Dear Richard Burr,

As you and your colleagues debate ways to reduce the national debt, I urge you to consider
children first and make them your top priority in your budget decisions. With 16.4 million children living
in poverty and with a majority of children in all income and racial groups unable to read or do math at
grade level in the fourth, eighth, and 12th grade, I am concerned America will be unable to compete in
the globalized economy tomorrow unless we make serious investments in children today. Make children
your top priority by protecting children's health and nutrition programs from cuts and investing more in
early childhood and education programs. The richest citizens and corporations don't need any more tax
breaks and should give back some of their unfair share of our nation's tax subsidies and bailouts to feed,
house and educate children and to create jobs for their unemployed and underemployed parents.

Summer Stanley
10009 Little Creek Rd
Charlotte, NC, 28227
Sjs017@bravemail.uncp.edu