In the midst of our economic crisis, grassroots faith groups are on the frontlines -- assisting families struggling to meet their everyday needs, including health care for themselves and their children. Just before President Obama signs legislation expanding SCHIP to insure 4 million additional children, clergy and families who are directly affected joined a press conference call to discuss the legislation's significance and necessary next steps to ensure its impact and to insure all children. Full list of participants is here

Listen to what these families and clergy said on this morning's press conference call.

Throughout the SCHIP debate, faith-based community organizing groups worked tirelessy to help pass the legislation. PICO National Network, a faith-based community organizing coalition FPL is partnering with, coordinates 1,000 congregations and brought together people of faith from denominations spanning the political spectrum to press for health care coverage for the nation’s 9 million uninsured children. Clergy and families from PICO and many other faith-based groups are now preparing to press states to use new resources and tools to reach uninsured children and promote bipartisan comprehensive health reform in 2009. They deserve support and praise.

A year-and-a-half ago, a group of religious leaders held a press conference to condemn President Bush's veto of SCHIP expansion. What an infinitely better day today!