Cokie Roberts honored Rep. McCollum for being 'A Champion for Real and Lasting Change.'

"Advocacy Matters" said Cokie Roberts during a reception at Save the Children's Advocacy Day, and delegates proved her right during meetings with senators and representatives where they acted as a resource on children's issues both in the U.S. and around the world. Save the Children supporters were also able to attend a White House briefing with Obama administration foreign policy advisor Gayle Smith, and domestic policy advisor Heather Higginbottom, and ask questions.

At the briefing, Save the Children volunteer Nicholas Kaasik, 19, asked if President Obama would ratify the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, he also pointed out that only the U.S. and Somalia have yet to ratify it.

Smith called his comparison "persuasive" and told Kaasik, "I think your point is a good one about Somalia and the US, and I'll use it. "

Kaasik had driven seven hours from Geneseo College in upstate New York to be at Advocacy Day, and found the trip well worth it. He said, "It was inspiring to hear."

Nicholas Kaasik gave a persuasive argument for signing the Convention on the Rights of the Child.

At Advocacy Day attendees learned details about the issues, newborn and maternal survival and U.S. after-school programs. Supporters then split up into teams for meetings at the offices of nearly 130 different representatives. The goal was to persuade the administration to increase funding for health programs, as well as expand after-school programs for vulnerable American children.

During Advocacy Day meetings four members of the House of Representatives signed on to cosponsor H.R. 1410, the Newborn, Child & Mother Survival Act of 2009, a bill to increase assistance to mother's and babies in developing countries. A total of eight additional representatives had signed on as cosponsor a few days later.

Two students from Kentucky, Ayesha and Divija, asked their representative, John Yarmuth, to cosponsor the bill. His response? "Absolutely!"

As well as asking representatives to support legislation and increase funding, Save the Children honored Senator Betty McCollum and Representative Susan Collins for their work on behalf of children's issues.  Collins endorsed Save the Children's advocacy efforts, saying, "When constituents come to town, people listen!"

Last Updated April 2009