
am in support of their efforts and will do all I can to advance this 
critical issue.

             [From Witness for Justice #315, Apr. 9, 2007]

                   ``. . . And How Are the Chilren?''

                        (By M. Linda Jaramillo)

       How are the children? This is an African proverb, but it is 
     not an uncommon question for us in our culture. We often 
     greet one another with hello, followed by asking the 
     question, ``How are you and how are the kids?'' This question 
     can be directed to a parent, a teacher, a grandparent, an 
     aunt, an uncle, or anyone who spends time around children. It 
     doesn't matter if we are actual birth parents because ``the 
     children'' are really part of all our lives, so it seems that 
     we should be asking that question to everyone we greet. 
     However, I wonder if we listen long enough to find out how 
     the children really are?
       A few weeks ago, over 50 organizations jointly sponsored 
     the annual Ecumenical Advocacy Days Conference in Washington, 
     DC. This year's theme was ``. . . And How Are the Children?'' 
     Over 800 persons attended, sharing information and stories 
     about critical justice issues that have serious impact on 
     children all around the world. As I went through the days of 
     workshops and discussions asking the question, I have to 
     answer that `` . . . the children are not doing so well.''
       Distinguished theologian, Dietrich Bonheoffer said it best 
     when he wrote, ``the test of the morality of a society is how 
     it treats its children.'' I would have to confess that our 
     nation, the richest nation in the world, has failed this 
     moral test. We have failed by directing billions of dollars 
     to engage in war rather than investing in the future of all 
     children. We can make excuse after excuse about how we spend 
     our public dollars, but we cannot excuse our disregard for 
     children. We cannot respond and say that the children are 
     doing fine.

[[Page E903]]

       For example, there is no excuse for 9 million children to 
     be without health insurance in this country. Almost 90 
     percent of these children live in working households, most in 
     two parent-families. Parents are working hard, sometimes 
     taking on two jobs to provide shelter and food for their 
     children. These parents often have to make the choice between 
     feeding their families and taking them to the doctor or to 
     the dentist. These 9 million children belongto all of us. How 
     they are is everyone's responsibility.
       Nine million children. That is more than the entire 
     population of states like Georgia, Virginia, Indiana, 
     Arizona, Minnesota, or New Jersey. That is more than the 
     total population of almost any single city in this nation. 
     These 9 million children come from rural, urban, and suburban 
     communities. These 9 million children represent all races and 
     are of every age under 18.
       ``. . . And How are the Children?'' We can do something to 
     help make them better by joining the Healthy Child Campaign 
     to cover all children with health insurance this year. Get 
     involved.
       Sign the Call to Conscience and Action at http://
www.childrensdefense.org.

 ____________________