MEDIA ADVISORY

December 19, 2012

CONTACTS:
Casey Schoeneberger, 202-569-4254, casey@faithinpubliclife.org
NETWORK contact: Stephanie Niedringhaus, 202-347-9797, ext. 224, sniedringhaus@networklobby.org

Diverse National Faith Leaders Join Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, Rep. Rosa DeLauro and Rep. Keith Ellison to Urge Congress and Obama Administration to Protect Struggling Americans in Fiscal Showdown, End Tax-Giveaways to the Rich

WHAT: Led by NETWORK, A National Catholic Social Justice Lobby, Bend the Arc Jewish Action and the Muslim Public Affairs Council, “Rabbis, Imams, Pastors, and Nuns on the Bus” will board a large yellow school bus on Thursday, December 20 for a day of action and highlight top moral priorities of people of faith in the fiscal showdown by visiting a local social service agency, joining with Members of Congress on Capitol Hill and lobbying lawmakers to protect Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid and end tax breaks for the wealthiest Americans and big corporations.

Clergy leaders will first stop at “So Others Might Eat” (SOME) at 9:30am on Thursday, December 20 to highlight the struggles of those living at the economic margins who stand to be harmed by immoral fiscal showdown negotiations. Following the visit to SOME, faith leaders will make a second stop at 11:00am on the House Triangle in the U.S Capitol Complex, where they will be joined by Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL), Rep. Rosa Delauro (D-CT) and Rep. Keith Ellison (D-MN) to urge fellow Members of  Congress to protect safety-net programs and demand that lawmakers not abandon struggling families this holiday season and instead make sure everyone pays their fair share.

WHO:  Members of Congress, prominent clergy, and people of faith including:

Sister Simone Campbell, Executive Director of NETWORK, Washington, DC

Rabbi Esther Lederman, Temple Micah, Washington, DC

Imam Makhdoom Zia, MakeSpace Association

Bishop Don Williams, Bread for the World, Washington, DC

The Honorable Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL)

The Honorable Rosa DeLauro (D-CT)

The Honorable Keith Ellison (D-MN)

WHERE & WHEN:

Thursday, December 20, 2012

So Others Might Eat, 60 O Street NW, Washington DC, 9:30am

House Triangle, U.S Capitol Complex, Washington, DC, 11:00am

VISUALS: Yellow school bus, banners and posters with quotes from religious texts

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