For Immediate Release: Wednesday, June 15, 2011
ROCKVILLE, Md., June 15, 2011—Montgomery County Councilmember Craig Rice (District 2) will travel to Washington, D.C., on Friday, June 17, to meet with members of the Obama administration and attend an intimate reception with the President. Councilmember Rice is one of a small number of members of People For the American Way Foundation’s Young Elected Officials Network, a network of young progressives in elected office, who was invited to the White House to discuss important issues facing states and localities.
“I am excited to meet with the President and officials to ask for their support on a number of initiatives important to Montgomery County, including the reauthorization of a revamped No Child Left Behind program with full funding; federal, state and local partnerships to spur economic development; an immigration policy that provides pathways to citizenship; and increased federal funding for mass transit projects.”
The Young Elected Officials Network, a project of People For the American Way Foundation, provides support and training for more than 600 progressive state, county and city elected officials from all 50 states.
“We are thrilled to be able to take the observations and concerns of so many young, progressive elected officials to President Obama and the administration,” said Andrew Gillum, executive director of the Young Elected Officials Network. “These young leaders are on the front lines of progressive change, fighting for the values of fairness, equality and opportunity in their home communities. President Obama, a successful grassroots leader himself, understands that national movements are built by individual citizens and their elected representatives working hard to bring about positive change in their own communities. We’re tremendously proud to be able to help the president get to know our communities and discuss the issues affecting states and localities across the country.”
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Release ID: 11-144
Media Contact: Neil Greenberger 240-777-7939, Delphine Harriston 240-777-7931