Dear Supporters,

   March is National Social Work month. An advanced society recognizes that there needs to be a reasonable, compassionate investment in those who are least able to protect themselves. The hallmark of social work is to protect our country's most vulnerable citizens: our children.

   In my 44-year career in education, I have seen how Americans lead the way in research on healthy human growth and development. This demonstrates how effective many pro-child policies and programs can be. In other words, we know what it takes to raise healthy children. I'm privileged to see my granddaughter Reese thriving with loving parents, nurturing child care, stimulating social interaction and supportive community resources. That's what every child needs.

   We live in a stressful society, and sometimes parents alone cannot provide all the levels of support that a growing child needs. When this happens, community programs can step in to help families. Community programs are especially helpful for families struggling with poverty. The Every Child Matters Education Fund says, "Poverty can impede children’s cognitive development and their ability to learn. It can contribute to behavioral, social and emotional problems, and poor health." Subsidized early learning opportunities like Head Start, together with parental involvement, can enhance lifelong learning and ultimately alleviate poverty.

   Most Americans believe that their government has a moral responsibility to help provide for the health, education, and safety of children. Child well-being is not necessarily a partisan issue. Sixty-three percent of Republicans and eighty-nine percent of Democrats feel that the President and Congress need to give a higher priority to the health, education and well-being of the country's children.

   Effective programs like Head Start can be costly. But these programs do not always mean higher taxes. I advocate increasing efficiency in our bureaucracies by using technology and pre-existing infrastructure. I believe in creative partnerships between government, non-profit agencies and the private sector which can maximize the effectiveness and efficiency of programs to help children.

   The Every Child Matters Education Fund says, "The public knows intuitively what all research confirms: spending on kids has a great return on investment. It keeps the U.S. competitive in a global market." I believe the small price we pay now will have infinite rewards on our country's future. A critical measure of who we are as a nation is how we treat our less fortunate.

   Our country suffers from significant disparities in child well-being among states. Florida ranks among the worst five states in the nation with the highest rates of juvenile incarceration, uninsured children, child abuse fatalities, and overall crime rate. New investments in children and families are critical to repair these distressing findings. We need leaders in Congress who will pay special attention to our vulnerable children.

   I will lead with a comprehensive children's agenda that includes addressing child poverty, child care, child abuse and neglect, child health, the child tax credit for the working poor, after-school programs, and pre-kindergarten education.

   I will be a leader in Congress to make sure the needs of our community -- and our community's children -- are addressed, not ignored.

Sincerely,

Larry Byrnes