Press Releases

WASHINGTON - Children's Defense Fund President Marian Wright Edelman today joined nearly one thousand religious, women, policy and political leaders to organize and conduct teach-ins and prayer services against the Bush Administration's assault on programs that benefit poor children. The President yesterday told religious broadcasters in Nashville, "We must apply the great compassion of our people to the deepest problems of our country," while last week he announced plans to dismantle Head Start, block-grant Medicaid and eliminate, slash and freeze crucial children's programs.

Edelman called on religious leaders and activists to resist the Bush Administration's rhetoric of "compassionate conservatism" that masks the most uncompassionate and dangerous assault on poor children in American history.

"It's time for all people of conscience to speak the truth about and stop the Bush Administration's war on poor children," said Edelman. "The Bush budget brings good news to the rich and bad news to the poor. It defies the prophets and the gospels and mocks American values of fair play. It is unjust and immoral. It must be rejected."

The Children's Defense Fund organized several comprehensive teach-ins with experts about Bush Administration proposals to give $89,000 in tax cuts on average to each millionaire this year while dismantling Head Start and block-granting Medicaid—programs that have decades of proven success.

Yale University Child Development and Social Policy Center Director Dr. Edward Zigler presented at one of the teach-ins for activists today citing the Bush Administration's attempt to turn back the clock on children.

"Today, Head Start is at the most critical juncture in its entire history," said Zigler. "I have now had the opportunity to closely observe the entire evolution of Head Start. Unless these issues are satisfactorily resolved, the Head Start our nation has constructed over several decades will be lost."

A larger group later gathered at the Washington National Cathedral for an interfaith service and moral witness on behalf of children with Washington Episcopal Bishop Right Rev. John Chane, National Council of Churches President Dr. Robert Edgar, Olivet Institutional Baptist Church Pastor Dr. Otis Moss, Jr., Masjid Farrah Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf, Masjidal Mohamud Imam Yusef Saleem, Washington Hebrew Congregation Senior Rabbi M. Bruce Lustig, among hundreds of other religious leaders.

The Children's Defense Fund found that if the President's budget were enacted, it would take away child care assistance for 30,000 children this year and 200,000 over five years. It eliminates after-school programs for 570,000 children. The Administration's tax plan includes an elimination of taxes on stock dividends, the cost of which could pay for comprehensive health insurance for all uninsured children and Head Start for every preschool child who needs it.

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The mission of the Children's Defense Fund is to Leave No Child Behind and to ensure every child a Healthy Start, a Head Start, a Fair Start, a Safe Start, and a Moral Start in life and successful passage to adulthood with the help of caring families and communities. CDF provides a strong, effective voice for all the children of America who cannot vote, lobby, or speak for themselves. We pay particular attention to the needs of poor and minority children and those with disabilities. CDF educates the nation about the needs of children and encourages preventive investment before they get sick, into trouble, drop out of school, or suffer family breakdown. CDF began in 1973 and is a private, nonprofit organization supported by foundation and corporate grants and individual donations. We have never taken government funds.