Photo Credit: Nina Naylor (http://www.ninanaylor.com/)
This past July, US Representatives Rosa DeLauro (D-CT) and Denny Rehberg (R-MT) launched the Congressional Baby Caucus:
The Congressional Baby Caucus aims to ensure that public policy reflects the latest research in understanding how children’s brains are shaped and developed, how positive behaviors can be encouraged, and how investments in early childhood create success in later years, as well as that families are supported with what they need to take advantage of the scientific advances.
“Recent scientific studies on young children and their families have demonstrated that there is a disconnect between what we know is good for America’s children and families versus what we as a country do about it,” said Congresswoman DeLauro. “For this reason, Congressman Rehberg and I founded the Congressional Baby Caucus, which will champion efforts to identify and promote policies that take advantage of these scientific studies in a thoughtful manner to ensure the affect of policies on infants and toddlers is not an after-thought. Our goal is to focus on the opportunities for Congress to use science to dramatically improve the public policy opportunities for children in this country.”
The Baby Caucus wants to start off to specifically address the needs and concerns of active duty military families (e.g., child welfare, child care, early childhood development, education, and prevention of child abuse).
Now, I’m no political wonk. I have no idea how effective legislative caucusing can be. But something about this news gives me hope about us changing the public policy around providing diapers to needy families across the country. Remember, if the government can make cheese, why not diapers?
If enough of us start talking to our legislators in Washington about the health and well being of the country’s tiniest citizens, maybe we can do some good.
What do you all think?