As I wrote here, Girl Scouts supports the Healthy Media for Youth Act (H.R. 4925), a bipartisan bill that promotes healthy media messages about girls and women for the benefit of all youth. This week, Girl Scouts has focused on gaining more attention for this bill.On Wednesday, eighteen high school Girl Scouts from Girl Scout Council of the Nation’s Capital participated in Girl Advocacy Day on Capitol Hill to encourage Congressional support for the Healthy Media for Youth Act.
The girls met mostly with staff from the offices of U.S. Representatives, but also had a few meetings with Representatives themselves. In the meetings, the girls highlighted Girl Scout programming and research, outlined the key parts of the bill, and shared personal stories to emphasize the importance of the bill. At the end of the day, the girls attended a networking reception where they had the opportunity to meet people who work and intern on the Hill.In addition, several blogs featured the Healthy Media for Youth Act and the Girl Scouts Advocacy Network this week, including Rachel Simmons, Shaping Youth, and Women and Hollywood! Jess Weiner also covered the bill in her e-newsletter.
More importantly - What can you do?
Join the Girl Scouts Advocacy Network and send a letter of support for the bill to your U.S. Representative – and then tell your friends to do the same! Include information about the bill and a link to the Girl Scouts Advocacy Network in your newsletters and on your website. Download a web sticker to put on your website or in emails that will direct folks to the Girl Scouts Advocacy Network where they can send letters to Members of Congress.
The bill currently has 42 co-sponsors, but we hope to reach our goal of 75 before the end of the legislative cycle. And there is not much time left! So Take action this week – like the girls from Girl Scout Council of the Nation’s Capital - to support the Healthy Media for Youth Act (H.R. 4925). Head over to the Girl Scouts Advocacy Network now!
Photos of Girl Scouts with Congressman Keith Ellison (MN-5) and Melissa Munoz from Rep. Ann Kirkpatrick’s (AZ-1) office.