In America, the richest nation on earth, with a GDP over $14 trillion, we rank 22nd among 30 industrialized nations in low birth weight babies, and 27th in infant mortality rates. Give our beautiful babies a bailout -- join the Stroller Brigade!

Elizabeth Thorp: So you can't get to The Washington Post before school dropoff, and your recent issues of The New Republic are gathering dust? No doubt you've still heard about the current health care reform debate and legislation. Everyone agrees that the current system needs to change so Americans can get the affordable care they need. The existing legislation is a huge step in the right direction, but we still have work to do to protect our children.

Under the current health care reform bills, millions of families whose children are insured could face higher costs for health coverage and receive fewer health care benefits -- while millions of uninsured children may never make their way through the maze to actually get insurance.

In 2013, the year that the new Health Care Exchange becomes operational, millions of children will be moved from the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) into the Exchange, where they will be subject to much higher out-of-pocket expenses and fewer benefits than they now receive under CHIP.

"Children must be better, not worse off, after health care reform," states Marian Wright Edelman, the tireless and dedicated founder of the Children's Defense Fund. "It is morally and economically indefensible for America's children to be overpowered by influential lobbyists and insurance companies. Everyone needs to stand up and tell their political leaders that it's time to be Champions for Children."

The Children's Defense Fund is organizing Stroller Brigades to fight for children -- and babies, children, parents, and grandparents (and their strollers) are mobilizing to tell Congress and the President to build on and expand what works in the Children's Health Insurance Program, and to leave children better, not worse, off when health care reform is completed.

Tomorrow, on November 4, a "stroll" to the Nation's Capitol will open the campaign to demand that members of Congress stand up and be Champions for Children's Health. From November 6-8, the campaign goes national: strollers will be rolling across the country, in Arkansas, California, Florida, Louisiana, Minnesota, Mississippi, Montana, New York, North Dakota, Ohio, and Texas.

In America, the richest nation on earth, with a GDP over $14 trillion, we rank 22nd among 30 industrialized nations in low birth weight babies, and 27th in infant mortality rates. Give our beautiful babies a bailout!

Join the Stroller Brigade! Visit www.childrensdefense.org/strollerbrigade for exact times and locations, information on holding your own Stroller Brigade, or participating in a "virtual brigade."

Elizabeth Thorp serves as President & CEO of EDT Communications, Inc. Elizabeth's 17 years of experience spans almost every area of public relations, crisis management, event planning and public affairs -- although no amount of training can prepare you for crisis management in a happily hectic household with three young divas. She lives in the Washington, DC area with her husband and three young daughters, Isabelle, Lucy and Penelope.